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_ "It is a vast criminal syndicate... its influence felt on every planet from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim. Black Sun has existed for hundreds of years, and embedded itself in the very fiber of the galaxy. The resources at its disposal are almost limitless. The soldiers under its command number in the tens of thousands. The ignorant even call it the most powerful force in the known universe." ~_Darth Sidious

In the entire time Miles had been under the employ of Locke, he had never once regretted the decision. Working as an Imperial stormtrooper meant one of two things- you either ended up on the front lines fighting for your life, or you were shunted to the back where you would stand at attention guarding who-knows-what until retirement. In the last 2 months, Miles had enjoyed his work far more than he had before he'd been stationed on AS-303, if only for the additional freedom and constant change in scenery.

He found the company was decent as well. Miles had known his fair share of amicable Imperial officers and commanders, but they were few and far between- yet Knight Locke was unique in his own way. Whether it was because Miles had a set perception of Sith Lords based on the horror stories that had been told, or because Lock might be hiding his true nature very well, the lieutenant found the albino wolf's attitude and politeness a refreshing change from the hard-nosed hard-asses that made up the bulk of the Imperial Remnant's officers and politicians.

Keris, on the other hand...

"C'mooon, Miles... you know you want to," she purred as she pressed herself against him, arms around his midsection. If the Miraluka had possessed eyes, he was certain he would have been rolling them.

"Keris, I'm sure very, very_deep down you're a good person and not just some Sith apprentice, and if the noises you make almost every night are any indication you are more than likely _very_good at lovemaking. But I'm comfortable with the professional relationship I have with Knight Locke right now, and I'd prefer very much not to trade that in for an evening of physical delight followed closely by_lightsaber castration." He attempted to push her back by the shoulders, meeting resistance as he frowned at the vixen. "Besides, Locke will be returning shortly- you can get it from him like you always do."

She grinned, nuzzling into his neck affectionately. "Does that mean if he _wasn't_coming, and you knew you could get away with it, you would?"

"No," Miles grunted irritably, craning his head back and away from her. "Though there's no point in trying to hide that you _are_arousing me a bit, since you already know that."

"Yeah, I know," she teased. "I just want to see how much pressure you can take before you finally break down and fuck me. It's not like I'd stop you, you know."

"Is this your own fun way of getting me killed?" he asked, sighing.

"No," Locke said genially as he walked up the ramp into their ship. "Because she knows I won't have you killed or harmed in any way just for indulging her physical desires- or yours." He stood next his confused assistant, leaning in to kiss the fox on the muzzle. "That said, Keris, please be so kind as to respect the lieutenant's wishes. 'No means no,' pet."

Keris sighed wistfully, stepping away from the Miraluka with her ears drooped. "Yes, Master..."

Locke smiled, petting her ears. "And head to my room. I intend to indulge you, you may as well be ready for it. I need a few moments to speak with our assistant." She perked back up and she sped off towards the back of the transport with a smile on her face, causing the wolf to chuckle before turning to the near-human soldier. "I apologize for that, Miles- her promiscuity is one of the few characteristics she has had trouble maintaining discipline over, even after all this time."

The lieutenant sighed, looking over to where Keris had disappeared. "It's fine, sir. Are all females of her kind as flirty as she is?"

Locke shook his head. "Her species are far better known for their trading acumen and shameless haggling than their sexual openness. I'm afraid Keris is one of many unfortunate females of different races to be chemically and hormonally abused by her Hutt owner so that her behavior became ingrained- a nearly irreversible biological alteration that she's managed to suppress with discipline. I found the corpulent beast's practice unacceptable, moreso because it wasted her significant Force talents, and gutted him personally when I rescued her from Nar Shaddaa." His face grew serious. "I tell you this partially so you understand that I have no desire to see her coquettishness land her in trouble- I have restricted her from sharing herself with any person I don't personally trust. You, fortunately, are the first person to fall neatly into that category."

Miles arched an eyebrow. "So... should I consider this some manner of on-the-job bonus? Because I'm not sure I'm the kind of guy to oblige."

The wolf grinned as he removed his red cloak and casually tossed it aside on a briefing table. "Well, _somebody_will need to keep her libido in check. Tonight, however, I will gladly take on the task. In the future, feel free to luxuriate in her advances at your own discretion. As long as you clean up," he added, disengaging the clasps that held his chestplate in place and setting it aside, stretching out and breathing deep as his chest and back were no longer so encumbered.

"You had something else you wished to discuss, sir?" Miles asked.

Locke nodded, taking a seat and pulling off his greaves. "I've had a discussion with my master concerning our other lupine friend, Captain Surnahm. I've been told he may be garnering an education in lightsaber combat from the Jedi, Syrra- his assistance allowed them to match Knight Ulfric, 2-on-1. My master thinks it's unwise for him to continue meddling in the Circle's affairs and has insisted that if we should encounter him standing in our way again, that he be terminated with prejudice."

"I see. So what are _your_orders, then?" the soldier asked shrewdly.

The albino wolf smiled amicably. "Once again, you demonstrate that I_did_select the right man to be my aide-de-camp." He paused for a moment as he kicked off his boots, considering the question seriously. "I'm not interested in seeing him dead- but if it should come to it, having him incapacitated will suffice. Regrettably, he has chosen to put himself in harm's way. Much as I'd not like to see it done... he_may_have to die." He looked back up at Miles. "That said, I've no intention to issue any orders to have him assassinated- though after the debacle with Knight Ulfric, I don't expect the Circle to ignore him, either. For now, though, assume that he is not a detrimental factor in our plans."

"Very well, sir- anything else I should know?"

"My master was pleased with our find- we've been tasked with locating and procuring more items of interest. We'll start tomorrow, so be prepared to take off by 0900." He tossed his gauntlets aside, shaking his wrists a bit before standing up. "For now... just pretend there's a 'do not disturb' sign mounted on the hatch." He grinned, sauntering to his quarters.

The Miraluka shook his head, unable to prevent himself from chuckling to himself. "I hope this assignment lasts a while..."

"3 years."

"Mmm...?"

Locke smiled as he looked upon the completely nude form of his apprentice, her rust-colored fur bristling slightly. "3 years. It's been that long since I agreed to take you on as my student. I haven't yet regretted that decision," he explained, digging his paws into her back firmly, thumbs pressing into her fur and back muscles.

The nude Amaran shivered slightly. "Not a moment? Even at my most annoying?" she asked breathily.

"Not a moment," he repeated, tracing a finger down the middle of her back. "It took so long to breed you into a lethal combatant and well-educated student of the dark side, but I can say with complete certainty I am proud of the woman you have become."

She smiled, looking back at him. "Because you molded me the way you wanted me to?"

Locked shook his head. "No- because I told you to choose your path and you excelled with my help and your drive. I could ask for no finer student," he proclaimed, rolling her onto her back gently and lifting her into a sitting position as he stood.

"You saved me," she said simply. "When I was told that I would be entrusted to your care, I was ecstatic- I owe you my life."

"You owe me nothing," he replied. "But I'm honored all the same that you swore fealty to me afterward." He raised her chin up. "Demonstrate your loyalty to me, kit."

"Yes, Master," she purred, kneeling before him submissively and bowing her head, eyes on his revealed length as it throbbed before her. Knowing her place and her duties to him, she leaned forward immediately, sliding her muzzle around his length and suckling his throbbing flesh, purring quietly as she serviced the wolf obediently, her soft tongue lashing repeatedly against the surface of his prick. She flinched slightly as she felt his paw on her large ears, relaxing as he stroked and caressed them encouragingly- it was a sign that she knew she was doing well and she redoubled her efforts, hungry for her lover's further approval.

The wolf growled approvingly, grunting as she suckled his member, rolling his hips into her muzzle each time she drew his face close. Sessions like these were never frequent, but he had learned to temper her lust with patience, using her desire as motivation to improve herself to great effect- it resulted also in her being more dutiful and considerate of his own desires, as she sought to show him she was worthy to share his bed, to be the object of his affections. He groaned as she pumped his length, a full ten inches of blood red wolfcock drooling with precum and throbbing in her paw- she was attentive, ensuring there was no period where she was neither lapping his member or pumping it repeatedly, alternating smoothly between the acts.

Keris worked the shaft slowly, squeezing the underside of his thick length and purring as the pressure forced out more of his salty slickness, pressing her tongue against it and basting the tasty gel against the surface of his flesh. The aroma of his prick made her dizzy, head swaying slightly as her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of his body and the flavor of his cock- the effect on her was significant, as she felt her loins getting slicker with each passing second, leaking nectar from her gash as she continued to suck and slurp his cock.

Locke's balls twitched abruptly and she gasped softly as a powerful jet of natural lube spat against her muzzle, the vixen lapping it up obediently as she continued to slather his prick, preparing her master. Her other paw had been massaging her breasts firmly, pinching at her own nipples as her arousal grew, but it was not enough. Slowly, covertly, she snaked the paw down her body, along her slim belly and past her waist, shivering slightly as it brushed against a tuft of pubic fluff. She froze and looked up apprehensively as she heard her lover growl warningly.

"What do you think you're doing, kit?" he asked sternly.

"I... can't help it," she mewled softly.

"Of course you can," he replied, putting a paw to the side of her face. "All you need to do is beg."

She trembled, looking away with a bright red blush tinting the creamy patches of white on her cheeks- the suggestion always thrilled her, the idea of her being denied his intimacy a fear that always turned her on. "I crave it."

"Crave_what_?" he asked, smiling.

"Your cock," she whined.

"How badly?" he teased

Their eyes met. "I need you to take me... breed me like you were honoring me with your offspring..."

He held his paw out and she took it, standing immediately, squeaking as he brought her into his arms and kissed her passionately. The act caused her heart to hammer violently in her chest as she drew herself as close as possible to his body, basking in his warm embrace and returning the kiss eagerly, tail swishing as warmth ran through her. There was no doubt in her mind what would come next, as he backed her against the bunk with her lips still locked to his, her backside brushing against the edge as she sank into the comfortable bedding material.

The wolf's paws snaked up her form, cupping her breasts and pushing her gently onto her back, leaning in and licking the underside of her muzzle while his paws drifted down her body and caressed through her fur and kneading her sides. Unable to help herself, she moaned and flinched as his grip eventually reached her waist, spreading her legs apart to reveal her moist slit. Treating her lover to a seductive stare, she slid her paw between her legs, moaning cutely as she slid a finger into her folds. She stirred around in her sweltering depths, twisting her body around erotically as she aimed to inspire more arousal from her master.

The wait was not long- her few moments of teasing had caused him to react, snagging her wrist and wrenching it upwards away from her cleft- her startled yelp echoed through the quarters as he pulled her hips out enough that her backside was suspended over the side of the bunk. Supported by his large paws gripping her ass, the vixen let out a louder cry as he squeezed her rump firmly. The craving for the wolf's cock burned in her loins, now positively drenched in her own nectar, quivering as the tapered tip of his length traced her netherlips.

Locke looked down at the Amaran, taking in her in slim, lithe body. There were no words he could use to express enough love for her in any language he'd learned. With those limitations, he had long since given up trying to express it verbally, relying on physical action to convey his affection for her. 3 years together, and it hadn't changed- he plunged into her familiar, silky depths, drawing out the passionate yelp she always made when they began. The experience had not become trite- to him, it had become almost sacred. A ritualistic, erotic dance which they now practiced their bodies meeting lustfully. His single thrust had embedded all ten inches in her warm, vaginal embrace, the slick interior gripping hard around his prick.

He bent his knees slightly, pinning one of her shoulders down with one paw as the other kept her rump at waist level, emitting a feral growl as he slid back a ways, then plunged back into her heated depths. Once again she cried out, whimpering with intense need as he began to breed his beloved student, the vixen pushing her hips up into his bucking waist. Minor shocks rocked her core as her master leaned over her, hammering his shaft into her hole and eliciting mewls from her.

He was not gentle. He had learned long ago that she enjoyed nearly any form of copulation, but a hard, slow breeding was among her favorites. She made no attempt to hide her mounting pleasure as each jab into her tunnel was punctuated with a cry from her muzzle, the percussive smack of bodies joining at the hips. A heady aroma of sex and sweat permeated the air as the obscene cocktail of pre-cum and feminine nectar smeared against their loins. Locke paused, hefting her body up as he moved onto the bunk, laying her down, grabbing her leg and lifting it up underneath his arm. His other paw met hers palm-to-palm, pinning it down and entwining with her fingers as he continued to pound the fox-bitch's depths vigorously, her moaning voice hitching with each blow.

"My offspring..." Locke growled into her ear as he churned her crevice with his cock, the gripping gash refusing to let him draw the length out with each pause, becoming more difficult as his knot swelled to it's properly aroused size. "You dream of it often, don't you? What else do you dream of?"

"A life after this," she whispered, her face red with shame, squeaking as she felt the hard bulb of wolfcock kiss against swollen netherlips. "One with you..."

He brought his lips to hers, touching her face as he kissed her as he continued to rock her to the core with his hips- whatever else he had told his masters, she alone truly knew how deeply he loved her and how much he would do for her. "I would give you all you want when I have the power I need, love," he sword to her once he'd broken off, their eyes meeting and gazing into one another's. "A home, a family, a safe existence- anything you want, I will find a way for you to have it."

She held his face, focusing on him even as she jolted from each thrust. "What about you? What to do you desire...?" she asked, her voice strained as his knot brushed heavily against her clit. Thick moans poured from her muzzle as she lifted her hips up, grinding against his lap as her vaginal resistance waned.

The wolf leaned in, holding her close as he squeezed his enormous knot against her folds, the pain of impending release radiating in his balls. "Only you." With a loud groan he locked his length in place deep inside her cleft, instantly met with the sensation of her tight inner walls chewing around his cock. A rippling sensation squeezed around the knot, her sex quivering as a flush of incredible warmth signaled the vixen's climax, followed close by her blissful cry. Locke's muscles tensed as he let out a loud snarl, blasting his backed-up load of spunk into his lover's belly, growling as he rolled his hips into her. They rode out their orgasms with labored breathing, holding each other close until the wolf's flow had ebbed into little more than a trickle.

For a long while they did nothing more than breathe, embrace and share each other's warmth as they lay on their sides. Locke was the first to regain enough willpower to move, shifting around and lifting a blanket with the Force, draping it over them both. With a content mutter he brought his student in closer, letting her burrow her head into the nook of his neck. "Are you out already, love?"

Keris shook her head, a gentle purr running through her. "No, Master... I can go again..." she said quietly, licking his neck."

The white wolf chuckled softly. "You sound sated. I remember there being a time when I'd have to draw from the Force to fulfill your desire, yet now..."

She smiled up at him. "You taught me discipline, and I learned well," she replied, running a paw through his silver hair.

There was a sad look in his eye even as he smiled back. "You know I can't give you a child, even if I were to try my hardest."

Keris nodded. "I know. That doesn't keep me from dreaming of it. Who knows, though- maybe you'll find a way. But even if you don't... I have you. And I'm more than happy with that.

Locke sighed contentedly, dousing the lights with a thought. "As am I, Keris."

"I still say Master Horn would beat him."

Kajex scoffed. "Syrra, I want you to know I love you very deeply- but you're talking bullshit. I'm not just saying it because he's a pretty cool guy and he's great at sabacc, but Kyle was made Battlemaster for a reason."

Talrik nodded as they trudged through the marsh, the late afternoon sun shedding a violet light on the forest. "Yeah, I'm with Kaj on this one, Syrra. Don't get me wrong, anybody who completes Corellian Security Force training and excels as an officer is no push-over, but Master Katarn completed his Omega Exercise with full marks- I'm actually kinda surprised the Empire didn't set him up with a nice, boring specialist post."

Syrra rolled her eyes, vaulting over a log as she kept step behind Kajex, her rifle out. "Okay, sure- that makes him a well-trained soldier, and I can see why you'd respect that. But as far as being a Jedi, Master Horn's showed a lot of impressive Force ability, more than Master Katarn."

"Oh, I dunno," Kajex said airily. "After hearing about that story about his time on Ruusan, I'd say he's got a couple feats under his belt. You don't hear about many Jedi that can conjure lightning without drawing from the dark side, I'd say that's fairly impressive. Mind the hole to the right," he added, side-stepping a deep indentation in the ground.

Talrik glanced at Syrra. "So, uh... how long have you two been... together?" he asked tentatively.

The Trianii smiled. "About 2 months, now," she said pleasantly. "We just kinda hit it off well during my first solo mission, he was all over me by the end of our first week working together."

"Oh, that's how you_remember it, kitten?" he grinned, glancing back at both of them. "I seem to recall you getting hot for me the first night on the _Roulette. Though I admit I had you on my mind just about as long." He chuckled. "Seriously though, I found her attractive in both body and mind, she saved my life a couple of times and it just kinda clicked." He stopped, taking a long look around the area- two more fallen trees lay ahead, the marshland receding slightly and transitioning into drier ground. "Alright, this looks like a good point to take a break."

Talrik jogged ahead, pulling out a portable sensor and fixing it on the branches of a nearby tree, while Syrra reached out with her senses to survey the area briefly. After about a minute, she opened her eyes and shook her head, taking a seat on the ground and leaning against one of the fallen trees. "Nothing. We're alone for at least a good mile, bar a few of the more curious wildlife. What say 30 minutes before we start moving?"

Kajex nodded, resting against the fallen tree adjacent to Syrra's. "Should be around the bend from here, and then we'll be able to see the DCS properly, about another 3 miles." He took off his boots, groaning pleasantly as he let his hindpaws out, flexing his toes a bit. "Been a while since I've had to take a hike like this. It's different from running circles in my ship, you know? Still... pretty nice place."

Talrik jumped down from another tree, having secured the second and last sensor, setting his rifle aside and reclining near Syrra, rummaging through his bag. "Long as we're stopped, might as well give you the charges. I gave them a 5 minute timer, it's more than long enough for someone to deactivate them, so we'll need to hide where we put them- otherwise you can set them to remote detonation." He tossed one each to his partners. "Gods I feel tense right now just thinking about it..."

Kajex smiled as he slid the charge into his satchel. "Relax, kit. You shoot well and you've got a good head on your shoulders. Yeah, we're facing Black Sun, but you have more than a fighting chance, I guarantee that. Republic backup should be arriving later tonight, soon as we get this scum's bombardment shield down they can take care of the rest. Then we just hang around the Ho'Din until they're back on their feet- shouldn't be more than a few days."

"If we live through it," Talrik responded, looking a little green.

Kajex considered the vulpine for a moment before getting up and sitting next to him- the fox barely noticed him moving, and continued to look as if a panic attack were coming on until he flinched, feeling a large paw rub behind his ears. He looked to the wolf, the older male's paw raised over his head. Kajex cleared his throat. "Eyes forward, kid, I'm gonna help you relax." Talrik's eyes flicked over to Syrra, who didn't seem to object- in fact she seemed almost amused and supportive, giving the fox a subtle nod. Another rub behind his ears and Talrik let out a sigh, the stimulation behind his ears sending pleasant waves down his spine.

"Kaj... that feels incredible..." he half-moaned, blushing slightly.

Kajex grinned, squeezing the tips with his thumb and forefinger gently before massaging the thicker base of his ear, alternative between the two and watching as the fox shifted his head side-to-side. "I'll bet it does- just relax for now. Try to keep in mind you're among friends. You got our back, we've got yours- you have my word on that, alright?"

The fox nodded, half-listening and letting out a quiet murr as his head dropped back and to the side, leaning into the fingers instinctively before drawing back and shaking his head, feeling looser and more positive about their situation, though a little shy that he'd leaned into the wolf. "Thanks... I feel a little better."

"Don't mention it," the wolf responded, tousling his hair and giving Syrra a subtle wink that she returned. "About the only thing we need to worry about is a lack of a spotter- you sure you can work without one, kid?"

Talrik nodded, munching on a ration bar. "Should be fine. Black Sun's reputation lies in its strong-arm tactics and political connections- not really its combat prowess." He paused a second. "Standard Imperial tactics mandates that a sniper have a spotter with them at all times, but I've never had to serve in a combat zone, and nobody in our simulations wanted to be paired up with me- they usually counted me as a liability. I'm used to having to work alone."

"Because of your size?" Syrra asked.

Talrik shook his head. "No, because I was the 'bitch'," he sighed. "Nobody took me seriously as a marskman because I never served in combat and I got 'passed around' a lot. Best that could be said is that I never picked up any 'venereals' that whole time- for whatever that's worth." He paused. "I'm sorry- probably not the best time to bring up my history."

"Kid, you keep it bottled up for too long and eventually it's going to eat at you in the worst possible way- take it from someone who's had a lot of regrets in his life. You ever need to let something out when we're off-mission, you got us," Kajex said, putting a paw on the younger male's back.

The vulpine nodded, smiling. "Anyway, guess the point is that I may not look like much, but I'd like to think I have what counts."

"Yeah, you do- especially if your shooting earlier today was any ind--"

The wolf was cut off by a tremendous explosion off in the distance, the sound causing a dull rumbling in the earth while invoking hundreds of avian creatures to abandon their roosts. All three of them jumped to their feet, rifles raised as they looked around. Kajex glanced to Syrra. "What's on your mind, kitten?"

She frowned, a feeling of anxiety building far away from her. "I feel alot of creatures in pain up ahead... some dying... it's like..." she shuddered, closing her eyes and cringing almost as if she were suffering physical pain. "It's like so many people screaming..."

Kajex frowned, bending down to get his boots back on. "Sounds like we better hurry, before it happens again and someone else gets hurt."

It was another 30 minutes before they all caught sight of the Droid Control Ship, the massive sphere of manufactured metal damaged and embedded into the side of the mountain about halfway in- Kajex could hardly believe the thing was in one piece, gouged into the rock just above the treeline yet not high enough to peek over the other side of the mountain. Decades of weather had taken a toll on it, parts of the vessel streaked brown with rust and parts of it having fallen off giving brief glimpses of the innards within- one could almost make out the figures that patrolled the exposed hallways, reinforced crudely with riveted scrap material. High above, both the bridge tower and forward control tower jutted out, and between them a massive shield generator that encapsulated the entire structure, it's pale purple glow illuminating the oncoming evening settings.

"It's bigger than the holovids make them out to be," Syrra said apprehensively, her macrobinoculars scanning the surface of the ship.

"That's pretty much the jist of life, kitten," Kajex responded, "having to re-evaluate your initial perceptions. Try not to worry about the size, it's pretty much a big ball with no real teeth. Our biggest problem are the clankers down there," he pointed out, gesturing to the 50 or so battle droids marching in formation along the treeline, a heavily-armed human directing them from the back. "Praxah said there were no fewer than 100 armed guards here and about 300 working droids- but we do this right, we won't even have to worry about a lopsided battle."

"Anybody see what made that noise earlier?" she asked, looking out along the forest. "I feel like it was--" she stopped short, all three of them spotting the column of thick smoke in the forest, emanating from an orange glow below it. "What the hell is going on over there?"

Kajex frowned- it was a question that was bugging him as well. "Won't know for sure unless one of us goes there to see. Talrik, can you be a buddy and take a peek in that direction when we split, let us know what you see?"

"Sure thing," he responded, raising his binocs up again and pointing to a structure on the opposite side of the DCS, a steel shack. "That's entrance number 1, the front door- it'll be where most of the droids are. Entrance number 2..." he trailed off as all three scanned the rock formations nearest to them.

"Found it." Syrra lifted a paw, pointing at a barely noticeable cave. "Kaj and I will head on up- will you be okay out here?" she asked, putting a paw on the fox's shoulder.

Talrik breathed in calmly, nodding as he unslung his rifle and held it ready. "Yeah, I'm good. Just watch yourselves in there- I'll keep you up to date on things out here."

The moment they left, Talrik started shifting slowly towards the treeline, keeping low to the rocks- the heavily-armed human and his droid battalion were marching in step, weapons out and ready to fire the moment the order was given. Keeping as far back as possible while still within reasonable hearing distance, he waited until the order for them to turn and patrol in the reverse direction, ears twitching slightly at the heavy clatter of 100 droid feet trudging along the rocks. Before long their footfalls faded into the distance, and once he felt it was safe enough to move he dodged out from his cover and into the shade of the trees, towards the distant yellow glow.

His superior night-sight allowed him to jog through the forest with moderate speed without missing much in front of him. Though stealth had not been a particular forte in his skillset, he found it easy to remain fairly silent- there was barely any sound beyond the chirping insects in the trees and grass accompanied by the rustling sound of his footsteps. The acrid smell of burning wood caused a tingle in his nose, and a light volume of ash made his eyes sting and water as he drew closer. After a few minutes of traveling through the brush he came near a clearing, the vulpine going prone and sneaking forward as he crept towards the edge of this opening, finding cover next to a low tree.

He nearly swore out loud at the sight- in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by no fewer than 80 droids standing at attention, were 3 heavily-armed, heavily-armored, four-legged mechanical monstrosities with a heavy cannon at the top of the vehicle, looking much like giant arachnids. They were all facing in the direction of the destruction they had no doubt caused, several tremendous ancient trees having been felled by what appeared to be massive laser gouges at their bases. The immense heat from the fire ahead was enough that Talrik started to feel himself sweating. Wiping his brow and eyes, he triggered his headset.

He tried to fight back his mounting anxiety as he triggered his headset. "Kajex, I've got some bad news for you," he said silently.

"Let's hear it- what did you see?"

"I've got eyes on 3 Commerce Guild A-DSDs and about 80 active battle droids in formation. It's as if they're ready to start a fight somewhere. Looks like they're set to anti-foliage cannon settings." He peered into the crowd, noticing a handful of Black Sun thugs conversing among themselves. "Doesn't look like they've been issued any orders- yet. But there's 3 or 4 Black Sun soldiers nearby."

"Damn... those big bastards can move at a good rate, and independent of a DCS. Any idea where they're headed?"

"Hard to say until they start moving," he replied, keeping his eyes on the mercs as they scanned the columns of droids closely- he noticed a few of them were wearing goggles. Worried they might have some means of detecting him, he scooted back a few feet behind the base of the tree. "But if they're set to anti-foliage--" he cut himself off, ears twitching as he heard a distant conversation start.

"Argus' orders, boys. That Falleen kid didn't report back, the boss thinks the plant-guys finally grew a backbone and killed her," one of the human thugs explained. "Plan is to travel to her last known location, find the camp, put a fire under their feet and capture anybody that comes down."

"Why didn't the droidssss return to ussss?" a female Trandoshan hissed angrily.

"Because the tech-heads are slow as fuck, they haven't finished calibrating the damn things so they can work independent of voice commands," the human responded dourly. "Been a damn headache, having to remember they do _exactly_what anyone tells them to do, until you tell them to stop."

"Who will lead them, then?" the Trandoshan asked.

"Well not you, that's for fucking sure," another human said with a barking laugh. "They'll probably get their orders mixed up with your damn hissing noises, until you speak Basic like normal."

"Go to hell," the reptilian mercenary growled.

"Alright, shut it," the first human barked commandingly. "Argus put me in charge, you guys are coming with in case those plant-fucks try something nasty again. Bain, you're with me; Sora, keep behind the spider-droids- they're supposed to work on most terrain, but you can never tell with mechanics." He turned his attention to the droids. "Alright clankers, new orders! Weapons out!"

Talrik watched as all 80 droids reached behind them and drew their weapons in unison. Gritting his teeth and keeping his eye on the droids, he backed up until he was out of the brush, turning tail and sprinting. Every dozen steps he glanced back to make sure he wasn't being followed, forcing himself not to answer as Kajex kept calling for him.

"C'mon kid, what's going on!? If you're in trouble, respond- over!?"

The fox panted slightly as he took cover behind a tree, looking around it to double-check. "Sorry about that, had to go silent," he responded, slightly out of breath. "We've got a time limit, they're going to assault the camp and burn everything around it. It won't take them long to figure out the _Gold Rush_is parked nearby."

He listened as the wolf swore, a brief moment of silence hanging between them. "Alright... get back near our entrance and keep an eye out. There's nothing you can do against that much firepower. We'll try to make this quick, we've just located the entrance to the sphere. For now, just do what you can to keep out--"

An explosion tore through the tree Talrik had taken cover behind, drowning out the wolf's voice and sending the fox flying through the air. He yelped as he hit the ground, hearing a sickening snap and feeling a tremendous pain lance through his right leg as it collapsed from beneath him. Eyes watering from the pain, he rolled onto his back, eyes falling on the ruined tree. Spotting slight movement against the fiery backdrop, he reflexively drew his pistol and fired.

The Black Sun thug never saw him, the fox's single shot spearing into the man's head and dropping him easily. Talrik spat out blood, a trickle of it running down his chin, feeling into his muzzle briefly and finding he had bit his tongue and lost a molar. His anxiety was gone, his heart racing as he struggled to get his bearings. A whine escaped his chest as he looked at his broken leg, bent at an awkward angle. Knowing full well he could not walk on his injury he started to shuffle through the grass, taking a moment to gather his still-functional rifle and a couple of loose sticks.

A sense of dread fell over him as he realized his headset had fallen off. He spotted it several feet away, his heart sinking as his eyes made out a ruined, non-functioning piece of scrap on the forest floor. There was no way for him to contact Kajex, to let him know what was transpiring outside the ship- no way for him to contact Aija back at the _Gold Rush_to inform the New Republic to launch their attack. He might have lamented his situation longer had blaster fire not broken out moments later.

Still on his belly, he crawled through the brush, keeping low enough that the enemy's firepower sailed easily over his head. They seemed to have no idea where he was precisely, their shots going wild. He grimaced as he heard approaching footsteps, fury at his current situation welling up in him. Letting out a groan of pain he rolled onto his back and sat up, lifting his rifle and firing two well-placed shots into the night, hitting his marks and dropping a Rodian and another Human. Excited shouts echoed through the forest some distance away in response to the blaster reports, just as Talrik reached the treeline with labored breath. Looking to either side to ensure no droids or Black Sun thugs were on the path, he crossed the narrow strip of open ground and into the rocks, gasping in pain and exertion. Leaning hiding behind a large boulder to catch his breath, his ears drooped as a loud voice rang out into the night.

"Trigger the alarm, find that fucking fox and kill him! I know he's still here somewhere!"

Kajex was panicking, looking back into the cave as he stood with one foot in the droid control sphere, the other still planted in a natural rock formation. Worry painted his features as he gripped his rifle tight, a small whine squeaking from his throat as he hesitated, staring distantly.

"... I'm going back for him," he said abruptly, starting to head back towards the cave entrance.

"Kajex, no!" Syrra grabbed his wrist. "We have a task, we need to stick with it!"

"He could be dying out there!" he shouted, abandoning all caution. "He wouldn't even be here if I hadn't-- I should've--" There was pain in his eyes, a sensation of guilt building in him that Syrra could sense easily- to the wolf, it was all his fault Talrik was here in the first place.

She grabbed him by the arms. "I swear to you, Kajex- he's alive! And he'll stay alive as long as we get this job done and open this place up to orbital attack! We're almost there, we need to focus!" His panicking seemed to bring a calm to her- she wondered if perhaps it was because she knew he needed her to be strong enough for both of them, that her self-doubt was no longer an existing factor.

The wolf grit his teeth, breathing in slowly and calming down in front of her, nodding. "I... I'll be fine. You're right. But we have to hurry, for him." She let go of him and they both started jogging into the vessel side by side, their footsteps echoing in the dimly-lit halls of the sphere's interior. Every so often they would pause, keeping their ears out in either direction for patrols, but the interior seemed eerily quiet apart from their infiltration. Creaking metal sounded every now and again, massive groaning noises that sent a chill through Syrra's spine.

For a few minutes the only source of light was from the interior lighting cells lining the walls, but a break in the hull ahead allowed starlight and moonlight to pour in from outside, a ghostly shaft of light continuing further into the hull as the opposite wall was also breached, allowing both of them to peer inside. Syrra's eyes widened as she spotted what was quite obviously the computer core itself, a dull hum emanating from the massive cylinder as it functioned. Silently, Kajex squeezed her shoulder, pointing at the base of the core, towards the generators- before long she could sense a change in temperature, warmth coming from the core. She spotted a few patrolling Black Sun officers, wearing little more than sleeveless coveralls.

She frowned. "Running too hot?" she whispered.

Kajex nodded. "Thing's too old, the generators are working too hard without proper cooling- it's probably why they're running a simple voice command AI. Look up."

Her eyes followed the generator conduits into the top of the dome, where she noticed several access panels along one of the conduits had been torn off, with thick, crude energy cables splitting off and spearing into rudimentary holes leading up and outside. She narrowed her eyes. "What...?"

"It's powering the shield outside," Kajex explained. "We have only two charges between us, not enough to blow all 6 generators out- easiest way to do this is to take out that power conduit. Won't disable the droids, but as soon as we do, we can get the Republic to drop the hammer on this place."

"And us in it," Syrra said, frowning.

The wolf shook his head. "Already planned for that, we'll be fine. Even if we can't raise the Republic directly, they'll notice when the shield goes down and come in to finish it off- but it'll take a few minutes, which we'll spend getting the hell out."

"What about the leader, Argus?"

"That's why we'll set the charges remotely," he replied, holding up a triggering device. "They won't go off until we're good and ready- but we need to hurry, Talrik could need our help."

A distant shot could be heard through the opposite wall. They both exchanged significant glances and peered out. They could see nothing, but they could make out the report of blaster fire being traded. Syrra winced. "He's hurt- but he's not dead. He's giving them hell, though," she said softly, as she felt flickers of life wink out at the base of the sphere.

A howling siren broke out, causing both of them to jump- the wall-embedded lighting fixtures changed their hue from a dim gold to a hard red, flashing repeatedly. Shouts could be heard overhead and in the massive core interior- they peered back inside, seeing Black Sun criminals scurrying up and around the core, exiting through a hatch. Within a minute the core was completely bare.

Kajex grit his teeth. "It's wide open. Alright, change of plan- that kid is buying us time with his life, Syrra. We need to get this done." He handed her his explosive charge and the trigger. "Set these up while I make for the bridge and take this bastard down. Once you have them set, get back down to Talrik and get him out of there."

"What about you?" she asked worriedly, placing the extra charge in her satchel.

"You'll keep in touch with me and monitor my situation with the Force," he assured her. "If things get bleak for me before I get back to you two, don't come back for me- just set off the charges."

"But--"

"This is not something we're going to argue about," he said sternly, causing her to wince. "You do that, you'll give me a distraction I can work with." He paused, letting out a sigh. "Talrik is going to need you long before I do. I can manage this. I've been doing this for years, but we're going to need to speed this up if we expect to help him.

She nodded, moving into his arms and kissed him deeply. "Come back to me safe, Kaj," she pleaded softly, putting a paw on his cheek.

He smiled, nuzzling her. "I'll do what I can."