Geonosis: 18 BBY
Petranaki Arena
Nakoa Sen

Oni chucked the explosive at the gate. It detonated within seconds, blowing a hole in the wall and revealing the tunnels inside. The three of them ducked past the debris and continued on. Nakoa switched his helmet light on once more and flicked his rangefinder down. He scanned the tunnel for signs of life.

Above them, the ceiling shook. No doubt the Geonosians were angry with how the events in the arena had unfolded. They wouldn't have long to find Galaar and get away. Nakoa paused, another thought crossing his mind.

"Les," he called. She fell in step with him. "Can you get back to the Mythos and bring it near an outside entrance to the arena?"

Oni immediately began shaking her head. Les nodded, ignoring her. "I think I can find my way back to the ship. I remember the route we followed coming here."

"Be quick," Oni sighed.

"And be safe," Nakoa added. Lesia gave him a small smile before turning down another tunnel.

"I don't trust her," Oni said.

"Oni, you've said that millions of times ever since we met her."

"I have an actual reason this time."

"Share." Nakoa headed down another tunnel. He had spotted a thermal signature on his scanner. He was hoping it was Galaar and not another creature.

"This place holds some sort of significance to her, I can tell. So do the battle droids. I know she told you that she has bad memories concerning the war. I don't think she'll be able to get back to the ship without panicking or something."

Worry pricked at his mind, but Nakoa managed to push it away. "I know. I had thought of that too, but I know you wouldn't have wanted to go back."

"You could have."

"I don't trust you and Les alone together for that long. Besides, I wouldn't leave you to face this by yourself."

Nakoa turned down another tunnel. At the end of it lay a door. Oni quickly pried the control panel off the wall and began tweaking with some of the wiring. Moments later, the door screeched open, revealing Galaar.

He raised his head and his eyes widened, spying them. "You survived!"

"We did," Oni replied. She dropped down next to him and quickly deactivated his wrist and ankle cuffs. "We've got to get out of here before we're caught."

"Do you know where they took our weapons?" Nakoa asked.

Galaar nodded and stood, rubbing his wrists. "They're in the armory just down the hall." He took the lead.

"What did you do to make the Geonosians this angry with you?" Oni asked. "I thought you were just checking out something."

"I was. I heard the Empire was planning to build a weapon of some kind and that its development took place here."

"Did you find out what it was?"

"No. I tried to open some of their encrypted files and wound up captured." Guilt crossed his features once more.

Nakoa narrowed his eyes. "What happened to your armor?"

Galaar lifted a hesitant hand to his own cheek. "They took it. They were going to put me in the arena too, but for some reason, they didn't. I think they planned to hand me over to someone. I don't know who or why."

"It doesn't matter." Oni touched his arm gently. "You're alive."

But it does matter, Nakoa couldn't help but think. That means that there's someone who could be hunting Galaar. Why? He's not a bounty hunter like us. He just collects information from around the galaxy. Nakoa knit his brows. Unless, maybe he wasn't their main target. Whoever wanted him might have just wanted to use him as bait for someone else.

He shook off his misgivings as they finally reached the armory. A few Geonosians stood on guard beside the entrance. Nakoa attacked one, letting Oni and Galaar handle the others. Nakoa twisted around the bug's body and wrenched its blaster away. He stunned the Geonosian and opened the armory.

Their weapons lay on a table close by. Beneath it sat Galaar's armor. Nakoa picked up his vibroblade with a grin and sheathed it. He gathered up the rest of his things and snagged Lesia's as well. Oni holstered her blasters and grabbed Galaar's helmet. She held it out to him.

Galaar eyed it, then shook his head. "I can't wear our armor anymore."

"Oh." Oni lowered the helmet. "I forgot." She pushed it towards him again. "You can at least carry your things. Ketei will have some use for them if you no longer do."

Galaar gave her a sideways grin and picked up his armor and weapons. They hurried out of the armory and started running towards the nearest exit.

Geonosis: 18 BBY
Old Droid Factory
Lesia Mirri

Les sprinted through the abandoned factory, ignoring the dusty relics of the war. She could make out mechanical voices near the thermal vents where they had left the Mythos. Les ducked behind a stalagmite and watched the droids circle their ship.

"Blast it," she muttered. "Why do battle droids have to get in the way of everything?" She had no weapon that she could openly use. Les furrowed her brow, watching them. Maybe I can steal one of their blasters, she thought. No, there's still too many of them. I'd be surrounded and killed before I could use it.

She licked her lips nervously, then let her new idea solidify within her mind. Les stepped out of her hiding place and strode towards the ship. It wasn't long before one of the droids noticed her.

"There's one. Prepare to open fire," it ordered.

Les stretched a hand towards the droid and clenched her fist. The droid shrieked before crumbling into scrap metal. They opened fire and Les somersaulted behind another stalagmite. She closed her eyes and flared both hands out. The droids screamed and she leaped into the open again.

Several droids had been thrown against the walls of the vent. Some had become dismantled. Les pulled a blaster into her grasp and blasted at the nearest droids. Two began running. She blasted the head off one and the other froze in place, held there by the Force.

Anger formed a cloud in her mind as Lesia stormed over to the droid. Without realizing it, she slid her lightsaber out and into her grasp. The droid was facing away, fighting against her hold. Les activated her lightsaber and shoved it through the droid's chest, then sliced its head off. The droid gave a low whine and fell still.

Les stumbled back, deactivating her lightsaber. She shook her head, her temples suddenly pounding. She hurried onto the Mythos and took off. As soon as she was above ground, she switched the comms on.

"Oni, Nakoa, can either of you hear me?" Les called.

"I read you," Oni replied. "We're headed to one of the northeast exits."

"I'm on my way." Les angled the ship down. Droids and Geonosians were appearing all around the arena. A door flew open close by and three familiar figures ran out. Les soared towards them and extended the Mythos' boarding ramp.

"Galaar!" Oni cried out, suddenly.

Les spun in her seat as Nakoa dashed into the cockpit. "What happened?"

"He was shot," Nakoa replied. He frantically began flipping switches and closed the boarding ramp.

"Is he all right?"

"I don't know."

An alarm began blaring. Les peered over the monitors. "There are Imperial ships entering the atmosphere."

Nakoa waved a hand and she slid out of his seat. He quickly set the navicomputer coordinates. Above them, Les could make out the underbelly of a Star Destroyer.

"What is the Empire doing here?" Nakoa groaned. "Can you scramble our signature?"

Les activated the new signature scrambler Nakoa had installed. She crossed her fingers beneath the main control panel, hoping it would work. "If they scan us and recognize us from Kashyyyk, we're scrap metal."

The transmitter blinked on a moment later. Nakoa accepted the transmission. "YT-1760 freighter, slow you speed at once. This sector is now under Imperial jurisdiction. You must present identification forms before you are allowed to leave the planet," an Imperial officer's voice crackled through the comm.

"Yeah, that's not happening," Nakoa grumbled. He turned the transmitter off and angled them away from the Star Destroyer. Several lightcruisers had joined it. Les could make out TIEs within their lower hangars. It looked as though they were preparing to launch.

"We have to jump now," she realized.

Nakoa whipped his head towards her. "What? Are you crazy? We haven't cleared the atmosphere yet."

Les met his gaze, or rather, the visor of his helmet. "Trust me. It will work."

"How do you know?" Nakoa shook his head.

"I've done it before."

He paused at that. He leaned forward, his hand hovering over the hyperdrive lever. "Are you sure?"

Les nodded. "Now, before they open fire."

TIEs roared out of the lightcruisers suddenly. Nakoa gripped the hyperdrive lever and yanked it back. The horizon stretched before them, then disappeared in a rainbow of colors. The ship jolted and Les smacked her head against the control panel. Heat built up within the cockpit and flames licked the edges of the viewport.

The ship rocked again, throwing both of them onto the ground. Sparks flew from the ceiling. Nakoa rolled over and quickly threw his arms over her head. At last, the jolting ceased. The cockpit door flew open and Oni staggered inside. Nakoa bolted to his feet and offered Les a hand.

"What is going on in here?" Oni demanded. "What just happened?"

"Imperials, that's what," Les replied. "We made the jump to lightspeed before we cleared the atmosphere."

"What?" Oni faced Nakoa. "Do you know how incredibly dangerous and stupid that is?"

"It was my idea." Les butted in front of her. "Don't blame him. He didn't want to."

"I..." Nakoa began.

"How's Galaar?" Les cut him off.

"He'll live," Oni sighed. "Come on." They followed her into the back of the ship.

Geonosis: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Nakoa Sen

Galaar was sitting on the bed in their small med bay. One of his arms was heavily bandaged. He winced in pain and straightened, spying them.

"We'll be back on Corellia soon," Nakoa said.

Galaar rubbed his forehead. "I can't go back to the covert."

"What?" Nakoa and Oni said simultaneously. Les glanced between the two of them.

"I've broken the Creed and shown my face. I can never put my armor on again, nor can I return to the Clan," Galaar explained. "You know this."

"But that wasn't your fault," Oni protested. "It shouldn't matter. You wouldn't have done it on purpose."

"That makes no difference. I will do what I must."

Nakoa crossed his arms and gritted his teeth angrily. This isn't right. Why should he give up being a Mandalorian just because of this? Another thought crossed his mind. What if something like this happens to me? I was born a Mandalorian. That's different, right? He didn't know the answer and it was frightening.

"Where will you go?" Oni continued to argue. "The Clan is all you've known for years. What about Ketei?"

"Ketei will continue to lead you without my help." Galaar's tone was resigned and tired. "She may appoint someone else to be her second. I don't know where I'll go."

Oni stared at him, then stalked out of the room. Nakoa and Les followed her. "He can't just leave like that," Oni snapped. "This is stupid. This Creed is..."

"Now do you see why I told you to learn more about your ways?" Lesia asked, crossing her arms.

Oni spun and pointed an accusing finger at her. "Don't start lecturing us about things you know nothing of."

"I'm not. All I'm saying is maybe you should think for yourselves more, rather than mercilessly follow this Creed that is causing so much trouble." Les glanced at Nakoa before retreating to her cabin. Her words lingered in his mind for the duration of the flight.