ON THE RUN PART 4

    The choppers were basic designs, having a pilot, and two gunners.  There were missiles under the belly, and a small compartment for passengers.  Maybe they intended to take prisoners, or slaves.

    It was of little comfort to Ventress either way.  She pulled out her rifle, turned and took a quick aim.  With a couple of careful shots, she pinged one of the chopper pilots between the eyes.  The lead chopper spun out of control and smashed into the ground.

    The other two choppers didn't hesitate to respond with laser fire.  "Everyone scatter!!"  Riddick shouted.  He pushed some people to the left, some to the right.

    Ventress took a deep breath and kept aiming.  Two more shots fired, she wounds one of the gunners.  The laserfire strafed its way up to her, but she did not move.  Still trying to pick off pirates, she was frozen to her spot as the lasers whipped up to her and past her.

    Riddick grabbed her at the last second and yanked them both out of the strafing run.  They hit the dirt with a thud.  Dust flew about them.  Ventress and Riddick didn't have time to savor the moment.  Instead, their combat instincts kicked in and they rolled back up to see the two choppers split up to go after the individual people.

    Lux and Ahsoka ran fast away from the chopper, but it was gaining on them.  Laserfire strafed at them.  "Separate!  Run in a zig zag pattern!"  Ahsoka split away from him.  Lux began an erratic run, even going in circles.  The chopper turned to him, firing a special weapon.  It was a sort of net launched from the belly of the chopper.  The pilot was good at aiming.  He bags Lux on the first shot, just as he must have done a hundred times before to a hundred other unfortunates.

    Ahsoka tried to get their attention.  She got the attention of at least one gunner, who saw her draw her lightsaber.  He fired wildly in her direction.

    "You want a piece of me!?" Ahsoka ran after them "Over here!!  Come on!!"

    The net that covered Lux was attached to a cable.  His lighter body was easy to pull along, and the ride was unpleasant.  The Chopper dragged him along the desert ground.  The net was dragged through a toxic puddle, one of the many Lux and the others had wisely avoided earlier.  He was not so lucky.  The net was made of strong material, resisting the acidic burns the brown liquid would inflict on Lux's skin.  He cried out in pain, and the chopper lifted off higher.  He looked at Ahsoka, and the futility of her attempts to catch them.  He watched as the chopper sped away faster and faster.

    The third Chopper chased after Conradin.  He also ran in a crooked pattern, trying to distract them.  Vincent fired his twin laser guns, built into his frame.  The droid dueled with one of the gunners, trying to use the choppers clumsy maneuverability against the pirates.  Barriss was on the ground, dodging laser fire.  The Doctor aimed his screwdriver at one of the gunners, causing his weapon to jam, weakening the odds against their group.  Conradin stopped, turned around and aimed his blaster.  A clumsy weapon, he and Vincent caught the pirates in a crossfire.

    Barriss saw an opportunity.  "VINCENT!  Stay where you are!"  She go up as the pirates started getting desperate.  Missiles were fired, and the other gunner strafed all around.  Barriss, despite the pain in her leg, was driven by pure adrenalin.  She ran, Force jumped onto Vincent's smooth head and leaped high above the chopper.

    Conradin held his breath, and his heart stopped for a second as she positioned herself directly above the chopper blades.  In one swift move, she swung her light saber into the rotary blades, slicing the blades to pieces.  She angled herself away from the chopper as it sank from the air, landing gracefully like a dark purple bird with arms spread out to balance her landing.  The chopper crashed hard to the ground behind her.  The chopper explodes, engulfed in flames.

    "Spectacular move!"  Conradin smiled as he came up to her. "You were amazing!"

    Barriss smiled weakly "It's all in....in the wrist..." She collapsed, suddenly having difficulty breathing.  the adrenalin wore off.  Both of them noticed, especially to Conradin's horror, a piece of rotary blade had spun away after her attack, lodging itself solidly into her stomach area.  "I don't feel so good" She mumbled

    Conradin yelled for medical help as he cradled her in his arms "ASAJJ!" He was not trained as a medic.  He was terrified to even touch the wound, or get it more infected than it would be.

    Asajj had tried to catch the other Chopper that stole away with Lux.  She fired her sniper rifle several times.  She knew she hit the pilot by the way the chopper wobbled in the distance after one of the shots.

    "Dammit, the Force is strong with him!"  She finally heard Conradin's call.  Everyone turned and gathered around Barriss.

    Riddick wasted no time as he got on his knees and examined the wound.  "You better brace yourself, kid, because this....is going to hurt."  He took a firm grip on the piece sticking out of her.  She held Conradin's hand and braced herself with the other.  Riddick yanked the blade piece out.  She gave a horrendous yell in pain, but recovered quickly.

    Asajj pulled out her medical kit and sterilized the wound.  Everyone started to back away as She cleaned up the blood and put a gauze bandage on the large cut.

    Ahsoka was there to make sure Barriss would be ok.  She turned to the direction of the pirates.  Her eyes watered up a bit, wondering what would happen.  Lux got snatched up.  Everything happened too fast.  Vincent floated next to her, rather subdued.  "I am terribly sorry, Ms Tano.  I don't know why I failed to detect them...."

    "It wasn't your fault.  It was....just a bad card we got dealt today.  I can sense he is in pain, but alive.  And as long as I can hold onto that....I can keep going."

    Ventress got up, and grimly looked at them.  Conradin picked Barriss up and carried her with the group.  The pain had been so great she fell unconscious, but at least the bleeding was minimal, the wound patched up.  "Let's keep moving" She looked at Ahsoka.  What could there be to say?  What more could be said?  Lux was taken, and there was no way to follow without getting lost in the vastness of the desert.  They had to get to shelter or more of them would be taken or die of exposure to a hostile enviroment.




*************************************


    A different turn of events was taking place on Coruscant.  Anakin was summoned before the Council.  Mace was presiding, along with Plo Koon and Ki Adi Mundi.  Anakin bows, awaiting to be briefed.  "We have received a distress signal from Obi-wan"  Mace got directly to the point.  The Council all held grave expressions.

    "Master Kenobi?" Anakin asked.  He had been concerned ever since Obi-wan went out on recon missions to find Ahsoka.  The entire Galaxy and even the Sepratists had become aware of her attack on the Temple, her freeing a traitor, and running off to parts unknown.  Anakin took no pleasure in hunting her down, and could not understand why Obi-wan saw this as an opportunity.

    Kenobi's enthusiasm to bring Ahsoka and Barriss back into the light was admirable, but Anakin was too pragmatic...and maybe a little scared for her.  Out there, with a Bounty Hunter and a terrorist.  But he must have found a lead.  He went missing a short time ago.  Anakin didn't want to lose him as well.  "Where is he?"

    Plo Koon leaned forward "He was last seen over an obscure planet near the Lipsec run.  Beaudicca-3.  He was attacked by pirates who have built a strike base in that sector."

    "Then I am going to Beaudicca-3"  Anakin finally felt like he was getting somewhere.  An he did not forget their original purpose "I'll save Master Kenobi....and I'll bring back the culprits."  He couldn't bring himself to say her name.  Not out of anger, but apprehension.  As if he didn't want to jinx her out there in the dangerous unknown.

    "Go, young Skywalker.  May the Force be with you."  Mace concluded.  Anakin bowed and exited.  As he left the chamber, he ran for R2 and his star fighter.  It was time to settle this nonsense.  Time to rescue Obi-wan.  Time to redeem Ahsoka.  Time to execute the traitor.



*************************************




    On The planet surface, deep in the wasteland, the lone pirate chopper flew at top speed to make haste.  The pilot had been wounded, and there was little time for taking care of the bleeding.  The pilot hoped these survivors were worth the trouble.  They had lost two choppers and six men.

    Although the pirates could be replaced in a vast galaxy full of recruits.  The choppers were a rare necessity to travel on this dead world.  Equipment was scarce and valuable.  He looked down at the captive.  Lux was drying up.  He finished his water quickly so the pirates could never have it, and made sure to get rid of anything in his pockets that might be of use to the enemy.  He would have to wait for an opportunity to come along for a chance to escape.  But Opportunity was watching patiently from a distance.  

    Opportunity was waiting.

    Katniss.  She was dressed in a a duster given to her by her step-dad.  It blended in well with the wastelands ugly browns and yellows, caked with dirt for good measure.  It had been some time since Red Nostromo stopped to orbit Beaudicca-3.  They had been attacked by the pirates.  Her Dad, or rather Step-dad, was taken prisoner, but  had managed to throw her into an escape pod.  She made her way to the planet surface.  Survival was her primary concern, but also to explore, and learn the weaknesses of the pirates.  She saw some weaknesses in the three men hurrying back with their captured prize.  She watched through her binoculars as the chopper got closer.  She put her binoculars away and ran to the high ground.

    "Bomar!  I need you to take over!"  The pilot called to one of the gunners.  Bomar was a rough looking human.  Unshaven, wearing terrible armor that looks like it had been chipped and scarred in dozens of previous encounters, and likely from the dangers of Beaudicca-3.  The chopper slowed down and prepared to land.

    Bomar answered back to the pilot "You check for Screamers!?  Cuz we ain't landing until you do!"

    The pilot scratched his beard and examined a small, low tech scanner on his flight panel.  "We're clear!"  He lands quickly so he can bind his wounds.

    Lux got the roughest part of the landing, as no care was taken to ease him to the ground.  The wind from the rotary blades blew dust in his eyes.  He coughed, the air was filled with too many obnoxious things, and the heat was uncomfortable in the net.

    The three pirates got out to stretch.  The pilot started patching himself up as the other guy, Bowmar, slipped into the pilot's chair.  Lux looked away, not making eye contact, which suited the pilot.  "You better be worth something when we get back to base..."  The pilot grumbled.  Lux refrained from responding.  He scanned the desert around him.

    A noise wizzed by, the sound of some kind of projectile.  The pilot looked around "What the...?"  He saw Bowmar slump in his seat, an arrow protruding from his neck.  The pilot pulled out his gun, but wasn't fast enough.  An arrow nailed him square in the heart.  He fell backwards, slumping to the ground.  The 3rd guy starting firing wildly at a figure in the distance, a figure that readied another projectile.  Lux, seeing a chance, made an effort to reach up and bump the third guy, messing up his aim.  It wasn't much, but he wasn't going to just sit by.  His effort paid off as the arrow found its way into the guy's throat.  All lux could do now was hope this stranger wasn't going to kill him on the spot.

    The hooded stranger walked up to the chopper.  He was pretty sure the figure was a female, and even though the figure pulled out a large knife, Lux felt that if she had wanted him dead, she would have used the bow that was now slung over her shoulder.  She pulled back the hood, revealing a young woman about his age, with long brown hair and a serious expression.  "Are you ok?"

    "You get me out of here, and I will be much better!" He grinned, but she was deep in thought as she cut him out of the net.  He rubbed his exposed skin, stretched his legs and scratched his hair.  "I'm Lux Bonteri.  I was with a group that crash landed back that way" he pointed in the opposite direction.

    "I saw that crash come down." She said grimly "I'm surprised there were any survivors.  Were you part of the group that was supposed to dock with us on the Red Nostromo?"

    Lux's eyes lit up.  "You're with the Red Nostromo!?  We tried to contact them, but we were ambushed!"

    "They hit us fast the moment we exited Hyperspace.  They boarded the ship and captured my step-dad.  I was thrown into an escape pod.  If it weren't for the thick polluted clouds.....I would probably been blasted out of the sky.  My name's Katniss.  Katniss Everdeen.

    Lux searched the bodies and looted supplies from the chopper and looked around.  "How well do you know the territory?" he asked.

    She sighed a little "This place is full of poison.  I can barely find enough water to live on, and the food supply is scarce.  Lots of dangerous stuff out here.  Did anyone else survive the crash?"  She braced herself for terrible news.

    "We all made it, but there may be wounded after the pirates attacked us near the crash site.  We were heading for some ruins when we-"

    Katniss grabbed him in panic "RUINS!?  You mean the dead city in the wastelands?!?"  She  grabbed her stuff "Your friends are in great danger!  Can you fly this thing?"

    Lux panicked, alarmed by her reaction "What kind of danger?"

    Katniss got into his face "Can you fly the chopper?  We'll never make it, unless you can fly or use your communicator!"

    Lux frowned, as he looked.  His communication device was damaged during his bumpy capture.  The brown toxic slimy stuff that stung parts of his skin corroded the mechanism.  He pulled the body out of the cockpit.  "Come on!!"  He jumped in and started fiddling with the controls.

    Katniss sat in one of the gunner seats as they lifted off.  It was a little clumsy, but Lux was a fast learner.  He turned around and accelerated the chopper to head back to where the others were.


    The group carried on towards the ruins.  The ground got sandier and smelled funny.  Ventress stuck close with Riddick, keeping an eye out for any more hostile pirates or creatures.  Conradin carried Barriss, but the heat was beating down on them, and he began to feel weak from exhaustion.  But he kept going.  Ahsoka walked with the Doctor, and Vincent watched the rear of the group.

    "Are you going to be ok?"  The Doctor looked at her with concern for her physical and emotional well being.  "They won't harm him, you know.  They will need him alive."  He tried to be optimistic.  "We will recover.  And we will find him."

    "Thank you" She replied quietly.  "I just...can't believe I could not stop them.  It all happened so fast."  She took a drink from her water.  "Have you ever had to worry like this?  I can't stop thinking about him.  I feel like I've failed him."

    He put a hand on her shoulder "Don't ever blame yourself, whatever you do.  It happened, and we were caught off guard."  He paused for a moment "I know what it's like....to lose friends, to feel like I let them down.  I know....That's why I try harder every time."

    Vincent sped up to Asajj.  "Oh dear...." he muttered.  "Ms Ventress, I must relieve myself of my duties.  The radiation is giving me....hallucinations"

    She stopped and looked at him with a furled brow.  Riddick also looked the droid over.  "What do you mean, 'hallucinations?"

    "You all right, Vince?" Riddick asked

    "This will sound like complete lunacy.....but I am detecting a large living organism right here next to us."  Vincent looked at them both.  "I have life readings, yet I see nothing...."

    "You're not hallucinating.  I smell something.  Something bad"  Riddick grabbed Asajj with urgency "We gotta keep moving!"

    But it was too late.  The Sarlaac, hidden under the sand, opened it's mouth, pulling tentacles out.  The mouth created a sink hole effect near the group, and caused enough panic that the tentacles made a quick attack.  It was ready to feed, and gave a guttering roar.  The beast grabbed Ventress by her legs and started pulling her to its large mouth.  It grabbed the doctor, and wrestled with Conrad and Barriss.

    Vincent activated its lasers and fired blasts at the tentacles.  Riddick jumped at the tentacles holding Ventress, cutting at them with his knives.

    Vincent floated around and blasted at it.  The beast sent out tentacles to try to attack the droid, but could not sense where exactly the droid was, since Vincent normally hovered and had no feet to give the Sarlaac a frame of reference.

    "This is not how I wanted my day to go!"  Ventress gritted her teeth as she blasted at the tentacles.  Riddick cut at the monster, hacking away until it released Asajj near the edge of its mouth.  She could almost look over into the terrifying maw of the great big mouth that threatened them all.  She did not look for long.  She ran a few feet away and pressed the attack on the beast, tossing a thermal detonator into the living abyss.  The explosion erupted down deep, and agitated the creature, but it was determined to feed as it pulled the Doctor closer.

    Ahsoka grabbed the Doctor's hands and pulled back with all her might.  "I won't let go!" She grunted.

    "You're doing fine!"  As horrified as he was at the thought of being a monster's next meal, he took time out to give some encouragement.  He looked over and saw Barriss fight off the tentacles with her light saber.  Conradin blasted at them with his gun.  They were going to be ok.  He looked the other direction and saw Vincent hovering directly over the big mouth, blasting away at the insides of the beast, and Ventress continued to shoot the tentacles.

    The beast let out another roar.  Barriss and Conradin made their way over to Ahsoka and the Doctor, helping to free him from a monstrous grip.  Barriss sliced through yet another tentacle, but they just kept coming.

    Everyone started backing away, but the monster was determined, and grabbed Riddick this time as he and Asajj tried to run.  Riddick stabbed at the beast with his deadly knives.  Wether in anger or in desperate hunger, the Sarlaac snapped up 3 more tentacles to wrap around him.  Ventress was not going to tolerate it.  She started firing wildly at the tendrils that dragged Riddick closer to the mouth.

    "Give me your hands!"  She shouted.  Ventress was being pulled with Riddick, and they both knew the others would not reach them in time.  Vincent fired blast after blast into the beast, but it was resolved to finish its meal.  The tentacles started swarming over Riddick, ripping into his clothes and tearing off his goggles.  Ventress gripped him more tightly and screamed as they reached the edge.

    "Hey....You better get your ass moving!"  Riddick looked at her.  He loosened his grip on her hands.  "Get the others, and get to the ruins."

    Asajj was furious that he would give up.  The others were running towards them, but the beast prepared for one more yank into the darkness.  Asajj stared at him, and was ready to join him into the nihilistic horror of the beast's belly.  "I won't...."

    Riddick smiled "Do you trust me, Asajj?  Do you trust me?"  She started to tear up a little, but nodded quietly.  "Then trust that I will see you later.  I can handle this.  Now, let go."

    She let go.  A leap of faith when she was willing to join him.  And yet, she had responsibilities.  He grabbed his knives as the Sarlaac pulled him in, through and beyond.

    Vincent looked at her, and down into the mouth.  He, too, made a decision.  The others reached Ventress and started pulling her away.  "Ms Ventress!" Vincent called out "Riddick's life signs are still positive.  He's as tough as nails.  I will do my best to bring him back to you!  Keep going.  My sensors will find you eventually."  Vincent dove into the Sarlaac, into the darkness.  A few more blasts could be heard, then nothing as the group moved further away.

    Conradin helped Ventress to her feet.  Nobody said anything.  No one wanted to speak first.  They all patted each other, making sure they were ok.

    Ventress didn't want to leave.  Her face curled up into grief as Conradin held her close.  She felt real loss.  She struggled to stay, she looked at Conradin, begging with her eyes to stay.  She knew better, though.  They hugged for a moment.  She held him tightly, emotionally weak for a second.  These emotions.  They were almost new to Asajj Ventress.  She had lived as a Sith for so long, her emotion side had almost died, almost become extinct.  Ever since the day Ahsoka walked into that bar on Coruscant, she slowly came to life.  Slowly became something human again.

    At first, it was exciting.  It was adventure.  but now, the galaxy had worn out its welcome.  There was a price to pay for this new soul in her, this redemption that breathed new life into her.  She started caring.  Even for Riddick.

    It wasn't the puppy love Ahsoka had for Lux, or the shy romance that Barriss danced around when she was near Conrad.  Ventress and Riddick had an understanding, and were almost alike on so many levels.  It wasn't traditional love......but she had almost dared to believe they would be together for years.  Maybe they still could.  After all, she trusted him.

    They moved on.  The Doctor carried Barriss while she recovered from the terrible combat with the choppers.  Ahsoka and Conradin took turns walking with Ventress, who had a devastated look all the way to the edge of the ruins.  She would recover herself eventually.  She owed it to Ahsoka and Barriss to never give up, even though she was ready to throw herself into that living pit with the man who shared himself wih her in a most private way.  As much as she would think of her moment with Riddick as nothing more than the physical enjoyment of a one night stand, the emotional bond she created, almost by accident, would haunt her now until he returned....or she was dead.

    They reached a large, barbed wired fence that stretched as far as the eye could see, surrounding the ruins that looked to be a vast alien city.  The ground inside the fence was dirst, sand, mud.  A lot of loose ground.  It looked too odd to be safe.  "There's a reason why this is wired off..."  Conrad muttered.

    Asajj nodded, but stared ahead "We gotta get to shelter.  I'll take the lead."  Conradin looked at her, but she stared ahead.  Maybe it was a minefield, and she'd blow herself to kingdom come.  Maybe there were snipers, or worse.  She was numb, and couldn't think of any more options.

    Ahsoka stepped forward and smashed a small section of the fence into the ground with her Force powers.  "Stay close" She said to them quietly.  They started off slow.  As they continued, Ahsoka and Barriss got a funny look, as they glanced at each other.

    "Did you...?!"  Ahsoka tensed up and pulled her saber.

    "Yeah, I sensed it too"  Barriss broke free of the Doctor's care and lit up her saber.  Everybody moved a little faster.  Then, they heard the screams.

    "What the hell?" Conradin looked around but saw nothing.  Multiple screams filled the air.  They were horrible shrieks, terrifying.  Some things were under the dirt, under the ground. They plowed towards the group just below the surface.  Creatures the size of jawas dug furiously towards them.

    Everyone broke into a run.  Up ahead, Ventress saw an older man in a soldier uniform running to them.  He must not have been hostile, he was shouting at them to run.  He motioned them over to him.  His side of the zone also had a barb wire fence, but he was at an opening.  The soldier realized they would not make it.  There were now a dozen digging creatures coming after them.  The screams were now unbearable.

    Ahsoka sees one of the things barreling towards her.  She braces herself as it leaps out of the dirt, revealing itself to be a machine, a killing robot with blades all over its body.  She slices it in half in its mid-air leap.  Everyone gasps at such a horrible weapon.

    Conradin blasts at several of the underground things torpedoing their way to him..  Their screams pierce his ears.  Four of them were about to leap at him.  He blasts one in the ground, but the others move quickly.  One leaps out of the dirt, razor sharp blades poised to strike.  Barriss blocks it with her bright saber, shattering it to pieces.  The soldier fires on the other two as they also get read to leap.

    The Doctor pulls out his Screwdriver device.  He aims, using a frequency that shuts down the screaming droids that get near.  He has bought them some time while the droids reboot to attack again.

    "COME ON!  MOVE YOUR ASSES!!!"  The soldier yells out as he reaches them.  The grizzled older veteran shoots Ventress a nasty look "You bring children into a war zone?!  What's the matter with you!?"  Ventress was too exhausted to respond, but just ran to the gate.  She turned and aimed her gun as the screaming droids started up again.  She blasted several.

    Conradin also covered the escape as the rest of the group ran past the gate.  The screaming continued all the way up to the gate as the soldier closed it off.  The droids stopped, then sped away, back into the kill zone to wait for new intruders.  When the soldier was satisfied that they were safe, he turned to the group, very business like.

    "You picked the wrong planet for a vacation, Ventress!  I'm surprised you had the guts to come back here after all this time!"  The soldier pulled out a thick death stick and lit it.  He puffed a few breaths off of it as he stared hard at them.  Ventress was taken aback.

    "Excuse me?" she replied "Do we even know each other?"  She looked him over, baffled.

    The soldier snorted in contempt. He walked past them "Come on.  Let me get you guys inside before we're spotted."

    "Spotted by whom?"  Conradin asked "What happened here?  How do you know Asajj?"

    They entered a large, wrecked house.  An alien design, it must have been beautiful in better days.  It reminded Ahsoka of the kind of homes on Naboo.  She looked at the furniture and the somewhat neatly swept floor.

    This older man kept the place as well as he could, but she could tell he has lived alone for a long time.  "We are all grateful that you helped us.  We crashed here after being attacked by pirates....what were those droids?"

    "Yes" Barriss added "I had never heard such horrible noises.  Who would invent such a terrible weapon?"

    "Those are what we call 'Screamers'." The old man puffed on his death stick "Invented by the people of this world to defend them against invaders.  These screamer droids were created as a necessity.  As long as you stay out of their programmed zone, you're fine."

    The Doctor motioned to the outside "Who are these pirates?  Are they the ones you fought against?"

    "The Star devils.  We weren't fighting them originally, but they came along to pick the planet clean after we got trashed by Count Dooku." The soldier replied "They're Mercenaries working for the Seps.  And dead good ones, too.  Although I'm suprised..." He looked at Asajj "I thought you were all one big happy family."

    "look," Asajj frowned "I don't know who you are or what happened here, but I'm not with those guys.  I'm not with the Separatists anymore.  We're grateful, but I don't have time for your snark."

    "Not with the Separatists anymore?"  He looks at her in disbelief "You don't remember any of this, do you?  This planet?  These people?  It has completely slipped your mind!" he shook his head and walked to the pantry.  He brought back some soft foods for them to eat.  Ventress stared back at him.

    "Who are you?" She asked cautiously "You're not a clone trooper, and you don't seem to bear any Republic markings.  Did we fight on this planet?  I've been to so many worlds....I can't keep them all straight anymore.  In any case....I am no longer whoever you thought I was."  She ate some fruits that he placed down for her.

    "You are on Beaudicca-3....a world once inhabited by the Nemon.  I'm Colonel Hendricksson.  I used to lead a regiment of Infantry from Ord Cantrell.  We were Republic, but we were called in to help the Nemon against you Sep bastards.  The few Clone Troops that were here were ambushed and killed.  Count Dooku was trying to blackmail the Nemon into joining the CIS.  He wanted their advanced technology for his droid armies.  The Nemon refused, and fought almost to the last of their kind.  I'm surprised you don't remember, Asajj Ventress....because after he bombed this civilization back to the stone age, he sent YOU to finish up on any survivors!"

    Ventress was shocked.  Beaudicca-3.  It was starting to sound familiar.  And Ventress was starting to remember unpleasant things.  She looked at Ahsoka and Barriss.  She suddenly felt sick and horrified.  They stared back, concerned.

    "Are you ok, Asajj?"  Barriss tried to go to her, but Ventress jerked back a few steps, looking at them all.

    "What is it!?  Ventress?"  Ahsoka looked at her, a little scared.  "Did you fight here?"

    Ventress looked at Hendricksson.  He suddenly realized she was not the same person who came to this planet early in the Clone War.  She had completely forgotten what had happened here.

    "Come with me." He went to a door on the other side of the room.  It looked as if it led outside, but something froze Ventress to her spot in terror.

    "No." she whispered.  She started to shake.

    Colonel Hendricksson would have none of it.  "Ventress....COME HERE!" he barked.

    The Doctor and Conradin walked up on either side of her.  "What is going on?"  the Doctor looked at her.  She looked at them, and walked towards Hendricksson.

    "You're afraid?"  The Colonel tilted his head in surprise.

    She did not answer back, but seemed to brace herself.  It must have been almost 3 years ago when she came here.  I was all so fuzzy.  She fought in so many battles, killed many clone troopers, helped suppress many worlds.  Why was she terrified now?

    "Maybe this will jog your memory" He opened the door.  Outside was a huge public square.  Ventress slowly walked out.  The others followed.  Ventress scanned the area.  There was wreckage every where, and scorch marks from combat.  In the center of the square was a large white statue of a woman, raising her arms to the sky.  The sculpture included two children and a plaque with alien writing.  There were scorched shadows of some of the walls of the surrounding buildings.

    The more she looked, the more her jaw dropped.  She remembered this place, and they were not good memories.  "Oh no" she thought back to a different time, when she was a different person.  A Sith killer.

    "It can't be" She looked, and remembered the battle she fought in this very square.  She could see the Nemon now.  They were  a race of lizard people, very advanced.  But it didn't matter at the time.  Dooku had ordered their extermination.  And a young Asajj Ventress was his lethal weapon.  She was his vengeance.  And she sowed death upon the Nemon.

    She remembered the armored Nemon with their carbine blasters, and fleeing civilians.  Separatist tanks steamrolled into the city, droid troops marched over bodies.  And Asajj was there, cutting down the enemy soldiers.  She was skilled, she was deadly.  And nobody escaped her wrath.  The present day Ventress cursed under her breath, and passed judgement on the younger Ventress as a monster.  She remembered faces, pain, blood.  The Hell of war.  A memory blocked away after she burned through her anger and revenge.  All that was left was remorse, regret.

    She subconsciously walked up to the statue.  It remained solid, intact after all this time.  It, too seemed to express something close to regret.

    She held back tears.  She could almost hear the Separatist fleet of ships above, bombarding the planet, burning it into the ground.  100.000 years of Nemon growth and development destroyed in less than a week.

    Ahsoka and Barriss called out to her, and started towards her.  How could she face them now?  "Stay back!"  She barked.  She felt incredible shame and horror.  "Please don't come over here!"  She looked away from them, and faced the statue.  It was odd.  The Nemon were a race of lizards, but the statue of their Goddess looked human.

    The memories kept flooding in, and refused to stop.  It was a massacre, and not just Nemon Soldiers, but women, children, the elderly.  All had offended Count Dooku, and all were made to perish.  She could hear the roar of the fleet engines, the bombardments around the planet, the weapons of evil that shattered the entire ecology of what was a beautiful world.  And she led the attack, she led the Nemon into utter destruction.  She closed her eyes, trying to wish it away, but it was there.  It happened, and nothing was going to change history.

    "Why did you come back?"  Hendricksson asked.  He had walked up to her as she bowed her face into her hands.  He did not quite understand how the merciless Sith Ventress could suddenly now show such weakness, such pain over a past conquest forgotten in the Clone War histories.  Somewhere between the conquest and today she had changed, she had gained her soul back.  And it felt pain and anguish for a people she never knew.  "What are you doing back here?"


    She sneered, not looking at him, and bit her lip to keep control of her emotions "I don't know."  Her imagination must have been running wild.  She could actually hear the engines of the Separatist fleet.  Then, she looked up.  A large cruiser and 4 destroyers of the CIS hovered high above in the polluted clouds.

    Hendricksson grabbed her "Time to hide!  Get back to the house!"  They moved back inside away from the square.  Ventress and Hendricksson noticed movement in the square.  The armored troops of the Nemon had reappeared.  They were marching towards the house.






    Meanwhile, Lux and Katniss were nearing the ruins in the chopper.  Fuel was nearly gone but it might be enough to get them there.  "LOOK!"  Katniss pointed up above.  They spotted the Separatists ships i the sky.

    "That can't be good!" he replied.  He set down to land outside the ruins.  Lux and Katniss grabbed what supplies they needed and ran for a series of dunes near the barbed wire border.  They found a spot and cloaked themselves under some of the sand to hide.

    It was a perfect view of the Town Square near the entrance.  He pulled out some binoculars and searched for Ventress or the others.  He spotted a shuttle leaving the command ship, and making its way to the square.  Strange soldiers in armor appeared in the square.  "There they are!"  He spots Asajj, Ahsoka, Conradin, Barriss and the Doctor exiting one of the ruined houses.  "I don't see Riddick or Vincent...." he frowned.

    He continued to watch the activity going on, but also zoomed in on Ahsoka to make sure she was ok.  The group looked worried as the shuttle landed.  Count Dooku exited the craft.  Lux cursed.
   
    Dooku looked over the tired, exhausted group.  Though they had not been on the planet long, they were worn down by the experience, the loss, and now a surprise visit from the greatest tyrant of the Clone Wars.
   
    "Well, well well......My dear Asajj Ventress.  How you have fallen far.  And what a motley crew of comrades!  Ahsoka Tano, and Barriss Offee!  Were they to be your new Apprentices perhaps?"  Nobody spoke, or could look at him.

    Colonel Hendricksson aimed his rifle in disbelief.  Droid guards and Nemon soldiers had surrounded them, but Dooku was in control.  "Put down your gun, Colonel.  We have a truce now."

    "What are you talking about?"  Hendricksson looked at all the Nemon.  He was shocked that none of them took action.  They quietly watched behind Dooku, but none of them aimed their guns at him.  "What are you waiting for?  It's Count Dooku and his sidekick The Phantom Queen you all used to moan about!  You just going to stand there!?"

    A group of reptilian representatives in white robes came up, parting their way through the soldiers.  One of the elder looking Nemon was the one Ventress spotted in her binoculars out in the desert.  "I am elder Varda.  I am very sorry, Asajj Ventress" he addressed her "Our council has seen you return to the planet.  They have decided to take action."

    "What has happened?" Ventress looked up at the Nemon elders.

    One of the Nemon elders steps forward.  "Asajj Ventress!  You are charged with crimes against the Nemon people!  You are charged with crimes during a period of war.  It is time to begin your trial while we still can hold one."

    "Yes!  A trial of the war criminal Ventress will cement an ever lasting friendship between us, Elder Pardek!"  Dooku grinned and looked at them.  Ventress was shocked at what she heard.  "You're siding with each other?  But Dooku....you attacked these people!"

    "No, Asajj." he grinned even more "YOU did!"  Before anyone could protest, the guards hauled them away.  Dooku sneered as Conradin went by.  He nearly had them all in his grasp.

    Lux watched, and looked over the perimeter as the Nemon took the prisoners to an underground bunker.  He sighed "I've got to figure out a way into the ruins"

    Katniss held his shoulder and pointed to the barbed wire zone "That's a danger spot."  I'm not sure what is in that area, but it's fenced off for a reason."  She pulled out some water and rationed a small sip for herself.





    The group was marched down deep underground.  The Nemon and Dooku discussed terms of some kind as Ventress, Hendricksson and the others were placed in a holding room.  "This is nuts!"  Hendricksson balked "We fought the Sepratists!  Why would they want an alliance now?  Unless Dooku found a way to throw you under the bus and make the CIS look completely innocent" he looked at Ventress.

    She shrugged.  "I wouldn't put it past him.  Deception is an artform to him."  Ventress looked back at Hendricksson, puzzled "A moment before you called me....the Phantom Queen.  What kind of nickname is that?  Do these people actually call me that?"

    Hendricksson looked at them with caution.  "The Nemon....well, they're a religious sort of people.  They have a legend, based on that statue in the square.  The Phantom Queen.  Kind of represents a Goddess of Death.  There's a prophecy they have, though it's all a bunch of mysticism."

    Ventress closed her eyes and sat down to relax "Goddess of Death.  How appropriate."  She looked at Ahsoka and Barriss.  She felt ashamed of her history.  "You both know what I once was."

    Ahsoka sat down beside her and put an arm around her "That is the past.  You made it the past when we left Coruscant."

    "Well, kid, some people don't forget so easily" Hendricksson lit up another deathstick "The Nemon....they were practically wiped out by your friend here."  He made sure he got everyone's attention "You see, people, there are only a hundred and fifty Nemon here.  Not just in the facility, or the territory.  Do you understand?  There are ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY Nemon.  As in THAT IS ALL that are left of this civilization.  Whatever kind of person Ventress is now....well, she must face destiny for the crimes of the Ventress from three years ago."

    Ventress bowed her head "He's right.  This will be the shortest trial ever.  There's no contest to it.  I'm guilty of horrible crimes"  Barriss sat down next to her.

    "But you're not the same person!  Surely they will see that!  They....They will see that!?  Won't they?"  Barriss shuddered a little.  She thought back on her own trial.  In her own mind, she had considered her crimes against the Jedi.  Surely Ventress didn't deserve this after all they had been through.  But the truth could be seen on Hendricksson's face.  Barriss had killed a few trusted friends and allies.  Ventress brought an entire race to the brink of extinction....

    Ventress frowned and held them both close.  "I'm going to confess, and they're going to punish me.  That's all there is.  I will make sure that you guys are made to wait here.  I don't want you to hear what happened.  I think it's best you don't hear it.  I committed terrible acts.  And when it is over and they carry my body away-"

    "-What!?"  Ahsoka stopped her "Don't say that!  We can win this trial!  They will see you are different!  You saved us!  You have good in you!  You proved you could change-"

    "-And by accepting this punishment, I will prove it.  But I must accept punishment.  The old Ventress would have snuck away and let you all to rot here.  No, Ahsoka.  I must face my Destiny."  Ventress held them close.

    Ahsoka felt a little shock, and perhaps tried to deny what she was hearing, tried to deny it had to end this way.  "I want you to take care of the others.  Get them off this world, escape if possible.  Once I'm gone, Dooku won't hesitate to have you all killed."

    Ahsoka hugged her close, getting upset.  "How many more times must we face death?  How many more times will people come after us!?  It's not fair.  We were going to change.....but nobody will leave us in peace!"

    "You will find your courage, Ahsoka.  After all....you're the one who helped me find mine."  Ventress leaned her head to Ahsoka's and Barriss'.  They had grown close very quickly, in spite of their history, and the differences that separated them in the war.

    Conradin went up to Hendricksson "I heard Dooku talking about finding a treasure for the Nemon.  And more about Ventress being the Phantom Queen.  Is that all a part of their religion?"

    Hendricksson gave a slight shrug "It's tricky trying to figure it out.  I'm just a merc.  I was brought here to help defend the planet when the Clone troopers were still getting their feet wet in the early stages of the war.  The rest of my men are either dead, or captured and imprisoned on some far off world doing slave labor.  The rest who survived hightailed it back to the inner rim.  I've been looking out for the Nemon, but they got all reclusive on me after the first year of surviving the desolation of Beaudicca-3.  From what I understand, The Phantom Queen came to destroy the Nemon, but may also play a different part.  The treasure is just some metaphorical story of repentance or rebirth.  Something...."

    The Elder Varda, overhearing them as he entered, corrected him "Not just a metaphor, my good Colonel.  It is real.  A real treasure.  And I suspect this 'Alliance' Dooku proposes is to gain access to it and horde it for himself."

    Hendricksson spit out his death stick and got into Varda's face "Why would the Elders Ally themselves with the man who destroyed their world?  It doesn't make sense!"

    Varda looked at him with sympathy.  "They have nothing left to lose believing in his proposal.  Plus....Ventress' return has created a stir.  Dooku has convinced them the attack on our world was entirely Ventress' doing, against the wishes of the *peace-loving* Separatists.  I'm afraid I can only do so much to remind them that Dooku threatened us with death if we refused to cooperate."

    "How can we stop this sham of a trial?" the Doctor gritted his teeth.  He hated injustice with a passion, and a huge injustice was taking place.

    Varda shook his head "Ventress will go before the elders and be offered a choice.  Instant death....or to face the Lord of the Dead, The great Eihort."

    Ventress went over to Hendricksson and Varda.  What is the 'great Eihort'?  And can you guarantee the safety of my friends?"

    "The Great Eihort is a horrible beast that has inhabited certain deep places of our world for many millenia.  A monstrous being that is intelligent yet amoral.  It's pretty much a death sentence to be cast into the labyrinth of Eihort.  When he catches you, and he will.....he offers you a choice.  Death or to be a carrier"

    "A carrier?"  Ventress raised an eyebrow.

    Varda looked away.  "To carry its babies inside you, until they eat their way through you.  It is a painful death."

    Ventress shook her head, and her heart raced with a little fear.  "So, my choices are death in the courtroom, death from Eihort, or death from its babies.  Terrific."

    Varda put his hand on her shoulder "But you are different from others who would face Eihort!  You are the Phantom Queen, and I believe there is a different fate in store for you..."  She looked at him, confused, waiting for an explanation.  "The Prophecy of the Morrigu says the Phantom Queen will become greater than what she was before.  You will save us.  save the Nemon people.  The Nemon, even in these dark times, still believe in beauty, still believe in greater things.  We still have love, and when you confess there will be Forgiveness to cleanse you of your past.  It will be the turning point in your life.  You will face the Eihort and triumph"

    She sighed, depressed "Sure.  All one hundred and fifty of you will have forgiveness in your hearts.  Fine.  Varda, I appreciate your support.  I appreciate that you seem to stay positive in all this, but let's try to view reality as the grim pile of garbage that it really is."

    The guards entered.  "It is time, Asajj Ventress!"  They aimed their guns.  Varda stood back to give her room.  Everyone becanme tense.  Ahsoka and Barriss ran up and clutched Ventress, a futile gesture to keep her from leaving.

    "You can't take her!"  Ahsoka pleaded with the Nemon "She's....not the same person! She's not!!"  Ventress closed her eyes, trying to stay strong.

    Barriss hugged her "You were going to keep me from falling.  You promised!  They can't take you!  What's going to happen now!?  I was strong maybe once....but you have been there to catch me..."

    Ventress looked at them, looked at Conradin and the Doctor.  Conrad came over and gently took Barriss in his arms, pulling her back as the guards prepared to take her away.

    Ahsoka also backed away.  Ventress looked at Varda.  He smiled, trying to assure her there was some hope in what she was doing.  Ventress looked back at her friends.  "Barriss, Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.  Ahsoka, I believe there is another world waiting for us after this trial.  A better world.  And I will be waiting for all of you there."

    The guards escort her away, with Varda following.  Ahsoka hugs the Doctor in despair.  They were four now, and nothing could stop fate from striking them down one by one.  Barriss held onto Conradin, and he hugged her tightly.  What would become of them now that Dooku held their lives in his hands?