The force is a powerful thing.

With it, a Jedi can look into a future, a future that has yet to happen, and based upon that which he sees, he can formulate a plan of action, which he feels is the best way to proceed.

But a Jedi must be careful not to focus solely on the future. He must remember that the future has yet to happen, and that around him, the present is happening all the time.

Ahnk could never be accused of being the most levelheaded person in the galaxy. He was daydreaming when the Noghri stuck, and was caught with his pants down.

He was thinking of how his conversation with Vonta Horn would progress when all of a sudden a burst of aggression flared in his senses. He turned, and even as he did, he felt a second hot flash of anger from the direction he had now turned his back. It was too late to do much of anything, but he made sure he had a shoulder to each attacker as they hurled towards him, landed more or less mounted on him. And then he went to work.

A claw came down upon his shoulder, and as it did, it was seized and it’s controller was tumbled to the dirt. The other Noghri was smart; he had avoided a similar throw by mounting his back. Ahnk knew how to stop him though, and he jumped in the air and flipped forward, landing in a roll over the Noghri, who had been crushed under his weight. The other Noghri had recovered from his rough landing and was charging Ahnk, but Ahnk smiled and began to charge back.

The two went shot for shot for several seconds, the Noghri claws slashing towards his chest and Ahnk’s palms striking the insides of the Noghri’s wrists. Finally, Ahnk seized both wrists and crossed them as he slid underneath, and delivered a few headbutts to stun the Noghri before pushing him roughly forward. Ahnk, however, had forgotten the second Noghri, who threw a hard knee into the back of his head. It was a feint, likely, but with Ahnk distracted again, it caught him full bore and knocked him to the ground.

Ahnk knew that the Noghri would be on him in a second and on his stomach, he was dead. He quickly slammed his palms on the ground, pushing him up into the air and jerked his elbows, twisting his torso before he landed hard on his back. The Noghri was quick… even before Ahnk was on his back the Noghri had assumed a position between his knees, slashing and clawing at his lower torso.

Ahnk was cut across his stomach as the Noghri brought his claws up. Before he could strike again, Ahnk whipped his feet from behind the Noghri’s back, to positions parallel across his neck. He pulled his thighs, and he sent the Noghri tumbling, before finally collapsing on the ground. Ahnk knew the second Noghri was on his feet, and that he didn’t have much time. He pushed off with his hands and snapped up his torso, assuming a crouched position as the Noghri came.

The Noghri’s assault was furious, but Ahnk had the counter; forgotten in the furiousness of the earlier assaults was Ahnk’s lightsaber. He held it now in his hands, and spun it this way and that, meeting Noghri claws with cold steel. Finally, Ahnk saw an opening. He feinted a block and instead came around across the opposite wrist. The blow was hard, and even the battle-hardened warrior cringed. That momentary lapse was all he needed. Ahnk slid the hilt along his hand until he gripped the very end of it, and he used it to trip the Noghri warrior. He quickly turned and was on his knees to stand when Ahnk slammed the hilt, double handed, into the back of his skull, knocking him unconscious immediately.

Ahnk turned to begin his march again…

When he saw the business end of a rifle pointed directly at his head. He dropped his saber and fell immediately to his knees.

The team of Alderaanian guards were wary as they prowled the wilds of this untamed forest for their quarry.

A team of 11, including Vonta Horn who was in the lead, was set around a central position that included a rodian carrying a ylasimari pack and a wookie armed with a shoulder mounted rocket launcher. The lizard like creatures abilitie to creat a pocket of space in witch it could 'push' the force away from it was invaluble to the operation. If nothing else it would save many a life of the team if the force user was found and used extreme measures.

There were five Nohgri in the lead three hundred meters ahead of the main body of forces. they sent a tap on the comm channel every so often to ready all clear.

All at once two of the nohgri did not report in. Vonta raises her hand in a clenched fist to call the patrol to a total halt.

For several seconds the group searched the forest cautiously. Looking for signs of movement.

A quick call to Toryns team was all that Vonta would spare.

One Nohgri appears like a shadow in front of her. He reports that he has picked up on a scent trail and that three of the Nohgri Shadow guard scouts were tailing the sentient being that had been found.

Looking in the distance Vonta felt naught the presence of a force user. He was still masking himself. She thought that this was strange. Based on his history the sith should be moving to engage or even to slaughter a team.

This cuation was seemingly out of charecter. Save for the fact that Vonta herself was a member of the persuers this time. He was using cuation againest an old foe.

Wise of him. He may well be measuring the capabilities she possessed now sense they last parted ways.

The forest ahead erupted with activity as animals all about begain chirping, wailing, and crying out alarms as each species would. Would at the sign of mortal struggle that could effect anyone of them.

Small feathered things that ran on three legs ran in small packs away from the source of the comotion. All making sure to give a wide birth to unfamiliar creatures such as Vontas black armor clad team.

The Group rushes forwards with all due speed. Throughing stealth to the wind as her scounts had already engaged the target. This went with their training.

One of them may have thought that he was getting to wary of their position. Nohgri as a species and a race were natural hunters. They would read an opponent like a Correllian reads the emotions of actors in a holo-drama to interpret what is forshadowing of future plot twists. If they felt that they would soon be compromised they were to engage if possible. In order to delay the target for a main group to arrive.

The third member of the Nohgri party gave a play by play of events. Keeping tabs on the sith.

Strangely he had yet to ignite his saber. Nohgri were fierce opponents. Even for a force user.

The curiosities keep abounding on this hunt.

As they arrive on the scene Vonta finds that one of the other two Nohgri that had reported back to the main force had the Sith held at blaster point. The Other two looked worse for ware. The were blooded but they could yet stand.

The Wookie and the Rodian that carried the Ylsimmari pack stayed out of the Null force bubble's 30 meter range. Five of the Guard stayed in range of the bubble to take advantage of it's protection. The Other five scattered to encircle the sith. The Nohgri pulled back into the shadows, their grey colored Alderannian guard armor (A different color merely then that of the original Royal guard.), Fell back into the shadows to strike at the sith if he so much as moved.

Vonta moved cuatiously beside the Nohgri that remained. He had a blaster drawn out and stood at the outer edge of a normal sabers strike range. A Vibro nife was in the other hand just in case.

"Sith Master Ahnk, Traiter of the Light side, killer of countless innocents. I place you under arrest by the Authority of the Alderaanian guard of Almania." Vonta had drawn her light saber only to extend it to it's full length so that it became a bo staff in her hands. She looked a far cry from the Padawan that she once was in her feathered cortosis armor and eagle like helmet. The blast sheild was still drawn down making her seemingly blind and yet she belied that by moving with a knowledge of the terrain that went beyond mere sight, seeming almost to have a sixth sense about her surroundings. Blaster at her side yet, it was out of place for a jedi but it seemed appropriate for her in some way. Sleaveless and hoodless jedi robe blew about her as she watched her old foe expectantly.

-What games doth this monster play?- Vonta asks herself as she takes in the image of a Sith master prostrating himself in surrender. She had known many a dark force user to give them selves up for a darker purpose in the overall scheme that they laid out.

Sometimes it was for shear lack of excitment that they allowed themselves to be taken. Innitial forces prove to be no match for them so they allow their foes to bring in more of their number to make things interesting. The captors had often been found to have been slaughtered almost down to the last many such groups that even had the advantage of superior numbers.

One force user using the dark side makes such odds balance out in horrifying ways.

She had made things simple for herself; at least she had thought so, anyway. Sarah had surrendered, which was not an easy thing for her to give into. Nonetheless, she had. So naturally, she thought that would be the end of her troubles, at least out in open space. The woman was not exactly sure of what fate was awaiting her elsewhere. However, whatever was on the other side, had not mattered a few minutes ago; she figured everything else would go smoothly. After all, she'd handed off her player’s card and she'd given up the game.

.. But the game was not over; she soon came to figure out.

The two balls of plasma that came into her direct view she knew to signify as the card of future destruction.

Yet she'd already shown her white flag; it could not be taken back now.

Sarah had never played this much of the fool before. It made her down right angry.

.. If there was any chance the woman happened to make it out alive in the end, as sure as her eyes were brown, she would be sure to let her displeasure be known.. in more ways than one..

".. What the.."

... The ship went into a spin but Sarah missed the opportunity to be irate as her body flew rather quickly through the air, only to be tossed hard against the floor, immediately falling into an unconscious state.

She would make someone pay dearly for all of this, not just once, but many times over...

It spun quickly, rapidly spiraling open and began spewing excess energy into the space dust around the system. The wormhole was impressive, if relatively small as wormholes went, however it’s lack of size made it no less impressive to behold.

And almost as soon as it had formed, the wormhole ceased to exist. The energy that had been exiting continued to momentarily excite the space dust around, but in time even that began to fade. As the last dying embers faded, the only trace the wormhole had ever been there were the two vessels that had traversed it.

The Sep'Ta'd'Aark was the more important of the two. One of the Cree’Ar Dominion’s Ja'Mha Rerodon Cruisers, it was an impressive and respected vessel, and one of the Dominion’s favorite warships. Kal Shora himself had an affinity for the Mer’a Z’Syshal Cruisers, but those were unavailable for such a low priority campaign.

As it was, he was happy with his vessel and it’s crew. Happy with all but one.

“Varex Tarien.”

One of the High Scribes came to him, nodding his head.

“I am familiar with him, elder.”

“His performance, I found, was less than was desired.”

The Scribe nodded.

“It is complacency.”

Kal Shora shook his head. He did not understand.

“Our people are a patient people. But the Priests… they have less tolerance for the cold metal and starfields out the window then do we old, hardened warriors. They will us to sanctify a world upon which we can dedicate days to Borleas Quayver.”

Kal Shora nodded, enlightened. He believed he understood now.

‘They are dissatisfied with the pace of our reclaimation?”

The Scribe nodded.

“As am I. There is only so much I can do…”

The Scribe was turning to walk away when Kal Shora spoke again.

“But… I believe I can accommodate this will…”

And with that, Kal Shora turned, heading towards the vessels central nexus, even as it lurched into motion away from Rel'a'ralik'a'aar.

The world churned, as if he saw it from underwater. Of course, Zeratul knew he was not underwater, the same as he knew that this was not really the world at all.

It was his head.

It was millions of heads.

Zeratul was inside the Nexus.

He didn’t like stepping into the Nexus. Most Cree’Ar were of the opinion that the Nexus was an ungodly creation that was far beneath them, and many opposed its place on Cree’Ar vessels, feeling tainted by it, inert as it was. As a Skey’g’aar, he had often dealt with the silly misconceptions of the Cree’Ar, their inane religious beliefs and backwards ideals on the universe. He felt unnerved by the Nexus for another reason.

They could hear him.

And he could hear them.

Long ago, Zeratul had implanted a device inside his head, a similar device to the one each Tek’a’tara had inside their heads. He had done it, to the horror of the Cree’Ar, so that he could always listen and always be ready to issue a simple command. Zeratul did not regret his decision. At least, most of the time.

But on the occasion when he had to interface directly inside…

He shuddered. But he couldn’t be sure if he really shuddered, as he couldn’t feel any parts of his body. But in his head, he shuddered. He was uncomfortable. But not as much as she was.

She lay face-down on the Tetrahold grill floor, blood in her hair, hands limply resting on the floor. Around her, Tek’a’tara, the cybernetic servants connected to the nexus in which he was currently idling, hovered, occasionally poking this, or prodding that.

“A prognosis…”

He wanted to ask, but when it came out, it was not his voice at all. He shivered… in much the same way that he shuddered. His actions were not his; his voice was not his. In here, he was the nexus and the nexus was him. But knowing that did not make the experience any easier.

“A tierendorum concussora. Sub cranial bruising; lacerations across the cerebellum. A fractured wrist. Bruising to the lungs and other symptoms of hydroxygen deprivation.”

The voices continued to drone on, but that was really more than enough.

“Can you repair her?”

There was a moment’s pause.

“We can.”

“How long?”

Zeratul was again surprised at how he sounded. How they sounded.

“Within a day.”

With that concluded, he shuddered, inside his own body at last, pushing the nexus from his mind and pushing himself to the floor.

"Sith Master Ahnk, Traitor of the Light side, killer of countless innocents. I place you under arrest by the Authority of the Alderaanian guard of Almania."

He cringed as he heard the description of him. It read, out of date, but accurate for it’s time. It brought memories of a side of him he had long since abandoned, a side he didn’t want to remember or relive.

“You’ve got me all wrong,” he said, rising to his feet. He saw them tense as he did so, but he kept his hands inert and unmoving to allow them to retain a sense of security.

“I am not a butcher. I am not a murderer. That was a different person.”

He was speaking both literally and figuratively. Figuratively, he had changed his ideals, his beliefs, and the basic facts of his existence since that time. Literally, well… that person had died on Balmorra, and what had replaced him was a better, more responsible version of him. A clone, with the evil removed.

“Listen, if you want to arrest me, fine, I won’t put up a fight.”

He looked down.

“But after I destroy the gate.”

He looked Vonta in the eye, showing her how serious he was.

Deadly serious.

Vonta stood with her back to the Rodian carrying the Ylasimmari with it's bubble of Null force only meters away. The wookie at his side figeted slightly he was standing at the ready with the torpedo launcher loaded and on his shoulder. But Vonta was far to close for the heavey munitions weapon to be of much use.

Five in the Null force bubble held their Ground with blasters raised. five more surrounding the target stood stone solid in their tracks while awaiting vonta's orders.

The Nohgri were not seen but all knew that they were their and ready to strike.

Vonta looked at her old nemisis with disdain. Her stance was straight up right, with the strength of charecter held by one that had seen more then they probably should. Lived through more things then they had a right too. The frame of a woman a far cry from the girl that she was.

Eyes narrow on the sith. She searches his service emotions tenitively.

Stretching out with unseen hands she reads that he would appear to be hiding or manipulating nothing of his reactions in the force.

For all intents and purposes his words would seem to ring with the tone of spoken truth.

Whats more is that she detected no hint of the dark side in him.

"Pretty words Sith Ahnk. But remember," She held her own Teepo blaster out in front of her angling the sights so that the sith would be in her sights if she did not have a blast shield obscuring her vision, "I know your tricks. It was you that managed to fool the masters of both the jedi and the Rogue Jedi orders. I of the Observer Order well not be so foolhardy to take you at your word. Even back by the appearance of the presence of the light side of the force."

Vonta was seeing through the force with Teepo force arts. One of the many force skills that she had acquired over her years of travel and study. She needed to probe farther into the psyche of this villin that seemed to have prostrated himself before an old foe, pleading for a chance to complete some altruistic task.

Ahnk was an adept deciever. As adept as any of the tricksters and evil doers of many species legends and folklore.

There was one art that she could use. One that was found in the archieves of the Aiki holo-cron. A process of projecting ones own astral form onto a being and using the force to peal away all posible lies and cut straight to the core of a being to see whether they were truely a being of either the light or the dark.

She hesitates only becuase of the dangers involved with projecting so much force energy to the astral plane. If a person was not careful they could be lost to the force becuase of the increased connection. She could go into the astral plane only to become one with the force there. Her body would become Comotose. Living but without a living consciousness.

It was a risk that she had to take.

"Very well. Prepare your self. For the next moments well prove the worth of your words."

LIfting the blast sheild she shifts all of her force energy into her Aiki force aura. She begins to emmit a blue light from her body that seems to become semi-corporeal around her earthbound frame. Slowely it moves from Vonta and projects fowards around Ahnk.

The energy pierces all of his defenses and feelings whether purposeful or not. Prostrating all of his emotions of guilt and remorse to vontas Astral form for her to read at her discretion.