Recovering the Armory pt 3 (PM for invite and Details)

[Akio Diachi]

"Tsay see-tsar," Akio attempted, his tongue and lips trying to curl around and pronounce the foreign words.

The Blue-skinned Chiss shook her head, exasperation showing on her usually calm and stoic face. She shook her head said it again, over pronouncing the words for him to hear, "csai csir, say it more from the front of your lips and less from the back."

Akio's eyes met her shimmering red eyes for a moment and he was lost once more in her gaze. He had been injured a month ago, bedridden for three weeks of that as his body healed itself from the massive injury. But she had still not left him. She had been patient, she had stood beside him, without a doubt, without a single complaint she had been there, taking care of him, healing him, and never letting him out of her sight. He didn't understand how or why someone of her caliber would be around him. She was so kind, so patient, even with her stoic ways, and she was well-meaning.

"Csair csir," he said at last, for the hundredth time, this time correctly.

"Very good," Dryzl said at last, giving his shoulder a pat.

Her touch, although platonic and stoic made him feel a wash of warmth over his body. He smiled, "Thank you."

Akio felt the ship he was on shudder with a jolt, waking him from his sleep. The dreams were getting more intense, and once more he could feel them slipping from his fingers as he tried to hold them long enough to examine them. But all too soon they were gone. Out of the quickly fading experience he pulled a name to go with the face. Dryzl. He nodded as he rose to his feet. It was good, very good.

He did not know what these meant; before he had assumed they were memories but now he was beginning to wonder if they were instead visions of the future. He was sure he would have remembered a lady Chiss from his past if she were from there. Surely this was the future then. He shook himself from his ruminations as the ship began to lower itself through the surface of Haruun Kal. Akio stowed his katana carefully on his back and adjusted his gauntlets a moment before preparing to slip away as the crew unloaded the cargo. He had stowed away, as was his way, at the bidding of the Force. He didn't know why the ship was going here, or why the Force had sent him. All that mattered was he was here now.

The Blue Wanderer heard steps coming through the hall and prepared himself to spring into action.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio slipped between two crates as four beings came in; a duro, a twi'lik, a wookiee, and a rodien. All males.

As they worked, Akio could hear them speaking in a language he couldn't understand. However, by the tone he guessed it was the socializing of co-workers. As the Duro came closer, he folded deeper between the two crates, only to slip behind one of them. The alien moved the other crate out on a dolly, slowly wheeling it away. Akio knew his chances of escape without violence were quickly dwindling the longer he remained.

Summoning the Force to augment his strength, the Chiss leaped over them all to the bulkhead, gripping a pair of tiers that overgird the hull. He silently wrapped his blue limbs around one of the supporting struts and pulled himself to the door without a sound. His feet landed on the planet's surface and Akio snuck away from the spaceport and stood on the street corner. Where to next? he asked the Force. Akio lowered his head to his chest and began to breath in and out slowly, allowing the Force to wash over him. The amulet around his neck began to glow a bright cyan blue as the wearer allowed himself to slip into the Force's flowing stream.

That way.

The Chiss opened his eyes and began to feel his feet pulled down the rural street, out of the small town into the countryside. A few farms rolled along either side of the street that had turned to a dirt road. Akio felt himself pulled off the road down to a ledge of the mountain he had landed on. The clouds bellow rolled gorgeously. He hesitated a moment before beginning to climb down.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio's body slowly twisted as his bare blue feet moved from foothold to foothold. The process was slow, and long. After half an hour he reached a winding trail that seemed to be carved into the side of the stony mountain. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Akio leaned on his hands and knees, allowing the sweat to trickle off his face and nose. His loose fitting robes were already soaked, adding to their grime. The Force was calling him ahead, Akio slowly began to walk along the path. The clouds roved around him, blinding Akio to where he was going next. But he trusted the Force enough to not let that stop him.

It was gorgeous, peaceful, and tranquil. The Chiss savored the moment, letting it clean him and gathering strength from it. He was so lost in the joy of it he didn't even feel or notice what was right ahead.

"Hands up," barked a sharp human voice.

Akio halted and found himself staring down the end of a rusty blaster rifle. The man on the other side looked like a local, perhaps he was a hunter or a villager, but the angry look in his eye said otherwise. Akio slowly did as he was told, his hands raising upward in a calm gesture, "There is no need for violence, I am only on a casual stroll, sir."

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled, waving for the Chiss to keep moving down ahead of him. "Keep moving."

Akio nodded calmly and began to tread down the path as he had before, only this time behind him was an armed man.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio walked down the path until he came to a small village built into an out cliff on the mountain just under the cloud line. Bellow them a massive rolling sea of toxic clouds was billowing. As he came closer, Akio took note of the place and realized this was no village; it was a military compound that was attempted to disguise as a village by using local building material. He could make out the messhall, the armory, the barracks, the officer's housing, and the planning headquarters before he reached the outskirts.

How did I know that? Akio wondered. He had never been on a military compound; perhaps the Force was being gracious and giving him the information he needed. The Chiss stowed this away as he was pulled into a side building that was little more than a shack. The door closed and he was in the dark. The Blue Wanderer crossed his legs and sat on the cold dirt flooring without a sound, entering a light meditation as he waited.

"What is it, soldier?" asked an icy voice from the door.

"Sir, I found someone walking the trail, I--"

"Where is he?"

"In there, sir."

"Why did you bring him here? He could be a spy sent to find our base and report back," the man said in a cold and condescending tone.

"Oh, sir, I am so sorry, I didn't think of that," the man began to fumble over his words, "I was--"

"Is he still in there?" interrupted the cold voice.

"Oh, yes of course."

The door swung open and Akio blinked the bright light away of daylight. An Umbarian stood in the door. He wore loose fitting silk black robes that shimmered in the light. His cold purple face was set in a look of cynical distrust. His eyes lighted onto his prisoner's and he gave a slight smile, "Its been a long time, Akio."

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Umbarian looked to his soldier, "There is no threat here, he and I need to speak with each other. We will be in my quarters."

The soldier nodded, confusion showing on his face, "Uh, yes, uh, sir."

He motioned for Akio to follow, and the Chiss did not dare disobey. They walked across the compound to the small but sturdy house that was the commander's quarters. A quaint table sat on the floor with cushions for the users to sit at. A porcelain pot of tea with delicate cups sat in the center of the table. The Umbarian sat on one end and motioned for Akio to sit on the other. After the tea was served in silence, the Umbarian sat looking at his guest, expectantly.

"What brings you to cross my path once more, Akio?" the Umbarian asked at last. "And why are you dressed so disgracefully?"

Akio swallowed, setting his cup down. He supposed he might as well be honest, "I do not remember anything from my past. I don't remember who you are, who I am, or what I am. I do not even know why I am here. I felt pulled."

The Umbarian gave a displeased sigh through his nose, dipping his head for a moment. Akio could feel the raw anger and disappointment within the host. "I expected better from you, Akio. You were supposed to be one of the best. We trained you, we took you in, we expected you to not crack like this," he looked up, finally setting his steely and furious gaze on Akio. "You are a disgrace to the order."

"What order?" Akio asked, swallowing, "I don't even know what your talking about."

"You truly are lost," the Umbarian said shaking his head. He pursed his lips, if looks could kill he would have burned Akio to ashes. "I knew we should not have let you in. I told them that outsiders would fail, even a Chiss. Its in your genetics to be inferior. To fail. You are not worthy to bear the title you carry."

"What title?" Akio asked, he could feel his body and voice tightening with frustration. Impulses, strong impulses were rising in him to fight, to kill. It was a struggle to maintain control of himself.

"Your an assassin, Akio," the Umbarian said with disdain, "You are one of the best assassins the galaxy has ever seen. You are one of the best murderers in the galaxy--"

"I am not a murderer!" Akio shouted, he could feel himself losing control.

"You kill for the pleasure, the honor, the skill it takes, not the money it gives," the Umbarian continued, his eyes flickering in pleasure.

Akio's hand grabbed the edges of the small table, flicking toward his host. The Umbarian popped his hand forward, the heel of his palm striking the table, it shattered into splinters by the blow. Akio used the cover to draw one of his throwing quills and lurch forward, one hand grabbing at his opponent's throat. His hand was easily swatted away, the Umbarian dodged as Akio's body went past him.


"What a shame, I expected so much better from you," the Umbarian chided as he rose to his feet. His hand reached into the folds of his robe, withdrawing a diamond edged knife. "You are such a disappointment."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio rolled into a low squat, one hand extended forward in the tiger's fist, the other gripped his throwing quill behind him. His red eyes glared at his foe with a foreign but strangely familiar feeling; blood lust.

"Oh the crouching tortoise, what at trite stance," the Umbarian taunted him, "You can't even die honorably."

As his words ended, the Umbarian brought his knife in a slice to Akio's extended arm, the Chiss easily dodged, his hand grasping the Umbarian's forearm. His quill came around in a hammer-punch stab, but the Umbarian twisted his arm free, bringing his other hand around in a jab that shoved Akio's weapon back. Advancing, the Umbarian gave a snap-kick at Akio's chest, the Chiss' open palm shoved it away, letting the leg graze along his side. Before he could stab at the leg's flesh, the Umbarian brought his knee up, into Akio's chest. As he went upward, the Chiss pulled away into a somersault that landed him several feet away. His wrist flicked, sending the Quill at his enemy's chest. His hand snatched it from the air.

"Imbued throwing quills," the Umbarian said with a hint of respect, "Perhaps you are not a total disappointment then."

He flicked the weapon back, Akio's hand came up in a knife-strike that made the weapon veer off-course, embedding iteslf into the wall. Right behind it, the Umbarian was there, his blade coming at Akio in a flurry of strikes. The Chiss began to backpedal, his body barley moving away in time from the lethal strikes. The diamond edge cut his blood-stained gold robes, tearing into their delicate fabric. Akio's back hit the wall, the Umbarian's fist rammed into Akio's jaw, covering for the blade that made a lunge for his stomach. Pushing through his biological instinct to collapse, Akio twisted, his body barely missing the blade. He grabbed the exposed stud in the wall behind him with both hands and lurched both legs forward in a powerful kick. The Umbarian stumbled back, Akio seized his chance. His fingers wrapped around the quill embedded in the wall, pulling it out before he leaped through the window. His bare blue feet sprinted across the grounds as he quickly retreated away. He went away the way he had come as fast as his legs could carry him.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The path led up the mountain until it came back to the village Akio had arrived from in the first place. He reached the surface and caught his breath once more, summoning the Force to help him. He was so confused. The galaxy had gotten so much more complex in a few moments. Who was the Umbarian, and what was he talking about the Order? How did he know Akio and was he really an assassin? He was afraid to look inside. No, he shook it off. Of course he wasn't an assassin, he was a monk, he would never kill unless he had no choice.

But then there was when he slaughtered the Sand People. He had blacked out, something else had taken over, maybe it was his past. He had killed them all, if that was not the work of an assassin, he did not know what was. But he refused to believe that. He had done what he had to do without a choice, Raven was going to die, as well as her mother. Her father had probably already passed on, he had to protect them. These savages had probably killed many more, and would continue to kill. He hadn't been an assassin, he told himself, he had been a protector. Akio rose to his feet and looked at his robes. They were tattered and bloodstained beyond any possible recognition. If anyone saw him now they would most likely assume he was an assassin who had killed thousands.

He shook the idea from his head. He wasn't an assassin. He never was and he never would be. The Chiss began to walk through the village, quietly as he attempted to blend in. Normally he would have all but appeared to be normal. Most would have passed him by a sense of trying not to stare. Those who did he knew why; he was a brightly colored being wearing brightly colored clothing that most would consider unusual. But this time it was different. People stared. They tried to hurry past him, they were afraid of the figure he cut.

"You there, stop," said a commanding voice from behind.

Akio turned around and felt a flood of relief. Jedi were walking towards him. They would be able to fix this since they were benevolent keepers of the peace. He gave a slight bow as the three Jedi came close, "Namaste, Jedi."

When he looked up his heart sank, he could see the expressions on their faces were not kind but instead stern.

"Come with us," the leader ordered.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Jedi led Akio into a sidebuilding that had been a warehouse not far from the spaceport. However, he could see that it had been quickly converted into a base of operations with a military mind. He was led to the center of the room.

"Who are you?" the leader demanded.

"I am Akio Diachi," he answered.

"What is the nature of your business here on Haruun Kal?"

Akio knew how unbelievable these words would sound even before he said them. However, he had faith in the truth and the Force, even now, 'I am on a spiritual quest."

"How did you end up like this?' one of the others, a female butt in.

"It has been several weeks since I was last able to shower and find a change of clothes," he said truthfully. "I have been across several planets now, traversing my way across the galaxy. I have neither money nor anything of value, so I have stowed away on these ships to get where I need to go. I have been in Tattoowine, Tython, and now here, in a matter of a few weeks."

The leader looked the third member of the party, a near-human with strange, flickering purple eyes. The being nodded, "He speaks the truth."

Their leader did not let the unflinching expression leave his face as he retrieved a mini holoprojector from his robes and displayed a face. The face of the Umbarian, "Do you recognize this man?"

Akio nodded, confusion showing on his face, "Yes I do, actually."

The Jedi exchanged surprised and suspicious looks, almost as if an unseen dialogue went on between them before the leader spoke once more.

"My name is Rhet Dalwan, a Jedi knight, these are my comrades Knight Jenna De'siti and Knight Lo-roon," he began, "that person is a known assassin with over three hundred confirmed kills. His name is Kuroi Kumori. He is a dangerous person we have been hunting for some time now among the order after he assassinated a Master Faledra. We do not want him to be able to hurt anyone else and we need to bring him to justice. The locals have reported an Umbarian like this seen committing raids on the local villages if you can help us find him, the galaxy would greatly be in your debt."

Akio bowed his head for a moment, searching inside himself as he looked for the Force's guidance. Was this why he was here? To help find this Kuroi and bring him to justice? The Chiss felt that a partial yes, but that there was still more to this, more to the purpose that he had been sent on. He searched deeper, yearning for more. Nothing else would come. The Chiss looked up to answer the question, but he would never get the opportunity to do so. The ground shoot with a tremendous explosion and Akio felt a cry of agony rush over him through the Force, knocking the wind from his lungs.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The parts of the warehouse they were in began to cave in, screams of terror and blaster shots began to blare out with loud roars.

"We need to move now," Rhet barked as he bolted towards the doors.

Akio and the other two Jedi followed after him, the building crashing on their heels. What met their eyes was a horror. Civilians were running for their lives as raiders began flooding the streets, blaster rifles blazing. Their shots tore through flesh, killing or maiming the fleeing non-combatants in the streets. A few began to kick in the doors of the houses, forcing their ways in and pillaging what was left. The Jedi drew their lightsabers and Rhet seized command, "Jenna, with me, we will take down the main street and stop these murderers in their tracks. We need to keep them busy enough to let these civilians get to the space port and to safety. Lo-roon, stay back and give us assistance with your Battle Mind. We will stave off the attack and draw attention to ourselves."

His golden lightsaber came to life with a hiss. He and Jenna began to steadily move towards towards the combat.

"What about me?" Akio asked.

"Stay out of our way," Jenna commanded sternly.

Akio watched as the duo moved to intercept the main group of hostiles. Their weapons deflected the attacks of the raiders as the combat ensued. Lo-roon lowered his head and began letting the Force flow through him, aiding their combat, the civilian's escape, and slowing the overwhelmingly large raider's attacks. The battle, against the odds, with the Force's help was going in their favor. But something about this was too convenient; why would raiders attack right now, in this moment, right as soon as they were discovered by Akio bellow the village? This was all too strange to be an accident.

He could feel the Force pulling him in the opposite direction. He looked, the raider were not there. Why? Why was the combat concentrated on only one half of the village instead of a dispersal throughout? The Chiss could feel himself getting pulled away in that direction by the Force. He crossed several streets, flowing with the fearful civilians away from the battle. Some shut themselves into homes or shops, others retreated to the spaceport to get away from the certain death. Yes, this was too strange, Akio thought. Too strange indeed. The Force led Akio to an old abandoned building that had once been a shop. The door had been broken down with what looked like a series of heavy bashes, but no noise could be heard within. He narrowed his eyes, this was too strange to be normal.

Akio quietly stepped into the building, drawing a pair of throwing quills.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The building was incredibly dark, the only light came in from the sun in slats that were few and far between. The Chiss' glowing eyes adjusted quickly to the dim lighting, peering through and seeing the grime that riddled the worn floor-boards. Dirt had collected along the battered walls and the corners of the building. A creaky stair case led up from the left corner, and a door was on the left wall and the wall before Akio. Slowly, his bare feet crept across the floor. Years of training had made his steps noiseless and fluid.

His ears picked up a clatter from the backroom, Akio glided across the floor to follow it. In the center of the room the wooden floorboards had been battered and removed, creating a hole just large enough for a being to squeeze through. Cautiously, Akio peered in. A dim light shown from inside, a latter lead down to the duracrete flooring bellow. He paused for a moment. His amulet around Akio's neck glowed for a moment as he waited for the Force to direct him. Go down and be ready for whatever lies bellow.

He stowed both quills and drew his cortosis katana. A second later he dropped down the hatch onto the duracrete. This cellar was quite small, only twenty feet by twenty five feet wide. On a pedistol before him was a strange set of robes made of some sort of leather he had never seen before. He took a step forward to examine them when every cell of his body screamed danger.

The Chiss whirled around, bringing his blade up to guard. A chain whipped around it, barley blocked in time, inches form his face. Akio's eyes narrowed as the Umbarian who wielded the chain gave him a cold snarl, "I knew you would find a way to ruin this for me."

"Kuroi," Akio said shaking his head, "you are killing hundreds of people right now."

"Every victory has its price," the Umbarian said indifferently as he pulled the chain away and glared at Akio, "get out of the way."

"Who are you?" Akio demanded.

"You know who I am," Kuroi said coldly, "Stop this nonsense, you know who I am."

"I don't know!" Akio snapped.

His blade circled in a slash to Kuroi's middle, the Umbarian barley moved in time. Before he could reset, Akio twisted his blade back around for a second slice, his foe recoiled a second time, on the full retreat. Anger flowed through Akio once more, not rage but cold anger that fueled him, clearing his thoughts even more, and heightening his reflexes. Kuroi shifted his weight to try and kick Akio. The Chiss saw it coming and halted it with a smack across the Umbarian's face with the flat of his blade. He quickly followed with a palm-strike to the chest.

Pressed against the duracrete wall, Kuroi gave a cold grin of admiration, "Perhaps I miss-judged you. We are one and the same."

"I am not you!" Akio roared, lunging forward.

Kuroi's chain whipped again, this time aimed at Akio's midsection. The Chiss swatted it away with a deft slice, spinning on his heel and bringing his blade down in diagonal slice. Kuroi's chain bat against it, checking the strike before he snap-kicked Akio back. Akio took a step back before he crouched in a low sweep-kick to his foe's ankles. Kuroi leaped over, able to keep his footing a moment longer. Akio rolled away as Kuroi brought his chain down in a heavy smash. The Chiss crouched, blade ready, wondering how long he could last.

 

[Akio Diachi]

The Chiss watched Kuroi, waiting and anticipating his next move.

"You will not stop me," he snarled, his anger evident, "not this time, I have worked too hard to get this armor to be stopped by you. You always get in my way, you always were but not this time."

"What are you talking about?" Akio demanded, his eyebrows furrowing, 'I have no idea who you are, I don't remember who I am, what are you talking about?"

"Stop it," he snarled, his chain cut through the air, ramming into Akio's katana. "Stop playing dumb," the second strike knocked it from his hands, and sent the weapon clattering across the room. "Stop lying," the third strike cut through the air where Akio's face had been. "Stop it," the fourth strike wrapped around Akio's forearm. If it wasn't for the gauntlet he was wearing, the barbed chain would have drawn blood. "And just die."

Akio twisted his arm, pulling the chain free, now they were equally disarmed, he rose into a low horse stance, one hand extended in a palm strike, "I just want answers, I don't know what your talking about."

Kuroi's hands closed in the snake fist; his fingers and thumb were in a triagular shape so his finger tips would strike with the full force of his blows, his legs shifted into an aggressive stance, "Get out of my way."

Kuroi brought his toes up in a snap-kick aimed at Akio's jaw, the Chiss swatted the blow away, countering with a punch to the hamstring. Kuroi gave a growl of pain as his foot landed and he twisted into a spinning back kick. His heel caught the side of Akio's face, knocking him to the floor. As the Chiss hit the ground, he twisted his legs up, locking them around Kuroi's chest and pulling him down. The Umbarian angled his fist down in a hammer-punch that knocked the air out of Akio, but didn't stun him. Years of body tempering had strengthened his flesh into a living weapon. Instead his hands grabbed Kuroi's foreharm as his legs pulled the arm taunt in an arm bar. Kuroi gave a sharp cry as he felt his limb being stretched to its limit. He arched his back, moving his legs enough to plant a heel-kick into Akio's jaw. The Chiss could feel his mouth fill with blood and his body naturally relaxed against his will, granting Kuroi escape. As he stood Akio prepared himself to fight back for his life.

Instead the Umbarian grabbed his chain and began to retreat up the later to freedom, leaving Akio on the ground panting for air.

 

[Akio Diachi]

"Hello, is anyone down there?" asked Lo-roon from above.

Akio rose to his feet uneasily. His body had taken a beating today, even for him, through all the conditioning he had gone through it was starting to wear on him. A slight ting of exhaustion covered his body. "I am here, I am alright."

The Chiss moved to look at the robes; what was so important about these that someone would go to such an extent to acquire them? The Force seemed to emanate off the them in a thick whirl of grey. It bid him to take them, to use them, to not leave them in this cellar to rot. Akio obeyed, folding the clothes and storing them in the satchel on his back. He climbed up the latter coming to see the face of the purple eyed near-human.

"What happened, why were you down there? I felt you were in danger and came to help," the Jedi said.

"I was, I ran into Kuroi, he fought me, and escaped. How are the others? The villagers?"

"We defeated the raiders as soon as I felt you in danger," Lo-roon's eyes narrowed, "You ran into him? How did that happen?"

Honesty was the best policy, "I felt I needed to search this end of the village, I came in here and found him. We fought, he must have heard you coming and got away."

The man nodded, 'I see. Rhet will want to know."

Akio followed him to a shuttle in the spaceport. There Rhet and Jenna were waiting.The female was nursing am small wound on the other Jedi's arm. Rhet's eyes fell on Akio, "Well?"

The Chiss told him everything that had happened with Kuroi. "He seemed to be after this."

The Chiss pulled the garment from his satchel and displayed it. Rhet's eyes narrowed and he lurched forward, drawing his lightsaber but not activating it, "Where did you find that? Put it down at once!"

Akio dropped the clothing, "I found it in the cellar where I fought Kuroi."

Rhet looked from him to Lo-roon, the other nodded.

"Your coming with us," Rhet said at last.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio sat waiting inside the chamber. The Jedi had taken him to their cruiser that was in orbit and sent him alone to wait in this room as they discussed things. He let himself fall into a trance-like force meditation so his body could recover from the day's work. The amulet around his neck glowed a cool cyan as he did, and Akio could feel that no matter what happened, everything would be alright.

Then the door opened and the moment was over. He rose to his feet as Jenna walked in.

"Forgive Rhet's reaction," she began, "he has been through a lot, especially lately. He has had to," she looked for the right words, "decide--on some things."

His eyes studied her face for a moment, "You two are lovers."

Her eyes grew wide with surprise and her cheeks burned a bright crimson, "Who asked you? Stop that."

"Are Jedi not allowed to love?" he asked confused.

"Not when one of them are already a married man," she confessed, her skin burning a brighter red.

Akio nodded, "I understand. I am sorry."

She shrugged and looked at him, "It happens. Anyway, forgive him, please. He is under a lot of stress lately."

"I do."

Jenna took a breath for a moment to recover from their encounter. She swallowed, "Ok. That armor you found is no normal armor. It was crafted from Akk dog leather, and under unique circumstances."

Akio quirked an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"A Jedi knight long ago came in contact with a Sith. They were trapped on Haruun Kal in the dangerous parts of the planet. Ordinarily they would kill each other before they teamed up, but these were no ordinary pair. The Sith was not exceptionally evil and the Jedi was not exceptionally good," she continued, "For the sake of survival they teamed up together and made that two pairs of that armor for the hide of Akk hounds they killed. They alchemized, Force imbued them, and poured all they could into them. In the end the two men fell in love. They escaped from the dangerous portions of the planet and were told by both sides to choose each other or their orders."

"Love is a powerful motivator," Akio commented.

"It is," Jenna agreed with a nod, "Shunned by both sides they fled. But both sides heard of the armor and wanted to destroy them as well as these two anathema. One was when both of the men were found and killed. The other set of armor was totally lost--until now," she paused, "and we must take both you and it to the council to be decided upon what to do next."

The Chiss nodded, "I trust your judgement."

((Begin Part 4))