Venomous, part fifteen

Atton shivered as he followed Valia, Bao-Dur, and Visas out into the rain. It was still almost pitch black outside and the thunder rang out ominously.

"Dammit, I'm gonna catch a cold," he said as he sneezed.

"Suck it up," Valia snorted.

"Next time, we get coats for this sort of thing," Atton complained once again.

"What's wrong with you? I find the rain particularly refreshing this time of year," Bao-Dur said with what seemed to be sincerity as the cold rain hammered down on top of their skulls.

"Are you blind?!" Atton called out through the howl of the storm.

"Only if I drink too much, Atton. And I like to drink. A lot. I can't even see ahead of me, making this little jaunt outside all the more pleasant."

"That's it, you need to see a frakking shrink!"

"You've got it all wrong, Atton. The shrink is the one who needs to see me."

"What in the-you just said the exact same thing I just said, but you reversed the words! There was no point to that!"

"Let's make mud sculptures after we're done. They're perfect for this kind of weather. I'll let you make your sculptures first so I can critique it," Bao-Dur replied with that disturbingly soft voice of his.

Atton just stared at him. Had he heard him right?

Wait, what am I thinking-OF COURSE I heard him right. Everybody on this damn trip is messed up. Me included, Atton thought bitterly.

But Bao-Dur-he was more messed up than the rest. During the flight to Dantooine, Kreia had requested numerous times to change dorms, claiming that the Zabrak's "black thoughts" were disturbing her ability to meditate. Valia had continuously refused however, amused by the effect Bao-Dur had on the old crone. If Atton had no stake invested in this, he would have been content to sit back and laugh at Bao-Dur's responses. But not when this guy was supposed to be watching his back. That the alien had a few screws loose was an understatement-there were things Bao-Dur had said to him on the way to Dantooine that made him question whether or not Bao-Dur had any screws to begin with.

What was wrong with him? If it was the Mandalorian Wars that were to blame, Atton would not be even slightly surprised-he himself spent a few month's in a psyche ward after the battle of Serroco. He also knew for a fact that far too many soldiers had ended up needing therapy and not getting it after Dxun. Even if it wasn't Dxun, he could name at least ten other campaigns that had certainly contributed to the need for psychological counseling.

Atton checked his bulky Mandalorian Disintegrator. It was getting a bit heavy to wield properly, meant more for armored fingers then plain old bare hands.

Yeah, and if he tried to modify it in any way, he'd have to explain how he got so good at customizing. It wasn't something a standard issue Republic grunt was taught, having to fight their way through most of the wars with standard issue. Only special ops had that time and money on their hands, not to mention the blood. Valia's suspicions would only raise.

Still though, he should try and work on it at least a little. The recoil on this thing was a schutta to deal with. It hurt his hands every time he pulled the trigger. He made a note to scavenge the next dead body they made as soon as possible.

Atton's eyes fell again on Valia. He found he still couldn't fathom her sometimes. She kept everything so closed off from her. Trying to make any sort of meaningful conversation other than tactics or telling a simple joke was like trying to build a suspension bridge between a moon and a blackhole.

Here she was, one of the greatest heroes of the Mandalorian Wars, a woman whose authority was second only to Revan and Alek-or Malak, as he later came to be called-and she hadn't followed them. Why? The question was driving him crazy.

He had served under her authority at first in the conflict. He was part of the 112th Rapid Assualt Devision, nicknamed "Valia's Valiant". He and his buddies had specialized in lightning fast guerilla attacks on enemy bases and scouting parties. They served on the frontlines and had been trained under especially brutal conditions by various Sargeants and Jedi under Valia's direct authority. Sure, in truth, Valia herself had had little to actually do with the group and was reportedly uncomfortable with the nickname of "Valia's Valiant" but just being associated with the most feared of Revan's Generals was enough to put the fear of death in the hearts of many a Mandalorian commander.

Atton for his part, had been singled out for his distinctive abilities at tracking and assualt after the battle of the Xoxin Plains. When he had joined, his original name-Jaq K'erowac-had been sealed away until after the war ended. "Atton Rand" was a name taken from the last names of two dead Mandalorian snipers. After wards had come six months of the most brutal training imaginable-he got the feeling that even if Valia wasn't really at all associated with the group, she might very well have approved of their training methods. When Atton had emerged from it, he knew practically everything there was to know about Mandalorians. He spoke their language fluently enough as to have no accent, knew where to hit their armor and had even practiced making some of their armor himself. He had graduated top of his class.

Not that it mattered much nowadays. His slight beer gut always put the ladies off and his family-a wife and kid-wouldn't take him back. The ghosts were the only people that he bothered to talk to now, giving most people the impression he was crazy when they caught him talking into thin air. More than once had he toyed with the idea of killing himself, but one of the ghosts always talked him-or forced him-out of it. Partly because they still had that damnable Jedi compassion of theirs but some of the ghosts-and he was fairly certain of it-didn't mind watching him getting his, especially after all he had done.

Atton winced at a sharp pain in his stomach. The more of these damn Jedi and Sith, the more he felt ill-and the more the ghosts became active. Before last night it had always been one to two ghosts at a time-never four at once.

Was it possible that the other Force users of the group were making them more aggressive? Was he going to have to worry about a battle for control? He shuddered at the thought of how it might turn out. He had personally helped kill dozen's-perhaps hundreds of Jedi in either assualt teams, assassination missions, good old fashioned bombings, and some of his more personalized methods...

Even the ones who didn't mind being joined to him might not resist if the other more aggressive ghosts decided it was finally time to screw Jaq completely.

"Atton," Valia growled. "We're here. You take point."

"Why do I have to take point?" Atton asked as they stared at the cave.

"Because I said so. Get going," Valia growled.

"Yeah, sure. I WOULD get sent ahead and deal with all the nasty ick of this nasty icky cave," Attom mumbled under his breath, drawing his pistol. He ventured forward.

The first thing he noticed was a great deal of dead Kinrath. He signaled for everyone to stop. Someone had been here recently. Someone who liked to use heavy repeaters. Judging by the tracks and prints in the soil, he would say there were about twelve of them.

But Atton, still intent on playing the fool, merely said "Huh. Someone's been in here."

"My sight detects at least a dozen seperate signatures. And another, more powerful one..." Visas trailed off.

Valia stared at the dead kinrath and Atton could swear he could feel the rage building up in her.

"Bastards," she spat. "Keep moving."

Atton went foward as silently as possible, careful not to step on anything loose. Before he realized it, he was gliding silently, sinking into his old training as he approached a passage in the cave.

"Atton!" came a hiss that did not belong to any body he was actually with.

Atton cocked his head slightly to one side. It was the Zeltron Jedi.

"Atton, you moving way too silent for someone who's supposed to be just another smuggler."

Atton gave a quick glance behind him. Valia was eyeing him suspiciously.

Atton immediately stumbled and tripped.

"Good. You've thrown her off," the Zeltron said before vanishing.

He watched Valia cock her head quizzically to one side and then shrug a bit.

Atton hefted the disintagrator and pointed it forward, making sure to not be as silent as he had been before, but not so much that he would give them away.

As he got closer to a fork in the cave path, he began to hear voices...

"Today is payday. Soon as our boys secure transport we can get this Jedi off this rock," a rough female voice said.

"Well good. Those damned Jal-Shey ruined almost everything else by beheading Azkul. You have an idea as to how long we have to wait?

"A day or so, but don't worry: No one knows we're here."

At that moment Valia gave the signal to attack.

Atton peered into the dimly lit cave mouth and fired indiscriminately at the five mercenaries he spotted. They blinked dumbly in surprise as they were hit. They hadn't really much of a chance to do anything, being too slow to pull their blasters out. Atton winced a bit as he remembered how many times the Mandalorians and Jedi had done that to him. They had failed, certainly-but watching these men drop like they had was an uncomfortable reminder of how close he had come to dying the exact same way.

Atton spun his blaster for a second and stuck it in his holster, his eyes locking onto the old Jedi stuck in the Force cage about a few feet to his right.

Atton snorted. He had never captured a Jedi this easy. They always liked to run or do that stupid somersaulting crap. By the time he spotted them, he usually had to end up killing them. Only later, when he really started to pay attention to how they fought had he had any success at bringing them in intact.

The old balding Jedi stared at him with a minor disinterested feel about him and when he spoke there was that aggravating quality of arrogance present in nearly every Jedi he had ever met.

"Another mercenary? You're like animals fighting for scraps."

Atton wanted to shoot him right then and there but composed himself. He didn't need Valia ripping his entrails out.

"Nah, I ain't no mercenary. We're here to rescue you," Atton replied as amicably as he knew how.

Valia entered the area with a grimace.

"Or we could just leave you in the cage, if you prefer."

"The Exile returns? Are our troubles truly so dire that we see a harbinger of death such as yourself? Have you come to wreck your revenge on us?"

"Not really. Just getting you upset does wonders for my stress levels. Even better now that I know you are so incompetant as to allow these nerf-for-brains mercs to string you up."

"Has it occured to you that in allowing them to capture me I might learn the nature of our enemy?" Vrook asked.

"Yeah, and that is why you are an idiot. You always were when it came to tactics. You should have started cracking skulls, not letting yourself get captured. Besides, the mercs aren't the source of the problem at all. Do you even realise what is going on outside?"

"I sensed much unrest. Spurs of the darkness. Like I see in you."

"Don't you go starting on that old tirade! I ain't with the dead idiots outside. I actually came looking to save your sorry hide at Atris' request!"

"So Atris still lives. I thought she had gone to the meeting on Katarr," Vrook paused. "But why would she send you? You can't feel the Force. You're likely to get yourself killed."

"Let's just say I'm trying to get a little absolution for myself. And as for the Force..." Valia undid the controls on Vrook's force cage by holding out her hand.

Vrook stood up immediately.

"Hmm. I do not understand why the Force would return to you of all people-you are undeserving, if you ask me."

"Oh, so the Force is a privalege meant to be weilded by an elite few? How Sith of you. Remember your Jedi humility," Valia snapped. "Oh wait, I forgot-you have none, if monkeying around with Revan's memory is any indicator."

"So you know, do you? You were not there. For your information I had nothing to do with the erasure. I simply wanted her thrown in prison. I actually opposed it, but Atris, Zhar, and Quatra overruled me."

"A nice excuse. You spend all day thinking that one up?" Valia snorted. "I never knew you to tolerate anyone who disagreed with you."

"I'm telling the truth," Vrook replied tersely.

"From a certain point of view, perhaps. But that isn't important right now. What is important is you finding your way off this rock. Can you at least do that or will I have to hold your hand like my allies just did?"

"Humph. I can handle myself," Vrook snapped. "But the Khoonda facility? Are there any survivors?"

"What few still live are being guarded by the Jal-Shey."

"The Jal-Shey? Why are they involved?"

"Perhaps you would know if you had not been keeping these mercs company. Way to drop the ball, Vrook. Maybe if you had been a little more focused on protecting people, Khoonda might not have suffered such casualties. But then again you always did like to deafen your ears to the screams of the dying, didn't you?"

"If you refer to the Mandalorian Wars, I stand by the council's decision not to intervene."

"Of course you do. And I bet the Republic is just eager for your help nowadays, ain't it?"

Vrook stiffened.

"I have no desire to help those sellouts anymore. They couldn't abide by our decision and turned on us like animals during the Civil War. The return of the Jedi will see to it that such a betrayal never happens again."

Valia paused. "What do you mean they turned on you?"

"He's talking about the Senate's attempt to seize and privatize control of the Jedi during the Civil War," Atton explained. "It had been building towards that for years. The Jedi refusal to help during the Mandalorian wars pissed a lot of Senators off. What a lot of people don't know is that when Darth Revan first began her invasion of the Republic, the Senate delivered an ultimatum to the Jedi Council on Coruscant: Fight for us now or be outlawed permanently."

Valia turned to Atton. "How did you come by this information?"

"I can read a news terminal can't I?" Atton shrugged, doing his best to be nonchalant.

"Your...friend is correct. Indeed, when Darth Revan invaded, the Council wished more time to examine the threat before we acted. The Senate could not except that. The next thing we know, a Republic cruiser and a full contingent of Senate Troopers invade the Jedi Temple and arrest over twenty masters on false charges of treason. The Jedi had no choice but to cooperate. We caved into the Senate's demands and thousands of us were drafted and sent to the conflicts on the outer rim. But that was not the worst we suffered. Our darkest moment of the war came when Republic intelligence learned we had preserved Revan for our own purposes. When they demanded we surrender Revan and we could not deliver...they bombed the Enclave here. Then they let the Sith finish the job for them. To this day many still think it was Darth Malak who ordered the Enclave bombed-but even he wasn't that stupid enough to risk all the priceless knowledge the Enclave once contained," Vrook finished, a somber look on his face. "All these years of defending the Republic, defending it's ideals...for them to turn on us like this...ingrates..."

"The Republic turned on the Jedi?" Valia asked her expression darkening. "Huh. Didn't see that one coming."

"It's open season on our kind. It's open season on all who are Force sensitive. The Republic has decided to make a bid to militarize us, bring us under their direct authority permanently. I have even heard rumors that the Republic has a military force trained by former Sith. If it is true than they have truly betrayed us-betrayed democracy-" Vrook went on.

"What is democracy to an authoritarian like you? The only reason you're upset is 'cause you're finally getting a taste of your own medicine," Valia replied in snide fashion.

"Whatever other faults you may perceive of me, I certainly did not want nor expect this to occur. Not to mention the trouble we're having with the Sith. If you truly desire to gather the other masters I will go into hiding until you bring them to Dantooine. I have very little faith in your chances however. So many of us...are dead."

"I have very little faith in your competance to remain hidden. Just look at your capture. I wonder how many other people you'll allow to defeat you. Such a typical tactic. Let the enemy run you over! That way you are actually the winner. Get out of my sight," Valia finished angrily.

Vrook frowned and walked past her.

"Talking to that man for more than a minute always threatened to give me an ulcer," Valia snorted.

"Yeah, he was beginning to get on my nerves too," Atton thought out loud.

"Hey, General. One of the mercs is still alive," Bao-Dur noted, staring at a groaning merc nursing a blaster wound in his abdomen. "Can I have some fun at his expense?"

Valia nodded. "So long as you obtain information from him, I don't really care what you do. I have other business to attend to."

"As you command, General," Bao-Dur replied calmly, giving a small smile to the injured mercenary. As Atton, Valia, and Visas left the ccave chamber and went deeper into the tunnels, Atton faintly heard Bao-Dur.

"Say, good sir, have you ever been to a puppet show-?"

"Okay, what next, Fearless Leader?" Atton asked as they headed deeper into the cave.

"It occurs to me that having a few extra crystals on hand would be useful," Valia replied as the ventured into a large cavern.

Atton whistled as he beheld the crystals. He had always heard of places like this, but had never actually been to one. Once after killing a Jedi target (One which regularly haunted him nowadays), he had taken apart his victim's lightsaber, and had spent hours fascinated by the gently glowing light of the small Adegan crystal.

"I bet you could get a whole bunch of credits for just a small bit of these," Atton noted, trying to mask the enthusiasm with which he entered the place.

"Huh. You could indeed," Valia replied. Her eyes instantly focused on something pulsating at the center of a large crystal formation.

Valia ventured toward it. The pulse of ruddy green light grew brighter. The formation made a low hum, and Valia could tell that it was vibrating all along the surface.

Valia reached out with her right hand, while keeping her left on a blaster.

The formation exploded violently, sending shards of glowing rock in every direction. Atton and Visas barely managed to shield themselves as Valia was flung back into a rock wall. She didn't move for a few seconds but then slowly stirred as Atton and Visas approached.

Valia shook herself off, her head spinning from the impact as she unclenched her hand.

A small, strange crystal fell out, covered in blood.

Atton picked it up. The crystal was a dark green, laced with a small vein of red through it. It seemed to throb in his hand, and--much to his surprise--actually seemed to try and squirm out of his grip.

"Ewww," Atton said, dropping the strange object.

Valia picked it up.

"Well, this is a rarity. A blood blonded crystal."

"A what? I've never heard of such a thing," Visas said.

"Certain crystal growths react to certain Force-Sensitive signature ranges. It's very rare. In this case, this particular one had some sort of pre-existing chemical composite or microbiotic property that caused it to react to the electrcal field that my body uses to transmit Force Energy. Since it got some of my blood on it, it has become partially organic."

"You're saying it is...alive?" Visas asked.

"In a sense. It will respond to me only. This will make it a very useful tool. Who knows-it might even become stronger as I grow in strength," Valia replied, immediately taking the crystal back and putting it in her pocket. "Gather what you can carry, we're leaving."