[b]Dark Rebirth, Hyperspace Transit to Kessel.[/b] Reneva was sitting in the command chair, she had to admit, Andrea did get some good toys, she was leaning back comfortable in the chair, her eyes looking at a holographic representation of the sector of the galaxy they were currently travelling through that surrounded the chair, she only had to reach out and the sensors in the chair would register which system she wanted to take a closer look at which would make the projectors enlarge the information she was after and also give her navigational data hovering in text next to the side. She was studying a lot of navigational data lately, apparently Andrea had seen it fit to give her the order to brush up her knowledge and to, quote: 'be more useful or suffer the consequences'. She nodded and stood up from the chair, walking across the bridge to the navigator section and addressed the crew there. "Are we about to exit hyperspace around Trogan?" The crew at their consoles and looked up in surprise and then at each other, one of them, a lieutenant from the looks of it, nodded slowly. "It seems so ma'am. We aren't going out of a job, are we?" His subalterns chuckled at that. She showed a half-smile playing on her lips and shook her head, "Nothing to worry about just yet lieutenant, I am only getting the basics of navigation from my attempts at studying the subject." She looked up and nodded when one other bridge crew member reported they were about to drop out of hyperspace and once they did it was indeed confirmed they were now at Trogan. She was pleased with herself, only a few months ago all this talk about hyperspace navigational charts and hyperspace routes would make her head hurt, now she had fairly guessed where they were dropping out, granted she had mostly gotten lucky with her guess, but still the sense of accomplishment gave her some satisfaction. She however straightened out her uniform and glanced around imperiously at the bridge crew, "We only finished the first trek of our longer journey, we will get supplies and then continue on our way, we are on orders of our mistress, Andrea, to rendezvous with the other ships at Kessel and wait for further instructions, now back to work." She received a numbers of 'ayes' and salutes in return and marched back to the command chair to resume her studies. _________________________________ [b]Korriban Academy, Conference Room.[/b] "Darth Hadzuska, how are you?" Darth Khanna asked as she saw the holographic projection of the Twi'lek sith instructor. Hadzuska bowed, her image not perfect as she was transmitting from a large distance. "I am well, is Andrea present?" She shook her head, "She is not, errands called her away from Korriban I am afraid, you have acquired new potential candidates to join our ranks?" She received a laugh in return and Khanna frowned, "Did I say something funny?" The Twi'lek sith smirked and shook her head, "Private joke I suppose, I have not acquired any but... I have learned that a... individual in Hutt space might have a pair of slaves who are... strong in the force. The thing is, this individual is a Syndicate man and I wanted to converse with Andrea to see if she would allow me to, see if I could acquire them... and wanted to know if I should use all means, or only use diplomacy." Khanna frowned and then chuckled, "You know your standing orders... any and all means necessary. She has already ruffled some Syndicate feathers, I think she can handle some more." Smirking Hadzuska nodded, "I suppose so... I shall travel to Hutt space then... and see if I can acquire these twin slaves. Hadzuska out." And with that she terminated the call. --- [b]Chained Despair, Andrea's journey to Dagobah[/b] The Chained Despair dropped out of hyperspace, Andrea still frowning and shaking her head, "Why in the hells... would I ever wish to acquire snowglobes? Why would some merchant be travlling around the galaxy even selling them? It makes no sense." She muttered. Karsk shrugged, "I actually might have bought one." She raised a eyebrow and stared at the grizzled warrior. "You keep surprising me." In a bad way, she thought to herself before she shook her head. "Nyriss, have we arrived?" The intercom flared to life and the voice of her pilot came through, "Making our approach of the world of Dagobah now, trying to find a suitable landing spot near the coordinates given." Nodding Andrea smiled and cracked her fingers. "Right then, let's see what this wamp planet has to offer me..." After too long searching the pilot reported back saying that the only suitable landing site, if one even existed, had to have been on the other side of the planet. Though he suggests maybe the foliage is thin enough to simply break through and land anyway. Andrea had ordered the ramp to be lowered and stared down at the inhospitable planet with a frown. "Don't bother... I think if we land here we will only find out the ship will be sinking in the bog." She turned to some of the Sun Gaurd, attach some lines, Me, Talon, Trizz and Karsk will be rappelling down them, Rhak and Nyriss, you will remain on the ship while we are down there." Moments later lines were secured and Andrea and the 3 others she had specied were moving down to the 'ground' below while the ship hovered above them. The team dropping down arrive on the world safely... or so it seems to be for the moment anyway. Though some grumbling growls from the murky water advise against skinny dipping. She looked at the mud already caking on her boots and sighed, this was going to be one of 'those' planets. "Right lets move on and get to the cave, Karsk, Trizz, in the middle, Talon you take the rear, use your senses and reach out with the force to beware of any dangers that might lurk here..." She frowned and shook her head, "Assuming you can sense any with the strong presence of so much... life... on this world." She blinked, untouched by civilization, or at least so it appeared and yet such a strong presence in the force. It was fascinating... and unnerving at the same time. "Let's move on." She said, mostly to herself as she took the lead, trying to follow the coordinates given by her explorers as well as attempting to sense the dark side presence of this cave. As they move through the swamp suddenly a voice comes out of the air. "What doing are you, hmm? Of my garden get out. Yes, hmmm." The speaker a short greenskin about two feet tall with large prominent pointed ears said poking Talon in the back with a short stout stick. Andrea and the others froze, she turned seeing Talon with wide eyes at the back of the line, reaching for her saber hilt but at a motion of Andrea she stopped, instead Andrea cocked her head and studied the... creature that had appeared. She tried to sense if this creature was strong in the force but all this... background force presence was interfering and she shook her head. She cocked her head and addressed the little man. "I am Andrea and I came here looking for a cave... you said, this was your garden?" "Yes and no. If looking for a cave, you are. To the right place you have come. Many caves on dagobah. Yeesssssss." The short fellow said oddly his speech disjointed. "Of the garden you out. Ruining the flowers, you are." The fellow solidly whacks Talon with his stick this time. Talon yelps in surprised pain and then growls but again at Andrea's gesture she backed off. She was frowning now, this was his garden... a swamp garden? Well this was some weird hermit living here for sure. "Well... my apologies, the cave I am looking for is a particular one however, it probably... attracts the more ferocious of creatures this world has to offer while every other species would evade it with a wide berth, perhaps you can point me in the right direction? So I can get off your garden all the quick." "On my garden, not, you are. Though, this great sleemo is. Yeesssssss." He whacked Talon again this time jabbing his stick into Talon's right foot. Talon growled again and turned to the little bugger. "Would you stop that!" Andrea looked puzzled now, first this hermit said they were on his garden, now they weren't? She sighed, "Right... well happy to have met you... we will be on our way." She snapped her fingers and turned around to take the lead again and search for the cave. "No caves in that direction. Fools trek, on, you are. To my home come. Me, you shall share dinner yes? Then tell what you wish to know, I will. For fee." The little green fellow remarked. She frowned not liking that in the slightest but one loo kat Talon told her that she too couldn't sense the cave so with a mental sigh she turned back to the fella. "I do not like accepting invitations... if the one inviting me has not introduced himself yet while I have said my name." "Oday I am. To yoda I am groundskeeper. Been unpaid for 400 years I have. Hmmmmmm." The green fellow said heading off into the swamp. "Careful to stand not on Steve you be." She had no idea who this Yoda person was or why one would needs a groundskeeper for a dump like this, she also had no idea what or who steve was but she decided to make sure where to step wherever that little green fella would step on, making sure her people did the same. For some minutes the fellow marched on until reaching a composite mud hut, a mud hutt only just over four foot high... for the ceiling. Oday entered through a door archway only three feet high waving for his unexpected guests to follow. Karsk took one look at the hut and its interior and then seemed to realize he was a 2 meter 10 giant. "I will remain outside my lady." Andrea looked up at the big guy and couldn't blame him, she wish she had a excuse like that. "Any of you laugh..." She said, leaving the threat hang in the air as she bend over and crawled inside the hutt, followed by Talon and Trizz, the latter was hiding a smirk but once inside looked perfectly neutral. Once inside Oday moved over to a pot of some unidentifiable stew cooking over the fire and began stirring it. "Guests in my home, you are. Know your names, I would, before we dine." He said as he got out some bowls from a shelf. "As I said Andrea." She repeated, looking at the stew.... and frowned, making sure someone else would eat it first if she ever decided to take a bite, she gestured to the others. "Talon." The Twi'lek sith responded warily, eyes on the stick at all times. Trizz was looking all over the hutt at the snakes slithering about and the herbs, mostly thinking to herself what cures and poisons there were here in this hut before she looked up. "Trizz." She said with a shrug and resumed her observation. From outside came a lumbering voice. "Karsk." Oday worked to scoop the food into bowls, if it was food, the brown claggy consistency wasn't generally something most bipedals considered terribly appealing. "You seek the the dark cave, not do you, hmm?" He passed bowls to the three inside. It began to pour with a thick treacly rain. A rain typical of a swamp. "Full of dangers, the trek is. Many make the attempt and fail. Yes, hmmm. Do, or do not, there is no try." Oday shrugged, "Or say, so yoda would. I think, full of it, was he. Paid me he still has not. Yeesssssss." She frowned raising a eyebrow. "Many have tried? I thought this planet was off the charts, not worth visiting and yet you say many have made the attempt?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "So say Yoda would. I think, full of shit, was he." Oday replied. She drummed her fingers on the side of the cup. "Still you can point me in the right direction of the cave?" "Yes. Two hours that way. Yes, hmmm." Oday pointed as he began eating. She noticed Trizz seeming to study the dish before shrugging and eating some of it. Andrea took a polite bite, swallowing it without really tasting while she thought for a moment. "Anything I should know about the cave?" "Of a bantha smells like the wrong side. If being generous, I am. Of snakes too lots." Oday shrugged. She nodded, deciding to thank for his hospitality and assistance by finishing the bowl and then placing it near him. "Thank you, for the food and the direction, I hope this Yoda of yours pays you soon." With that she crawled back outside and let out a groan as she stretched, Trizz and Talon following. Talon had not touched the bowl at all and Karsk had not received one. "Right, this way then, two hours of a journey apparently, so no time to waste." As the group advanced deeper into the swamps Andrea managed to avoid several nasty pitfalls that could have easily broken a leg before the sense of the cave began to make itself felt. A tugging on her subconscious barely perceptible. She stopped for a moment, for the first since touching down on this soil a sliver of excitement entering her state of mind. "We are close now... be on your guard and follow my steps." She stressed to the others while she hoped to find the entrance to the cave soon. Finally the sensation grew to be strong enough to be practically pricking the skin of both force users. It's appearance however left a lot to be desired. For one, it seemed that Oday had been using it as a dumping point from whatever latrine he had set up. Rubbish and other... bodily products... decorated the entrance to the otherwise simply dim cave overhung with rich moss and ... rich odour. She pulled a cloth out and placed it on her mouth... this place... this was it? She had to admit some disappointment upon seeing this but it couldn't be helped. "Trizz, Karsk, you two remain outside... Talon and I will enter the cave." With a not to her Hand they stepped forwards and entered the cave, ignoring the wretched odour. The deeper Andrea went into the cave the more her senses began to deceive her. She saw a woman rolling around with of all the creatures a Hutt. It didn't take long for her to realize that Talon was no longer with her. It took slightly longer to realize that the woman appeared to be her. "Come join us." The creature remarked. "You know you want to." She looked at the scene with disgust and growled. "That never happened." She stated and then looked around. "Illusions? Bah, I am Sith. I conquer my fears, doubts and enemies at every turn so give me your best and not this pathetic display." She closed her eyes and focused on the force within, trying to reach out to Talon. The image changed to reflect her daughter in the embrace of a hutt. "Why did you abandon me mother? I only wanted to be like you. And you've left me in the hands of a madman." She opened her eyes and stared, narrowing her eyes and then snorted. "You... my real daughter doesn't even know I am her mother, much less spend any time with me, is this really the best you can do?" She said with disdain as she crossed her arms. "Bored now." "She doesn't have to know. You do. Do you wonder what the animal whose only thought is sating his own desires does at night. But if that is not enough..." The shapes change and merge. And suddenly it looms in the dim light of the cave. A Terentatek. She rose a eyebrow, "Now you get more interesting." But before she attacked she decided to see and sense if the Terentatek was not her own Hand, Talon, with these illusions it could be anything. There is simply too much ambient force to be certain of anything. A situation made worse when the beast doesn't hesitate to strike. But it's clumsy attack doesn't even come close to breaking Andrea's defences. She jumps back after the clumsy attack and frowns, reaching out with the force to use force horror on its psyche, that should reveal some clues. The beast recoils shortly before charging back in but it.... slashes off its own hand on the other arm with a very Talon-like scream. The illusion shattered Talon falls to the ground scrabbling for the hand severed by her own... other hand. She rolled her eyes. "Knew it, oh you big baby." She picked up the hand and slapped Talon's cheek with it so she would snap out of it. "Here." She pushed the hand in her remaining one that was still attached and pointed to back to the entrance of the cave. "Get to Trizz and have her give you a hand." She kept a straight face saying that. Talon let out a whine but complied, gritting her teeth as she held onto her severed hand as she walked shakily to the exit, or she hoped it was the exit. Shaking her head Andrea looked around. "Anything else? Maybe some visions of Gra'tua fucking Azazel? Anything?" As the illusion fell a small starship, a pod really, revealed itself within the cave concealed deeply but open to the elements, within it sat a small skeleton of the same apparent race as Oday, on its lap a Lightsabre rested and in a small compartment the sight of Jedi holocrons was clearly visible. She raised a eyebrow and then glanced back at the ceiling of the cave. "Thank you, it has been interesting." She looked at the pod. "Assuming this isn't another illusion." She stepped forwards and looked at the skeleton. "Explains the lack of payment that green fella was muttering about." She reached out for the saber and the holocrons, activating one to see what would happen or who would appear. Images appeared and a soft voice, bit of a old person from the sound of it, started explaining how to bend the force to push away objects, people and she shut the holocron off. "Right... jedi or sith I wonder?" She murmured to herself looking at the skeleton and then shrugged, reaching out with the force in a attempt to close the pod and then lift it up to carry it outside. A voice floats in the wind. [i]"Do, or do not, there is no try."[/i] She blinked and then frowned. "You read that in a fortune cookie or something?" She shook her head and continued walking. She walked outside and rose a eyebrow at those standing outside, Talin was there with her stump outstretched while Trizz was looking over it with some medical equipment, Karsk had his blaster at the ready but relaxed when he saw it was Andrea. "I have returned, with a prize. Anyway..." She activated her comm and contacted the ship, giving their current coordinates and activating a beacon just in case so Nyriss would find them easily enough and then she turned to Karsk. "Go back to the hutt and tell our gardener I might have found his employer, what's left of him, if he wants proof, offer him a piggyback ride on your back back to me, somehow I think he might enjoy that." Some time later Karsk returns with the green hobgoblin in tow looking very upset. "Broke my door getting in he did. Too tall by far is he." Andrea had set the pod down and upon their approach just opened the door again, revealing the skeleton within. "Is this your master?" Oday looks over the skeleton. "Think not I do. Saw him last with skin on." She received a signal that Nyriss was on approach and then turned back to Oday. "Yes... I imagine he did, but how long ago was that." She gestured at the lightsaber in the pod, was he a force user?" Oday looked closer at the Lightsaber. "His that is. Yes." He nodded. She nodded and then looked up as the Chained Despair hovered into view, ramp being lowered and several Sun Guard appearing over the edge lowering lines once more. : Uh-hu, and what about these other items in the pod." She gestured to the holocrons. "Know what those are? Or perhaps which ones he valued most?" Oday moves forwards with surprising agility for someone of his size and apparent frailty taking one of the Holocrons and activating it studying the projected information. "AH! Two parts Swamp Monster Bowels, four parts snake bile and only six parts swamp mud." You have a feeling that you just got the 'correct' recipe for whatever it was you ate four hours ago, your stomach rumbling in black sympathy. At that point Nyriss came down one of the lines and raised a eyebrow. "You wished me to join you mistress?" Andrea nodded and gestured for her to wait. "Karsk, work with the Sun Guard to bring Talon back in the ship." THe big commando nodded and without effort lifted up Talon, Trizz following closely to monitor her patient. Turning back to Nyriss she gestured to the pod. "Psychometry, every inch of that pod, the skeleton and the lightsaber, leave the holocrons for now." The zeltron disciple nodded and approached the pod to use her psychometric ability to learn what she could. The holocrons however had been steeped too long in the Darkside for anything meaningful to be determined and the same remained for the pod, though the psychometry did reveal that it had suffered significant damage to its inertial dampeners. Of the lightsaber and skeleton only a faint residue of the lightside remains. Not enough to even learn the name of the dead occupant with and certainty. Andrea listened to it all and nodded, "Right back up you go, oversee the retrieval of the pod and its contents, we will take it with us back home." She then turned to Oday. "So... it seems your master is dead and you are stuck on this world, how do you feel about that?" "Feel like all that property you're taking, cover my back-wages for 10 years at least, I do." Oday responded instantly. Andrea smiled, "I actually have a different offer for you, how would you like to work for me? I have holdings and property that are not a swamp. And plent of gardens... actual gardens, that need attending to." Oday puffs up almost turning red so offended was he. "Not actual garden is this!" He says with the deepest tone of hurt. Andrea sighed. "Oh for the love... let's just get to the point." She spread out her fingertips and launched lightning at the creature. The blast struck him solidly... leaving a slightly cooked green thing behind. She cocks her head and shrugged, "Huh interesting, thought he was a force ghost. Ah well, too dangerous to be left alive with what he showed capable of doing. "She said, nodding to herself and then went to one of the lines, being the last that needed to get aboard her ship. Once aboard she had the ramp closed and contacted Nyriss. "Set a course for Kessel, we stop at the nearest planet for proper medical care for Talon however, maximum speed." When confirmation came she let out a sigh and went to her section of the ship to meditate. It had been a long day... --- In Summation: Random Filler stuff and Navigator trait gained for Severa after studying/training. Hadzuska has learned of possible twins strong in the force who are slaves. Andrea visits Dagobah, takes the cave tour and comes out with a couple of souvenirs, two of which she has to meditate on. And her Hand, Talon, lost a hand, can be re-attached at proper medical facilities.