Through the ear-splitting headache, Dolash could hear Marek. The scream was overwhelming. Struggling as he was, Dolash managed to remember what they were here to do, and reached into a pouch on his belt.

From it he drew one of the crystals from the caves of Ilum. Brought as they were from tha sacred place, they were like siphons of the Force, sensitive to its' currents. With a hop, step, and jump, he hurled it through the air and into the ghostly apparition - it landed like a pebble in a pond, sinking slowly and sending ripples across the form of mist. The scream stopped quite suddenly, and the figure fell to the ground, fully formed.

Dolash hurried over to Marek, and helped steady him from the aftereffects of the encounter. He seemed shaken, but unhurt. Relieved, he gave Marek a hearty pat on the back, "Good job, Padawan. I think our work here may be done."

With Marek safely steadied, Dolash went to the fallen ghost, which was indeed Aayla Secura. It was strange for Dolash to look down and see the female Twi'lek from decades ago as though she were still alive, even though the few bones of her earthly remains were within eyesight.

Barris drifted towards Marek and nodded an aknowledgment of his work, before turning to address both of them. "We need to get her out of here... and us as well. If the droids return now we won't be in much condition to run further or to fight them."

"I guess we'll just have to hope Ian can find us..."

It didn't take long. Freed from the mental backlash of Aayla's scream, Ian was soon hovering overhead. Over the roar of the ship's repulsors Ian could be heard shouting "Anyone call for a lift?"

Dolash smiled, and turned to Marek. "I think this has been a valuable field exercise. A Jedi must be able to go into the heart of the unknown, without fear, without doubt, without - "

Red beams streaked through the air, narrowly missing Dolash's head and sending the Jedi rolling to cover, dragging Marek with him. Ian pulled upwards jerkily as a beam of light cut through the air and narrowly missing the cockpit.

"Of course..." said Dolash. "Adaptation is one of the most important skills for such exercises." All around them, the sound of heavy droid footfalls mulching soft undergrowth was drawing closer. "I don't think this will be an easy one... Have any ideas?"

Under the drying goo of his recent conquest Zolars mouth formed a mischievous grin suggesting he had an idea of sorts. Well, perhaps just a fool-hardy fleeting notion.

"A Fake Out," he boldly announced.

Dolash flashed a look of confusion, but quickly began to realize what he was saying as he expounded further.

"I'll draw their fire and try buy Ian enough time to pick you up," Marek could sense Dolash wasn't too pleased with the plan, but it was there best option. "Listen Master, if you get fragged we're all done for, besides, being shot at is my specialty."

Marek prepared himself for his sprint and dodge maneuver, all the while taking notice of the energy bolts ripping their way towards the ship.

"It's now or never, I'm gonna try to loop my way around to their flank, hopefully my EVAC will be hovering over head when I get there." Zolar locked his eyes on to those of his masters. With a nod he spoke only six further words before breaking into his run, "May the Force Be with you."

Before Dolash could stop him, Marek was off - and much to the Azguard's surprise, he moved with incredible speed and dexterity. A rain of blaster bolts followed him and sizzled the air all around.

Ian swung the ship back overhead, a tattered rope ladder hanging free from the open boarding ramp. Dolash dashed towards it when Barris cut in front of him "You've forgotten Aayla!" she exclaimed.

Cursing, Dolash turned and ran over to where the ghost lay. He grabbed the crystal off the ground and headed back for the ladder - "Yeargh!"

Struggling back on to his feet, smoke whisping off the burn on his shoulder where the bolt hit, Dolash stumbled his way back to the ladder and grabbed on. Ian lifted off a little, pulling him off the ground so that he hung from the ladder with his good arm.

Marek was dashing around the edge of the clearing, as droids turned and twisted on rusted joints to pepper the jungles with fire in his wake. Through the pain, Dolash watched as his student moved adeptly, using the Force to anticipate attacks and avoid explosions and searing lasers. However, he couldn't keep running forever. Marek was running out of clearing as the droids poured in.

Ian swung the ship around, spinning the bottom of the ladder with Dolash clinging to it. It swung around the outer edge, dangling above the heads of the droids and narrowly missing entanglement on the branches and bracken all around. Swinging close to Marek, Dolash reached out his wounded arm and grabbed hold of Marek's hand. Despite the pain, he held on tight as they lifted off, droid guns still rattling after them.

"Thank you..." gasped Dolash, as he lifted Marek up the ladder after him. "I... I don't think we would have gotten out of there... without that." Dolash grunted as the injury strained, but managed to pull Marek and himself over the boarding ramp. "Good job, Marek..."

The two of them sat there, gasping, among their fellow Jedi, and looking off over the dense and smoking jungles of Felucia. The sun shone just over the treetops as their ship began to fly to safety, and soon after that away from that dank world altogether.

A light tremor rattled through the ships hull as it broke free from Felucias atmosphere, leaving only the residual noise of the humming engines.

The rag-tag band of Jedi lay strewn about the ship, each of whom, were exhausted and thoroughly relieved to be off the surface of such a mud hole. Marek sat with his back against a large crate, his face still partially caked in mementos from their latest adventure. His Master, Dolash sat opposite of him tending to his shoulder wound.

"Nasty burn you got there," as if his master didn't already know. "Is there a med-bot onboard?"

Dolash lightly shook his head, "It's nothing, I've dealt with worse."

Mareks attention fell to the metal cylinder attached to his belt, the simple device had saved his skin and in many ways he felt a strange connection with it. It gave him a bolster of confidence in his abilities, by no means did he feel invincible but there was definitely a bit of arrogance beginning to seep into his over-all feeling.

"Skill with a weapon is only a minuscule fragment of the Jedi lifestyle, a ligthsabers energy will only take you so far, and in many ways is as much a danger to you as those you'd use it against," Dolash had heard his thoughts. Ever the watchful guardian, there was little question of his masters wisdom.

"Forgive me Master; I got a bit carried away."

Dolash smiled at him.

"So Master, where too next?"