Batuu: 18 BBY
Black Spire Outpost
Nakoa Sen

It was late in the afternoon on Batuu when they finally landed. Nakoa followed Oni off the ship and made sure to lock it down before they started towards the outpost. He cast his gaze up. A few clouds drifted through the blue sky. Batuu's black spires rose all around them.

Music played as they made their way through a bustling marketplace. Animals scampered around with young children chasing after them. A few droids hovered nearby as well.

"Where did Ketei say to look for the foundlings?" Oni asked. It was the first time she'd spoken to him since their argument.

"She never gave me a specific location," Nakoa replied. "We can split up and look around for a while."

Oni nodded. "I'll contact you if I find anyone."

Nakoa headed out of the marketplace. He spied a workshop nearby. A few broken speeders and droids sat in front of it. An older man crawled out from beneath a speeder. His eyes widened as he spotted Nakoa. The man waved him over.

Nakoa obeyed warily. His hand hovered over his blaster. "Yes?"

"You're a Mandalorian," the man said with a slight chuckle. "I never thought I'd see one of your kind out here."

"I'm here on business."

"That so?" The man grabbed a rag and wiped his hands off, then shook Nakoa's. "I'm Temian."

"Nice to meet you."

"What brings you all the way to Batuu?"

"I'm...searching for someone," Nakoa replied.

Temian raised an eyebrow. "You're a hunter, then?"

"Yes, but I'm not hunting someone. Just looking for them."

"What's the difference?"

"I won't be making a profit if I find them." Temian inclined his head and began straightening his tools. "Do you know if there are any orphans here?"

That caught the other man's attention. "Orphans? What do you want with them?" Temian narrowed his eyes and pointed a tool at Nakoa. "If you're here to take them as slaves or something, you'd best be leaving."

"No," Nakoa shook his head. "That's not why I'm here. I'm here to offer them a place in my Clan."

"Oh." Temian thought for a moment. "There are some. The Empire came through a while back and plundered another outpost a few days journey from here. Only a few people survived. They came here but I don't know where they are now."

"Is the Empire still here?"

"No, they left after that village was destroyed. I myself found it pretty unusual."

"That is odd," Nakoa murmured. "Well, thanks for your help."

Temian gave him a nod before returning his focus back to his work. Nakoa headed off with a sigh. That wasn't very helpful, he thought. I'll contact Ketei. He activated his jetpack and soared away from the outpost.

Nakoa landed on a ledge jutting out from one of the black spires. He sat down and watched the people below him for a moment. He held up his comm, then hesitated as he spied an unusual movement down below.

Nakoa flipped his rangefinder down and focused on the area the movement had come from. Two young children were slinking around by a vendor's cart. Suddenly, one of them grabbed a few loaves of bread and took off running. The vendor gave a shout and chased the child. The second child grabbed a broom and knocked it into the vendor's legs.

The man went down and the children took off. Nakoa activated his comm. "Oni, I think I found them." He pulled his gaze away from the children and scanned the landscape ahead of them. A system of tunnels met his gaze. "They're heading towards the tunnels on the far end of the outpost."

"I'm on my way."

Nakoa jumped off the ledge and activated his jetpack again. He kept his eyes on the children, still scrambling through the streets below. They reached the outskirts of the town and ducked into the tunnels. Nakoa landed and followed them in from a distance.

The tunnels were dark and narrow. Occasionally, a dim light would flicker from the ceiling. This must've been a pirate outpost or something, Nakoa surmised. How else do you explain all this junk? He stepped over yet another crate.

Lights appeared up ahead. Nakoa slowed his pace and peered around the corner. Five children were clustered around the two thieves. They all tore into the bread, greedily snatching pieces from their companions too.

"How do you plan to approach them?" Nakoa almost jumped as Oni appeared behind him.

"I haven't figured that out yet. We don't want to scare them," he whispered. Oni muttered something under her breath. "What?"

"I said I should've expected that answer. You never come up with plans," Oni hissed.

Nakoa gritted his teeth. "Why don't you think up something?"

"I'm working on it."

He turned away from her, guilt and anger flooding his mind once more. Les always had a plan, he remembered. Nakoa shook his head, pushing the thought away. Oni stepped around him and swaggered into plain sight. He reached after her, then yanked his hand back. Nakoa smacked his head against the wall in frustration.

"This is a nice little hideout you've got," Oni said.

The kids were instantly on their feet. The eldest of them drew a blaster and pointed it at her. "Who are you?"

"A friend," she replied, raising her hands. "Why don't you put that down and let me explain?"

Just like we let her explain? Nakoa snapped at himself. Stop it. Focus. Oni waved a hand and he entered the open space as well.

"Whoa!" One of the younger kids exclaimed. "They're Mandalorians!"

"That's right," Nakoa replied.

"What are you doing here?" The oldest asked.

"We're here to help. If you need someplace to go, we could take you back to our Clan," Oni said. "We'd teach you our ways and you could become a Mandalorian too."

One little girl tugged on the older boy's sleeve. "Can we?" She whispered.

"Do you all want to?" The boy asked. The children all nodded. He sighed. "All right, fine. We'll come with you."

Nakoa smiled to himself. "We have a ship. It's this way." The kids filed out after them. Nakoa didn't miss the unwilling look on the older boy's face. He bit his lip, thinking. I wonder how they'll adjust to the Creed. Like Les said, some people can't live beneath so many rules. He was finding it harder each day.

Savareen: 18 BBY
"Shrouded Claw"
Lesia Mirri

She dreamed of Cole. He was laughing at something, his blue eyes glittering. He glanced at her with a smile. Les grinned back. His gaze darkened and her smile faltered. Cole drew his blaster and aimed at her. Les frantically reached for her lightsaber, but her hand closed around thin air.

She pushed herself to her feet and began running. Pain spiked through her legs as her ankles gave out. She crashed onto the ground with a cry. Les lifted her head. Cole pressed the barrel of his blaster to her forehead. He fired.

She blinked her eyes open and she was back on the Mythos. Lesia's heart beat with fear and she swiped at her eyes. She stepped out of her room. Nakoa and Oni were waiting in the lounge. Les glanced at Nakoa. She longed to run to him and let him hug her. She couldn't bring herself to move.

Nakoa approached her at last. He lifted her chin with a finger and raised his helmet just above his lips. He kissed her briefly. Oni remained perfectly still. Les blinked as Nakoa drew away. His vibroblade appeared in his hand. Lesia's mouth dropped open in horror as he buried it in her neck.

Les jerked awake, panting for breath. She looked around and felt her seat, making sure she was actually awake this time. With a sigh, Les dropped her head back against the seat.

The cockpit door hissed open and Manon floated in. She sat down and checked the navicomputer. "We're nearly there."

"Nearly where? You never did tell me where we're going."

"We're going to Dathomir, my home."

Les stiffened slightly. "Isn't that a bad place for me to go?"

Manon tilted her head. "It is, but you need to. We won't be going to the old Nightsister village. That place would be too much for you. We'll go to the far side of the planet where there are few villages."

"All right. Why do we have to come here though?"

"Dathomir is made of the Force. The Dark Side is strong here. If you can learn to control your anger here, you will be able to control it anywhere."

"And what if I can't control it here?" Les shuddered at the thought.

Manon's eyes flashed. "Then at least I will have an advantage if I'm forced to kill you."

The navicomputer began beeping. Manon deactivated the hyperdrive and the red planet appeared before them. Ancient energy washed over her as Manon guided the ship down through the atmosphere.

Les closed her eyes and let her senses spread. There were a variety of animals living on the planet. She could sense humanoid people too. Nightbrothers, she thought. Les drew herself back in as they landed.

Manon led the way off the ship. "To begin, you are going to heal yourself."

"What?" Les raised an eyebrow.

Manon pointed to her ankles. "You will not survive what I ask of you if you can't walk properly. Take off your shoes."

Les sat on a rock and obeyed. She set her boots to the side. Manon knelt down and inspected the scarred skin on her ankles. "They've been this way for almost two years," Les explained. "I don't think there's much that can be done."

Manon flashed her a smirk. "Not by a doctor, no." She straightened and stepped behind Les. "I am going to teach you to use some of the Nightsister magicks. You will have to use and control the Dark Side to accomplish this. Don't take this lightly. Not many are given such an opportunity."

Les nodded and scooted off the rock. She crossed her legs and waited for further instruction. "Close your eyes," Manon ordered. She continued when Les obeyed. "Connect with the planet. Feel its energy and power. Call it to you."

Lesia's senses were already roaming through the planet's core. It was a strange feeling. She was tapping deeper into her power than she had before. Ancient voices whispered things to her. Manon's voice was almost nonexistent.

"Repeat after me." Manon sat in front of her and began chanting. Les listened and began to chant as well when she knew what the Witch was saying. Manon grabbed Lesia's hands and began to push them in different patterns. After a moment, she let go. Les carried on chanting and running through the gestures. Manon's movements matched hers.

Les opened her eyes and saw everything through a green filter. Green smoke drifted from beneath Manon's lashes. Light surrounded her hands as the wispy magic took shape. Les closed her eyes again and focused on the spell.

Strange things flitted past her vision. Les saw the planet in its fullness. Animals, Nightbrothers, ruins, plants...Her senses tunneled up through burial pods. She saw the mummified Nightsisters and heard them whisper things only the dead would know.

Manon grabbed her shoulders. Les opened her eyes once more and stopped chanting. It took a minute for the green haze in her vision to disappear. Les stood hesitantly. There was no longer any pain in her ankles. She glanced down at them. Even the scars were gone. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Well done," Manon said. "You didn't lose yourself today. Dathomir has recognized you. If you're lucky, it will accept you."

"What happens if it does?"

"You will have learned to balance yourself. If it does not accept you, you will be unmade." Manon turned and walked away.

Les bit her lip nervously. Maybe coming with her wasn't such a good idea. Still, the Witch was the only chance she had right now.