Xarkun's forces sat in emepty space, very quiet, but regrouping to steal a good amount of capitol ships from the Kuat Ship Yards, the plan was for Magus to use his battle meditation, and for stormtroopers and extra officers to take transports into the hanger bays of ships and get to the bridge to steal them, otherwise they would break in through the hatches. All they had to do was mobalize, and they'd be off....

They were ready to go, Xarkun stood on the bridge of the Gorgon, his new capitol ship. All he had to do was... give the order. And then space rippled before him, for a second he thought several Mon Calamari Cruisers would pop out of hyperspace and open fire, but what flew out of hyperspace was no Mon Calamari Cruiser, it was a dark, shiney black super star destroyer. Immediately someone told him a transmission was attempted to come through, he instructed they allow it to and a hologram of a man with very thick eyebrows appeared before him.

"Lord Xarkun," said the man. "You don't know how long it has taken me to find you. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Supreme General Delvardus."

"Supreme General?" Xarkun scoffed. "That is by far the worst self appointed military title I've ever heard. So what is it that you want Delvardus?"

"You see Lord Xarkun, there is a council of all those powerful in the Remnant, it's been established only recently, I am on that council, I myself intercepted that coded transmission you sent, calling all Imperials to you. I presented it to the council, I told them you were a Sith Lord and that we had to serve you, but I was outvoted, so I come to you know and present this ship, as well as the rest of my fleet to your cause, Lord Xarkun, I give you the Night Hammer."

"So, you came to me out of fear?"

Delvardus looked taken aback.

"I..."

"Well, you did, did you not?"

"I suppose... it was driven by some fear."

"You betrayed the wishes of those on your council to side with me?"

"Yes."

"You must expect me grateful..."

"I... well I'd hoped..."

"I'm not grateful, not to you, though I will take that super star destroyer and your fleet."

"Well... um..." Delvardus looked utterly confused.

"If there is one thing I cannot stand Delvardus, it is betrayal, now prepare for my arrival."

"Tell me." said Xarkun right off. "What are the capablities of the Night Hammer?"

"It's black of course," said Delvardus. "With all lights turned off it is difficult to see in space, but it also can be cloaked."

"Excellent. How is it armed?"

"Several hundred turbo lasers, ion cannons, proton torpedo launchers, it's armor is also very thick and we have several sheild generators, it's sheilds are excellent too, in theory it could stand up to a fleet of thirty ships and sustain mild to moderate damage." Delvardus said.

"Very well, you said something about a fleet?"

"Yes, I have several dozen Imperial Class Star Destroyers, as well as a large, large armada of Victory Class."

"Good, call them in."

"Now?"

"Immediately."

"Very well."

And so Delvardus did, once he was finished he turned back to Xarkun.

"They've been called."

"Excellent, and they will follow my orders without question."

"Yes."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what..."

"Very well, what is your title?"

"Supreme General."

"No doubt crafted by your own, power hungry mind?" Xarkun suggested, Delvardus looked taken aback, everything this Sith had said to him caught him off guard.

"Well, yes, the title is my own."

"Well I've decided the title shall be... added as a permanent rank int he military. However I've also decided that an Admiral outranks you."

"I... what?!"

"And you see, I have an Admiral, Admiral Daala."

"Oh..."

"And you... you are very useless to me, plus I dont like you."

"What... excuse me!"

"I don't like your tone either."

Delvardus was at a loss for words, he opened and closed his mouth several times to retort but perhaps his better judgement told him not to. No matter what he would have said it would not have had much bearing on his fate. In one swift movement Xarkun drew un unlit saber hilt, activated it, and ran it right through Delvardus's sweaty neck, as though he were cutting butter. Supreme General Delvardus fell down dead, all of his crew members stared.

"You all are under my command now. I am taking the Night Hammer as my new capitol ship. You!" Xarkun pointed at a random officer. "Contact Admiral Daala, instruct her to leave her post on the Gorgon, she is now captain of this ship, Commander Kratas can take over for her, also send a message to Lord Magus, tell him I give the Gorgon to him as a gift. That is all. Now once Delvardus's fleet arrives we will move out."

"Attention all pirates! My name is Tinder, and I'm one of you! Ask yourselves this: why are you following Xarkun's rules, when you won't even follow those of the New Republic? Is this really more profitable? How many pirates have died in these battles, just because Xarkun thinks he can do a better job of ruling than the New Republic? Do you think he will remember your sacrifice for him when he gains power? Do you think you'll be any more free to do as you wish with the Sith ruling the galaxy? Do any of you remember what the rules were like under Palpatine?

"Get out of here while you still can. Don't be a pawn for this madman! Don't let him control you, too!" Just then, her computer made a noise that signaled her transmission had been cut off. Still, she could see many of the pirate ships disappearing into hyperspace... soon there were few, if any left.

And her ship was being boarded. "Aw, great, how come I didn't see that coming?" she asked herself as she hid beside the hatch, vibroblade in one hand, and blaster in the other.

And then space rippled and Delvardus's fleet exited hyperspace, it was so much more then he'd hoped for, at least thirty Imperial Class star destroyers, and am armada of Victory Class, all were crimson, Delvardus's color, they were uncountable, he wondered whether or not he even needed to go to Kuat now... but of course, why settle for half.

XxX

Raz drew her sais and twirled them skillfully as she stepped through her open hatch and approached the Wounded Marnock's sealed one. Finally some fun, stuck up with a self absorbed, insane, shouting Sith Lord was a real drag. She stabbed one sai into the sealed door, it did not penetrate, she cursed quietly, sheated one sai and drew her lightsaber, activating its cerulean blade she quickly cut through the hatch and leapt in. There was the little b--

She shot at her! Raz dodged easily, but still that little traitorus girl shot at her! Oh, yeah, she was going down.

Tinder shot the moment the lightsaber cut through the hatch. The woman, Raz Vena, Tinder remembered, came at her quickly. Not to be taken down so easily, Tinder tossed the blaster and used the vibroblade to swing at her opponent. Raz's lightsaber easily cut through the metal. Damn, Tinder thought, but followed through anyways, leaving a nice little gash on the woman's arm with what was left of her sword. Bringing her knee up, she made to kick Raz in the stomach, but Raz was faster, and grabbed her leg, twisting it. Tinder landed on the floor with Raz sitting on top of her, her leg turned at an angle that sent pain all up and down her body. Tinder struggled to get free, kicking at Raz with her other leg, but it was no use. She'd have to wait for Raz to move.

Raz reached for a pair of binders she had, but it was too late Tinder finally kicked her off, she rolled backward and breifly heard the girl scramble up to pick up her vibro blade. Raz leapt up and drew her sais, they went at it.

Raz twirled her sais, left one down across her arm, right one pointed forward. Tinder struck first, Raz raised her left arm and met the blade, with her right she stabbed at Tinder, at the last moment the girl dodged, Raz slightly knicked her clothing, drawing up a few threads, just a few second earlier and there would have been a hole in the girl's abdomen. Raz scowled as Tinder pushed her arm away, spun and stuck. The bounty hunt flipped her sais to offensive position and ducked, Tinder's blade nearly got her, but not quite. And now the unfortunate little traitor was in a terrible position, Raz lauched into a sweep kick and tripped her.

A grunt escaped Tinder's lips as she hit the ground. The Force Sensitive bounty hunter ran to tackle and subdue her pray, at the absolute last possible moment Tinder extended her foot and Raz landed on it, seconds later hands grabbed her arms and threw her toward the ship's contol console. She barely got to her feet in time, Tinder was now charging at her. This girl was pretty good...

Raz dodged at Tinder's overhead strike flew down, it missed her and cut into the control panel, with the butt of her sai Raz smacked Tinder's back, right at a preassure point. The girl dropped her vibro blade and fell forward onto the panel, hands spread out like an eagles wings. Raz tossed her sais back and pulled out the cuffs once more, this time successfully binding Tinder's hands together. She stood her up, pulled her around so that she could see the girl's face.

"That was fun sweetie. Good fight, I enjoyed it. Next time make sure you have some better skills. Xarkun's gonna be happy to see you." Raz said quietly, but she didn't give the traitorus girl a chance to retort. Pulling back she swung her elbow into Tinder's head, knocking her unconsious, no more chances... she took her last one the first time she brought the cuffs out. Now it was time to bring her to Xarkun....

(Sorry, it was a bit choppy and stuff, I cant write right now, and I need to go soon. I might post later.)

Xarkun. She could sense him. That was what was drawing her. No! It was the other remote, she knew that, her own makeshift remote was losing it's power over her. Just a few more steps and she would be helpless to escape his powers over her mind... but it was already too late. She couldn't get away from Raz, and Xarkun walked toward them both.

Narrowing her eyes at the Sith, she determined to speak her mind before it was wiped clean again. She let hatred fill her as she spoke. "Kill me. Kill me now, Xarkun, because the second I get free, I'm going to rip out your eyes with my fingernails!" she spat, feeling the darkness flow through her. The handcuffs rattled and fell to the floor, but Tinder barely noticed. Everything that had ever been done to her, done by her, filled her with rage as she clenched her fists so hard blood began to drip to the floor. "I want you to learn about horror, Xarkun, about pain. No need to look into my mind to find it.. I'll teach you myself!" With that, she flung herself at the Sith seconds before she reached him, she was suspended in thin air, feeling as though a giant hand was crushing her. Her hatred pushed against that hand, but it held firm. That just made her anger grow, and she screamed in fury. "When I get free I'll gut you and strangle you with your own entrails!" she choked out, her throat constricted by the Force as she was lifted higher into the air.

Xarkun watched her, his eyes narrowed.

(There ya go, Sith Master. Didn't put any words in your mouth, and I tried to make it so that he did what he normally would... though, with Xarkun, nothing's normal.)

"I can feel the anger within you? Why not use it, and you'll be drawn more and more into the Dark Side. Come, embrace your hatred, each moment you'll become more and more my servent!" Xarkun spat whilst reaching into his robes and pulling out the remote. "Even more then this.... No, you'd prefer to know your free will? Then you'll know pain."

Xarkun extended his hands and a bursts of Force Lightning flew out at Tinder, engulfing her body, crew members watched in horror, even Daala looked slightly afraid. To Tinder's relief Xarkun let up for a moment.

"Had enough? Not even close!" Xarkun bellowed, he doubled his efforts and called on all the Force he could muster to produce the lightning this time. Every now and then he let up slightly, before doubling his efforts again. Rage had now fully consumed him, Tinder was not the only one who should have been frightened, any random crew member....

"IS THIS PAIN?! NO! THIS IS NOT EVEN CLOSE! MY MASTER... MY MASTER HE'D PUNISH ME FOR... FAILING TO COMPLETE A MOVE IN A SABER FORM WORSE THAN THIS!" Xarkun bellowed, his voice echoing around the bridge. He increased the power of the lightning so much that his hands shook dangerously from the power that he was dishing out. Finally he let up, leaving Tinder very close to death... so close... but not now, she'd suffer more...

"YOU BETRAYED ME! AND SO YOU WILL KNOW PAIN! YOU WILL COME TO KNOW PAIN AS I KNEW IT FROM MY MASTER'S HAND!" Xarkun screeched. "And then... you'll... die."

"Take her away." Xarkun snapped to Raz. "She's in no fit state to resist you. Toss her in a cell, you may do what you wish to her en route, just dont kill her."

And with that Raz gladly snatched Tinder up, dragging her roughly off the bridge of the Night Hammer, did the girl even know the weapon she stood on? Waiting until she was far out of earshot Xarkun turned to Daala.

"Mobalize the entire fleet, we're all going to Kuat, I want the Night Hammer stealthed when we arrive.... A good test of its abilities, and a nasty surprise for any opposing Rebel forces that try to stop us." Xarkun ordered. It would not due for Tinder to hear where he planned to go and tell her Jedi comrades, even if they knew already... whatever, it had no bearing. His fleet was so massivly large that... he didn't even need it all, but this way he might manage to take a few more ships.

A few minutes later the stars turned to thin glowing lines and merged together as the fleet jumped and headed to Kuat.

Her rage simmered inside her as she commanded her body to move. It wouldn't budge. Raz kicked her in the stomach once before leaving the cell, locking the door behind her. Now Tinder was lying in a brightly lit cell, with nothing but a hard bunk that she couldn't get to. It was a sharp contrast to the contents of her soul, which was filled with darkness and visions of blood. She narrowed her eyes. She was going to kill him... she was going to kill him very, very slowly.

Her rage boiled within her, exploding inside of her until she could barely contain it. It gave her the strength to get up, to stand. She clenched her fists, venting her rage into the Force. " I will kill you, Xarkun !!!" she screamed, her voice echoed mentally by the Dark Side of the Force, so that all Force-sensitives on the ship could hear it. "I will make you pay, I will get out of here and I will bathe in your blood when I'm finished with you!!!" With that, she focused her rage on the locks to the cell. They wouldn't budge, though the metal started to warp slightly. More and more, she let the dark power fill her, and used it to warp the metal of the door. If the lock wouldn't come undone, she would bend the door away from it if she had to!

Then Xarkun spun to a random crew member, speaking aloud this time he said,

"Enclose the girl's cell in ray sheilds, no matter what she does, if she rips the very floor out from under her feet she wont be able to penetrate the ray sheild, and she'll be shocked to death as well. Do it!"

"Yes sir," said the officer, and so it was done. No matter what Tinder did to that door she would not escape no matter what she did.

"Come now Tinder, you're being so unwise.... Shall I give you a lesson in subtlties? Never shout at your Force using captor through the Force as you are about to escape, because then said captor will lock onto your presence and see everything you are doing whilst retorting. Have a wonderful day, I've weapons to steal... we've almost arrived."

Throwing off all doubts, she plunged herself into her own black fury, allowing the darkness to eat at her soul, allowing the pure hatred to build up, until she had enough of it to concentrate into a ball of pure black power. Over and over she did this, building her ball of hatred, her core of power. She did not let Xarkun see into her mind... all they could see through the cameras was a young girl meditating. Once they opened the door, however...

The power within her grew, and she waited.

Tinder grinned. Idiot! Using the Dark Side of the Force she had welled up within her, she caused the air molecules around his armor to move faster, heating up. Faster and faster she moved them... to the stormtrooper, she hadn't even moved. But he was getting hot... too hot... soon, the stormtrooper screamed as he was being roasted alive in his own uniform. He tried to get to the door controls, but she was too fast, and he went flying down the hall, suffocating inside the armor. Before long his twitching form was still.

Tinder made her way down the hall, killing one stormtrooper after another with the Force, delighting in all the ways she knew how to kill a person. She was practicing... for when she saw Xarkun again.

She had to get away from the ship, didn't she? NO!!! her mind screamed at her. I will make him pay! She was being irrational... she was free now, she should escape, but she couldn't... she was drawn to Xarkun... to the remote...

Perhaps she would destroy it? The sane part of her mind wondered as the rest of her mind, insane with rage, drove her forward, ever forward, killing stormtrooper after stormtrooper until she got to her goal.

As she opened the door to the bridge, her eyes fell on Xarkun, who did not look at all surprised to see her. She scowled, her hatred sharply concentrated within her. She would destroy him... she would keep trying until she died. She was drawn to him. She must kill him. Guards who approached her were quickly pushed away with the Force, even Raz Vena couldn't get near her now. She narrowed her eyes at Xarkun. "We weren't finished," she said, and focused all of her rage around the Sith's neck, wishing to see if she could get past his defenses. He merely blocked her. Resigned to do this the old fashioned way, she summoned all of her rage, called one of Raz Vena's sais to her through the Force, and simultaneously leapt at the Sith, sai in hand.

"What the hell was that for?" Raz cried angrily. "You didn't have to ruin it!"

"Just shut it, will you?" Xarkun snapped and he kicked Tinder in the stomach and pulled the sai away from her, it floated in the air before him, held only by his mind, he'd been finding more and more that he not longer needed a limb to manipulate the Force. The bent sai creaked slightly and returned completely normal, Xarkun's mind tossed it at Raz who nearly died whilst catching it. The Sith Lord turned him attention back on Tinder, with a thought from his mind the Force pinned her down to the floor.

"You've been an annoyance in this last hour Tinder. We'll be arriving at Kuat soon... so I need to keep you in check, I was going to simply kill you, but I've one last torture.... Tinder's counter remote device flew from her person and came to Xarkun who caught it in mid air, with a small squeeze of his hand and aid from the Force he crushed it.

"Now," said the Dark Lord whilst pulling out the remote. "You'll listen to me Tinder... you work for me now, but you will remember everything since you first left my service and went to the Jedi, up until now... and so you hate me, but you are forced to obey."

The Sith Lord cackled loudly, his jet black eyes surveying Tinder as he allowed her to stand, completely under his control, but resisting with every fiber of her being.

"Now... what say you Tinder? Speak what you feel inside, let it all out, and then go get someone to clean up the mess you made in your cell."

(I've went for a different torture today, something mental rather than physical, now as I'm sure you can rimera, write how Tinder feels, I got your PM about the counter remote, since I intend for the actual remote to be destroyed anyway I destroyed the counter one, Xarkun will even destroy it himself when he feels ready to dispose of Tinder, of course she can escape. But he can't have many distractions at Kuat. Speaking of which Elisabeth and Ackbar are going to the places Magus told Daala about, right? If so I'll hold up a little before I come out at Kuat, that way I can really avoid a big battle, which, after Byss I'm not looking forward to. So just let me be on this one. Let one of Xarkun's plans go right...)

Tinder narrowed her eyes. "I hate you. I hate you with every fiber in my being. I want you to die, and I want to be the one to do it, to kill you slowly, very, very slowly!" she said, without thinking. "I hate that you did this to me, I hate you almost as much as I hate my father! I hate you because I'm afraid, afraid to be on my own, without a Captain, afraid to make my own decisions," she continued to speak, unable to control herself, and her eyes went wide. Was this really what she was feeling? "I hate you because I need a Captain, because I love you, and I can't control it." she said. "And I'm horrified that that's how I really feel. I feel sick to my stomach now and I'm going to go get someone to clean up the mess I made in my cell," she said, and her feet took her away, even though her mind screamed at her to stay, to fight him. She hated herself now, hated what she was... this was truly the worst torture anyone could endure.

She wanted to die.

When she came upon a stormtrooper she hadn't killed, she told him, "Take a team and clean up the dead bodies. Lord Xarkun wants you to clean up the mess I made," she said, unable to stop herself. At the mention of Lord Xarkun, the stormtrooper came to attention and ran off to do his bidding. She turned around and went back to the bridge.

When the door opened, everyone but Xarkun stared at her, as if wondering what she would do next. She merely walked in, standing at attention in silence, waiting for her next order. She could do nothing else. Desperately she wanted to fling herself at him, to steal that officer's blaster and shoot him, to scream, to do anything but just stand there, but stand there she did.

She had to obey her Captain.

Raz Vena walked towards her, looked the girl over, and punched her hard in the stomach. The wind was knocked out of her, and pain flooded her senses, but she didn't move... she couldn't. She wished she could kill Raz, but her Captain had not ordered it, and would be displeased. She couldn't even fight back, as much as she wished she could. Not even with the Force... it was out of her grasp, she couldn't even accidentally disobey her Captain. The woman stomped on her foot really hard, grinding her heal into the top of Tinder's foot, but still Tinder did not move. Satisfied, the woman walked away.

Tinder wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come. She wanted to scream, but her voice was stuck in her throat. Instead, she decided to make use of her time by concentrating. She couldn't touch the Force, as she suspected that may displease Xarkun, but she could marshal her anger, her rage. He told her she hated him, and that hatred rang true. She practiced gathering it up within herself, concentrating on it. Xarkun would make a bad order, just wait, and the one time he was careless about what he told her to do, she would... her mind wouldn't even let her plot against him! This was outrageous! She hated him so much... Resigned to merely practice focusing her rage, she waited... for her next order from Xarkun.

(Okay, sorry for playing puppet master with Raz Vena, but I needed to demonstrate just how the remote works in this situation. When she doesn't have her real memories, the implant makes her do her best to please her Captain, no matter what. If she even suspects something may displease her Captain, she can't do it. It's the same when she has her true memories, only now it doesn't seem like her own idea. Since Xarkun is pretty much displeased with her already, that doesn't leave much she can do but just stand there, which she knows will not displease him since he stood her up earlier. Like I said, Sith Master, Tinder will leave Xarkun alone now... she's at your beck-and-call. And Xarkun gains extra Dark Side points for coming up with the worst possible torment.)

Ships were being stolen quickly and defenses were being taken care of easily, as far as he knew none of his capitol ships suffered any damage, however it was inevitable that TIE fighters were lost.

Xarkun turned to face Tinder,

"Come." he said, and she obeyed. "Gaze out at my fleet, the ships I am stealing. They'll be used against your Republic... you know Tinder perhaps it is not I you should hate. I can feel your anger... it gives you power, makes you stronger, though I see it can't right now because the remote prevents you. I give you permission to say what you wish to me, but no more then that. You see Tinder, if you did not have me you would not be able to grow more powerful through your anger, you could feel it, couldn't you? How powerful you had become, I gave that power to you. One day you'll be able to lose it, as my ally I would gladly allow it, but would the Republic, would the Jedi? NO! I am on your side Tinder, trust me, I'll release you and help you become more powerful!"

Why was she listening to this monster? This man who controlled her, who made her do-

Exactly what would she have done on her own? Wasn't she being controlled when she went to the Jedi Temple? Choc and Eitn were her friends, and they had no alliances with the Jedi or the Republic... in fact, had Choc been able to get a decent price for the lightsaber crystals from Xarkun, and didn't fear for his life around the man, wouldn't he have made him the same deal he made Tol? Even her mother had been a pirate, and every pirate knew, alliances went to the highest bidder...

Still, he had controlled her. He hadn't freed her!

But then, she did still have her memories. He had left her her memories, so that she might taste power, so that she might know pain and hatred and learn to harness it. In the short time she had been here, she had already become twice as powerful in the Force as she had ever been.

Could she really continue to fight against her Captain?

She narrowed her eyes. "I can see that you have been teaching me. You didn't have to leave me my memories, you could have just killed me." Her anger rose up within her then, and she looked him straight in the eyes. "But my hatred for you keeps me together, makes me powerful! If I did not hate you, then who should I hate? Anyone who opposes you? You could simply order me to hate them, and I would. But... if you're telling me the truth, and it is not you I should hate, then who is my true enemy?" she asked. "If it is not you who has wronged me, then who has?"

Xarkun waited for Tinder's reponse, the Force had presented him with so many possiblities, now his fleet was swelling to a size that either rivaled or outnumbered the Republic's at Mon Calamari, and all the while he was gaining a valuable new servant, one who could become more powerful then Magus's pawn Duo. Perhaps rival or surpass Magus himself, perhaps surpass Xarkun! But he would not let her progress that far, he'd find some way to give her power, but not too much. For the first time since Byss all was going as planned.

Tinder thought about it. What Xarkun said seemed to make sense. Even Choc and Eitn, those she had thought were her friends, had knocked her unconscious and taken her away from Xarkun against her will. At the time she had not known what she wanted, but now... And, they had planned to leave her anyway. Didn't Choc say their alliance was temporary? No strings attached? She was only there to be convenient for them... they had tricked her! They had pretended to befriend her so that they could use her!

Xarkun was right about the Jedi, too. They had all come to her, distrusting her, trying to keep her from using the Dark Side, trying to make her weak! They wanted to control her, as they had done before! They were afraid of her power, of her potential! She would not be controlled by the likes of them! She would not be tricked again by false freedom!

Within her, her hatred began to take on a new face. She could not allow herself to be used the way she had been used by the Jedi! Her only freedom was through power, it was obvious now, and Xarkun was willing to show her how to use that power. He had made her stronger, the others only sought to make her weaker. She had so much potential, there was so much rage within her, it just needed the correct target...

Tinder looked back at Xarkun. The Sith Lord watched her, expectantly. He was the only path to true freedom to ultimate power...

Would she take it?

Tinder bowed her head, which was the only part of her that could move at the moment. "I will do as you ask, Lord Xarkun. I know you speak the truth. From this moment on, I pledge myself to your teachings. I freely give you that which has always been taken from me by force, my loyalty, in a vow that can only be broken by my death," she said, making a solemn vow. From this point on, she would only be loyal to Xarkun, and to no other. Never again would she call another 'Captain'... no. From this time forward, Xarkun would be her only Master.

The only things Xarkun could remark on as Tinder pledged herself to his teaching were two odd things: number one, how fast it had happened, he was either extremely fortunate, extremely manipulative, or else being duped. The Force told him it was not the third. Secondly: He was gaining more and more ships by the minute and meeting no resistance, thus... he was not going to bring the Night Hammer out of it's cloaked state, word would reach the Republic's ears, he wanted it to be a surprise. They'd then think him to still be on the Gorgon whilst attacking... the certain planet. But in reality they would sense Magus. All very good additions to the plan. He hadn't even realized it would work out that way before (neither did I till I just said it).

"Very well Tinder..." said Xarkun. "Henceforth you shall be known as Darth... Sera."

The Sith Lord pulled the remote from his pocket and handed it to Tinder.

"From this point onward you are free of the remote's power." said Xarkun. "Now that you hold the remote you command yourself."

(There, I didn't crush the remote, I was going to, but you did say you'd rather I not crush it so Choc can track me, and plus I dont know, Tinder could betray me one day. And once I get the PM I'll post what my plan is... You might also wanna PM Anime rimera.)

She looked at the remote in her hand, focusing all her anger and rage upon it. Suddenly, it burst into flames, and as it did so, pain shot through her head. The implant! Clenching her eyes shut against the pain, she refused to let up, until the flaming piece of wires and plastic in her hand became nothing but a pile of dust.

Pain lanced through her body... this was Dr. Malk's last torment... destroying the remote was killing her! She wouldn't let it... it may have destroyed Tinder Malk, but it would not destroy Darth Sera! Concentrating, she focused her hatred on the implant itself. She screamed... she was unaware of what was going on around her, she just had to destroy that implant!

Blood trickled down her nose as she focused. It was her or it... and she would win! Finally, when it seemed as though she could take the pain no more... it left. It was finished. It was still in her brain, but she had crushed it with the Force... and the fact she was still thinking about it meant she hadn't damaged her brain doing it. Blinking, she opened her eyes, and wiped the blood off of her face. People were staring at her. She didn't care. She looked at Lord Xarkun, who was regarding her with a raised eyebrow. "I think I'll go change, now," she said simply, and turned on her heal and left.

(My, that was embarrassing... and lame.... but I had to get rid of the implant, or the remote on the Wounded Marnock would have the power to control her... and I did hint that something bad may happen to her if the remote was destroyed. Also... she's been wearing the same grease-covered... and now blood-covered... coveralls for this ENTIRE RPG! She's gonna go change, now... and she doesn't care whose clothes she has to steal to do it!)

Finding one of the black body gloves all stormtroopers wore underneath their armor, she pulled it out and placed it on the bed. Using a knife she had found, she cut out the middle section of the body glove, knowing that "one size fits all" did not apply to fourteen-year-old girls. After cutting off the sleeves from the top, and the legs off the bottom until they were merely long shorts to her small frame, she stripped off her old clothes and took advantage of this stormtrooper's shower.

When Sera came out, she felt like a whole new person. She slipped on the body glove, finding to her surprise that the pieces still managed to fit. She salvaged her old utility belt and boots before throwing her old clothes into the incinerator. A glance in the mirror showed her scars she didn't want to think about having gotten... The stormtrooper had a red hooded cloak, as a part of his civilian attire; even stormtroopers went on leave, apparently. It was too long for her, but she cut the length off so that it landed only inches above the floor after she tied it around her neck.

It was fine... the cloak covered the scars on her arms she didn't want shown, and if anyone looked too closely at the parts of her legs that showed, she'd just have to put a boot in their face. Besides, it was the best she could come up with, and it didn't stink of engine grease, blood, and death. Going through the rest of this stormtrooper's belongings, she found various knives and daggers that she tucked into her utility belt, placing one dagger in her boot, and a blaster which she attached to the holster in her belt.

The cuts she had made to her clothing were jagged, but all in all she looked presentable. And if anyone said anything, she'd just rip their tongues out. Resolutely, she pulled the hood of the cloak over her head, glaring once into the mirror, then swept out of the stormtrooper's room.

Her eyes had changed color.

The Sith Lord glanced back out the view ports and was surprised at the number of ships he had obtained. Several dozen standard Mon Calamari cruisers, around thirty Nebulon-B frigates, an armada of Corellian Corvettes (which would do lovely against fighters which the Republic so focused on), as well as several odd, warfitted frigates, and several odd, customized Mon Calamari Cruisers, one type reminded the Sith Lord of Admiral Ackbar's flagship, what was it, Home One? Home Base? He believed he had enough, a 300 ship fleet... it would have to be divided of course, for Naboo, Mon Calamari and Coruscant, but it was more than enough, and the Night Hammer counted as twenty or thirty ships in his book.

"Admiral," Xarkun addressed to Daala.

"Yes?"

"Chart a course for an empty sector of space near Naboo, we'll regroup there and enact our endgame." said Xarkun.

"Very well," Daala replied.

"And Admiral."

"Yes?"

"You are now commanding officer of this entire fleet, therefore I feel it prudent to bestow upon you a new title, you've earned it, I believe, after Byss."

"Well... I'm honored Lord Xarkun."

"Bow before me, Grand Admiral Daala." Xarkun commanded, and so she did. "Henceforth you shall be known by that title, and when the new Galactic Empire is rebuilt you shall rule over my forces, the Night Hammer as your capitol ship."

"Thank you Lord Xarkun."

"Rise Grand Admiral. Set a course for an empty sector of space now."

And a few minutes later he was once again flying through hyperspace along with his fleet. Kuat had gone off without problem, he only hoped Coruscant would be the same....

Sera would like to get under Raz Vena's skin... with a vibroshiv...

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