[Fic] The True Teachings II: Forbidden Knowledge

[Diego Varen]

Another good Chapter igyman. Vjun is back. I like Vjun.

[igyman]

Chapter VI

 

''There is no good and evil, only strength and weakness;

there are no assumptions, only facts;

there are no rules, except those each of us makes;

there is no fate, only the Force.''

 

''That is the basic principle of the True Teachings, my apprentice, or, if you will, the True Code.''

 

''I understand, Master.''

 

''Hmph. That is yet to be seen, my apprentice.''

 

*******

 

From high orbit Vjun looked relatively peaceful to Dasha Kar. She read all the available data on that planet, but this is the first time she will see its true nature first hand. As Ralik had done a year earlier, Dasha entered the Ebon Hawk's schematics and composition data into her computer and initiated the scans. Soon after she got the coordinated of the ship. She immediately descended onto the planet.

 

As she was descending she found out that Vjun isn't as peaceful as she thought. There was a lot of turbulence in the upper atmosphere that made Dasha's landing much more difficult. Even so, she managed to ground her craft somehow and at the right coordinates.

 

The first thing Dasha noticed after she left her X-Wing were numerous craters in the ground. They were huge, the record of Xerx's bombardment a year ago. One more obvious thing was that there was no Ebon Hawk, at least not on the surface. ''There were many caves here, so I guess it is possible that the ship is underground.'' The wind started blowing. Dasha looked up and noticed that the weather started to change. A storm was coming. One of the everyday characteristics of Vjun.

 

Dasha quickly ran to one of the caves. She could hear the thunders in the distance. A few moments later bolts of lightning were flashing from the clouds above. The flashes didn't last more than a few seconds, but during those few seconds they made the night seem like a day. Dasha had no choice, she didn't know for sure that this particular cavern will lead her to the Ebon Hawk, but she entered it anyway. The storm was getting worse and she wasn't going to stick around to see how bad can the weather truly be on Vjun.

 

As Dasha descended deeper and deeper the caves were getting darker. She took out a wrist flashlight from her backpack, put it on her wrist and turned it on, before she continued further. On her way down Dasha saw a number of collapsed tunnels, which forced her to change direction. It made her journey much longer than it really was. She ran into a few underground beasts, but she managed to dispose of them without even using her lightsaber.

 

After hours of wandering through the half-collapsed tunnels, Dasha reached a large underground cavern. It was indeed the very one that hid the ancient ship she was searching for. Now, a whole year later, even this huge cavern was half-collapsed, covering completely almost the entire ship. As she got closer to the ship Dasha stumbled upon a dead body. It was badly decomposed and the only thing that hinted who that person was in life was the lightsaber, lying just a few centimetres from the corpse.

 

''By the Force! This must be the Jedi that Master Skywalker sent after the intruder. Anduil Wrynn, if I remember correctly.'' Dasha thought to herself.

 

''He actually found the ship...'' Dasha paused as she saw the wound on his chest, ''and that intruder. How unfortunate that the intruder prevailed.''

 

She moved forward and took a look at the half-burried ship. She was searching for an entrance and minutes later she found it. ''This is it.'' She thought, ''I have actually succeeded. I found it. Now all I have to do is figure out are the stories true, does this ship truly contain some ancient knowledge. First thing is first''

 

Dasha decided to bury the fallen Jedi Master, before she does anything else. It was hard work, digging a hole without any tools, she had to use her bare hands. After an hour and a half she finished digging. The hole wasn't more than eighty centimetres deep and not more than a meter long, but it would have to do. She rested for five minutes and then she dragged Wrynn's corpse into the hole. She didn't enjoy her task, but she considered it her duty to bury this Jedi. After another hour of filling the hole with the ground again her work was finally done. She sat on a nearby stone, took off her backpack and used it as a pillow. She desperately needed sleep.

 

After three hours Dasha woke up. She noticed just then that she got completely dirty from the digging. There was a small underground pond about five metres left of the ship. The water looked clean. Dasha took a nearby branch of dried underground wood and threw it into the water just to make sure, she knew that the rains on Vjun were acid. Nothing happened. It was just water. Relieved, she slowly took her clothes off and entered the pond. It wasn't very large, but it was slightly deeper than she was tall. After she cleaned herself up, Dasha took her dirty robes and washed them as best as she could. She left them on a nearby stone to dry and went for her backpack. She took the spare robes she brought and got dressed. ''I knew I'd need these.''

 

She then gathered some of that dry underground wood and made a small campfire. She slept for another hour and then she decided it was time to take a look inside the ship. She climbed up the ramp and went in.

 

In the last year the ships interior hasn't changed much. Mostly, it was dustier, there was also slightly more corrosion, but other than that it was pretty much the same. Dasha looked around and saw the two deactivated ancient droids – the Astromech droid in one corner and the unknown type in the other one.

 

''I can't believe it. These must be T3-M4 and HK-47! Incredible.'' She thought, ''Unfortunately, I don't have the time, or the tools to repair them and even if I could, I'd have to leave them here, my X-Wing isn't big enough for the three of us. Hopefully after they review my findings, the Order will arange a proper expedition and maybe even an excavation of the ship in the near future.''

 

Dasha took a look around the rest of the ship. She found the navicomputer, but after a few hours of attempting to bypass the voice lock, she gave up. She never was much of a hacker. She decided to try her luck with the ship's log. She managed to access it and she saw several files, she went to the most recent and played it. A hologram appeared behind her. It was a young woman, holding what appeared to be a double-bladed lightsaber. Dasha recognized her from her studies. It was Bastila Shan.

 

''Five days have passed since we left the Dark Planet.'' The hologram started speaking, ''Something happened to Revan when he killed that Sith Lord, he told me later that he saw the future. He said that the ship must be hidden, though we all insisted that the coordinates to that place be erased from the navicomputer, Revan forbid it. He said that such places, dark as they may be, serve their purpose and that this knowledge must wait for the right time to be discovered in the future. Hidden. Here on Vjun. A place only a few would dare look. Revan said that it is important for maintaining the balance in the Force. He ordered us to place charges on the cliffs and get to a safe distance before they are detonated. Then to bury the ship with only the two droids as its dormant guardians. I leave this message to whoever finds this ship: Be careful how you use the knowledge hidden here. If you aren't pure of heart and feel you are succumbing to the lure of the Dark Side, then leave this place immediately, otherwise you may be doomed forever.'' The message ended.

[Diego Varen]

Vjun also has Acid Rain. Anyway good Chapter.

[igyman]

Thanks, but I don't quite understand your comment on the acid rain. This chapter happened on Vjun, it was mentioned that Vjun has acid rains, so I don't quite understand what you meant.

[Diego Varen]

Oh well. Anyway, I'm looking foward to the next Chapter.

[igyman]

Chapter VII

 

Aboard the Grondel life was going as usual. Every crewman did his, or her part that was required for the ship to function properly. The ship's sensors have been adjusted as Kraal wished. Everything was in perfect order. The ship will soon be at its destination - Yavin.

 

As the Grondel drew closer to Yavin an order came to gradually slow down. The ship was supposed to leave hyperspace somewhat further from the system, for no other reason than to avoid the Academy's sensors, just like Xerx did a year before. Slightly further from the Raktajorr's last known coordinates in this system the Grondel dropped from hyperspace. It was at that exact moment that Dasha arrived at Vjun. Kraal wanted this to be nothing more than a quick stop. They would perform their scans and immediately move on.

 

''Scan the area for the Raktajorr's hyperspace signature.'' Kraal ordered Master Shaper Jashra over the comm.

 

''Performing the scans. Please stand by, Supreme Commander.'' Jashra replied.

 

''I sure hope the trail doesn't end here.'' Kraal thought as he waited for the scans to be completed. ''I wonder what was the Raktajorr's next stop.''

Ten minutes later the scans were completed and Jashra reported over the comm: ''We have the results, Supreme Commander Kraal.''

 

''Well? What do they say?'' Kraal asked calmly, ''What's our next stop?''

 

''Vjun.'' Jashra reported, ''According to our results, the Raktajorr left for Vjun.''

 

''Interesting. Thank you Jashra, Kraal out.'' Kraal ended the conversation.

 

''I have to admit, this is a very interesting choice of places, Xerx, I only wonder why did you go to all these places. Can it be possible that the traitor you were chasing went to all of them and you were simply following him?'' Kraal thought, ''I'll get to the bottom of this one, I swear it.''

 

Kraal stood up from his chair and walked around in his office for a few minutes, contemplating everything he learned so far. He wasn't getting any conclusions, so the only rational thing to do was to continue following the trail and see where it leads him. He sat in his chair once again and contacted the navigations officer.

 

''Set a course for Vjun.'' Kraal ordered through the comm.

 

About a minute later the officer responded: ''Course is set, Supreme Commander.''

 

''Excellent, engage the hyperspace drive, we depart immediately.''

 

''Yes, sir.'' The officer obeyed.

 

The enormous, terrifying Kor Chokk station-ship slowly moved away from the Red Giant and entered hyperspace. The truth behind those one year old events was something Kraal would never think of. He watched through his office window as the Red Giant swiftly turned into a small dot and then disappeared completely from his sight. Hours alone divided Kraal from his next destination. He had no idea of a Jedi that was already there.

 

In the meantime the only thing on Master Shaper Jashra's mind was that adjustment to the ship's sensors. He spent every available moment to study it as detailed as he could. It was an enormous breakthrough for the Yuuzhan Vong and Jashra knew it. He wondered only two things – Where did the Supreme Commander get the instructions on how to adjust the sensors and why isn't that information available to the rest of the fleet yet.? He assumed that there was a good answer to each of his questions, but he had no idea what it was. He stopped thinking about it for now and concentrated on his duties on this ship. Hopefully after performing another series of scans when they reach Vjun, he will have a better chance to figure out the principle on which the sensors now work. As he always said: ''Using something and understanding how it works are two completely different things.''

[Niner_777]

Well, I'm back, but I haven't had a chance to read this yet. Just out of curiosity, how much is left in this fic?

[igyman]

It's about half way through, but there will probably be a third part too.

[Diego Varen]

Good Chapter igyman.

[RC-1162]

yes, nice two chapters. i didnt see anything i didnt like, except for one small detal in your 7th chapter. the vong refer to hyperspace as "darkspace", and they dont have hyperspace drives, only dovin basals, so you could rephrase that bit by something along the lines of "go into darkspace"

good work, overall

[igyman]

Thanks, RC. As for hyperspace/darkspace, since I've made that mistake in too many places in both of my fics, I'm gonna leave it as it is, even though it's not a proper Vong term.

[RC-1162]

thats ok. the story is what people focus on anyway

[igyman]

Right. And besides, from what I've gathered on these forums, people mostly hate the Vong described in the books (I have yet to figure out why that is, I'm currently reading the Thrawn trilogy, after that I have the Hand of Thrawn and then I'll check out the NJO books).

[RC-1162]

its probably because

they killed chewie

[igyman]

Yeah, I heard about that, but that just doesn't seem like a reason to hate the entire series, I'd simply hate that one book (but I'll know for sure when I read them).

[igyman]

Chapter VIII

 

''You have learned to use the Force well, my apprentice. You have learned to use it like a tool, but it is not enough. The Force is more than a simple means to an end, my apprentice. It is your ally. Connect deeply with it, with the midichlorines in your body, you remember when I taught you about them?''

 

''I remember, Master.''

 

''Good. Connect with them and learn to drive your power from both Dark and Light Side of the Force and there will be no limit to what you could achieve. That is the key difference between those so-called Sith and the True Teachings. That is their essence, my apprentice. Remember this well.''

 

''I will, Master.''

 

''See that you do, you will need it in your future.''

*******

 

Dasha downloaded the final entry from the Ebon Hawk's log to her datapad and left the ship. ''I promised not to return empty-handed. I think this means I kept my promise. Now I just need to get back to the Academy.''

Dasha picked up the washed clothes from the rock and packed them into her backpack. They were dry now. She moved towards the tunnel she came through when an apparition materialized in front of it.

 

''You're going already?'' The spirit asked.

 

''What? Who are you?'' Dasha asked him back, terrified.

 

''You don't recognize me? Why, I'm the Jedi you burried just a few hours ago.'' The spirit replied.

 

''You are Jedi Master Anduil Wrynn!'' She shouted with excitement.

 

''How very perceptive of you.'' Wrynn's spirit replied.

 

''What did you mean by that first question?'' Dasha asked him, even more excited.

 

''I meant that you are going without knowing the secret of this ship. I thought it interested you.'' Wrynn's spirit replied in a sneaky tone.

 

''I heard that last recording in the ship's log. I know it has to do with some planet.'' Dasha replied, ''I will bring that information before Master Skywalker and the Council and leave it up to them to investigate it further. I have done my part, I don't have the necessary equipment to investigate it further.''

 

''What if I told you that this ship hides in its navicomputer the location of a place that can give you enough power to take over the leadership of the Jedi Order and destroy the wretched Yuuzhan Vong once and for all?'' Wrynn's spirit started to show its true face.

 

''What? I know what I heard in that message! The place you are talking about is clearly a place of darkness and I for one do not intend to fall to the Dark Side and betray the Order!'' Dasha replied fiercely.

 

''Oh, come on. You do not owe the Order anything! This is your discovery and yours alone. You have the right to enjoy its spoils.'' Wrynn's spirit insisted.

 

''No! I will not fall to the Dark Side as you apparently did!'' Dasha realized what Wrynn's spirit was about at last.

 

''The Dark Side isn't as bad as everyone portrays it to be. My only mistake was not falling sooner. If I had, I would not have died at the hands of that Vong halfbreed! I would have drawn the strength necessary to defeat him and the power he now most likely has would have been mine!'' Wrynn's spirit shouted in anger.

 

''I can't believe I'm hearing this. And from a Jedi Master, no less.'' Dasha cried in disappointment, ''What could have happened to you that made you betray your fellow Jedi in such a manner?''

 

''The Vong happened! The Order is too passive about them! I never agreed with that, but I tried to respect its leadership regardless to my personal disapproval of the Order's position about the amount of its participation in this war.'' Wrynn's spirit said bitterly.

 

''And you think that giving in to your anger is the answer? Falling to the Dark Side?'' Dasha barely calmed herself down.

 

''It's better than extinction!'' Wrynn's spirit replied fiercely.

 

''You are a disappointment to the entire Order and you bring nothing but shame upon it. You have indeed fallen beyond redemption. The funeral I gave you was more than you deserved.'' Dasha said and entered the tunnel that lead towards the surface.

 

''In the end, as you exhale your last breath while a Vong soldier mutilates your bodies, you will all know I was right!!'' Wrynn's spirit shouted from the large cavern.

 

Dasha ignored it completely and continued towards the surface. The tunnels were familiar to her now and the journey upwards shouldn't take too long.

 

It took her only an hour this time and she reached the exit to the surface. The storm had died down while she was underground. Only the desert wind was there now. Dasha moved out towards her X-Wing. She was glad her mission was over. He had a lot to tell the Council. When she reached her ship she took one more look around at the crater-filled terrain. ''What made those craters? It couldn't have been a storm. No, it was something else.'' Dasha thought, ''Ahh, that's not even important right now. I better get going.''

She entered the X-Wing but she didn't lift off right away. She sat in it for a while thinking, then she recorder her entire discovery in a form of a log and downloaded it into her datapad along with the Ebon Hawk's log. Then she lifted off.

 

As she was getting further and further away from Vjun's surface her satisfaction for a job well done grew. She was looking forward to return to Yavin and continue her studies in the relative safety of the Jedi Academy. Her hapiness soon changed into a feeling of unspeakable horror as she saw the enormous Yuuzhan Vong Kor Chokk type ship orbiting Vjun. The sense of dread in her eyes was undescribable. She plotted a course for Yavin and attempted to engage into hyperspace, but it was too late. The Kor Chokk's tractor beam was pulling her X-Wing towards it.

[Diego Varen]

Another good Chapter igyman.

[igyman]

Chapter IX

 

''Supreme Commander?''

 

''Yes, soldier what is it?'' Kraal asked in an agitated tone. He was just starting to relax a bit when this soldier barged into his office.

 

''I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but I thought you might like to know that we have a prisoner.'' The soldier reported.

 

''A prisoner?'' Kraal was confused.

 

''Yes, sir. And a Jedi, no less.'' The soldier continued.

 

''A Jedi? What would a Jedi be doing in this part of the Galaxy?'' Kraal wondered.

 

''We caught her trying to leave Vjun. She was about to enter hyperspace when our tractor beam got her ship.'' The soldier reported.

 

''Interesting.'' Kraal said.

 

''You might want to interrogate her, sir, she might know something relevant to your investigation.'' The soldier suggested.

 

''Yes, indeed. Put her in a holding cell and in one hour put her in the Embrace of Pain and leave her like that for another hour.'' Kraal ordered.

 

''Understood, Supreme Commander.'' The soldier confirmed.

 

''That way she will already be half broken when I start my interrogation and will be more than happy to tell us everything she knows.'' Kraal added, ''You may go.''

 

''Yes, sir.'' The soldier saluted and left to carry out the order.

 

Even though he didn't seem like the type, Kraal could be vicious and cruel given the opportunity. He despised his enemies with the same intensity with which he respected his soldiers and he showed no mercy to his prisoners. The Embrace of Pain was a prisoner's worst nightmare. It was more mental torture than it was physical. Very few prisoners could withstand the Embrace of Pain for a longer period of time and in the end they all cracked.

 

Dasha was thrown into a holding cell as was ordered, but not before a few of the soldiers had their fun with her and for them fun mainly meant beating the snot out of her. She was lying on the prison bed, her clothes were soaked with blood and even torn in a few places. She sobbed, very quietly. ''What did I do to deserve this? I'm just a Padawan, all I wanted was to find that ship and return to the Academy. Why did the Vong had to appear now, of all moments?'' She sobbed, ''I have to get out of here, somehow I have to escape.''

 

An hour has passed and the guards took Dasha to the interrogation room and put her in the Embrace of Pain, then they simply left the room. At first she was confused. She didn't know what to expect next. She knew that she was brought to that room for interrogation, but she had no idea of the horror the Embrace of Pain would bring. Suddenly she felt it, a mild sense of pain in her head. She calmed down as much as she could, cleared her mind and surpressed the pain. She managed to resist the torture device for the first fifteen minutes, but then things started getting worse, the pain started to increase significantly. The two guards standing outside the interrogation room could hear the desperate screams coming from within, but they couldn't care less. They might have even enjoyed them.

 

One hour later Supreme Commander Kraal entered the room. He adjusted the torture device to produce a smaller amount of pain, just enough so she could talk. Dasha couldn't believe it, the pain was almost entirely gone. She was exausted and could barely catch her breath after that kind of torture.

 

''What is your name, Jedi?'' Kraal asked.

 

''D... Dasha... Kar.'' She murmured.

 

''And what were you doing on Vjun, Dasha Kar?'' Kraal asked with a cruel look in his eyes.

 

''I was... I was doing... some research for the Academy.'' She murmured again.

 

''Really? And would that research have something to do with a one year old incident involving a certain traitor to my kind and the officer sent to catch him?''

 

''What? I... have no idea... what you're talking about.''

 

''I'm not convinced. I'll ask you one more time: what do you know of a halfbreed traitor named Ralik and a Yuuzhan Vong officer named Xerx?'' Kraal insisted.

 

''I've... I've never heard of them, I swear.'' Dasha barely spoke.

 

''I'm still not convinced. It just seems as too much of a coincidence that the Jedi would investigate the same planet that this traitor, Ralik, chose to visit and that their investigation has nothing to do with that event whatsoever.'' Kraal said arrogantly, ''I will ask you one last time – tell me what you know!''

 

''You can... believe what you will... but I don't know anything.''

 

''I see you have chosen the way of pain. I am going to leave you here for another hour, but this time I will double the amount of pain that you felt before! Perhaps then you will be more willing to cooperate.'' Kraal said and moved towards the door.

 

Kraal was just about to leave the room when he received a message over the comm: ''Sir, I have performed another scan for the Raktajorr's signature and I have found a trail leading to a place on the edge of the Galaxy, somewhere in the Unknown Regions.'' It was Jashra.

 

''Well, looks like I won't be needing you anymore after all.'' Kraal opened the door and called the guards, ''Take her to the airlock and kill her. I have learned everything I've wanted from her.''

 

Kraal left and the two guards released Dasha from the Embrace of Pain and dragged her out of the room. She was barely managing to remain concious. Then it hit her – the Yuuzhan Vong ship is going to that place mentioned in the Ebon Hawk's log. If they discover it, who knows what sort of disaster it could cause. ''I can't let that happen. It is my duty to try and stop them.''

[Diego Varen]

Another good Chapter igyman. Looking foward to more.

[igyman]

Thanks Pottsie, oh and thanks for those votes in the Entertainment Centre awards.

 

You seem to be my one consistent reader these days, either the story's getting boring or the others just don't have enough time to read right now.

[Diego Varen]

Don't worry. Some Fics have their ups and downs.

[RC-1162]

yes, i'm sorry i couldnt read earlier, iggy, but i was packing for my trip to canada. i probably might not reply for the next 2 weeks, but i'll catch up and give you a long review, i promise

 

BTW: there are some technichal errors in your laters 2 chapters. the Vong dont have "tractor beams" the dovin basals perform that function, and they say "jedi" as "Jeedai". it's the way the word is pronounced in Vong-speak, i presume. and they don't have comm systems, but things called villips. the villips are usually a shapeless organism, i gater, but when it is used to communicate, the face other officer who is using it will be recorded by that villip, sent to this one, and this one will morph to match the transmitting officer's features as best it can. just a few details. but it doesnt affect the quality of the fic.

 

excellent work

[igyman]

Thanks, RC. I know all about Dovin Basals and vilips, but I still decided to use the terms most people are familiar with. As for Jeedai, I've figured that one out too, but since I've made the same mistake in my first fic, it seemed pointless to change it now. Thanks again and have a great time in Canada.

[RC-1162]

thanks, man. i'll send you a maple leaf good luck with the fic. however, you could place the proper terminology in the chapter, then explain it in a later post. thats what i would do.

[igyman]

Chapter X

 

Kraal entered his office. He just got back from the interrogation room. He sat down on his chair. He was just about to issue an order for departure when the viewscreen on his desk activated. The text said 'Urgent Message from Yuuzhan'tar'. Kraal accepted the message, but he immediately wished he hadn't. On the viewscreen he saw the stubborn, arrogant face of High Prefect Laerne.

 

''Hello, Kraal.'' Laerne said.

 

''High Prefect Laerne. To what do I owe this pleasure?'' Kraal replied sarcastically.

 

''A little bird told me you requisitioned one of our Kor Chokk's through illegitimate channels and left chasing for a new lead.'' Laerne said arrogantly.

 

''I wouldn't call them illegitimate, but more important right now is that I have made significant progress in my investigation.'' Kraal tried to change the subject. ''I handpicked my crew. Which one of them could betray me?''

 

''And that is supposed to justify an illegitimate field trip to... Vjun? And Yavin before that.'' Laerne continued with his accusations.

 

''There is nothing illegitimate about my investigation, High Prefect and you know that. Besides, I, as a Supreme Commander, have the right to requisition at least one capital ship and a crew to operate it.'' Kraal tried to pull rank.

 

''Perhaps. But that is a matter to be discussed in person. I want you to return to Yuuzhan'tar immediately. Your little field trip is over!''

 

''You can't recall us now! I am so close to finishing this investigation! Be reasonable, High Prefect. I have one more place to visit and I am certain that I will find an answer to what happened to Supreme Commander Xerx there. After that I shall return.'' Kraal insisted.

 

''You will return to Yuuzhan'tar immediately, or I will demand that you be stripped of rank and branded a traitor for disobeying a direct order!!'' Laerne shouted over the screen.

 

Something snapped in Kraal's head at that moment. Laerne was always halting his investigation with stupid technicalities, but this was the last straw. He could feel the answer waiting for him and that stuck up idiot Laerne decided that his ego is more important than closing an investigation of this magnitude.

 

''No, Laerne.'' Kraal finally said, ''Not this time. You have obstructed my investigation long enough, you stuck up, arrogant fool! I will proceed according to my original plan. When my investigation is complete I shall return and answer to the Warmaster himself, if I have to, but you will never bother me again!!'' Kraal shouted at the High Prefect fiercely and ended transmission.

 

In the meantime the guards have dragged Dasha to the airlock. This was her last chance, she had to try something. She mustered all her remaining strength and pulled out a knife from one of the guards. She stabbed one in the stomach and kicked the other one. Then she got up and quickly finished off both of them by slitting their throats. She just realized it – this was the first time she killed anyone and she didn't like the feeling. Unfortunately she will probably have to kill again, if she is to get out of there alive. She took the other guard's knife and slowly started to backtrack. First order of business was to find her equipment, then she'll try to find a way to sabotage the ship's propulsion and, if possible, weaponry.

 

Dasha wandered through the ship's corridors, avoiding any patrols. She had no idea where her equipment was held. Suddenly she heard someone approaching. It was a guard. She hid behind the corner, prepared one of the knives and waited for the guard. As he turned to the corridor she was hiding in, Dasha quickly grabbed him from behind and put her knife under his throat.

 

''Listen carefully, you will tell me where you keep the prisoners' belongings and I will not kill you.'' Dasha said, trying to appear calm.

 

''I will tell you nothing!'' The guard said proudly.

 

Dasha tightened her grip and pressed the blade on his neck. ''Tell me, or die.'' She said.

 

The guard was frightened this time. ''All right, all right. I'll tell you. It's in a storage room on the lower deck. The room is labelled 'Trophies'.''

 

''Thank you.'' Dasha said and quickly removed the knife from the guards throat and hit him in the back of the head with its handle as hard as she could. The guard fell down, unconcious.

 

She continued to sneak through the corridors searching for a way to the lower deck. After a minute, or two she found one and went down. The lower deck was almost entirely used for storage. Dasha saw a number of storage rooms with different labels like 'Weapons', 'Armor', 'Implants', etc. She looked around for a while and then she found the storage room the guard was telling her about, the one labeled 'Trophies'.

 

Interestingly, the room wasn't locked, or secured in any way, so Dasha had no problem in getting inside. She dug through the pile of stuff until she found her backpack. She opened it to check if everything's there and it was. Her captors obviously simply tossed it onto the pile when they took it away from her. She took out the datapad with the Ebon Hawk's log and her own log and put it in her pocket, then she threw away the two knives she took from the Vong guards and pulled out the lightsaber Kyle Katarn gave her from her backpack.

 

Suddenly a voice sounded over the comm: ''All hands prepare to enter hyperspace!''

 

Minutes later she could feel the ship moving with increasing speed. It was going to that dark place mentioned in Bastila's log. Dasha knew that if she was to do something about it, it had to be now.