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"I've tracked down the slicer, Master. It's on Ord Thoden, in the Western Ward. She has called for help, but I can intercept. My team and I will move in on your orders."

A pause, then a murmur of approval. "Good. Move in quickly, but quietly. The Circle will not send its Dark Acolyte lapdogs into Remnant territories; but they will have other allies under their payroll."

"I will; I'll have the data in my paws and back to you in three days."

Another murmur, this one negative. "No. The collected data in that slicer's possession must never be revealed. Take the data from the slicer and destroy it if you can."

"But what if she doesn't--"

"My apprentice, this is knowledge that must never resurface ever again. If she resists, you must kill her."

"But... I thought--"

"It it unfortunate, yes, but the alternative spells a worse outcome for the universe. It will claim the lives of many simply to rediscover something that should have remained buried; and in the wrong hands, it will claim billions more. You must do this, my apprentice."

A longer pause settled in, before a deep breath and a sigh preceded her response.

"Alright. Then I'll get started right away."

"Feelin' a little underequipped without my fightin' stick, boss," Rook muttered nervously, eyes flicking to each well-armed ruffian they passed. "Brutes here look a bit bigger than most."

Kajex nodded and sighed, feeling the tension himself. None of the pack_wanted_ to be on Ord Thoden, particularly because it was Remnant territory, but duty had called them to the location all the same. If it weren't for the fact that the mission was high-priority and Kajex was used to these kinds of operations to begin with, he'd likely be back on Yavin 4 training his students; even Locke and Keris, who had spent the most time in Remnant territories, were not pleased to have been sent with him. But as it was promised the operation would likely be short and painless, they had accepted anyway.

With only three bars in the immediate vicinity it had not been difficult to find the right one quickly, though it soon became clear that it was in the seedier part of the city. The quartet of Jedi and their Mandalorian guard had needed to space out to avoid drawing attention, though Locke and Keris had managed to ward away stray eyes with subtle Force cantrips that affected the mind. One might have called it overkill, but Syrra had insisted on no chances even while sufficiently disguised. The Trianii had shed her usual robes in favor of a tight shirt and Kane's old bomber jacket; the wolf twins looked at home with the disreputable environment in their longcoats, which they hadn't worn in months; and Talrik had allowed Keris to borrow his own bomber jacket to fit with her dark green coveralls- Talrik and Miles were not present, volunteering to stay behind and watch the ship. Only their lightsabers might have given them away, though they were concealed neatly in their holsters.

"Easy, kid," Kajex said quietly, leading the way through the crowd and nearing a drinking establishment, the words One For The Lane glowed over its entrance. "We can't bring anything so exotic into public where everyone will see it- it'll just draw attention we don't want. I know it was a long walk, but we just need to do it again and then we're out of here. Just keep your eyes open and don't draw until you see someone draw first."

"That's the worst time to draw," the otter replied with a frown.

"You don't always need a fast draw," the wolf countered. "Sometimes it's more important to shoot _last_and hit, than to shoot first and miss. I'm counting on you to keep it holstered until there's some actual trouble- and I'm counting on there being little of it."

"Why doesn't the NRI come to get this contact of ours then?" Keris asked.

"Because the information is possibly being pursued by the Circle of Syn," Kajex replied darkly. "That puts it in _our_field. Whatever it was she found, it was crucial enough to be deca-encrypted; and since it'd be boring to explain what that is, I'll just mention that only two other Imperial projects and plans have ever used deca-encryption."

"Which ones?"

He paused. "Both Death Stars." The silence that followed was chilling, but he let it linger between them all, allowing it to sink in. "Whatever they found... it's big."

"Just my luck we'd be assigned to something so critical when I'm feeling sick," Syrra groaned, pausing a moment and holding her stomach. Kajex stopped and turned to her, cupping her face in concern.

"Hey, are you gonna be alright, kitten? It's been like this a couple of days, maybe you should sit this one out," he suggested, looking worried.

"I'm fine," she assured him, giving him an unsteady smile and touching noses with him. "And I'm not gonna let my mate out of my sight this soon. You might need me to bail your ass out of trouble."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he chuckled softly, nuzzling her. "Alright, but if things go south, I want you to get back to the Gold Rush and wait there. Hopefully it won't come to that, but you never know."

They looked across the street at the bar on the opposite side, staring at the entrance- no fewer that five rough-looking mercenaries stood talking and loitering near the door, each with a heavy blaster rifle slung on their backs. He took a moment to glance at Locke. "Bro?"

"I'll clear the door, then Keris and I will have a look around," his sibling assured him. The white wolf crossed the street first, performing a barely noticeable hand gesture at the same time; the mercenaries seemed to look around at the same moment, then moved as a group down the sidewalk while continuing their discussion, seemingly unaware that anything was amiss. With the subtle mind-trick having removed them from the entrance, Locke looked back and gave the Sentinel a nod before he and Keris turned and made a beeline for the nearest alley, disappearing behind a corner.

"It's scary how well he does that," Syrra muttered, shaking her head as she and Kajex crossed the street. "Though to our benefit, at least. How long are we taking?"

"Ten minutes, tops," the wolf said quietly. "Long enough to get one drink and find our slicer. Be on the lookout for a Squib named Malia- she'll be furry with pointed ears, around a meter tall, might look like she's eyeing something shiny if she isn't carrying something already. If she asks what your favorite drink is, tell her 'ruby bliel.'"

They entered the tavern, the dim interior forcing them to pause a few moments to adjust their eyesight. Nobody seemed to pay the newcomers any mind, a few stray eyes glancing distractedly to the door before flitting away. As expected of any Remnant world most of the patrons were human, staring over mugs of watered-down swill or grumbling about the state of the planet under Remnant rule. A clearly illegal broadcast of an Outer Rim podrace kept much of the barflies' attention away from the trio as they moved toward the bar. The barkeep, a wide-bodied middle-aged woman, turned away long enough to address the wolf.

"Newcomers?" she asked in a tired but steady voice.

"Are we that obvious?" Kajex replied with a small smile.

"Ain't seen faces like yours before, you stand out compared to us humans. Don't worry, we're fine with you alien types around as long as you buy something- otherwise you'd best hit the road."

The wolf glanced to both accompanying women and nodded. "Corellian ale."

"Same, room-temperature," Syrra nodded.

"Got Mandallian narcolethe?" Rook asked.

The wolf gave her a hard stare. "Kid, c'mon- we've got an hour on the surface, I don't want you getting smashed."

"Pfft, fine," the otter sighed. "Ne'tra gal, if you have any." The bartender nodded and snatched up a trio of glasses, working quickly.

"I'll go find out where our cargo is being kept," Syrra told them, looking around the bar as casually as possible before breaking off from her companions.

"I got your drink," the wolf agreed with a subtle wink, before turning to talk with the owner a bit more.

She kept her movement smooth and relaxed, circling around a few card players with slight interest before peering into each corner of the establishment, her gaze a little lower than normal. She nearly missed the subtle glint of green light flashing from her left as she walked, stopping short and turning her gaze to one of the tables at the farthest end of the building. Seated in a booth that was comically large for her stature sat a short, sable-furred humanoid that almost looked like a miniature Amaran vixen; in her paws was a small but brilliant gem about the size of her thumb, rolling between her fingers as she stared at it intently.

It took slight restraint for Syrra to keep looking relaxed, hoping nobody could sense or see her relief for finding their contact so quickly. With a nod she approached the smaller woman, clearing her throat as she came. At once, the Squib's head snapped up and her eyes widened, paw going to her hip; despite this, Syrra kept calm, knowing the jittery fluffball was not going to draw just yet.

"Malia, correct?" the Trianii asked calmly.

The Squib frowned, cocking her head. "Ya know me, spacer? Don't see many new fluffeh faces 'round here, what brings ya?"

"Just a pit stop while my captain looks for new crew," Syrra shrugged. "Boss says they make a pretty good ruby bliel here."

At the words, the Squib seemed to brighten and smile. "Aww yeah, they do! Lady at the bar is kinda old, but she makes a good drink, you bet!" She lowered her voice and leaned in. "So, uh... you're a Jedi, yeah?"

"I am," Syrra smiled back with an equally soft voice. "Knight Syrra Surnahm, at your service."

"Aww, that's aces! I heard about you on the holo!" Malia chirped, bouncing a little in her seat. "Lotta Squib used ta chafe around Jedi, but you guys are pretty koovy all the same- not like these Imps and their rules, makin' it hard to find good stuff! So yer here to see the stuff I got, huh? It'll blow your engines max-wise, you bet!"

"We're here to get you to a safe place," Syrra told her patiently, glancing up and seeing Kajex and Rook spot her from a distance, making their way towards her. "What exactly did you find that made you contact the Jedi Praxeum from Remnant territory?"

The Squib hesitated, ears drooping a bit. "Squibs are salvagers-good Squibs find _good_stuff. I like slicing, makes it easier to salvage stuff, but the _best_stuff is the stuff people don't wanna share." She lifted up a datapad from the table. "Remnant and dark-side groups, they always wanna buy stuff from Squibs when it's good and shiny, and fits their purpose, especially old info nobody knows 'bout. After the stuff what happened on Pouma V- I heard aboutcha on that, yeah- some Squib started resisting. So 'bout a month ago one of my cousin's niece's friend finds some shiny scrap out in a totaled Imp recovery team; the fault lines rumbled a bit and uncovered some nice ruins there from who knows who and when."

"An earthquake?" Syrra repeated.

"Two of 'em!" Malia chirped. "The recovery team were goners from the second tremor, so the stuff at their camps was finders-keepers for anybody else. Cousin's-niece's-friend found a data disk with a deca-encryption. Soon as it gets out, though, some evil black-robed spacers come around and start lookin' around the ruins. We knew they were dark-side Imp pigs, so her family hid in the city slums til they beat it- guess they didn't find what they were lookin' for, and then I get to thinkin' they were lookin' for this stuff. Not like I was gonna give it to 'em, though."

"So it's something the dark-siders in the Remnant want," Kajex said as he slid into the booth and set their drinks down. "Sentinel Kajex Surnahm," he added with a nod. "Any mention of a 'Circle" among your buddies?"

"Aww, yeah, them suckers!" Malia growled. "Buncha nosy cultists. They didn't come back because the local Moff didn't want 'em here- Imperials are pretty pissed at the Sith and dark-siders as a whole, don't wanna have anything to do with 'em anymore. So I spent most the time slicing the deca-encryption and peelin' the security back one at a time- stupid thingy keeps relockin' every hour, prolly keep doin' it until it's all been decoded. Only got bits and pieces outta the thing."

The Jedi Sentinels traded concerned looks, and Syrra moved to speak. "What were you--"

"Boss," Rook said quietly, her back to them. "Hate to interrupt this, but I got eyes on some hunters." She nodded to the entrance, where no fewer than eight heavily-armed and armored humans were approaching the bar, clearly not of Imperial affiliation.

"You're sure?" Syrra asked, swallowing as they looked in their direction.

"Definitely," Rook replied with a growl. "I recognize a couple of them from the Bounty Hunters Guild, they're Crimson Nova."

"Jedi hunters," the wolf said grimly, looking around to Malia. The Squib cowered slightly.

"Nah, it ain't me, boss, I ain't tryin' ta trick you or nothin'!" she squeaked. "The info I got is legit, you bet! We all gotta scarper now!"

"I believe you," the wolf assured her, glancing at his mate with a nod. Without another word the three of them got up from the booth and started to move away, getting halfway along the building before a shout drowned out the surrounding noise.

"Hold it right there, Jedi scum!" a large, long-haired human man boomed, a heavy blaster rifle in his arms. "Step away from that little fuzzball if you don't wanna eat blaster bolts!"

"Hey, no blasters in 'ere!" the bartender hollered "Put the heaters away!"

"Fuck," Rook swore. "We're blown. Boss, you remember what you said about drawin' last?"

Kajex sighed and nodded. "Time to draw, kiddo."

In that moment both Kajex and Rook whipped their blasters out, the wolf additionally igniting his lightsaber in his right paw, and aimed at the group ahead. Syrra cursed and grabbed the Squib, dropping to the floor. But before a single bolt could be shot, the entrance opened again- Syrra's eyes widened as four more people, all stormtroopers, entered the bar and raised their weapons.

The leader raised his hand. "It's alright, officers, we're with the Crimson Nova, here to collect a bount--"

A shot rang out and exploded against the chestplate of one of the hunters, ending his life. For five full seconds there was an eerie silence, shock overcoming everyone as all eyes stared at the now-dead hunter. Syrra could hardly believe it had even happened in the first place; the trooper hadn't even waited for the hunting leader to explain before they opened fire.

When the five seconds passed, chaos erupted- a cacophony of blaster shots and explosions filled the area, tabled scorched with bolts and walls chipped away from stray blasterfire as the firefight broke out. One of the stormtroopers went down in the opening salvo, while a second hunter was relieved of a leg and was howling on the floor; those civilians who had enough sense to run made for the nearest exits, leaving others to cower behind cover; those who were armed, like the bartender, started pouring firepower onto the fight and locking down both groups. But while the hunters were now flanked and attacked, they had at least enough sense to direct some of their attention at the Sentinel and Selonian, forcing them to trade shots while they sought cover.

"Syrra, get Malia out of here and back to the Gold Rush!" Kajex barked, raising his blade to deflect a shot while squeezing out one of his own. "Rook and I will cover you!"

"Keep yourself alive!" Syrra shouted back, ducking a stray blaster shot and grabbing the Squib- the fuzzball clung to her and hiccuped, trembling and shaking as the feline Jedi sprinted towards the nearest exit. The rapid thuds of the lead hunter's rifle matched the explosions tearing the floor tiles behind her, following her steps; but her Force-aided speed was enough to keep her a step ahead, until she shoulder-rushed the door and busted it off its hinges.

Light flooded her sight as she rolled into the street and back into a standing position, but any feeling of relief was doused as she heard blasterfire from outside the bar itself. She turned to the source of the noise catching sight of eight more stormtroopers trading fire with what looked like a dozen more hunters, using parked speeders for cover. Between the firing line were Locke and Keris, who for whatever reason were not being fired on by the Imperials; instead, they were providing cover for the Imperial soldiers with their lightsabers, engaging any hunter that got too close.

"These Imps friends of yours?" Malia asked with a frown. "Figured stormtroopers would've shot you fellas on sight."

"Locke might've used the Force to convince an alliance with a few of them," she said skeptically, knowing that likely wasn't the answer, despite his mastery- the white wolf made it a point to never put even enemies into danger with his mind tricks. "Nevermind that, I've gotta get you to our ship- my pack will be alright."

"You ain't goin' anywhere, freak!" a voice shouted from behind. The Trianii had only a moment of notice to react, twisting and leaning over as the high-pitched hum of a vibroblade swept over her left ear. A blade-wielding hunter had sprung out from a nearby alley, blocking what seemed to be the only safe path out of the danger zone. Unbalanced from the dodge, she could do nothing as her assailant kicked her in the side and sent her sprawling on the curb, Malia bouncing out of her arms a few meters away.

A fast draw of her pistol was not enough, the blade catching the barrel and sending it out of her grip. Vulnerable, her eyes widened as the helmeted hunter raised his weapon in a stabbing position and thrust downward.

Without warning, a cyan-blue arc of light caught the blade, stopping its descent. Confused as she was, the Trianii Jedi capitalized on the opening and planted a boot into the hunter's gut, knocking him back several steps and giving her breathing room. She had only a moment to notice a figure in dark gray robes lunge forward, armed with a lightsaber and attacking the unbalanced hunter; but her attention as drawn away to a pained squeak, her eyes falling on Malia as she held her right arm. Taking a second to ensure she would not be attacked, and seeing the hunter still occupied, she ducked to the Squib's side.

"What happened?" Syrra said quickly.

"Arm," the smalled female groaned as she held it up. Syrra winced, seeing the wrist bent at an unhealthy angle, and quickly helped her up.

"I can bind it but we need to get to cover first," Syrra told her. "Can you walk?" The Squib nodded, hissing slightly as Syrra got her to her feet. They both looked up just in time to see the robed figure backpedal away, holding up a defensive posture as the hunter regained his momentum and hacked away, trying to break their guard. Syrra's stomach soured as she spotted two figures some distance behind the hooded figure; the fight had gone on long enough that another pair of hunters had taken notice, one with a rifle and the other armed with a vibropike. Spotting an alley on the other side of their fight, she pushed Malia forward. "Get into the alley and wait for me, I'll be there in a second!" she told her, swiftly drawing her lightsaber and charging the newcomers.

With her free paw she send a burst of energy towards the first hunter, knocking him off balance and allowing the concealed figure to regain the advantage, but it was the only aid she could offer as she darted behind the figure and raised her weapon, just in time to deflect a blaster bolt and send it back into the faceplate of the hunter who fired it. The pike-wielder did not slow, swinging her weapon around and slashing at the Trianii's head. With a narrow duck Syrra drove her way in, aiming a strike at the hunter's forearm; but instead of cutting the entire way through, the saber merely glanced against her vambrace and left a shallow, scorching mark. The Trianii swore and stabbed her midsection, only for the the point to divert away across the abdominal plate- her opponent was wearing lightsaber-resistant armor. Before she could strike a third time she was forced to dodge back, just in time to avoid a second slash of the hunter's pike.

A flurry of attacked followed, the hunter showing she was no mere thug as she brandished her polearm with a style and dexterity that Syrra was certain would impress even Rook. Yet it was having trained with the glaive-wielding Selonian bodyguard that allowed her to effectively defend herself, despite being unable to counter her armored foe. The hunter swept at her legs and Syrra flipped, ducking the backswing and slashing at the hunter's knees, muttering a curse as she failed to penetrate again. She had no time to try again, raising her saber in time to catch a massive overhead swing.

Had not been holding her Jedi weapon in her left hand, Syrra was certain she'd have died in that moment; it was only due to her right prosthetic paw that she was able to grab her own weapon's blade and endure the hammering blow, the songsteel letting out a warm hum as her fingers gripped around the shaft of light. As it was the blow nearly knocked her on her backside, putting the Trianii at the hunter's mercy as she pushed down with all her might. The lightsaber and the head of the hunter's pike were only half a foot from her face when another shaft of light pierced through the hunter's chest, breaking through the armor from beneath and generating a strangled groan. The pike clattered to the side along with the now-dead hunter, revealing the Trianii Jedi's savior, whose hood and mask had been pushed back.

She was a younger Trianii female with a tan-toned pelt and dyed, bright-blue hair. Her face was focused as she deactivated her weapon and slid it into her belt, quickly looking around and offering her paw to the Jedi. Without a moment to question it Syrra took it, getting to her feet as the younger Trianii spoke.

"C'mon, we gotta get outta here," she said quietly. "I can take you and the Squib to safety, but we have to hurry."

Knowing it was better to follow for the moment than to argue Syrra complied, following her unexpected new ally towards the backalley.

"It's not as bad as it could be," Syrra told Malia as she adjusted the splint carefully and gave the Squib another shot of painkiller. "But we'll have to wait until we're completely safe before I can get to healing it properly. You still have everything? Do you have the data on you?"

The Squib nodded and lifted up her satchel. "You bet, got it right here in my baggie. Good thing you had another buddy to bail us out, yeah?"

Syrra paused and looked to their new ally, who was ignoring them and peering into a nearby alley, looking out for more hunters. "I'd agree with you- if I actually knew who she was," she replied quietly.

"You dunno her?" Malia chittered back quietly.

"I don't recall, no," Syrra confirmed. "Just stay here for a second while I talk to her," she told the Squib, getting back to her feet and approaching the younger Trianii. If Syrra was certain of anything, it was that the other feline was not someone she knew from the Jedi Praxeum; and while she'd returned to Yavin 4 some weeks prior and met a few of her own to teach, this blue-haired young woman had not been among them.

"The way is almost clear," the Trianii muttered, sparing only a brief, distracted glance at Syrra. "I can get you to safety once they're gone, looks like those Jedi chased away most of them. I guess they're good for something, at least."

"You're talking about my pack," Syrra frowned. "I thank you for coming in to help me with those hunters, but if you expect me to remain appreciative you might speak of them with a little more respect; they are all Jedi Knights, after all. One of them just so happens to be my mate- so mind your words."

The younger Trianii's eyes widened and she flinched, before adopting a chagrined expression and turning to the older woman. "Oh. Ah... sorry about that. I've just had bad experiences with..."

She'd held her paw out in apology, finally staring at Syrra directly as she spoke, but the words died on her lips and her eyes widened again in shock. A deep red blush burned on her face as her muzzle moved but no sound issued, causing the Trianii Jedi to feel very awkward.

"Um... is there something wrong?" Syrra asked, cocking her head.

"Y... you," the younger Trianii managed to choke out, reaching out, clasping the Jedi's paw and shaking it vigorously with a look of glee, almost bouncing in place as she looked up at her. "By the Force, you're... you're Syrra Surnahm! You're the hero of Pouma V, the one who helped route the Imperial Remnant from the Wild Space regions! I didn't even-- but you're really her! Wow, I'm so sorry, I didn't recognize you outside of your robes and everything, but... damn, if it isn't an _honor_to meet you!"

Now it was Syrra's turn to look stunned. She'd been well-aware that her face and voice had been broadcast throughout the entire Republic and beyond; it was her words during a mass funeral and stories of her heroism that had prompted over a dozen Trianii to join the Praxeum in the first place. To be regarded with an expression of reverence and respect, honored to be met by, was something Syrra had never once felt before in her life. After a few seconds she cleared her throat and managed an uncertain smile.

"Ah, thank you?" she said awkwardly. "I'm glad you know who I am and what I've done. Perhaps you can tell me who you are, then? I don't recall having ever met you at the Jedi Praxeum."

"Oh, right!" the younger Trianii said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I really should have introduced myself. My name is Jinory, and I was sent here to find this Squib and get her data; my team and I were deployed because we'd heard Crimson Nova hunters were involved for some reason- now that I know you're here, I can see why."

"Master Skywalker told us he only sent one team to intercept the data," Syrra replied, cocking her head. "Not that I mind the help, but did you follow us? That could get you into a lot of trouble."

"Oh, no," Jinory assured her. "No, I'm not with the Jedi Praxeum, we operate outside of the Republic, in places where they have no jurisdiction- somebody has to help those beyond their reach. Well, now I have to get you to safety, now that I know it's you," she said, still looking slightly excited. "Just... wow, I never thought I'd ever get the chance to even _meet_you! You're the reason I even wanted to learn more about the Force in the first place!"

"I see," Syrra smiled. "Well, the sooner we can get to the landing pads, the sooner we can sit down and talk about it; I doubt the Crimson Nova have the patience or the manners to not interrupt us."

"Yeah, good point," the younger woman agreed, standing up straighter and looking down the corridor again. "Okay, looks like we're clear. We should get moving to the landing pads before they branch out. Last report was that there were a dozen hunters on the prowl, but there's no telling how many are on the surface- or if the Remnant hasn't started cracking down on all visitors." She motioned to both Syrra and Malia, ducking ahead and moving stealthily; Syrra followed with equal silence, making sure Malia was between them. As the passed an alley intersection she spotted the hunters that were moving away from them, unaware that their quarry had slipped by them.

"You mentioned you had a team, where are they?" Syrra pressed quietly. "Why haven't they intervened?"

"They_have_ intervened," Jinory told her. "They stole a bunch of stormtrooper armor and have been patrolling the city undercover until we could make our move. I tracked down our little friend here When I saw your pack heading into the bar I knew the New Republic had been sent to interfere, so I hoped by sending them in to detain you we could get this encrypted data away. But then the Crimson Nova showed up and we had to act fast."

"If that's the case, then one of your teammates killed a hunter before they could explain themselves," Syrra told her solemnly. "I have no love for the Crimson Nova but that's more than a little extreme, even towards Jedi-hunters."

"I get that Jedi don't like taking lives, but they would've gunned you down even if you'd surrendered," Jinory told her. "Those bastards pride themselves on Jedi hunting, and they don't like taking chances when Jedi Knights are involved; or any Force-sensitive for that matter. But don't worry, I'll get you to safety. I know how to fight my way out of these kind of situations, and thankfully you know how to handle a blade as well." She stopped short, eyeing the Jedi. "Though if you don't mind my saying so, you look a little ill."

"I'll be fine, I'm just under the weather today," Syrra responded, though the boiling grossness in her stomach made her shudder slightly. "I'm good enough that I can handle a few Jedi-hunting thugs."

"Well, stick with me and it won't come to that," Jinory assured her.

Syrra nodded distantly, following her ally as closely as possible as she focused her thoughts towards her mate. In the back of her head she could feel brief flashes of insight, her connection to her family and husband strong enough that despite being in combat, she was certain they were alright. Now that she had found a moment of relative reprieve, however, it was the best moment to let Kajex know what was happening.

Malia and I are on our way to the Gold Rush_, love,_ she told him. I'm being escorted by a Trianii Force-sensitive, she knows who I am and wants to make sure we get to the starport safely.

There was a moment of mental silence, but she could feel his relief all the same. That's good, kitten,_he replied. _Things out here are a bit of a mess, looks like the Crimson Nova weren't the only hunters on the surface. The Remnant is working in tandem with the local law to get things under control, but it's still hectic here. We aren't leaving until all of us are safe and sound on the ship, but we can't risk taking too long.

I'll be there soon, she assured him.

Who is your new friend? he pressed.Jedi Padawan from the Praxeum?

Syrra paused, taking a moment to sheath her concern- there was no telling how powerful this young woman was, but the Trianii Jedi was taking no chances. She claims not to be, and as far as I can tell she's not lying. But she knew about the data, and has some junior-level skill with a lightsaber- I believe she's gained some manner of formal training, though she hasn't said where she got it from. She saved me from a Crimson Nova hunter, and I don't sense any deception from her.

There were a few seconds in which Syrra could sense a tense nerve from the wolf's thoughts, before he spoke back. Alright... assume that she can be trusted for now, but keep your eyes open. There's no telling if the Circle of Syn have recruited other Trianii in an attempt to get at you. Keep your pendant hidden, and let me know if you need any help.

I will, she told him, quickly sliding her Healing Crystal of Fire beneath her shirt- an artifact that the Circle had targeted in the past. Jinory did not seem to notice the movement, glancing back at her.

"Did you say something?" she asked.

"Hmm? No, nothing," Syrra replied smoothly.

The younger feline held a stare at her a few seconds. "It's just... but I thought I... nevermind, must have been my imagination." She shook it off. "We're about halfway there, Syrra. Just be prepared for anything."

More to herself than to Jinory, Syrra nodded. "Believe me, I already am."

For thirty minutes the trio crept through the alleyways, only briefly entering the wide streets and taking sidewalks in order to avoid patrols of hunters long enough for them to find another corridor to dart into. By this point they were nearly at the starport, a cliffside facility overlooking a wide waterway; the path was cut off from the side by a thick stone railing, separating them from the edge of the cliff. As they neared the facility's entrance, however, Jinory raised a paw and the three of them slowed down.

"Trouble?" Syrra asked.

"Bounty hunters like to use this planet, it's connected to the Guild," she explained, gesturing down another corridor- at the other end, a pair of Rodians were sweeping an alley with blaster rifles held ready. "Jedi are automatically Most Wanted-level in Remnant territories that care about them; with the Crimson Nova here, small-time hunters probably think they have a shot at collecting on at least one of your friends."

"They won't," Syrra said resolutely. "My pack is better than that, and they're all safe on my ship."

"That's good for them, then- not so much for us, if we're looking to use the front door," Jinory pointed out, nodding towards what was clearly a recently-established checkpoint. Several stormtroopers were detaining and questioning the locals, and what snippets of conversation Syrra's keen ears could pick up from this distance was enough to inform her that they were on the lookout for Jedi.

"Is there another point of ingress?" Syrra asked.

"I've been here long enough," Jinory smiled, leading the way forward to the starport's wall before looking out over the stone railing and vaulting over it. Syrra followed, curiosity growing as the younger Trianii drew her lightsaber. "My landing pad isn't directly below, but is a pad there all the same, on the same level as my ship. All you gotta do is--"

"I know this trick, yeah," Syrra nodded, drawing her lightsaber and picking up Malia. "Better hold on tight as you can, and try to hold still."

The Squib's terrified, wide-eyed look at the cliff edge ended up being hidden in Syrra's chest as she clung to the feline and shivered. Certain the ball of fluff was secure enough in her arms, Syrra nodded and the pair of Trianii approached the edge; sure enough, some hundred meters down, was an empty landing pad large enough to hold a small transport jutting out of the cliff face. Both felines leapt off the edge at the same moment, turning in midair and igniting their lightsabers at the same moment, stabbing into the cliff and holding tight as their energy blades gouged into the dense stone, slowing their descent; what would have been roughly five seconds followed by a sudden and violent stop was extended into fifteen seconds of a slow descent down the cliff face- slow enough that Syrra noticed at least two other gouge marks she was sure Jinory had left during previous descents. Before long they reached the opening- another twenty meter drop and both Trianii had dropped cleanly, the Force cushioning their landing.

Jinory took a moment to look around, making sure they were isolated and checking the hatch leading into the starport carefully. "Door's locked, looks like. We should be safe here," she sighed, sliding her weapon back to her hip and giving Syrra a smile.

"If you'll give me a few minutes, I can get to healing our little friend's arm," Syrra offered, deactivating her blade and setting Malia down against a cargo container. "How are you holding up?"

"How d'ya people do stuff like that without losing your heads outta fear?" Malia squeaked, hissing slightly as the Trianii undid her sling.

"Experience," Syrra said simply, pouring focus into her efforts and channeling the Force through her paws. Part of her focus filtered through the Healing Crystal around her neck, acting as a focus to her task. "You do it enough and get enough practice, it just becomes another routine, just like the healing I'm doing now."

Jinory crouched near them, staring with interest. "You can use the Force to heal people? I didn't even know that was a thing you could do."

"Did the news reports not mention my abilities?" Syrra asked. "I recall being interviewed once or twice."

"The holonet only said you did medical work and saved a lot of people from the brink of death," she replied.

"One of my aunts taught me to be a Trianii Ranger; the other taught me how to heal others traditionally." She paused as her eyes lingered on the Squib's arm, able to feel the bone and tissue beneath her fur mend itself in the correct angle. A pleasant purr poured from the fluffball, her expression of pain melting into one of relief as her wound was tended to. "It was the Jedi Praxeum that gave me guidance on how to heal using the Force."

"I never learned anything like that," Jinory said in a subdued voice. "I wonder what else I don't know."

"It doesn't have to remain that way," Syrra replied, getting up to her feet. "You can always seek tutelage from us, and I'd be glad to have you around after the help you gave me today. Having reliable company in a place like this is more than I could have hoped for. If you ever decide to seek training from the Jedi, I'd be more than happy to put in a good word to Master Skywalker," she offered with a smile, holding her paw out.

The younger Trianii stiffened at the words, and almost immediately Syrra could sense a brief surge of anger from her. When she spoke, it was with a strain of control in her voice, looking away from her paw.

"I... appreciate your offer, Syrra. So I'm sorry to tell you that I'll have to say no. I'm sure you think positively of the New Republic and the Jedi, but... I don't have nearly as much trust in either of them." She straightened. "I mean, except for you and your pack. You guys are heroes on Pouma V and all."

"I suppose that's encouraging to know," Syrra said, choosing her words carefully. "Should I take that to mean that you're aligned with the Remnant? Not that it matters to me, you wouldn't be the first of them I've befriended in the end," she informed Jinory, thinking about Locke and Keris- former darksiders, and now both lovers and in-laws.

"Hells no," Jinory scoffed. "I've heard about those Reborn scumbags and the Circle of Syn, I want no part of their evil. I don't need to be Jedi help people or learn about the Force, and I can be more reliable than the New Republic ever were."

"I'm sorry you feel so strongly about it," Syrra frowned sadly, noticing a tone of pain in Jinory's words. "Did they... fail you in some way?"

"You're damn right they did!" Jinory snapped, a glint in her eyes as she glared at Syrra. A tense silence followed as the younger female cast her eyes away and folded her arms, striding a few paces away.

"I can understand if it's a sore topic, Jinory," Syrra offered gently. "But as you came to aid when I needed it, I would like to know more about you; and if you harbor that much ill-will toward Jedi or the New Republic, I would like to know why." She paused, looking away. "Believe me, I've learned that we're not perfect. It would not surprise me if one of our own failed you, even if they didn't mean it. Maybe learning your story would help us from making the same mistaken in the future."

The younger Trianii stared at her for a few moments before sighing and looking away- but when she spoke, it was clear and calm.

"I wasn't... raised on the Trianii core worlds. And I wasn't brought up with our culture. But I was still unlucky enough to be within the reach of the Corporate Sector Authority. Even after losing so much territory and credits, they make life for non-humans a living hell. The man who adopted me took me as far away from that as possible, on the fringes of their territory- it just wasn't far enough." She shook her head. "He flew at Endor, he helped overthrow the Empire, but he was never fully compensated for his efforts. His...fiancee made it a point of reminding him that they'd abandoned him. When he died at Mon Cala, his residence in the CSA meant his next of kin couldn't gain the benefits for being a member of the fleet; she spent all my life up to adulthood reminding me they'd turned their back on him, until I left."

"That's terrible," Syrra's ears pinned back sadly. "And... it's not the first time I've heard of something like that- the CSA don't recognize non-human adoptees as next of kin. My uncle sees it all the time under legal disputes. How does the New Republic and Jedi come into the picture?"

"The New Republic could've intervened, extended the benefits for his service to us some other way, but..." Jinory sighed. "It's like they didn't even want to bother. So I left the CSA region and took up fighter escorts for large convoys. Back then, the New Republic was getting back on its feet after Thrawn's skirmishes, and the Smuggler's Alliance needed more hands and brave pilots. It was good money, and... I always felt like there was something _special_about me. Wasn't until I actually met a Jedi that I realized what it was."

"Who were they?" Syrra pressed gently.

"His name was Cidgilo- well, he insisted I call him Cid," Jinory said distantly, as if recounting everything in the middle of a memory. "He was a Jedi pilot in charge of leading a Republic squadron, searching for whoever was hitting our convoys in transit. Always used to think he was brave and wise. He seemed to see the Force in me when we met, and asked if I would join his squadron and learn the ways of the Force." She smiled. "I jumped at the chance, I was in it the second he suggested it. He loaned me his R6 droid, gave me access to an E-wing, and we were off in a week."

"We spent over a month looking for the culprit, but it wasn't long before I started looking up to him. He was a better pilot than I am, but he was always mild about how good he was- like he knew he was one of the best, but didn't rub it in, and always encouraged everyone to be awesome. The few times we were caught in a surface battle he fought so well, like he wasn't afraid to die, but he was so skilled I think he knew he wouldn't." She sighed. "And despite that, he was willing to step in and stop a fight if he knew he could preserve lives. I met one of my best friends, an Imperial pilot, because Cid intervened and got them to stand down after we found their damaged Star Destroyer. Because they'd been hit by the same culprits, we ended up joining forces. We had enough clues to figure out who was behind it, and where the attacks were coming from; and with Imperial pilots supporting us looking for retribution, we had a larger force than before." She paused lowering her head. "Not that it mattered."

"What happened?"

"What we found was a Star Destroyer, but none like any we'd found before. Better equipped, definitely had more power output and shielding. It took out our support ship in short order, leaving just the fighters and Cid's command ship left. We fought hard, scarred it up pretty good, but... halfway in, my friend took a hit to his TIE fighter, and I broke off to help him out. I saved his life, thank the Force, but then both our squad leaders were hit. Cid probably knew we were out of options, his ship was damaged, half our squadron was gone..." She closed her eyes, her voice trembling. "I think... he knew he wasn't going to make it out, and that if he didn't do something none of us would. He gave us a final order to jump to hyperspace. By the time I saved my friend and peeled my ship around... the command bridge was blown half up."

Syrra's stomach turned and this time she knew it was not an effect of the illness she had picked up. That this young woman's story about her mentor could parallel so closely to how Syrra's own father had given his life was something she could never have anticipated. "I'm so sorry, Jinory."

"I wish I had been too, at the time," she said huskily, wiping an impatient paw past her eyes. "But I was too preoccupied with being captured. The New Republic bastards didn't transmit their hyperspace coordinates with me, even though I was technically assigned to their squadron, and I couldn't punch up a ripcord coordinate to get me out, not with my friend's wreck being towed to my fighter. The both of us ended up getting captured- turned out it was pirates that were controlling the new ship."

"How did you escape?" Syrra asked. "After everything you've told me, I suspect it wasn't the Jedi or New Republic that came to your aid."

"They_abandoned_ me, Syrra- and they abandoned Cid," she said through grit teeth. "For me, that's twice I've counted on them and been let down. If I hadn't met my teacher--" she stopped short, sighing. "But... I can't tell you about them. I swore not to, and I intend to keep that oath."

"You don't need to," Syrra told her. "You've done plenty for me and Malia by saving us both, when you could have just looked the other way. And I'm glad you were able to trust me enough to tell me about yourself." She put her paw on Malia's shoulder. "If you'd like, you can follow me to the _Gold Rush_and we can talk some more."

Jinory stared at her with a peculiar expression, as if realizing something. "I... can't. I'm sorry Syrra. And right now... I can't let either of you leave."

The Trianii Jedi stiffened.

"The data." Jinory stood straight, holding her paw out. "That was my mission. It still is. If you hand it to me, I'll make sure it never reaches Imperial or Jedi hands."

Syrra took a step back. "We don't know what's on it," she told the younger woman. "It could be important. My mate is a top-level slicer, he can break the encryption on it and find out what the Imperial digging team discovered."

"My master already knows what it is," Jinory countered. "And they've impressed upon me that the knowledge Malia is carrying is too dangerous. It's not that I don't trust you or the Jedi, Syrra- but your Jedi Order only exists now because of the New Republic, and I will never trust them."

"And if I refuse?" Syrra asked, frowning.

There was a tense silence as an expression of regret formed on Jinory's features. Her paw moved to her lightsaber and activated it, holding it out point first.

Syrra stared back sadly. "You don't need to do this, Jinory."

"I don't want to," she replied. "But I will, if that's what it takes."

"You'll lose."

"You haven't seen me at my best."

She moved with a speed Syrra was certain was spurred on by desperation, crossing the distance in the blink of an eye. It wasn't fast enough to catch Syrra off guard, trained as she was to intercept such agility; but it was enough that the more experience Trianii had to backstep, drawing her weapon in a swift, smooth motion and deflecting the blow, the crash of their sabers echoing in the air. The movement was almost too fast, as Jinory seemed to lose her balance on her first desperate lunge, requiring a second to get upright as Syrra backed up another few steps.

"Malia, get to the wall and stay there," Syrra said in a calm and firm voice. The bewildered Squib complied without question, scurrying to the wall and curling up in a trembling ball of fluff. Syrra quickly stepped between her and Jinory, holding her blade up. "I need you to see reason, here. This is going to get us nowhere. The longer we stay, the longer the Crimson Nova or Imperials will have to get to us."

"Then stop wasting my time and stay out of my way!" Jinory challenged with a glare. "Don't make me do this! Don't be my enemy!"

"Whether I'm your enemy is your decision, my friend," Syrra replied.

Jinory charged again, approaching with wide, sweeping slashes that hummed dangerously through the air, her cyan blade only narrowly missing Syrra as she shifted with subtle movements and counter-struck Jinory's blade, putting her young opponent off balance again as she struggled to readjust. Despite the opening, she didn't attack, allowing her foe to regain her balance. Perhaps sensing Syrra was not taking her seriously and holding back her true level of skill, Jinory began slashing wildly.

It was here Syrra started to defend using her saber, a look of calm on her features as she analyzed the ferocious cadence and allowed the Force to aid her movements, catching each blow in an expert block. Jinory would improvise, sweeping at the leg; Syrra would guard low or leap over her head; the former would attempt to force her way in; the latter would counter the movements like water, her graceful footwork allowing her to move in tandem with Jinory unscathed.

The frustration came to a head and the younger Trianii executed a downward slash with a snarl. She hit nothing, Syrra sidestepped and locking her blade to the floor with a slight dip, before flourishing her blade and holding the tip against Jinory's chin. A yowl rang out as the tip dug into the fur and Jinory backed off, holding a paw to her mouth as she stared at Syrra in fear and panted.

"Relax, I have my blade set to training level," Syrra told her. "You move quickly and you have great strength, Jinory. But you're lacking in form and temperament. You're burning too much energy in your anger and frustration. Please, stop this."

"I... I can't fail this mission," she panted, getting to her feet. "But if you won't kill me, that makes it easier."

"Why would I kill a friend?" Syrra said, her ears pinned back sadly.

Jinory didn't reply, her eyes flicking to the seated Squib, who was still trembling in fright. Syrra eyes widened as the young Trianii darted to the side and charged the fluff-ball, her lightsaber raised. Not enough space was between them that Syrra could figure out Jinory would reach Malia before she could intervene, no matter how fast she moved.

But she was still fast enough to call upon the Force. Before the Trianii had gotten halfway there, Syrra had snatched the back of her robes in a telekinetic grab and stopped her short, yanking her back and sending Jinory tumbling several meters away with a confused chirp. She rolled back up, lightsaber still active, but now Syrra was in the way again; seeing no other route but forward and through, she attacked.

This time her approach was less wild, and far calmer. Each blow seemed to be measured, as if trying to look for a flaw in the better-trained woman's defense, testing her with repeated strikes and alternating her intensity. Her face was more focused as she pushed her way forward, causing Syrra to back up until she was only a few feet away from the Squib. With a grunt of effort the older Trianii stood her ground, planting herself firmly in place and allowing her swordwork to do the defense for her.

Jinory lunged again, catching Syrra's blade in a twist and swinging upwards, ripping her weapon out of her cybernetic paw and into the air. A moment passed between the two in which they stared at one another, Jinory looking unsure of what came next. The moment the sound of Syrra's clattering lightsaber reached her ears, she stepped in and slashed at the unarmed Jedi- stopping short as Syrra reached up and caught the blade in her songsteel paw.

Jinory's eyes widened in surprise as her blade stopped in Syrra's palm, watching as her fingers curled around the shaft of light. The look of shock gave way to one of shame as Syrra stared at her with a sad look, causing the younger Trianii to deactivate her weapon.

"... Were you really going to strike at an unarmed opponent, Jinory?" Syrra said softly. "One you just saved? One who considers you a friend?"

"S... Syrra... I-I didn't mean to--"

"I know you didn't," Syrra cut her off, holding her paws up. "But it's time to stop now. Please. Come with me to the Gold Rush and we can talk this out."

The younger Trianii hesitated, looking as if she was about to say something. Whatever it was, she never had the chance to say it.

"Syrra!?" a voice called from the hatch. Both women turned to see a gray-furred wolf step into the hangar with a lightsaber in his paw, stopping short at the scene before him. Syrra's stomach turned again, knowing full well what it looked like- she was disarmed, nearly with her back to the wall with her paws up, and with Jinory holding an inactive lightsaber out.

"Kajex, it's not wha--"

But she didn't have time to finish, yelping as a burst of Force energy lifted her off her feet and into the air. Kajex's eyes widened and he darted in with his arms out, catching the Trianii cleanly- from her position, she could see Jinory with her free paw out, having pushed Syrra out of the way and reactivated her lightsaber. Both Jedi were too far away to do anything as the Trianii lunged in and stabbed.

For a moment Syrra's blood ran cold as she saw the blade disappear; several seconds of shock in having witnessed a murder passed before her eyes adjusted to the scene. While Malia trembled in fear and stared up at Jinory, she did not make a sound; but after a moment merely looked down next to her at her satchel. Jinory's weapon had avoided the Squiub completely and punctured through the bag; with a slash, she tore through it.

"Shit- get away from her!" Kajex snarled, lunging in with his saber active.

"Kajex, no! Don't hurt her!" Syrra called out. "Set to training!"

"But--"

"Just do it!" Syrra shouted, "we have to subdue her, not kill her!"

With a curse the wolf complied, pausing only to adjust his blade. It was in that pause that Jinory tried to run, darting away from the Jedi Sentinel. She had not gotten far when the wolf reached out and grabbed her through the Force, pulling her back towards him and forcing her to engage as he swung. Syrra winced, seeing he was barely holding back against the terrified Trianii youth, and ran to them as quickly as she could- the sooner she could disarm Jinory, the sooner they could all get out of there.

She reached them just as Jinory narrowly ducked one of the Sentinel's slashes. "Easy, Kajex, she's just a kid!" Syrra shouted, though she darted in and jabbed at the Trianii's legs, scoring a hit on her ankle.

"She was about to kill you!" he growled, bringing Jinory to her knees with an overhead swing that she only barely blocked.

"She-- I mean, not right then!" Syrra sputtered. "She was about to back off and--"

"I swear, I wasn't trying to kill her!" Jinory insisted, looking terrified. "I'm sorry, I just-- let me go, please!"

The wolf broke off, holding his weapon in a guard position with a scowl. "What's going on, then?" he asked, eyes narrowed. "Who are you, and why are you trying to sabotage this mission? Syrra thought you could be trusted, so you'll excuse me if I'm a little angry that you attacked my mate, kid!"

"It's... I..." Jinory seemed hesitant, holding her lightsaber out defensively. Syrra could see she was close to answering, muzzle moving though no words escaped.

A beep at the hatch drew their attention. All three turned, their eyes falling on a short, green-painted astromech.

The wolf cocked his head. "An R6?"

"What's it doing here?" Syrra asked.

"Waxer, smoke 'em!" Jinory shouted.

Before the Jedi couple could react, Jinory threw her palm forward and tossed them back with a telekinetic burst. Syrra rolled several feet, groaning as she got up, just in time to hear the sound of three thuds bursting into the air, followed by the clatter of a trio of canisters. Her eyes found them surrounding both her and Kajex, just as they issued a massive flood of white smoke in their vicinity. Kajex cursed and held her head down as they spun and filled the area in a dense fog with a loud hiss.

"Hold your breath, I'll get them out of here!" he told her, getting to his feet. With a sweep of his left arm the air seemed to shift, the hissing carrying on many meters away until the reached the lip of the hangar and fell off the edge into the sea below. Despite now being gone, the fog remained; the wolf remained on his feet, lightsaber held out and prepared to intercept an attack as the seconds wore on. After nearly half a minute he sighed, kneeling and slapping his paw to the floor. A burst of Force energy boomed beneath it, dispersing what remained of the haze. Syrra looked around.

They were alone.

"Looks like she ran off," the wolf sighed. "What was _that_all about?"

"She... had her own mission," Syrra said softly, feeling strangely sad that Jinory had left. "And her own master."

The wolf considered her. "Circle?"

"Not a chance," she answered, more than certain. "I just wish we could have helped her."

"What about you?" he asked, helping her up and pulling her into his arms. "Are _you_okay? She had you at the end of her saber."

"It wasn't even turned on," she told him. "She had just turned it off. She realized she'd just tried to strike me down while I was unarmed. I don't believe for a moment she wanted to kill me- she was just... caught up in the moment."

The wolf stared at her, looking as if he were measuring her words. After a moment he nodded. "I believe you. I'm sorry, kitten, but if you'd seen it from my perspective..."

"It's just how you are," Syrra nodded. "I don't blame you for it." She looked around, spotting Malia still curled up in a ball of fluffy fright. With a nod at the wolf she broke away from him and rushed to the Squib's side. "Are you alright, Malia?"

"Is it over?" she asked, peering over her paws.

"She's gone, yes," Syrra acknowledged. "Where did she hit you?"

"She didn't hit me," the Squib sighed, turning and picking up her satchel. With a look of hesitation she lifted the flap and extricated her slicing equipment, now ruined by a lightsaber strike. "But I think my datapad's toast," she remarked with a pained expression. "Aww man... all my tunes and dirty pics were in it, too."

Syrra winced, then looked to Kajex. "Is it salvageable?"

The wolf knelt beside them and Malia handed the device to him. For a few moments he peered at it, his focus intense- Syrra could tell he was using mecha-deru to see if its internal components were still intact, perhaps hoping its databanks were unharmed. But after a minute, he sighed and shook his head.

"It's destroyed. I'm sorry, Malia. Physical damage to the storage drives is hard enough to repair, but when it's a lightsaber strike... there's nothing we can do."

A feeling of defeat washed over Syrra. "Damn... Jinory really wanted that data destroyed."

"She did?" Kajex frowned. "Did she know what the data even was?"

"Yes- or rather, she said her master knew," Syrra amended herself. "She never told me what it was."

"I kinda do!" Malia chirped.

"You do?" Kajex repeated.

"You bet!" Malia acknowledged. Then she paused, cringing a little. "Kinda. Not like everything. But parts of it."

The Jedi pair exchanged glances. "What was it, then?" Syrra asked.

"Dunno_what_ it was, but I know who made it," Malia elaborated. "The bits I could uncovered mentioned 'Rakata' lots of times- like dozens."

"'Rakata,' you say," Kajex repeated, staring at the data pad.

Syrra looked to him, head cocked. "Kajex?"

The wolf didn't say anything for a few moments, then shook his head. "If it was Rakatan in nature... maybe it's better that the data _was_destroyed. Alot of their knowledge was dangerous to have."

"Who, or what, is Rakata?" Syrra pressed.

"Conquerors from millennia ago," Kajex said gravely. "Practitioners of the dark side of the Force. Revan mentioned them, remember? They created the Star Forge." He looked back to the ruined datapad. "If what she said was true... your friend probably did the right thing."

Syrra sighed. "I wish she hadn't had to fight me over it."

The wolf wrapped an arm around her side. "I think we've all learned by now that the right thing to do isn't always the easiest thing to do. I don't think she thought it was easy."

"No," Syrra agreed sadly, looking at the hatch where a friend she'd only just met had disappeared behind. "I don't think she found it easy to do, either."

There were many things she regretted, as she pulled her ship out of hyperspace. She'd left without bidding Syrra goodbye; without explaining why her mission was so important; had gotten into combat with someone she respected and admired. The pain of losing one mentor in the past, recalled from a story she had shared with the older Trianii female, only made the feeling of having turned away from another one even worse.

She wiped her eyes, taking in a breath. It didn't nothing to soothe the deepest regret she felt at that moment- that she had left Syrra behind without telling her that, despite the moment of combat and frustration, she considered the Jedi her friend as well. Her fist clenched around the throttle as she tried to still her emotions, a feat that was becoming increasingly impossible as images of the Trianii Jedi holding her paw out to her continued to burn into her memory.

"I'm so sorry, Syrra," she whispered, shivering.

A beep behind her drew her attention and she jerked upright. Her screen was translating her droid's chatter. "Something wrong, Jin?"

The feline cleared her throat. "It's nothing, Waxer. Just... thinking of Cid. Missing him."

A pause, then a sad boop. "Oh. I miss him as well." There was an awkward silence between them, then another inquisitive series of beeps. "Who were those other people? They looked like Jedi."

"They were," Jin confirmed.

"Why were they trying to hurt you, then?" Waxer pressed.

"They weren't," Jinory insisted. "I mean... not really. Things just... got out of hand, and I needed your help to get clear." She sighed, thumping the back of her head against her headrest. "Dammit... I got to be friends with her for _one hour_and I messed it up!"

"With who? That other Trianii?"

She nodded, hanging her head in shame. "Yeah... that was Syrra Surnahm, and her mate. The same Jedi that protected Pouma V. And I ended up getting in a _fight_with them, no less."

The droid didn't respond for a few moments. "Did she say she was your friend?"

Jinory stared at the screen, then shrugged. "She said it to me."

"Do you consider her a friend?"

"Yeah? I mean... recent duel notwithstanding, it's not like I wanted to do it."

"Then is there really a problem? If she was your friend, she probably understood what you had to do, or that you had a really good reason to do it. And if she doesn't, you know how you can find her- it's not like the Jedi are all over the place."

Jinory considered it, breathing a little easier. "I... guess. They're on Yavin 4. I... suppose I could explain- well, not everything, but enough. Just so that she knows."

"Then do it. Finding the appropriate channel, like an e-mail, shouldn't be too difficult if you know where to look." Another pause. "... I think Cid would want you to. He was your friend. Our friend. And he'll always be our friend, watching over us. You shouldn't allow a misunderstanding get between you and a new friend."

The Trianii found herself smiling at that. "Thanks, Waxer."

"It's what friends do, Jin."

She sighed, staring out into space and thinking of Syrra, and what she would say to her, feeling warmth bloom in her chest.

Soon, she'd let her new friend know.