[b]Om the life of two sith and their minions.
Are we there yet?[/b]

Lena walked slowly through the corridors after her guide, she had transferred over to the Kandosii Naast after their last stopover and was being brought to the medical bay, her mandalorian guide silent the entire way, as they entered the bay soem medical staff looked up but then went back to their duties as they were brought before a observation window, a lone figure was already present there and she recognized him as Gra'tua's Chiss second in command. "Kashiir." She said in greeting and stood beside him, watching through the observation window into the room beyond, looking upon the naked form of her fellow sith lord undergoing surgery. "How is he?"

Kashiir did not look away, his hands clasped together behind his back, "The latest update I received was that the initial procedures were successful, they are currently operating on the deep wound in his leg." He lapsed into silence for a moment and then glanced with one glowing eye to the other sith. "You could also have asked for a update with a simple call, no need to get on a shuttle and get physically here."

She smiled, "Perhaps, but I felt it was only courtesy to come in person to see how Gra'tua was doing. I admit I still do not understand fully why he had to fight that warrior, but I know enough it was some kind of honour duel in accordance to Mandalorian culture. He, and his people, have gone through a lot to help me in this task I merely heard rumours about. I simply feel like I should show my thanks in any way I can to honour the man."

Kashiir now turned fully away from the observation window and looked at Lena inquisitively, frowning. "I see... Perhaps I should let you know lady Lena, but he told me of the... arrangement you two have made to support each other." He left it at that, waiting to see her reaction to those words.

She stiffened but then relaxed, calmly raising a eyebrow. "I see, he must put a lot of trust into you. Since, as I recall, I specifically asked him to keep it a secret, since it might be considered sensitive information."

Kashiir snorted, "As my master knows, he needs me to help him with his grand plan. If I am not aware of every facet of it then he cannot succeed. He knows it, I know it but he knows I am no threat because my loyalty to him is genuine and no force can able to dissuade me otherwise. But as I was saying, I am aware of the arrangement, and I must say I do see the benefits for you, if you do not mind me saying so, your ship, your troops, are not build for a prolonged battle or even war. Hence why you ask my master for aid. And I can see the benefits you can provide my master... but so far I don't see as much of that."

She let out a chuckle, "Do you now? I believe he seemed quite ecstatic when those warriors, those Taung were awakened and became part of his clan. Do not forget that as I stated I provided the information that brought us to Teth. But as you just said, you are apparently his strategist, his advisor who stands on the sidelines to point out the flaws and offer a word of caution if he reaches too far, I have noticed you too. It would be a shame if Gra'tua were to ever lose in some way."

Kashiir kept his gaze locked on the other sith and then replied after a moment of silence had passed between them. "Yes, but you gained a functional, high-grade cloaking device, and from the original briefing, you stated you had no idea if something of worth was present. We could have arrived and only found sand and crumbled masonry." He tilted his head. "You had everything to gain while we had everything to lose." Her narrowed his eyes. "And you do not need to worry my lady, my master won't get ridd off me that easily... nor any of his enemies."

She smiled again, "Well thankfully I am one of his allies and not one of his enemies." She inclined her head, "But I should go, I did however ran into one of your masters disciples on the way here, she asked if we could spar and I accepted, I could use the training and I would love to see how far Gra'tua's disciples have trained themselves." She glanced back through the window one last time and nodded. "Pass my well wishes to your master when he regains consciousness, and Kashiir, it was nice talking to you." She bowed her head once more and walked off, finding her guide to talk to the training deck Latesh had specified for her to go so they could engage in a sparring session.

Kashiir watched her go with narrowed eyes, that one required watching, once again he cursed his master for ignoring the usefulness of spies and other like-minded operatives and vowed to once more try to make his master see that they needed to expand such contacts or falter in their goals. Once Darth Lena had left he turned back around and resumed his vigil of his master undergoing surgery.

It did not take long for the guide to take Lena to the training deck and Latesh was waiting there, practicing swings with the training sabers as she saw Lena enter and saluted her. "Thank you for accepting the invitation lady Lena. But with my master in the medical bay and no other disciples present finding a willing sparring partner to fight a force user like myself is hard to find, at least to give me a equal match."

Lena smiled and reached for the rack with the training sabers, selecting one and gave it a few swings to test its balance, nodding in satisfaction. "Oh I understand and do not mind, it will be refreshing to spar with someone who I am not used to fight. So this will be enlightening for the both of us I hope."

Latesh nodded and activated the training sabers, moving into a guard position. "Shall we begin?" She said with a grin, deciding to wait and see what Lena would do first so she could act accordingly.

Lena smiled and activated her own training saber, moving it in a arc and nodded slowly. "I agree... let's begin." And before the eyes of Gra'tua's disciple something strange happened. Lena took a step forwards... out of herself and then another stepped out of her and another. Five doppelgangers, force illusions were now standing in front of Latesh while the real Lena had also used the force to conceal herself from Latesh's senses so her opponent would not see her and think that the real one was among one of the illusions standing right in front of her.

Latesh blinked, eyes darting back and forth between the five Lenas. "Ok.... I have to admit, that is a neat trick."

"Thank you." Her five doppelgangers said in unison.

Latesh shuddered, "And just a little bit creepy...." She said as she reached out with the force, trying to sense where the real Lena was. For a moment she thought she had found her but her senses felled dulled and she could no longer sense the brief spark of the real Lena. Cursing she raised her sabers to defend herself, but from which one...

Commanding her illusions to encircle Latesh but not engage, because they couldn't do that she approached the disciple from the front and then forced one of her illusions, also in front of Latesh to attack the chiss, hoping that she'd thought that was the real one but would realize it was not so as soon as she went to block and turn around expecting a attack from the side or behind.

Seeing one of the Lenas attack she went to parry but failed, already scrunching up her face as she expected the stinging pain of a electric jolt as the training saber would connect, instead she felt nothing and saw the saber of this Lena pass right through her, alarm she turned around expecting to defend herself from a back attack.

Lena smiled in triumph already as Latesh turned around and she dropped her concealment and made the strike, her training saber making contact with the back of her opponent and delivering a stinging jolt. She then quickly stepped to the side and made all her illusions mirror her stance with the training saber raised.

Latesh let out a yelp of pain and turned around, blinking, there had been five lenas but now there were six!? She had no idea who the real one was and had no force abilities that might give her the answer, instead she did a move that just came to her mind and tried to be a whirled of strikes, striking at all the lenas, hoping the real one revealed herself. Which it did as suddenly one of her blades was stopped by a very real, physical blade.

"Well done." Lena admitted and then counter-attacked, drawing upon the force and tried to drain some of her sparring partners strength. Something Latesh was not expecting at all and as the tendril of dark side energy hit her in the stomach she felt weak instantly and dropped to the ground, her training sabers falling from her hands.

Lena smiled and closed her eyes, cancelling the technique and her doppelgangers vanished, leaving only her. "My thanks to you Latesh, this training session was very enlightening, I will see myself out. I do hope we can do this again in the near future."

All latesh could do was groan and weakly roll over, staring at the ceiling, unable to summon the strength to even get up from the floor as Lena walked away.