Knarf was looking over his datapad; Shadie was leaning over his shoulder.  Fane felt uneasy.  He could sense Relsor in the Force, but the True Sith leader was still concealing his Force presence.  The only reason Fane could even remotely sense him was because of his connection to him.
            Fane glanced at the others in the bunker’s tapcaf. Talyc fidgeted, he looked stern.  He sat across the table and had not moved when Fane, Shadie and Knarf had arrived.  The rest of Clan Kandera was sitting around the table, chatting, or looking as uneasy as Fane felt.  Master Usharr was a little farther away, telling old tales from his younger days to the gang of pirates.
            ‘Another clanmate was found dead,’ said Knarf, still looking at his datapad, ‘smoke rising from his body and with lightsaber cauterisations.’
            Talyc shook his head.  ‘This is clearly Relsor and Perce,’ he said.  ‘It feels unsafe.  Relsor and Perce and Jassahmi are on Mandalore and my home feels unsafe.  It was safer on Tython.’
            ‘It was safer when he had us as his prisoners,’ said Shadie, ‘but it doesn’t change that the entire galaxy is at risk.’
            ‘Yeah, but he wouldn’t be on Mandalore if you weren’t here,’ said Talyc.  ‘Mandalorians wouldn’t be dying if it weren’t for you.  Though I’m still not so sure Relsor is behind all this.’
            ‘What does that mean?’ snapped Shadie.
            ‘I think you know what it means,’ said Talyc.  ‘I still think one of you did it.’
            ‘I think it changes nothing,’ said Nriwe.  ‘Relsor goes where he feels he can have the most control.  He’s not following Shadie.’
            ‘Maybe not, but the reason I was captured and tortured, the reason we’ve lost so many clanmates and fellow Mandalorians, the reason Relsor and Perce are here, is because of the Jedi.  They are to blame for Kelbourn’s death!’
            Knarf breathed out a calculated breath that sounded more like an “oh”.
            Fane’s heart sank further.  Talyc still wasn’t himself, even after finding no evidence to prove his theories, but these were his words, and he knew Talyc was not possessed.
            ‘You’re being influenced by Relsor’s malady,’ said Fane.  ‘Talyc–’
            ‘Don’t start, Fane.  One of the main reasons everything that is ill that has befallen me is our relationship.’  That hurt. It hurt like a fresh wound every time Talyc mentioned it, and Fane was willing to bet Talyc knew it too.
            Everyone fidgeted as though they had felt it.
            ‘He doesn’t mean it,’ said Nriwe in an apologetic tone.
            ‘Yes, I do,’ Talyc retorted.
            An awkward silence fell, and many from the clan looked at Talyc in shock. 
            ‘What are you implying?’ said Fane, clenching his jaw tightly.
            ‘You, Fane, are the malady in my life.’  There, Talyc had said the worst, it hurt more than any of the other jabs he’d said.  ‘I think you should leave. Then Relsor would go with you and leave the rest of us alone.’
            ‘You want me to leave you alone?’
            ‘I think that would be best, yes.’  Talyc leaned forward on the table and, through clenched teeth, spoke slowly and menacingly.  ‘I want you gone.’
            Fane stood abruptly and stalked off.

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The hatch to the Krayt Dragon’s umbilical opened, but instead of being greeted with a party of Imperial officers and a security detail, a tall man cloaked in a black cape and garbed in dark heavy armour stood before them.  He waved a hand and their lightsabers went flying out of their grips and onto the floor.
            ‘I’ve not come for a fight,’ he said, his voice low in pitch.  ‘It took many resources to find and intercept you, let’s not waste time with shenanigans.’  He signalled his guards, who took a stance next to the hatch. They looked like his personal guard.
            ‘What’s going on?’ asked Lian, sensing this man’s powerful presence in the dark side of the Force.
            ‘As far as everyone else is concerned, your ship matches that of a pirate gang’s and you are being inspected.’
            ‘And in reality?’ asked Brenum, who stood to Lian’s side.
            ‘I am here to speak,’ the man said pointedly.
            ‘Why all the secrecy?’ asked Lian suspiciously.
            ‘Because the Empire has an alliance with the True Sith, and were anyone from the Empire or the True Sith to find out that I was here to speak with Jedi, it would bode very ill for all of us.  While Relsor is distracted on Mandalore, however, is the perfect opportunity to attempt such a meeting of secrecy.’
            ‘And who are you?’ asked Trylia.
            The man smiled and bowed with dignity.  ‘I am Lord Void, member of the Dark Council.’
            Brenum whispered to Lian.  ‘Void. I hope he doesn’t space us into some sort of void.’
            ‘It was my apprentice whom Shadie saved on Relsor’s ship,’ the dark lord continued.  ‘I am also allied with Darth Usharr, former High Master and leader of the Sith Academy on Korriban.  It is my understanding that Haar’elso’rothmor is being dishonourable with his deal in the alliance with the Sith Empire.  I require your assistance in finding the evidence needed to prove it. Then I can convince the Dark Council and the Empire’s leaders to renege on that alliance.’
            Lian didn’t know much about the Dark Council but he knew it was similar in a few ways to the Jedi Council.  Each voice had input, and could sometimes even argue against the Grand Master.
            ‘As a member of the Dark Council, why can’t you just tell them?’ he asked.
            Lord Void stepped forward, leaning on his front foot.  ‘You were not there when Relsor approached us to ally ourselves with him.  I was there to witness his powers firsthand, as chaos reigned within the Dark Council chamber, as we all saw something different, until he showed us how it had all been multiple illusions created by him that our power, from we who are the most powerful Sith in all the galaxy, could not combat.  We had no choice but to agree, we had no choice but to join him.’
            Brenum looked over Lian’s shoulder at Trylia.  ‘We have experienced his illusions too.’
            ‘Then you know the fear they cause, the destruction they can create, the control he has over anyone who succumbs to such an illusion.’  Lord Void took another step towards them.  ‘Help me find how to convince my peers otherwise.  Help me provide the solution to countering Relsor’s illusions.’
            ‘I can counter his illusions,’ said Lian.  ‘That’s why Mandalore is in desperate need of us right now.’
            ‘Then the sooner we begin, the sooner you may leave.’
            The Dark Lord was not going to let them leave until they had indulged him with solutions and aid.  They could use an extra ally, even if that ally was Sith.  The timing was just way too tight.
            ‘I can sense your impatience,’ said Lord Void.  ‘I assure you, I am not here to detain you or to stop you.  But this is truly the only time we have and we must make the most of it…

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Fane ran into the briefing room where Shadie and Knarf stood with the Mandalore.  The monitor displays showed a blip hovering above the planet.
            ‘Talyc’s missing,’ he said, panting. 
            ‘We know,’ said Mandalore sternly.  ‘Shadie has just informed me that she sensed him leaving the planet.’
            ‘Wait, what? I thought he’d been captured again.  Left the planet?’  Fane shook his head, confused.  ‘I thought Mandalore was on lockdown!’
            ‘It is,’ replied the Mandalore.  ‘No one can leave the planet unless they have the special codes, and only I, my wife, and clan leaders have those.’
            ‘So that explains Talyc being able to bypass the lockdown.’  Fane signed and clenched his teeth, closing his eyes.  ‘The last time he went missing, he was captured and tortured.  This time it’s the dark side influencing his decisions.’ Fane tried to quell the desperation he felt.  ‘And communications are jammed.’
            ‘Not anymore,’ said Shadie.  ‘Knarf sliced through them.  It’s Perce, nothing he slices is permanent.’  She smiled gingerly.  Fane appreciated the attempt to lighten the mood.
            ‘I tried to raise him on our comchannel,’ said Knarf, ‘but I’ve had no response.’  Fane closed his eyes, trying to feel Talyc in the Force.
            ‘I will have better luck,’ said Mandalore.  Fane opened his eyes.  Shadie looked saddened, Knarf looked worried, and Mandalore looked angry.  The Mandalorian leader pointed at the blip.  ‘He’s still in real space.’

* * *

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The Jedi, Mandalorians, and Usharr hurried into the briefing room where Mandalore stood waiting.  Several clan leaders and other members of clans sat in the large room, the pirates among them.  Zaereg waved a hand as he looked up at them. 
            Talyc marched right up to Mandalore, his breath sounding heavy.  Shadie had a stern look and Usharr was whispering with Fane.  Knarf looked around, he saw Wapita farther away in the room.
            ‘Mandalore,’ said Talyc, ‘Dargoza is dead.’
            ‘So I have been told.’  Mandalore looked at Talyc carefully, taking a step towards him.  ‘Wapita told me to ask you what happened.  I hear there was a duel.  Did you kill Dargoza, Talyc?’
            ‘No.  Jassahmi killed Dargoza.’  Mandalore’s eyes narrowed.  Talyc continued.  ‘Relsor is on Mandalore.  And he’s not alone.’
            Mandalore seemed to take this in, then nodded slowly.  Knarf eased his way next to his friend. 
            ‘Talyc has been very brave, Mandalore,’ he said.  ‘That fight could have gone many ways of wrong.’
            ‘Thank you,’ said Mandalore.  ‘I need a moment.’
            ‘You okay?’ Knarf asked Talyc, sensing unease.
            ‘Not now, Knarf!’ snapped Talyc. 
            ‘Easy there, my friend.  It’s okay, we’re safe now.’
            ‘No, we’re not,’ said Talyc.  ‘No one is safe.  And it’s all down to you lot.’  He motioned the other Jedi.  ‘Had your master not come to us, had Kelbourn not agreed, had Mandalore not agreed, had we not taken you on and hired you and become your friends, Mandalore would be safe right now.’
            Knarf took a step towards Talyc.   ‘Look, this isn’t the time to play the blaming game, Talyc,’ he said.  ‘No one in this galaxy is safe, regardless of where any of us would be.  Don’t go blaming me, or my Lady, or Fane, for any of this.’
            ‘You know what, whatever.  I’ve had more than I can handle right now.’  Talyc walked away.
            Knarf shook his head in disbelief.  ‘What is wrong with Talyc, all of a sudden?’
            ‘It’s the dark side,’ said Usharr.  Knarf turned to face the old man.  ‘Your friend is being influenced by the dark side.  I could sense it on our way, seeping into him more and more.  And now it finally manifests itself.’  Usharr shook his head.  ‘He does not possess the Force to counter it or utilise it in the manner you or I could, Sith or Jedi.’
            ‘But he was all loved up with Fane just minutes ago!’ Knarf gestured the way they had come.
            ‘The adrenaline that still courses through his body and the fear can be manipulated and transformed into anger and despair,’ said Usharr.
            ‘So you reckon Relsor is attacking Talyc’s emotions because he can’t affect us?’
            ‘Perhaps.’  Usharr shrugged.  Knarf looked at Fane, who was standing next to Talyc, trying to reassure him.  They were holding hands, though Talyc looked miles away and Fane looked like Knarf felt times ten.
            ‘This is not good.’  Knarf looked at Shadie.  She took his hand and squeezed gently.  He turned his attention back to Mandalore.
            ‘We must prevent Relsor’s powers from overwhelming us,’ said Mandalore.  ‘If he is planetside, then we have bigger problems than superlasers.  Now that the blockade matter is taken care of, any ideas on how to weed out our enemy?’
‘He has clearly attacked our planet,’ said Emerick.  ‘Do we not have allies who can aid us?  Call the Fat Momma back down here or something, call on favours in other systems.’
            ‘Chancellor Emain is due to return my call shortly,’ said Mandalore.  ‘He will aid us, I know it.  Jedi Fane, you have a connection with our enemy, can you sense his location?’
            Fane shook his head.  ‘He’s hiding in the Force.’
            ‘That is not good,’ Knarf said again.
            ‘Then there’s only one other thing we can do,’ said Shadie.  ‘Call Tython.’
            Mandalore nodded.  He punched in a few keys and waited.  Nothing happened.  ‘Blast it!’
            ‘Perce!’ Knarf said emphatically. He took a calming breath.  ‘Allow me.’  He got straight to slicing.  When he was done, he punched in the keys again.  ‘It should work now.’
            ‘Wrong again!’ the holoimage of Perce appeared on the viewscreen.  ‘All communications on Mandalore have been looped and sliced in all sorts of wonderful ways.  I doubt you’ll be able to slice it this time, Knarf.’
            Relsor came into view.  ‘Mandalore will burn.’  The Chiss smiled.  ‘No one can stop me now.’  The screen went dark and silence befell the entire room.

Continue Reading Chapter Two

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