Nal Hutta: 18 BBY
Swamplands
Oni Aleu

Oni soared over one of Nal Hutta's many swamps, keeping an eye on the speeder ahead of her. She had managed to quickly track down the escaped slave from Kessel and was now pursuing him. The speeder whipped around a large tree that rose from the murky water. Oni rounded it and leveled her blaster.

She lowered her rangefinder, aiming at the speeder's main thruster. She fired and smoke burst from the back of the speeder. The man screamed and leaped off, just as the speeder careened into the side of a tree. Oni landed in the muddy clearing and stalked towards the man.

"Wait, wait!" He raised his hands defensively. "Don't take me in. I'm a Mandalorian, like you!"

"And purrgil don't fly through hyperspace," Oni rolled her gold eyes beneath her helmet.

"No, I swear. Look!" He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a signet tattooed onto his shoulder.

Oni's eyes widened in surprise. It looks like the one on Nakoa's vibroblade. That's the signet of Clan Ralius, she realized. "Who are you?" Oni moved closer and the man raised his hands again. She grabbed his wrists and cuffed him shortly.

"I'm Nevere. I worked for a Mandalorian."

"Working for a Mandalorian doesn't make you one. Who was he?"

"Feton Ralius. He sent me out here to search for a spy of ours. I was captured by the Empire and taken to Kessel."

"And now you're going back." She pondered over his words as they walked. Feton Ralius. Nakoa never mentioned him, but maybe he knows who he is.

"No, please listen to me. Feton sent that spy out here to monitor someone very dangerous. They disappeared, which is why he sent me. I have to find them. I've already lost a few weeks since I was stuck on Kessel."

"Who was the spy watching?"

"Another Mandalorian. Tarek Vizsla."

Oni froze, then jerked the man around. "Are you certain?" He nodded vigorously. "Where is Tarek now?"

"I don't know. He moves around a lot."

"What about Feton?"

"I don't know," he repeated. "Feton contacted me through a transmission. I've never seen his headquarters." Oni shoved him forward again. Ketei's ship appeared in the distance, right where she'd left it. "Please, you can't take me back!"

"I can and I will," Oni replied. "My Clan needs the credits. Don't worry. If your mission is that important, I'm sure Feton will send someone after you soon."

Fear filled the man's gaze and he fell silent. They reached the ship and Oni quickly secured him. She headed to the cockpit and started up the engines. They soared through the atmosphere and were soon in hyperspace.

Oni activated a transmission after checking on the man again. A hologram of Nakoa and Les appeared shortly. "Is everything all right?" Nakoa asked.

"The mission is going fine, but I just learned something you might be interested in," Oni replied. "This man worked for a Mandalorian named Feton Ralius. Do you know him?"

Nakoa nodded. "He was one of the heirs of my old Clan. He had a sister, Tai."

"I heard nothing about Tai, but apparently, Feton had sent a spy to Nal Hutta to monitor Tarek Vizsla."

Nakoa straightened immediately. "Does he know where Tarek is?"

"No, he doesn't even know where Feton is."

Nakoa dropped his head with a groan. After a moment, Les perked up. "Hondo might know where to find Feton."

Oni inclined her head, somewhat impressed by Lesia's quick thinking. "As soon as you get back, we'll go to Nikana and see if Hondo is still there," Nakoa said. "It's about time Tarek shows himself."

Oni nodded and switched the transmitter off. She leaned back in her seat with a sigh. Once more, she found herself wondering what Galaar was doing. I can't believe he actually left. Who am I supposed to go to now? She pulled her helmet off and scrubbed at her face wearily. "It's like I'm alone all over again," she whispered.

It wasn't entirely true, she knew, but it felt true. "If Les wasn't here, things would be better," she muttered. She slid her helmet back over her black hair as the navicomputer began beeping. Oni deactivated the hyperdrive and Kessel appeared before her.

Corellia: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Nakoa Sen

Nakoa paced across the room, a mixture of excitement and anxiety coursing through him. "I can't believe it," he said again.

"Ok, stop. You're giving me a headache." Les grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to stop moving. "Are you sure about this?"

Nakoa tilted his head, noting the skeptical look in her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"You really want to kill Tarek?"

"Yes." There wasn't a doubt in his mind. "I've searched for him my entire life. He's going to pay for what he did." He slid his vibroblade into his hand and brushed a finger over the smooth metal.

"Revenge is never the answer," Les said quietly.

Annoyance gripped him tightly. "What do you know of it?"

"I know a lot about it. There have been many times in my life when I wanted to take revenge for something." Her gaze darkened as she continued. "But I know what that path leads to. I've seen it. I've almost been down it. Once you taste that anger, it will consume you."

"You talk like some sort of monk. That's not what will happen. He slaughtered my people. He is responsible for the death of my parents. I told you this. He deserves death."

"Maybe, but death by your hand?" Les retorted.

"You don't understand," he grumbled. Nakoa turned away, but Les grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"I do understand. I understand the pain that you feel. I understand the anger that has sat there, festering for years. I understand wanting to kill someone for what they did to the people close to you." Lesia's gaze softened. "But I also know you. You are not heartless. You are not a cold blooded killer. If you do this, you will find no peace or sense of justice. There will only be a cold emptiness where that hatred once sat."

Nakoa jerked away from her, his mouth suddenly dry. "You don't know me that well." He headed to his cabin and made sure the door locked behind him.

Corellia: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Lesia Mirri

Les crossed her arms and massaged her forehead with a sigh. Anger pressed at her thoughts, but she managed to hold it at bay. Her worry, however, was another story.

She had sensed the grip of the Dark Side around Nakoa. It hadn't been there before. "I understand," she whispered. "I really do." Les waited a few minutes before approaching his cabin. There was silence inside.

She sat down and pressed her back against the door, listening. Les closed her eyes, letting her senses enter the room. She slipped past Nakoa's presence. As expected, she felt nothing but anger and sorrow. It seemed like he was sleeping.

Lesia furrowed her brows, feeling an odd tugging sensation. She relented and Nakoa's presence surrounded hers. A scene unfolded itself in her mind, more gruesome than some things she'd witnessed in the war. She saw everything through the eyes of a four year old Nakoa.

Smoke and blaster fire filled the air. Buildings burned. Les...or Nakoa...could hear screams from the people trapped inside of them. Nakoa ran, searching desperately for his parents. He didn't know what was happening. He recognized the other Mandalorians as members of Clan Vizsla, but he didn't know why they were there.

"Nakoa!" A woman gathered him into her arms and started running. Nakoa clung to her.

"What's happening? Where's Dad?"

The scene warped and they were standing in another part of the small camp. Nakoa watched with wide eyes as his parents fought Tarek Vizsla, trying to push him away from Nakoa. Tarek threw an explosive, suddenly. It detonated, the force of it sending them flying back into a building.

Tarek threw another and it detonated against the building. Nakoa shielded himself with his arms as the building began crumbling around him. There was a flash of heat and pain as a large beam collapsed above him. Smoke filled the air.

It was as if no time had passed. Dim light filtered through cracks in the rubble. Nakoa was frantically chipping away at the beam that somehow, had not crushed him. His blade slipped and clanged against something metal. He bent down, peering beneath the beam. Nakoa screamed.

Les snapped back into her own mind. She panted for breath, quickly trying to blink away what she had seen. The scream had been all too real. She twisted as Nakoa screamed again. Les jumped to her feet and pulled her head wrap off. She quickly tied it around her eyes, making sure she couldn't see anything.

She waved a hand over the door's lock and heard it hiss open. Les entered the room and stumbled towards his bunk. She reached out with the Force and could see Nakoa shifting in his sleep. His face was blurred from her mind, by her own will. Les dropped down beside him and shook him.

"Nakoa. Nakoa," she called. "It's a dream."

He grabbed her wrist, bolting awake. "Les, you can't...oh." She guessed he'd spied the blindfold she wore. He released her and tried to draw in several deep breaths.

Les sat down beside him and turned his face towards her gently. She wiped some damp hair out of his face and felt the tears that still dripped down his cheeks. "It was a dream," she repeated.

He shook his head. "No, it was a memory."

She wrapped her arms around him hesitantly. After a moment, Nakoa hugged her back. He pressed his face against her neck, still attempting to hide his sobs. Les rubbed soothing circles on his back as his breaths began to even out.

He probably hasn't been touched like this since before that happened, she realized. No wonder he gets so flustered everytime I touch him. Her hand drifted up to his head, subconsciously. She ran her fingers through his hair, wishing briefly that she knew what color it was. "I can't guarantee Hondo will know where to find Feton, but I will ask him."

"Thank you," Nakoa whispered.

"All I ask in return is that you consider another course of action for Tarek's justice."

"I'll think about it." Les sighed but said nothing more. She'd heard those words from him before.