Following a hunch

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

The fight was over – at least for now. Jade looked around her, analysing the wake of the destruction both her and her jaggered Sith ally had left behind them. The old Sith had undoubtedly been impressed with Jade's ability to fight, her ruthlessness, and once again subtly invited her over to the dark side.

"Ruthless? Um it's not like I had a choice. It was very much a story of kill or be killed. The difference between you and I is that given an actual choice, violence would be my last resort." Jade countered Thetan's comment, a touch of distaste appearing over her facial features upon seeing that Zandar had survived the ordeal.

"You!" Jade scrunched up her forehead pointing a finger at him. "I wouldn't have been in this mess hadn't it have been for you. And yes I'm still alive. You're master clearly wants that to be so – for now at least, so get over it!" She locked gazes with the much younger man, the look of disdain evident, before turning away and back to Thetan.

"I agree, retreat is probably our only option. I'll accompany you Thetan, besides we seem to work well as a duo," Jade further said to the utter satisfaction of the Sith Lord, "But keep this..... thug away from me." Jade concluded hastily once again pointing to agent Zandar.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

The old man's lips stretched into a smile before he laughed briefly, amused by [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"]'s dislike for Zandar. The agent was extremely talented at what he did, Thetan did not blame the Jedi for her opinion. The Sith was no fan of spies and espionage, but those who were certainly played their part in the bigger picture. "Gather these thugs and have them load anything that is still intact on to the shuttle, " Thetan ordered Zandar, who had been glaring spitefully at Jade in silence during her outburst. The man turned away a moment later, calling to those that remained to instill some organization among them. The dark side high that had been fueling the old Sith began to wear off, the full repercussions of his force exertions bearing down on Thetan's old body.

The blaster scorch mark on his shoulder burned intensely, his jaw tightening as he resisted the pain and exhaustion that coursed through him. Realizing he hadn't responded to the Jedi, the Sith turned back to face her before speaking, "Violence is inevitable in this day and age, my young friend. While our methods are different, I do not find the same thrill in cold-blooded murder as most Sith," a partial lie, for taking the life of an enemy was a validation of his power, and that he did enjoy. He did not kill his own soldiers, nor for no reason. Thetan had only recently immersed himself within the dark side, the hatred he possessed for his old master so strong, that his irises turned to a blazing golden hue in response.

"We will take you back to the city spaceport, you shouldn't have any issues leaving the planet once we get there," the old man hoped aloud, unsure if they would make it without being attacked. The rusty Gamma-class Light Personnel was ancient by today's standards, but it seemed to work as the engines audibly roared to life. Thetan motioned for Jade to follow as he moved, striding forward with surprising composure considering his current state. The transport was almost full , a Weequay and a human carrying the last sealed crate up the large loading ramp and into the cabin area. Most of the thugs talked among themselves, while others tended to injuries or counted their spoils alone.

"How far will that fighter get you?" The Sith asked, as he moved passed the parted crowd to enter, making his way into the closed off cockpit area where Zandar had situated himself. Most starfighters equipped with hyperdrives were not capable of long distance jumps, and Thetan was sure that his old master would pursue. "Tanaab is one of the closest planet, an agricultural one not governed by any major militaristic movements. I intend to travel there myself, once I retrieve my own ship." Leaving Hok was probably the smartest option, for their resources had been expended and Thetan required medical attention.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade breathed softly almost not able to hear her own breaths as she attentively listened to everything that Thetan had to say. Choosing to remain standing, she leaned back against one of the bulkheads and folded her arms. Noticing agent Zandar's spiteful look at her, she returned the gesture by giving him a greasy look of disdain back as he left to carry out the instructions given to him by his master. Jade understood all to well that that was not the standard behaviour of a Jedi, yet she was different, and she knew that Thetan, even though unwittingly understood that too.

"I can't really argue with your logic Thetan. You have a valid point," Jade said swallowing her own saliva in attempt to rid the lingering dryness in her throat. "By the way some water would be nice." She chuckled jokingly knowing she was unlikely to get any. And then what distinctively set Jade aside from the fact that she was definitely no dark side sourcerer became more than obvious to the old man. Her true sense of caring and compassion – and it was without a doubt genuine.

"Please allow me to heal your shoulder. Your pain, it pains me to see you like that. I know you see it as a weakness in me, and the Jedi in general, but it actually gives me much strength. I do not allow myself to be overcome by evil, instead I overcome evil with good. You'll never understand that Thetan and you know what, you don't have to. All I ask is for you to allow me to help you, nothing more and nothing less."

Jade's spill however quickly turned from one of compassion, to one of cockiness. "My starfighter?" She cranked her head from left to right, producing her trademark posh accent that she normally did when confidence and arrogance rose above her head. It's a modified TIE Defender, note the model type TIE Defender. Not a TIE Fighter, Intercepter or Advanced. A Defender which was the Empire's most superior ship by far, and light years ahead of any fighter at the New Republic's disposal. And of course coupled with all my mods and one of the best pilots the Galaxy has ever seen – yes you're looking at her right now. I will make it so that my starfigher can make it to any destination we intend to go to." Jade concluded deliberately producing a childish like smile and blinked both her eyes simultaneously several times.

She then leaned her head over to see who the pilot in the cockpit was, realising immediately after that it was Zandar. How she had not noticed earlier that it was rather annoyed her. At hearing her words, he smirked at her instantly prompted a reaction from Jade. "What are you frakken looking at? Turn around and fly us back to the city. And don't talk to me unless it's absolutely necessary!" Jade barked out then looking away from Zandar and back to Thetan. "Oh and Thetan, is it okay if I accompany you to Tanaab?" Jade asked in an almost girlish voice, already knowing the old man would be most delighted for her to join him on his trip to Tanaab.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

"Our supplies are all packed back in the cabin," Thetan spoke, replying to [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"]'s request for water. If she wanted to head back there with all the thugs, she was welcome to do so. Turning to face a first-aid kit upon the wall, the old Sith opened it up and withdrew some bacta patches, slapping them on his shoulder before throwing his cape on over top. Thetan had been convinced that Jade could be turned to the dark side, though it seemed as if he had been wrong the entire time. Her little speech that was overshadowed by her bragging proved that much to the old man. Either way Thetan was content, for a Jedi by his side could still be fairly useful, and had proven to be so far. The shuttle raised off the ground, shaking briefly as its engines propelled it across the barren dune sea of Hok.

The ship was fast for its age, and would reach the spaceport in less than an hour. Slinking down into the co-pilots chair, Thetan exhaled, closing his eyes as he began to relax and focus on their next move. If Jade's starfighter was that of original Imperial design, then it probably ran off an ionization reactor, which converted solar energy into usable fuel. There would be no need to accompany him to Tanaab, unless she had ulterior motives. "We won't be on Tanaab for long, only to rearm, regroup and eventually relocate. Now would be your best chance to leave the system." Thetan replied, mindful but still tempted by the idea of using Jade against his old master.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

As the shuttle shook briefly on takeoff, Jade took her seat in the chair directly behind the pilot. The battle had been exhausting. Laying back on the chair and closing her eyes, she gathered her thoughts. Her looks of youthfulness were deceiving, as she was for one fast approaching her middle age. Not that that was old, but she was a far cry from her cunning youth of her 20s. As she felt the aching across various parts of her body, she thought of her past, the many battles against her Imperial foes, the Sith and her late husband Qi-Xian Sunrider - she missed him dearly.

The old shuttle despite its age, fast approached their destination. Jade opened her eyes, kinked her head slightly to the right to take in the view and then sat back again to relax. It felt weird to her. That she could actually relax in the presence of a formidable Sith Lord. Unless Thetan was a master at hiding his true feelings, she could not sense any deception or traitorous acts from the old man.

"So what is the plan? Clearly the ultimate goal is for both you and I to battle it out against your master?" Jade said with a shrug and sigh. She had mixed feelings. Thetan's master would indeed be a powerful adversary and it would take two to defeat him. But what then, she quietly mused to herself. Thetan would just take his place and would undoubtedly force her to join him. And if she refused, then it would be a fight to the death - something she didn't want, not because she feared him, as already she had proved time and time again that she could, on an average day get the upper hand on him. No it was something else that ultimately made her hesitant. She couldn't deny it, but she had slowly been gathering feelings for the old man. She shook her head for a brief moment, and then chose to not utter so much as a single word until their arrival at the spaceport.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

"Soon," was all that Thetan had to say in reply to [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] for now. She was a fully trained and capable Jedi Knight, if she wanted to avoid getting caught in the middle of the feud than she wouldn't have been on Hok in the first place. The battle against his master had already begun, all that was left now was a duel to determine the other's fate. In his current condition, death was guaranteed for Thetan, one of the main reasons he had brought the Jedi without attempting to harm her. Jade could easily kill him, not without consequence, but luckily they were all on the same page.

Turning to Zandar, the Sith pointed at the city that came into view, directing him towards the large spaceport that they had already rented a docking bay in. While nothing on Hok was overly glorious, the Mandalorians had done a fine job of instilling order among the populace. It was the same spaceport that Jade had landed in, nearby the cantina where she had first met Zandar during her investigation. "He is here on Hok, not far behind either. I don't doubt he will follow us, you might just have a chance to show off your piloting skills after all of this," Thetan continued finally, slowly craning his head to the side to regard Jade.

With a few taps on the nearby computer console in the ship, the old man set up a communications channel between the two, so they could contact each other once out of orbit. The shuttle swooped in and began to slow, descending towards the sandy landing pad of the docking bay below. The ship then powered down entirely, the major systems shutting off as one of the walls collapsed into the boarding ramp once more. "I am going to retrieve a vessel suitable for space travel, you could get a head start to Tanaab," Thetan concluded, standing up from his chair and brushing himself off, his clothes still dusted up by the skirmish earlier. He then turned and headed out of the cockpit into the main cabin, pushing by the thugs before stepping out into the sunlight. Though it was still bright out, the duo would definitely be able to feel the dark presence looming overhead. "We must leave soon."

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade didn't utter too much of a word for until she along with Thetan walked down the shuttle's boarding ramp. Rather Jade preferred to listen to the old man attentively. Finally she spoke. "He is here on Hok? So why do we run instead of fight now. Clearly you have an elaborate plan that you're not sharing with me. I think you should before we leave for Tanaab, after all it is clear that you are not capable of defeating your Master and hence want me to do it, thus I have the right to know." Jade insisted stepping in front of Thetan, standing in his path just below the boarding ramp, and folding her arms.

Jade would wait for an answer from the old Sith, and regardless his response she would then proceed to ask him one final question before making her way to her TIE Defender, the 'Soul of Wildcat.' Clearing her throat as she spoke, she said, "So after I defeat your Master," Jade made sure to deliberately place an emphasis on the 'I' part, "what do you plan to do with me if I refuse to join you? Are you going to kill me, or perhaps better put, arrange to have me killed since I doubt you'll be able to single handedly do so, given I'm the one that needs to kill your more powerful Master to begin with."

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Taking a few steps along the large metallic ramp, Thetan frowned as [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] stood in his way. He knew there were many questions to come, but decided he would take them one at a time. Simply stepping passed her, the old Sith beckoned for the woman to follow, already knowing the direction in which her starfighter was grounded. "Of course I have a plan. If you paid as much attention as you asked questions, you'd see that I am in no condition to fight now." The man stated dismissively, having moved passed the impulsive stage of his life. Though the dark side did make him more instinctual, Thetan was smart enough to know when to retreat.

Reaching the docking bay exit, the old man extended an arm, opening the metallic door and stepping through it as it slid away into the wall above. "Here, we are on his turf. Letting him come to us will give time to set up an ambush, on land he is unfamiliar with," the duo would then proceed into the corridors of the spaceport, walking passed many types of people as they headed towards Jade's docking bay. "You are but a mere part of his destruction, for you will not succeed alone. I want you to blast him out of the sky once he enters Tanaab's atmosphere. Can you do it?" the Sith questioned, obviously having thought this out to some degree.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade silently followed the Sith as he slowly answered her questions. With the sound of a familiar hissing noise, the exit door opened and the two casually exited. Jade took note of the various people around them as they made their way through the various corridors to the docking bay where Jade's pride and joy, the 'Soul of Wildcat,' her prized TIE Defender awaited her.

Having finally reached the ship, she stood their in silence as Thetan continued to speak. Gazing at her ship, she took a minute to appreciate it in all its pure glory, images of past battles from a time long ago filled her mind, the victories, the narrow escapes, and... that fatal night where she had flown the ship to take back the body of her late husband, killed sacrificing his life to save her from the clutches of yet another of many Sith lords in which Jade had barely disposed of, severely injured herself and barely making it back herself. She took a deep breath in and then slowly out again. Completely aware that the old Sith that stood beside her could sense all that she was feeling, she still didn't care as she felt a deep sorrow from within her, as sadness engulfed her entirely.

"Can you do that?" The old Sith's words echoed in her head, finally disrupting her train of thought - a good thing as it allowed her to snap out of her sorrowful misery.

"Can I do that he says?" Jade responded in her usual arrogant showoff attitude, "Why of course I can. He'll be toast, that you can definitely count on." Jade turned around eyeing her gaze straight at Thetan, once again shrouding her softer gentle and humane part of her behind her shroud of arrogance and cockiness. Deep down and inside, Jade was none of that, even despite the fact that she many a time convincingly played the part well, yet Thetan has seen it all now.

"I'm ready to depart whenever you give the go ahead Thetan," Jade then replied meekly, as she began to climb onto her fighter.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Thetan nodded to [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"], content with what lay ahead. Working together, there was a great chance that his plan would succeed. He only hoped that the Jedi's over confidence would not hinder the mission at hand. "Then you have my permission. Look for an Interceptor-class frigate in orbit, we'll make our way to Tanaab and then prepare," the Sith spoke, before slowly taking a few steps back towards the exit of Jade's docking bay.

"Soon, you will be able to put all of your dealings with the Sith behind you." Turning about, the old man moved through the automated door as it opened, heading back through the spaceport corridors to return to the shuttle. It was capable of reaching orbit, and would dock with the frigate once they arrived. Zandar still sat in the pilot seat, the pirates and thugs in the main cabin having cracked open drinks in celebration of their victory already.

Thetan made his way passed them, entering the cockpit before taking a seat. The small craft lifted out through the docking bay roof, its nose lifting as it blasted off through the sky, ascending thousands of meters until reaching orbit. The two ships then linked up, transferring the crew who also took their cargo onboard the larger frigate. Letting Zandar do all of the work, Thetan made himself busy as he entered the frigate's small medbay, laying down and receiving medical attention from one of the droids who worked at his wounds.

Opening a comm channel from the medbay, Thetan spoke loudly as his transmission as sent to Jade. "We are ready to depart. The trip should take no more than a hour." As he spoke, the frigate took off across the vacuum of space, its engines roaring as the jump to hyperspace was made.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

As Thetan spoke, Jade chose not to respond with words, but rather acknowledged her understanding of his instructions. As soon as the Sith left, Jade wasted no time in climbing into her own TIE Defender. As per usual she did all the necessary pre-flight checks and then blasted off into the sky above her, initially flying close to buildings- deliberately so that the many on the ground could hear the unique sound of her TIE. The purpose of doing it was absolutely unnecessary of course, but Jade in many ways still hadn't grown up, despite her age and all that she had gone through.

It wasn't long until she broke orbit and the Interceptor-class frigate in question took only minutes to spot. Yet Thetan's shuttle had not arrived to it as yet. Jade patiently waited as she set course on her own fighter for Tanaab. She quietly took the time to reflect on what had already occurred and the mission ahead. Thetan wanted his old master dead, and so did Jade. Yet their reasoning behind it were totally different and both Thetan and Jade knew it. Thetan wanted him dead in to simply take his place. How ironic Jade thought to herself, since the reason why she wanted him dead was to simply eradicate one more Sith Lord from existence. Yet in doing so she would only help replace him with another, Thetan, in whom she had developed too many feelings for now to not want to kill him. She sat there totally clueless, having no idea on what to do for when the situation would inevitably arise.

The sound of an incoming shuttle, that of Thetan's suddenly interrupted her train of thought. She stared at the sight as Thetan and his crew boarded the frigate dead ahead, followed by the eventual announcement from Thetan to her.

"Roger that, making the jump now." Within seconds of the Frigate making the jump into hyperspace, Jade did so as well, with the Sith - Jedi team now truly on their way to the Tanaab System.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

On the small command bridge of the Sacheen-class light escort, Imperial and Sith officers alike did their duty by keeping the vessel stable, as it left the planet Tanaab's orbit. The three hundred and seventy-five meter long ship cruised through the vacuum of space, a cloaked figure overseeing the communication and sensor officers as they worked at their terminals. Though no one would comment on it, the tense atmosphere within the frigate filled everyone with a sense of excitement and fear. They were eager to complete their mission, even more so to please the one who had given them such an opportunity. "Two vessels dropping out of hyperspace," a crewman called out, prompting a nod directed to a comm-officer from the dark individual. A hail was sent directly to the large of the two incoming crafts, what appeared to be an Interceptor-class frigate.

Noticing Zandar's delayed reaction, Thetan leaped from his seat in the cockpit, having entered minutes after being informed of their arrival. "Shields are at maximum," the old Sith spoke with a slight grin, knowing the incredible amounts of energy they could absorb before going offline. He could only hope that [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] was ready, for a glorious battle most definitely awaited them. Opening a channel to her starfighter, the man relayed his concerns. "That craft's transponder code says its a part of the Holowan Security Fleet... I don't understand, how could they have known-" The dread of his realization seeped throughout Thetan's very being, as he turned to look over his shoulder, towards the pilots seat next to him. There was Zandar, blaster pistol drawn and aimed precisely at the Sith's back.

Though Jade was left in the dark after the transmission cut off, she had bigger problems to deal with. Half a squadron of fighters exited the escorts hangar and advanced on the Jedi's Imperial craft, their S-foil struts swinging down as they prepared to engage. Their was still quite some distance between the two groups, allowing the thugs that crewed Thetan's frigate to man laser turrets, along with preparing turbolasers for the inevitable exchange of fire. Three of the Defender starfighters broke from formation, peppering the Interceptor-class frigate with a barrage of laser cannon fire. There was little effect, for the shields were formidable for a ship of its size. The other three starfighters continued on their original course, one engaging the TIE-Defender while the two held back on their distance.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

"Thetan? Thetan are you there?" Jade's voice, if anyone could actually hear it portrayed worry and concern. Not because of the fact that there was an Interceptor-class frigate out there, not because a fighter was reading to engage her in combat. 'Treachery.' The word ran like a sudden alarm bell in Jade's head. It was clear enough that no one could have known of their plans. No one, except a traitor. 'Zandar,' the name sent a shiver down her spine as she realised the cold hard truth. They were in trouble and she knew it. The thought of engaging her own hyperdrive and running did cross her mind - did cross but never an option. Sith or no Sith, she couldn't just abandon the old Sith. It wasn't the Jedi way, nor her own way. The Sith were her enemy, but at the present moment, the one Sith that wasn't her enemy, but her friend was in dire danger. Yet she was powerless from where she stood.

Alarm bells rang wildly in her compact cockpit as the one fighter that had broke formation came at her head on. 'Missile lock!' The warning came loud through Jade's own targeting display. Yet Jade did not flinch her fighter as this is what the enemy indeed would be expecting. The missile was fired, streaking its way head on toward's Jade's Defender, just as she had anticipated. Closing her eyes and focusing through the Force, her timing would be imperative. Just as it seemed all over for the veteran Jedi, a barge of laser fire from the Jedi's defender destroyed the missile dead centre, causing a massive fireball in which Jade's fighter harmlessly went through. Yet it didn't end there. The pilot of the attacking fighter clearly overwhelmed and not expecting Jade's cunning move, tried to perform an evasive manoeuvre to avoid the further flurry of laser bolts that Jade continued to fire at it. A futile act as the fighter vaporised into a ball of fire and disappeared as it tried to kink to port.

Having dealt with her immediate threat, she quickly steered her Defender toward the Sacheen-class light escort. She needed to get back to Thetan's ship. He was more than capable of taking care of himself against Zandar. However it was unclear to her if there was more than one traitor in the mix. If there was, then Thetan would need her help. Ignoring the other 2 fighters, she transferred all weapons power to engines, dramatically increasing her speed towards Thetan's ship, creating some distance between her and the other 2 pursuing fighters.

"Zandar to to Sacheen-class escort, come in Zandar, I know you can hear me and I know you have taken Thetan hostage. Please lower the ship's shield and allow me to board. I welcome the situation in taking Thetan hostage. Now allow me to kill him by my hand. You know it is the right thing to do. Allow me to kill him and I will prove myself to his ex master and the one you serve on board that Interceptor-class frigate that I am worthy of being his new apprentice." However all Jade heard was silence. "C'mon Zandar, I know you can hear me. Your real master will be peeved if you pass up the chance to give someone of the likes of me the opportunity to be his apprentice. Lower the shields and allow me to board and prove my worth." Jade was desperate to get on board Thetan's ship. Of course she had no intention to really betray the old Sith, on the contrary she would do the opposite, and kill Zandar the moment she got near him. However she needed to get on board the Sacheen-class ship first. Racing towards it, sweat began to run down both temples of her head, as she desperately hoped that Zandar would take the bait and therefore ridding the villainous scum from existence once and for all.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

The small command bridge of the Interceptor frigate was unresponsive for the moment, [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] receiving only silence after her lengthy transmission. With speed unnatural of an old man, Thetan's leg lifted and shot out behind him, his backwards kick impacting with Zandar's blaster. The cyborg's strength allowed him to keep a hold of his weapon, though it was knocked off course, thus allowing Thetan to strike.

With saber hilt in hand, he turned and thrust it towards the traitorous agent, only to have Zandar catch his wrist, angling the weapon away just in time as it was ignited. The red blade of plasma burst into life, plunging into the bulkhead and casting sparks everywhere. Back up against the wall, Zandar was pinned by the Sith's strength, struggling against it as he hoped to prevent the beam of energy from slicing his neck off.

The explosion in space went unheard, a starfighter pilot lost to the vacuum against Jade's skill. The trio that had broken off earlier continued to pepper the Interceptor frigate, its shields spewing sparks of white power as it took the beating. The frigates armament was not impressive, though the gangster crew still aimed to fight back, manning turrets and taking shots at the starfighters who were attacking them. The remaining two that had been assigned to take out the Jedi decided to push forward, eager to avenge the comrade they had just lost.

Their fighters were a dark grey color, zooming across the expanse of space as they advanced on the TIE Defender. One had rerouted a majority of power to their engines, aiming to shoot by the TIE as its wing-man came swooping in, unleashing a few bursts of laser cannon fire towards their target. The one that aimed to pass her did the same, utilizing the extra thruster upon their s-soil to completely turn their ship around, still gliding away as green bursts of energy were released. If Jade wanted to board with the Interceptor frigate, she would have to make quick work of these foes.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade got nothing but silence from the bridge of the Interceptor Frigate. Yet she was certain that Thetan could stand his ground... for now. Her short range sensors began to beep wildly as Jade now had more immediate concerns of her own. Two of the fighters had broken formation from the others that were peppering the Interceptor Frigate, and they were gaining on her fast. Yet it did not overly concern her. She had the superior fighter and by her own ego and arrogant standards, she was by far the better pilot. She would make quick work of both pursuers and continue on her way.

Jade closed her eyes and allowed the Force to guide her. She could see them both close in on her at an alarming rate, both clearly with the intention to pass her and shoot her down as they did so. 'Um we'll see about that bootlickers,' she murmured out aloud to herself. The first pilot came in hard. Jade only had to tap into the Force to know his exact position and trajectory, but before the pilot could fire at Jade, Jade had slammed her forward thrusters in reverse. This causing a massive slow down of Jade's Defender, totally catching the other pilot by surprise. Before he could fire, he zoomed straight past Jade's fighter, and before he had a chance to even register what had happened, Jade who was then directly behind him, fired all laser cannons at him, vaporising her foe in an instant.

As for the second incoming, he managed to see everything, but his approach speed was still to great to correct or compensate for Jade's unexpected slow down. He tried to turn away from the TIE Defender just as his companion's ship burst into flames by swinging his own fighter to port. However he too suffered the same fate as his wingman. Jade only slightly swung her own ship so that the forward side could face the now evasive incoming ship. A direct missile hit from Jade's fighter which she fired blindly, or rather guided with the Force, ended any further participation of the other fighter from this battle.

Spinning her ship 380 degree, she once again pointed it towards the Interceptor Frigate and gunned her engines to full. However instead of attempting to open another channel to its bridge, she decide to instead call upon the Force to connect to the old Sith via telepathy. "Thetan, this is Jade. I need to get onto your ship. If you are able to - somehow, lower its shields for just a glimmer of a second so I can get on board and then raise the shield again to protect against the other attacking fighters. If you can read me now, then you'll know when I am close to your ship and the exact moment to execute my request." Not getting an immediate response - as expected, Jade continued to race towards the Interceptor Frigate at rapid pace. She was confident that Thetan got her message, confident that he would allow her to board, yet whether he was in a position to do so was a completely different matter altogether.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Six more starfighters were immediately dispatched from the Sacheen-class escort, a decision made by the commanding officer who was in a hurry. The single fighter with that frigate had managed to easily dispatch their pilots, and while they could simple move in with the ship they stood within, he had been forbidden from ordering so. The cloaked Sith was satisfied for now, turning away from the others and exiting the bridge.

The rest of the fighter squadron was making its way towards the battle, though it would take some time to get there. [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] had demonstrated her skill as a pilot, and now those within the Defender starfighters knew that this would be no standard dogfight. With numbers and teamwork, they were sure to prevail using the maneuvering jets within the S-foils of their crafts. The tactics were radically dangerous, but they had been trained for some time, prepared to die if that is what it took to achieve victory.

With great reflexes and enhanced cybernetic strength, Zandar was able to muster a powerful kick to Thetan's side, causing the old man to stumble backwards, trailing his saber across the interior of the cockpit. Regaining his composure, the old Sith pulled his blade from the molten metal of the bulkhead, gasping as he looked upon the damaged components within. Alarms started to go off within the small frigate, as the shields coincidentally began to fail.

In a matter of minutes they were offline, something vital to their control having been sliced by Thetan's lightsaber. Jade was now free to board, though it would be a risky gambit for everyone involved. There was no telling what other systems were failing as of now, as the only two supposed to be operating them were currently fighting to the death. The agent was shaken, caught off guard by Thetan's experience and power.

He was fortunate to have gotten free, even luckier now that the ship systems were breaking down. At least he didn't have to do it himself. Charging at the Sith, Zandar was able to bob and weave, avoiding the slashes of Thetan's crimson saber by mere centimeters. With skillfully calculated timing and precision, the cyborg threw another kick, hitting Thetan square in his chest, propelling him backwards into the corridor of the frigate. The old man had heard Jade's telepathic message, but there was nothing he could but hold off Zandar and any others that might have joined the traitor's side.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade was closer now. She had no idea what was unfolding on the frigate, but she could feel him— Thetan, he was still alive, but struggling. Even for a Sith of his calibre, Zander his traitorous opponent had proven to be formidable enough even without the use of the Force. Her Defender's sensors suddenly sent off a new warning— more enemy fighters heading her way, yet they were still far. She knew that she could get to the frigate before they got to her, provided its shields were lowered.

And then it all happened in a heartbeat. The frigate's shields, they indeed did drop, but there was more to it. The whole frigate, it's entire systems appeared to be failing. What the heck was happening she pondered momentarily before suddenly being interrupted by another presence. Dark, powerful, and close. Another Sith, this she was certain of, and the vibrations in the Force had originated from Sacheen-class escort. Thetan's old master was here, and he had the upper hand.

Jade slowed down onto the approach of the frigate's hangar bay, immediately noticing all the chaos that surrounded her. Thetan's men, engineers, mechanics and technicians all scrambling in futile attempts to get the ship online again. Virtually oblivious to them, Jade landed her ship amongst all the chaos, hopped out and bolted for the bridge.

She didn't expect to encounter any opposition— well that's what she had been led to believe. Whilst it was true that most of the crew had remained loyal to the old man, there were the few who served in the footsteps of his betrayer, greeting Jade with blasters held at the ready, and ready to die for their master. Almost half not expecting it, Jade dived and took cover behind a several crates as she was sprayed with blaster fire on her approach to the bridge's entry by 2 men clearly loyal to Zandar. She was immediately back onto her feet as a grenade dropped to the side of her. Assisted by the Force she leaped out in a nick of time, flipping through the air, lightsabre in hand as the grenade exploded. The site before the two men was nothing short of amazing as it almost appeared as if Jade were riding the fire— and consequently the last thing both men would ever see, as both were struck down by their own laser fire deflected back at them by Jade's lightsabre.

Landing gracefully on her feet beside the two deceased men, she stormed into the bridge like a fire burning in a fury. She saw Zandar and Thetan fighting, and despite the Sith skilfully wielding his lightsabre with such skill and precision, it appeared that the former had the upper hand. Jade quickly flanked Zander, who turned slightly in that he could now see her, but at the same time continue to defend against the old Sith.

"Zandar you traitorous scumbag, stand down now or I will not hesitate to strike you down. I'm a lot stronger than him," Jade said as she gestured towards the old Sith, "but either way if you think likewise, you now have two of us to contend with." Cocking her head, she didn't bother waiting for Zandar to reply, not expecting him to surrender anyway. "Thetan your old master is onboard the other vessel, we need to find away to board it and face him asap. So what do you say we stop wasting time with this half cyborg cretin here and get going." Jade half grinned, cocky, deliberately doing her best to insult Zandar at the same time.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Luckily for everyone on board the frigate, the artificial gravity generator and life support systems were still functioning, keeping everyone upright and breathing normally. [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"]'s TIE Defender successfully docked with the Interceptor frigate, connecting via one of the starboard airlocks that held the ship in place. There would be no need for concern, if the larger vessel's shields had not failed moments earlier, both both of the ships in a very vulnerable position.

The starfighters that soared through space towards the stationary targets were only the beginning of their problems, as the Sacheen-class escort began to move in as well. The commanding officer recalled three of the pilots, seeing no need to send any more given their new stroke of luck. The frigate and their Imperial ally were like sitting ducks, and would be captured soon enough.

A grenade was thrown and detonated within the frigate halls, in an attempt to stop the Jedi from reaching her destination. It was no thermal detonator, but it still packed quite the punch, eventually causing a breach in the hull to form minutes afterwards. Those who followed Zandar were few in number, however the force-users would soon find themselves simply dealing with thugs desperate to survive, with loyalty to no one but themselves.

The ships condition sent a wave of panic rolling through the interior, as some even made their way towards the escape pods. Having been kicked out into the corridor outside of the small command bridge, Thetan quickly righted himself, holding his red blade out as Jade appeared from around the bend. The cybernetic agent stood by the door, with the Sith against the nearby bulkhead to his left, and Jade directly ahead, past the old man.

Despite all the woman had said, Zandar did not skip a beat, activating one of his wrist gadgets and aiming it towards the Jedi. It looked to be a miniature grenade launcher, for a small spherical projectile was shot from the vambrace, curving downwards to hopefully impact with the floor. The small grenade worked just like the original model, though had to forgo a large dosage of Ixetal cilona to fit in all the other functions. If Zandar was successful in detonating the drug-filled grenade, it would open up a window of escape for him.

 

[Cynna Jade Sunrider]

Jade never expected for even a heartbeat that Zandar would comply with her demands. However she didn't anticipate that small spherical thing, which without any casting doubts, had to be a weapon of some sort. Yet he did not fire it at her, nor at Thetan for that matter. Instead the grenade like device hit the ground releasing some sort of gas that Jade had never seen before.

"You little frakken weasel," Jade yelled out at Zandar thinking nothing of the gas that had just been released between her and her nemesis. Sprinting towards Zandar with her lightsabre held forward ready to strike him down, she suddenly dropped to knees, skidding straight past her adversary. Lowering her lightsabre, she began to pant for air as her eye widened in terror. Yet it wasn't because of any deadly effects of the now airborne gas from Zandar's grenade, as that gas was merely harmless - to non Force sensitives that was.

She looked up at the old Sith, who now appeared to be towering over her since he was still on his feet and Jade on her knees. "That gas, it is effecting my Force abilities! Do... do.. don't step through it Thetan!" As quickly as the words came out of Jade's mouth, was as quickly as she turned off her own lightsabre, holstered it and pulled out her blaster while getting back to her feet.

"You little blasted coont!" Jade for the most part was a patient and calm person. Generally never giving in to anger and hate. However Zandar had played her for too long now, from when they had first met in a cantina in the middle of nowhere, until now, turning against her own master Thetan. She fired blaster bolts in his direction, through the hazy mist of the gas which now filled the room, hoping that a stray blaster bolt would hit the cowardly Zandar, since without the aid of the Force, her aim was next to useless.

"Thetan he's gonna get away, but he is no longer our priority. You're men, they're all deserters. They will not be of any use to us anymore. You and I need to get off this ship... NOW!" Jade rose her voice to emphasise her point and desperation. "I came back for you. Now please come with me to my awaiting TIE Defender. Getting off this ship shouldn't present itself in being too much of a problem, its what we do once we are off it. I will leave that entirely up to you. We can either make the jump to hyperspace, or we can ask your master who I sense is on board that Sacheen escort, to allow us to board his ship so we face him in combat together."

Jade breathed slowly as she calmed herself down and stared directly into the Sith's eyes. "Personally I prefer to face our adversary than to run. Running away is not the Jedi way, nor is it that of the Sith. I believe I already know your answer Thetan. I believe it is also time to go from here, like now." Jade said, further showing desperation as she gritted her teeth upon hearing a loud explosion nearby that caused her to lose her balance slightly as the ship rocked, as then more explosions followed, further rocking the ship.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Blaster bolts emerged from the cloud of gas, racing down the hallway towards the traitorous agent. One of them managed to impact with his shoulder, causing him to slam into the hull wall before regaining composure. The old Sith focused immensely to clear his mind, having inhaled a small amount of the gas earlier.

Lifting an arm, Thetan released a brief pulse of force energy from his palm, clearing the corridor of the drug and sending it along into the cockpit temporarily. Hopefully, this would prevent [member="Cynna Jade Sunrider"] from becoming too disoriented. "You are right, it is time to leave," the old Sith replied, helping the woman up to her feet, struggling a bit to do so himself.

This whole event had been extremely taxing, and having to face the other Sith as they were was not a very pleasant idea. "Zandar might try to regain control of the ship, which is something I cannot allow. Vital routes, locations and other information that cannot be compromised is at risk," the old man gripped his saber tightly in one hand, his eyes a bright yellow as he harnessed the dark side.

It would sustain him, allowing him to continue on despite the exhaustion he experienced. "Get to your ship, that is the most important thing for you to do now. Those fighters will try to shoot down the few escape pods this frigate has, which are my only chance of survival at the moment." Thetan was unsure of Zandar's next move, but the longer he was allowed to act, the more dangerous the situation became.