Mira's P.O.V.

Mira slammed the trigger on her ship, releasing a hail of fire on the speeding vessel in front of her.

Kenobi's voice crackled across her intercom, "Break off the chase! I'm ordering you!"

"I've almost got him!" Mira protested, but as her shots scattered harmlessly into the empty void of space, she released a hiss of frustration.

I should turn around, a voice in the back of her head whispered, I should follow orders.

She could see the harsh outer atmosphere of Geonosis nearing her ship from below. Somehow, her mind felt almost as hazy as the desert planet's surface.

Focus. Focus.

She triggered another smattering of fire.

I'm already so far from the cruiser and I shouldn't take him on alone.

The ship in front of Mira suddenly cut the engines.

Follow orders.

Mira watched in a daze as the ship she was pursuing shot above her.

Follow orders.

Her heart beating frantically, Mira forced her fighter into a sharp turn, making the engines scream in protest.

Stop thinking about her!

Her ship jolted as a blaster bolt tore through the wing, sending Mira into a violent angled spiral toward Geonosis.

"Mira, respond!"

Mira saw the ship she'd been chasing rip past her line of sight once, twice, three times. In a split second impulse, she grabbed for the trigger and fired. The shot hit its mark, tipping the enemy vessel back and causing it to fall into a dizzying plunge. Mira closed her eyes, letting the blackness envelop her, Kenobi's voice resounding brokenly in her ears.

Rain's P.O.V.

Rain's eyes wandered over her surroundings. The Invisible Hand was an impressive ship to be sure.

To think that the last time I stood on this ship I was a prisoner. And in many ways, I still am.

A sharp cough abruptly broke the silence on the bridge, and Rain instinctively turned toward the sound. There was a considerable amount of space between her and Grievous, giving Rain some small degree of comfort that if the General were to lash out again for any reason, she'd be well outside his reach. Ever since the events following the massacre on Dathomir, she'd been feeling on edge around him. But by the look of things, she had nothing to worry about. The General faced away from her, seemingly very preoccupied. He was staring out the viewport at the dark expanse of space, his hands clasped behind his back. Rain was almost surprised. For someone so fearsome, Grievous looked positively tranquil. Unfortunately, however, his incessant wheezing ruined some of the effect.

Rain inched closer, following the cyborg's gaze out the window. What was he so interested in anyway? Aside from the planet Hypori, which they were currently orbiting, the only visible thing were the distant stars.

A thought crossed her mind and her face became drawn. She edged closer to the unmoving figure of the General, momentarily forgetting her present concerns.

If Mira was here, she would say how beautiful the view was.

It wasn't very often that she and her little sister had been able to access the bridge of a ship such as the Invisible Hand.

Rain pressed further still, her eyes fixed on the window.

I almost wish she was here to see it. But...

Her gaze fell.

If she really was here, she'd be stuck in this nightmare too. I would never wish that on her.

"Is there something you wish to discuss, assassin?"

Rain nearly jumped out her skin, glancing up quickly to see Grievous giving her a sidelong look.

"What? No!" she blurted, "No, not at all. I was just, uh, enjoying the view." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "You don't have to keep calling me assassin. I have a name."

"I am well aware of what your name is," Grievous said, turning his reptilian eyes back on the viewport, "But it would be far too informal for me to address you by anything other than your rank."

Informal?

Rain gaze shifted to the B1s dispersed about the room.

Ah. Makes sense for someone who spends all his time around droids.

She suppressed a sigh.

I miss the clones. I miss being surrounded by living, breathing things. You can't even have a conversation with these droids without stooping to the level of stupidity.

Rain turned to face Grievous again.

"If...if it's not too much trouble, sir, I would prefer to be called by my name."

I don't intend to be just another one of your droids.

Grievous dragged his gaze off the viewport back to Rain before erupting in a fit of coughing.

What does he have, asthma? Allergies? It's not very intimidating...

When the General's bout finally reached its close, he waved a hand at her dismissively.

"I am hardly inclined to care what it is you prefer, assassin."

He turned back to the window with an air of finality, folding his hands behind him once more.

But Rain wasn't done.

"Sir," she said, weighing her words carefully, "Count Dooku placed me under your instruction. It's likely that we'll be spending a great deal of time in each other's company from here on out, so perhaps we can learn to be civil around one another."

Just as the General's eyes settled on Rain again, one of the droids burst out in an excited exclamation.

"General! We have an incoming transmission," the B1 explained hurriedly, "Whoever it is appears to be using an old Separatist code."

"What? Put it through," Grievous ordered.

The little droid complied and the ship's holo screen sprang to life. Rain stared in shock at the all too familiar figure standing before her, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes half hidden under the brim of his hat.

"Bane?" she blurted.

The Duros' eyes fell on her and a sly grin crossed his face.

"Well, hello, little lady," he greeted, "You weren't quite the person I expected but it's always a pleasure to see you."

"Ah, the bounty hunter," Grievous said, stifling a cough, "And what could possibly be the reason for this transmission?"

"I seem to have found myself in a situation," Bane said, his mouth twisting into a frown, "I'm stranded on Geonosis and I'm carrying sensitive intel. The Republic is in close pursuit so I'm going to need a transport and soon."

"Weren't you in jail?" Rain asked, baffled.

"I've broken out of prison before, sweetie."

"If you are finished with your senseless questions, assassin," Grievous said, fixing Rain with his reptilian eyes, "Then perhaps we could address the matter at hand?"

"Yes, sir, of course," Rain answered, still trying to piece her thoughts together.

"As it is," the General continued, addressing Bane, "I suppose I could be gracious enough to part with one of my pilots. Let us hope that whatever intel you are carrying is worth the effort."

"It will be," Bane promised, "And one more thing. I want you to send in your assassin."

Rain's eyes grew wide.

"What? Why me?" she demanded.

"In case you weren't listening," Cad said, sounding impatient, "I'm being pursued. It might be useful to have an assassin with me."

"Hmm, perhaps I could spare her," Grievous said, narrowing his golden eyes at Rain.

"I—"

"Good. Just make sure you don't take too long."

"But—"

The transmission cut out. Rain stared disbelievingly at the General, but he seemed lost in his thoughts. After almost an entire minute of silence, he straightened.

"Assassin," he said, "I'm ordering you to go to Geonosis and retrieve the bounty hunter."

Wow, everyone is really just a title to him.

"Sir, if he wants an assassin, why not just send an assassin droid?"

Grievous stifled a cough.

"I would have to send all the way to the planet for an assassin droid. Is there a valid reason that you cannot go yourself?"

Oh, no reason. Except for the fact that the last time I saw Bane in person, I made the stupidest deal of my entire life, and if I have to face him, there's a good chance that only one of us will survive the encounter.

Rain suppressed a sigh.

"I don't trust Bane, sir."

"Good," the General said, surprising Rain, "I would hope it is not in your nature to trust bounty hunters. But I do not recall asking you to trust him, only to retrieve him."

"Then...then no, sir."

Maybe he doesn't remember.

The thought hardly made her feel better. Another trip spent walking on eggshells, hoping Bane's memory failed him, was the last thing she wanted.

"Assassin!" Grievous snapped impatiently, yanking Rain out of her thoughts.

"Uh, yes, sir!" Rain replied, "I'm on my way!"

"I suggest you start looking like it."

Mira's P.O.V.

Mira stared down at her criss-crossing footprints, her stomach twisting into a knot.

I'm going in circles?

The sun beat down on her, causing perspiration to flow freely down her face. She felt so thirsty. Before starting her long trek, she'd stripped off as many layers as she could but it hadn't seemed to help at all. The good thing was that she was uninjured. Thankfully the sand had helped cushion her fall, but she was nevertheless stranded in an unmercifully hot and dry wasteland with no definable landmarks to help guide her.

Mira regarded the pattern of her footsteps closely.

Perhaps I can use my previous course to determine how to fix my trajectory.

Though Mira had come out of the crash unharmed, her ship had not been so lucky. All her systems had been knocked out, and while she had no doubt that help was on the way, there was one thing that she felt she had to do.

She needed to find Bane's ship and make sure he couldn't get off the planet.

She started off again, silently wishing she could get some relief from the heat.

If I'd only followed orders...

That was what she normally did. She hardly knew what had possessed her in the moment before her ship was shot down. She was usually very clear-minded in battle.

But I suppose I haven't really been clear-minded since—

She stopped herself mid-thought. That was the last thing she needed to be thinking about right now. She gave her head a vigorous shake.

Focus. Focus.

Thankfully, she didn't run into her own footprints again, but as the day wore on, she began to wonder if instead of walking in circles, she was just walking further away from her target. Sudden panic seized her and she whipped around, her eyes frantically sweeping the endless yellow sands.

I was only really guessing Bane's point of landing to begin with, so what if I...

Her eyes fell on a distant silvery object, the intense heat making it look hazy and shapeless.

Is this what people call a mirage?

Mira rubbed her eyes before taking a second look. The object still seemed to be there.

Is that...is that my ship?!

"You've got to be kidding me!" she hissed aloud.

She broke into a run and sure enough, as the object grew closer, it started to look more solid and defined. But it looked a little bigger than she remembered it.

Wait a minute.

She pressed closer still, noting the more boxish structure of the hull and the added cargo bay. The vessel rested slightly to one side, it's nose buried deeply in the sand, it's hatch door standing open.

This is not my ship.

"Took you long enough, darling."

Mira's eyes locked onto the figure leaning up against the ship, his tasteless hat shielding his face from view, his thumbs hooked in his pockets. Mira's hand shot toward her hip, only to freeze a mere inch away from her lightsaber.

What did he call me?

Mira did a double take, and by all appearances, Bane wasn't at all alarmed by her arrival.

Is this some sort of trickery?

Bane lifted his head, his blood red eyes narrowed.

"Something wrong, sweetie?"

I'm not wearing traditional Jedi garb, Mira thought, What if he was expecting someone else?

But she had to know for sure. Keeping her fingers crossed that what she was about to say next wouldn't sound too stupid, she squared her shoulders and placed her hands on her hips.

"Remind me why I'm here again?"

The bounty hunter smirked, "Amusing as always."

As always? This is the first time I've ever encountered Bane in person and it doesn't sound like he's referring to the Jedi in general. Who does he think I am? I'm not wearing Jedi garb but my lightsaber could've given me away as a Jedi anyway, so the person he was expecting must've been a Sith. But it sounds like whoever it was supposed to be is on familiar terms with Bane, so it must be someone who looks like...

Mira felt suddenly cold.

Someone who looks like me. It's Rain, she realized, He thinks I'm Rain.

"Well?"

Mira snapped out of her thoughts.

"Well?" she shot back.

Bane's eyes widened fractionally.

"Where's your ship?" he asked.

"Yours looks fine," Mira said, stalling.

Of course he knows Rain. Kenobi told me about what happened during his undercover mission. But if Rain was supposed to come here, then how long before she shows up? And how long before Bane realizes that I'm not her?

"We don't have time for this," Bane snapped, crossing the distance between them in a few swift strides.

Mira instinctively stepped back when he was within a few feet of her, causing the bounty hunter to stop dead in his tracks.

"What?" he queried, a smile stealing across his face, "Something making you uncomfortable?"

What would Rain say?

"No," she said quickly, "It's just my..."

Think! Think!

"My ship," she said, her heart pounding wildly, "I, um...crashed it."

Bane's eyes flooded with rage.

"What?!" he demanded, "How did you crash?!"

"Uh, I-I ran into a Republic cruiser and got shot down." She forced down her unease, pressing on. "Thanks for warning me about that."

"And what part of 'I'm being pursued' did you not understand?" Bane growled.

If I say something wrong...

She plunged ahead, silently praying that she could keep the pretense up.

"You were kind of light on the details, darling."

The bounty hunter stared at her for a full minute, and as time ticked away, Mira could feel the color draining from her face.

Did I say something wrong? Does he know?

Bane turned slowly and walked back toward the ship without a word. Mira stayed where she was, unsure as to what she should do. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

Okay, obviously Bane's communications system is working. The question is what else is working. If he's relying on a rescue, then it might be safe to assume that his own ship is beyond repair. Better to make sure though.

She followed in the bounty hunter's wake, watching as he climbed into the open cargo bay. She broke into a sprint to catch up, following him into the cockpit.

"Um, you know, your ship really doesn't look too bad. Is there any way we can fix it?"

"Don't you think if there was, I would have done it already?" Bane snapped, "The only things that survived the crash were the life support and the communications."

Good. Then all I have to worry about is Rain.

Her stomach tightened into a knot, making her feel like she was going to be sick.

I can't overthink this. I need to focus on what needs to happen. If Rain arrives and Bane discovers who I am, it'll be two against one. I'm not even sure if I can take either of them one on one, let alone having them team up against me. I need to ensure Bane is out of the picture before Rain comes.

"So...now what?"

"What do you think? I contact Grievous, tell him about your idiotic blunder, and he sends another transport. Hopefully it can get here before those Republic dogs show up."

I can't let him make that transmission.

Before Mira had any time to think it over, she shot an arm out in front of the Duros, reaching for the control panel.

"Wait! Maybe I can—"

In the blink of eye, Bane's hand closed on hers. For a split second, they stayed like that. Then Mira felt the pressure on her hand increase as Cad pulled her closer, bringing them within inches of each other.

"Don't even think about it, sweetie."

Mira wrenched her hand free, stumbling back a step. Bane stared her down, a smile playing across his face.

"I take it you haven't forgotten our wager?" he asked.

Before she could stop herself, Mira blurted, "What wager?"

The bounty hunter narrowed his eyes at her but had no chance to reply. The sound of engines caught their ear, growing steadily louder. Bane was on his feet in a second, racing out into the open with Mira close at his heels. They spotted the approaching ship off in the distance, and there wasn't a shred of doubt that it was headed for them.

It's Rain. It has to be. I have to act quickly.

Cad growled, reaching for his blasters, "Looks like we've got company."

As the incoming vessel began its descent, Mira became more and more panicked. She racked her mind for a plan but kept coming up blank, and time was hastily running out.

Mira, you have to do something NOW!

In a split second decision, Mira reached for her lightsaber but froze when she felt the barrel of a blaster pressed to her temple.

"Nice try, little lady."

Mira put her hands up slowly, watching the ship as it circled around and landed behind a nearby sand dune, raising clouds of sand in its wake.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "How—"

"That's not a Republic ship."

A sinking feeling settled in the pit of Mira's stomach.

I should've thought of such a thing.

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A long tense silence followed as the sand began to settle and Mira waited for the inevitable. It wasn't long before a figure emerged over the crest of the dune and a familiar voice reached the Jedi padawan's ears.

"Finally! It took me forever to find you! I had to fly all over this stupid desert trying to pinpoint where—"

The speaker stopped mid-sentence, her eyes landing squarely on Mira.

Rain's P.O.V.

Mira.

Rain couldn't believe her eyes. Her little sister was standing in front of her.

I almost thought I'd never see her again. Now here she is, and I don't even know what to say to her.

Her eyes shifted from Mira's face to the blaster pointed at her head and the person holding it there. Her chest tightened, squeezing her heart in fear. She lifted her hands pleadingly.

"Bane," she said, trying to keep a handle on her roiling emotions, "Don't shoot. Whatever you do, don't shoot."

"You'll have to give me a reason not to."

"Just..." Rain's mouth felt dry. She tried again. "Just put it away. Please."

Bane's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his blaster. Rain's nerve broke and she threw out her hand, sending the bounty hunter's pistol soaring through the air.

In that second, all hell broke loose.

Mira snapped her leg out and caught Bane in the gut, causing him to double over. In a single bound, Rain had traversed the space between them and had whipped out her lightsabers just as Mira had ignited hers. Their blades clashed, illuminating Mira's undaunted expression and Rain's dismayed one.

"Mira, stop!"

A searing pain in her scalp made Rain shriek and she fell back, colliding with Bane. Letting go of her long hair, he locked an arm around her waist and trained his remaining LL-30 on the younger Callyn.

"No!"

Rain brought her arm crashing down on Bane's gauntlet, causing his blaster to spin out of his grip. He cursed angrily and Mira pounced on the opportunity, raising both hands and slamming her opponents backward before leaping over the ship and landing out of view. Cad shoved Rain aside and snatched up his blaster, aiming it squarely at Rain. She froze, trying to find the words to explain.

"Bane, look, I—"

"Who even are you?" he demanded, his blood red eyes mere slits.

"Rain!"

"Why should I believe that?"

"I can prove it!" Rain insisted. "We made a bet back on Serenno that if you survived the tournament—" She hesitated, heat creeping into her cheeks. "That I'd give you a kiss," she finished.

Bane considered her for a minute, but Rain's attention quickly shifted as she spotted a figure racing in the direction of her ship. Cad followed her line of sight and quickly fired off a shot, prompting Rain to jump forward and grab for his pistol.

"Don't shoot!" she shouted, "She's my sister!"

"She's a Jedi!" Bane snapped.

"I just need to talk to her!" Rain pleaded.

"She doesn't look like she wants to talk!"

Bane pressed a button on his gauntlet and the rockets on his boots flared to life, carrying him with ease over the sandy ground and depositing him in Mira's path. Rain raced after him, watching as a stream of flame shot out of his gauntlet, forcing Mira back. Rain had hardly caught up when she felt the ground beneath her feet vanish. She hadn't even seen it coming. She went flying, the world quickly swallowed up in blackness as something struck her head.

When she opened her eyes, she was staring up at a grey ceiling. Everything was quiet.

She sat up in a snap. She was in a cargo bay, Bane sitting silently in the corner. She didn't even acknowledge him before jumping to her feet and racing into the open. She ran as fast as she could to the spot where her ship had been, only to find it vacant, the only signs of it being the impressions in the sand. Rain dropped to her knees, a numbing feeling of depression crashing over her.

Mira really hates me. She hates me. She wouldn't even say anything! She wouldn't say my name! It was like she didn't even know me! I'm...I'm the enemy. That's all I am to her. There's nothing left of what we used to be. Nothing at all. I was such a fool...

"Done sulking?"

Rain said nothing.

"I contacted Grievous," Bane continued, "He's decided to cut his losses. He won't be sending another ship. We're on our own."

"You didn't tell me there was a Jedi on the planet," Rain said, not even sparing the bounty hunter a look, "How did she get here?"

"Crashed, like me. Though I didn't expect her to turn up here and I wasn't expecting her to be your look-alike."

Rain pushed herself to her feet, finally turning to face the Duros. He cocked his head at her, his eyes narrowing fractionally.

"So she was the one you were missing so sorely."

Rain didn't even react.

"Where would she have crashed?"

"Does it matter?"

Rain stared at him wordlessly before turning away and walking off into the desert.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To find Mira's ship," Rain answered shortly.

"Are you insane? You're going to get lost!"

"Fine by me," Rain muttered.

There was a long silence. Then the next thing Rain knew, Bane was falling into step beside her. She glanced up at him.

"And what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't get lost, pet."

"How kind," Rain said dryly.

"So what do you hope to accomplish by finding your sister's ship?"

A peaceful death.

Rain sighed.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll find something useful. Or maybe we can use it for parts."

"I doubt we're going to find the ship in better condition than mine, darling."

"How did she crash?"

"I shot her down."

"What?!" Rain rounded on Cad, livid.

Bane gave her a frigid glare, "Watch your tone, little lady."

"Watch my—"

Rain struggled to get a rein on herself.

What if he had killed her? What would I have done? I might never even have known.

She pushed the thought away.

"You seem awfully concerned over someone who just tried to kill you," Bane said.

"She wasn't trying to kill me."

"Well, she certainly wasn't acting all that friendly."

Rain took a deep breath.

"What did you tell her?" she asked.

"You'll have to be a little more specific, sweetie."

"Where's the intel?"

"Safe."

"Safe where?" Rain pressed.

"I think I'll keep that to myself, darling."

Rain stared at him incredulously.

"You don't think it might be a good idea for me to have that information?" she said sharply.

"And why would you need it?"

"Oh, I don't know," Rain answered hotly, "Maybe so that if only one of us makes it out of this, we'll both know where to get the intel!"

"You don't need to worry your pretty little head about it," Bane assured her.

Damn it, who do you remind me of?!

"Let me guess, you have no intention of dying?"

"Course not, sweetie."

Rain stopped dead in her tracks, her brow furrowing.

"People don't plan to die....but it still happens."

Bane met her troubled gaze and held it.

"You said that last time," he noted with a smile, "But I'm still here, and I'm still expecting to get my prize."

Rain felt her face grow hot.

"Will you please be serious?" she snapped, "Look. I screwed up. If you give me the intel, maybe I can use it to bail you out if the Republic catches us. It's the least I can do."

"That's awfully heroic of you, darling," Bane said, the corner of his mouth tilting up. He jerked a thumb to his left. "See that?"

Rain turned, gazing into the distant horizon.

"No. What am I looking at?"

"A sandstorm. And if we want to keep ahead of it, we should be heading back now."

"We haven't found Mira's—"

"You already knew we weren't going to."

Rain wanted to argue, but all she could utter was a defeated sigh.

"Okay. But what does the sandstorm have to do with whether we get caught or not?"

"With a sandstorm going on, the Republic won't be able to track us. That'll give us at least a few hours to formulate a plan."

"I'm surprised you don't already have a plan. If you come up with one, will I at least be allowed to know what it is?"

"No,"Bane said shortly, brushing past her.

Rain followed him with her eyes.

"I get it, you know," she said, "But I can still help you."

"I don't doubt it," Bane said without looking back.

Then why...why do you insist on doing everything alone?

Rain lifted a hand to her head, pressing her fingertips to the spot where her skull had collided with the hull of Bane's ship. Then she let her arm fall to her side, forcing herself to move forward.

At that point, the desert heat was beginning to take its toll on her. Reaching up, Rain balled her hair into a bun at the top of her head and held it there for a few seconds before letting it fall.

I wish I had something to pin it up with.

She lifted her eyes off the sand beneath her feet and they settled on Bane, just a few paces ahead of her. She broke into a sprint to catch up, swiping the hat off his head and planting it firmly on her own. It was a relief to have the sun off her face, but it didn't last very long. Bane returned the hat to its former perch without a word, but Rain wasn't so easily discouraged. Almost as soon as it was settled, she snatched the hat back, dodging Bane's attempt to retrieve it and giving him a sidelong look.

"It's hot," she said simply.

Bane frowned, grabbing for the hat again, "I hadn't noticed."

Rain sidestepped him.

"I've heard that Duros were built for harsh environments."

Quick as lightning, Cad caught her around the waist, snagging his hat easily. Rain waited for him to release her, but he didn't. She stepped back in an attempt to free herself but he followed the movement, tightening his grip on her waist.

"Bane—"

Rain could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. She met the bounty hunter's gaze, but his expression was unreadable. His arm withdrew suddenly from around her waist, his fingers brushing her face. Rain pulled back instinctively, watching as a ghost of a smile appeared on Bane's lips.

"Easy, little lady."

His words had no impact. Rain's heart was pounding in her chest, and for the briefest of moments, she wondered what it would be like when he kissed her.

Instead he began gathering up her long hair in a ponytail. It took Rain a moment to recover her voice.

"What are you doing?"

Bane moved behind her, twisting her hair into a bun at the top of her head.

"Hold still."

"I...I don't have anything to pin it up with."

"Just stay put."

Rain wordlessly obeyed, trying to calm her pounding heart.

Oh, force, what is wrong with me?

After a few seconds, Bane stepped back and Rain reached up to inspect his work, feeling a small wooden point graze the tip of her finger.

"Did you put toothpicks in my hair?" Rain asked incredulously.

"I had to improvise," the Duros replied.

Rain turned to him with an amused smile.

"Where the heck did you learn how to do that?"

"I had a past squeeze with long hair like yours, so I got plenty of practice."

"Shocking," Rain said with a sly smile, "That any woman could tolerate you enough to warrant the term 'squeeze'."

Bane was equally smug.

"I think you'll be surprised, little lady."

He left it at that.

As Rain fell back into step with him, she cast a brief glance at the horizon.

Bane said we'd have a few hours to formulate a plan, but I can't help wondering what our chances really are for getting out of this, especially since he won't let me help him. When the Republic shows up, I doubt we'll be able to fight our way out, and once we're taken hostage we'll be in no position to bargain.

Rain felt a spark of frustration.

How could Grievous abandon us like this?! How hard is it really to just send a droid to get us? It'd hardly be a loss for him.

Her gaze fell to her feet.

If there was something else we could offer him as incentive, if there was some way he could be convinced to—

Rain's thoughts came screeching to a halt as realization hit her. Her stride lengthened until she was running. She reached the ship well ahead of Bane and headed inside, seating herself at the control panel. She browsed it quickly before finding what she was looking for.

"What are you doing?" Bane's voice addressed her.

Rain shushed him before reaching down and activating the holocomm. For a long time there was no answer except for static.

"Just what are you hoping to accomplish, darling?" Bane pressed, leaning over her shoulder, "You don't really think he's going to answer, do you?"

Rain glared at the holocomm, switching it off and then back on.

"Rain—"

"Shhh!" Rain hissed, "This has to work!"

Time continued to drain away and Rain felt a rising tension. Finally, her temper snapped and she switched off the holo before snapping it back on again.

"Will you knock it off?" Bane hissed.

Suddenly an image sprang to life on the holo and Rain felt a wave of relief.

"Are you trying to aggravate me with your persistence, assassin?" the cyborg general demanded.

"Sir, with all due respect, I believe it would be worth your while to come here yourself. There are Jedi Council members here, and their forces are minimal. Such an opportunity shouldn't be passed over."

The General considered her for a moment before speaking up, "Jedi Council, you say?"

"Yes," Rain plunged ahead, "We just received a transmission from Kenobi—"

"Kenobi?" Grievous cut in, "Kenobi is there?"

"Yes, sir."

"With minimal forces?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a long silence.

"Very well, assassin. I will take your advice this once."

The General erupted into a fit of coughing, the hologram flickering and dissolving back into static. Rain turned to Cad with a smug expression.

"See? Told you I could help."

Bane narrowed his eyes at her.

"How did you know about Kenobi?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did you know he was here?"

"Wait," Rain said, "He's actually here? I had no idea! I was just bluffing! Well, thank goodness. Grievous isn't going to kill us when he gets here. Wait a minute," Rain backtracked, "How do you know Kenobi's here? Were you on that ship?"

"Of course, darling," Bane replied, "That's where I got the intel."

Rain stared at him.

"You infiltrated a Republic ship by yourself."

"Is that surprising?"

Rain jabbed a finger at him, "This mystery intel had better be worth it."

"It is."

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me—"

"Yes."

Rain sighed, "All right. Since you've been on that ship, is there anything else I should know about? Because by my count there's two people I need to worry about up there: my sister and my former general, which already makes things far too complicated for my taste."

"How did you know the mention of Kenobi would get Grievous down here?" Bane asked, ignoring her question.

Rain leaned back in her seat.

"The two of them have some ridiculous rivalry. I got the feeling either of them would endure hell or high water just to have the chance to kill each other. I guess in this case it's convenient that Kenobi seems to have a knack for making enemies."

Her lips pressed themselves into a firm line as her memories of Hardeen rose unbidden before her mind's eye.

"He was right there the whole time," Rain muttered to no one in particular, "And I never once suspected a thing. I may as well have been blind. The signs were there."

"Rather odd that he went out of his way to defend you at every turn," Bane remarked suddenly, "Seems he had a soft spot for you, darling."

"He had no reason to," Rain said, "It was idiotic of him to risk his cover."

"I would've thought you'd known this by now," Bane sneered, "The Jedi are a pack of sentimental idiots."

Rain narrowed her eyes.

"Am I included in that statement?"

Cad gave her a sidelong look.

"What do you think, sweetie?"

"I'm thinking you could use a little sentimentality."

Bane said nothing, turning and walking away. Rain listened to the sound of his footsteps until they were swallowed up by the sand, then she stood and followed him out into the open.

After one look at the horizon, she exclaimed, "Wow! Those things move fast."

The once distant sandcloud had turned into a massive, dark wall towering up as far as the naked eye could see.

"I'll have to close up the ship," Bane said.

"What's the longest a sandstorm can last?" Rain asked worriedly.

"A few days. But this looks to be a smaller one. At most, it'll last the night."

"That's small?" the assassin queried, raising one eyebrow.

When the storm hit, the wait began. Rain took a seat on the floor, tucking her legs up under her chin. Minutes soon turned into hours and the quiet pressed in on her. It took every ounce of her concentration to fight off the thought of Mira, with her only distraction being the unmistakable feeling of Bane's crimson orbs watching her ever so intently. Rain looked up, meeting his gaze. She had the distinct impression he was looking through her rather than at her. It made her feel strangely exposed.

"What?" she said, a little more forcefully than she had intended.

Bane blinked, "Nothing. I'm thinking."

"Is staring at me conducive to coming up with a plan?"

"Are you uncomfortable, little lady?"

Rain ignored the question.

"Maybe thinking aloud would help," she suggested, "Let's see. When this storm ends, one of two things are going to happen. That door's going to open and either Grievous or the Republic's dogs are going to walk through it."

And I'll be at the mercy of the Jedi again.

She wasn't even sure what scared her most about that scenario.

"I know one thing for sure," Bane said, crossing the room and taking a seat next to Rain, "If Kenobi walks through that door, I'm going to kill him."

Rain glanced up at him quickly.

"What did the Jedi do to you?" she asked quietly, "You're a bounty hunter; you don't take sides. But you've seemed to make it a point of only helping the Separatists."

"It's nothing personal, pet. Jedi are bad for my business."

"There has to be more to it than that," Rain pressed.

"And why are you so averse to the Jedi?" Bane countered, "Didn't they raise you? And your little sister, for that matter? Sounds rather nice getting to live up in that fancy temple."

Rain could hear the mocking tone of his voice and her temper instantly boiled.

"How about I tell you the whole story," she said sharply, "My sister and I were born in a scummy little town with a worthless mother who preferred drowning over caring for us. For the first five years of our lives we were passed from family to family until we were finally left on the streets to die. Then the Jedi came along. We were given the choice between death or a life of slavery. But we didn't understand that then. All we saw were shining saviors. So we made the deal with the devils and from then on I was treading on ice. The Jedi don't allow for independent thought. Why do you think they insist on taking younglings? They're easier to brainwash. They crush anything that goes against their ridiculous code. And if they can't bend you to their will, they throw you out with nothing and nowhere to go." Rain scoffed, "And they wonder why so many of their members end up joining the enemy. For years, they smothered me and ignored me while I was forced to stomach their hypocrisy. They care nothing for those under them. They preach compassion and the value of life when they wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice any one of their sad little pawns, and they've already caused thousands of deaths with their clueless war tactics!" Rain paused, drawing a long, shuddering breath. "And on top of everything, they've poisoned Mira against me. I can't forgive them."

She turned away and silence stretched between them until it was broken by Bane.

"Yes, I'm sure your life was awful, sweetie."

Rain could hear the sarcasm practically dripping off his voice and she rounded on him, practically climbing on top of him in her blind rage.

"What do you know about it?!" she shouted into his face, "You're practically a celebrity! You're at the top of your game, with money to spare, and you expect me to believe you've had it tough?" Bane stared unblinkingly, anger burning behind his eyes. But he didn't lash out. He didn't even say a word. Instead his fingers closed on the zipper at his throat, pulling it down.

"What are you doing?" Rain asked, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

She received no answer. Bane's shirt opened to reveal a solid chest and a long white scar that stretched from his collar bone to his belt. Rain stared, a lump rising in her throat. She reached out, trailing the scar with her fingertips.

"How did you get this?" she choked out.

"I was a little younger than you, living in a garbage heap called New Tayana. Someone cornered me in a back alley. They had a knife."

Guilt and horror hit Rain like a ton of bricks. Her eyes began to burn.

Is that what I wanted? A life like his, fighting for survival every moment of every day? Would I really have been willing to pay that price in exchange for freedom? Would that life really have been free?

She wanted to say she was sorry, but the words wouldn't come.

"You wouldn't last two days in my life, little lady," Bane said, "My reputation has carried me a long way but it doesn't erase my past. I had to claw my way to the top and I have the scars to show for it. Do yourself a favor and stop trying to justify your constant need for attention with things you don't understand."

Rain stared at him.

"I don't need attention," she said.

Bane's eyes narrowed to two crimson slits.

"Really?" he asked.

Really? the voice in her mind echoed, But isn't that what you always wanted? The warmth that the Jedi never gave you?

Rain tried to push away the thought but it was was pressing in on her hard and fast.

You tried so hard to win their recognition, always fighting harder, going beyond what was required of you, pushing the limits of what you could do. But it was never enough. So you hid behind cheap excuses, claiming they were the ones in the wrong. Such pitiful lies.

Rain closed her eyes, silently forbidding her tears from surfacing.

Slowly, she pulled away from Bane, pushing herself to her feet and turning her back on the bounty hunter. She wrapped her arms around herself, listening to the distinctive sound of Bane's zipper closing.

She felt strangely cold, her voice tentative as she spoke, "Maybe...maybe you're right. Maybe I don't fully understand the world you live in. Maybe I do need attention. Maybe I am lonely. Maybe I am sentimental. Maybe I am stupid. But I...I tried my best."

Silence stretched between them. Rain couldn't bring herself to turn and meet Bane's gaze, choosing instead to stare fixedly at the floor. The quiet grew thicker, crushing the young assassin till she felt she could hardly breathe. Then she heard Bane climb to his feet.

"Rain."

She turned to see Bane standing there, his hand extended.

"Come here."

Somehow he sounded so gentle when he said it, but Rain stayed where she was. Cad crossed to where she stood, slipping an arm around her and pulling her close. Rain's limbs moved of their own accord, wrapping themselves tightly around the Duros. Bane rested his chin atop her head, softly stroking her hair.

"You ever remember who it was I reminded you of, little lady?"

A gentle smile touched Rain's lips.

"Yeah," she said softly, "I met him on the Thrugii asteroid belt, years ago. A very intelligent, soft-spoken kind of guy. He wasn't my first crush, or even my last. But he was the only one I wanted to forget. He was hardly even aware I existed."

Cad's chin lifted, his head shifting so they were cheek to cheek. Rain felt her face growing hot, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away from Cad's embrace.

"I was so naive," she continued, "So utterly infatuated. But now that I think about it, I don't know why you reminded me of him. You're actually...very different from him."

She lifted her head, finally meeting the bounty hunter's gaze. She hesitated, searching for something to say. Her thoughts seemed to have fled, leaving her blank.

"Bane..."

The hand that had been stroking her hair suddenly stopped. Bane's head bent, his breath fanning her face. Rain saw the distance between them grow smaller and smaller until his mouth was on hers. Her heart was pounding. The heat radiating from Bane spilled over her and the kiss deepened. Rain closed her eyes, her senses abandoning her.

One thing led to another and as the hours slipped away and night descended, Rain found herself pressed against Bane's sleeping figure, her clothes in a heap at her feet. Her thoughts had gone quiet at last but sleep refused to come. So she lay there, tracing the lines of Bane's oddly peaceful face over and over.

I guess we kind of screwed up our wager.

Her brows furrowed.

And our backup plan. It's all down to our dear General now.

Rain pressed closer, tucking her head under Bane's chin.

And if Grievous doesn't come...if I have to face Mira...

She released a gentle sigh.

She hates me. My sister hates me. But I already knew that a long time ago, didn't I? Nothing's really changed, has it?

Rain closed her eyes, at long last feeling the first sign of sleep approaching.

Do I even have the right to give up at this point? Do I even want to?

Rain awoke to the sight of Bane adjusting his gauntlets.

"Storm's cleared," he said, not bothering to drag his gaze away from his task, "Now if you'd be so kind as to return my coat, darling."

Rain got up slowly, working out the stiffness in her muscles. She picked up the coat from off the floor where Bane had put it last night so they wouldn't have to sleep on a hard surface. Rain tossed the bounty hunter his coat before reaching for her clothes and pulling them on.

"So, um..." She struggled for something to say. "What now?"

"We open up the door and wait for our ride."

Right. That's really all we can do...

An awkward silence ensued and Rain stared fiercely at the floor until Bane finished what he was doing and headed over to the cargo bay door.

So I guess we're not going to talk about it...

Rain quietly moved to stand next to Bane, mentally repeating the things she had said last night.

Why did I even tell him all that stuff?

The door began to open slowly, causing the newly deposited sand around it to shift and fall away. Sunlight glanced off the desert floor into the dimly lit bay, momentarily blinding Rain. As her eyes began to adjust, she thought perhaps the haze was causing her to see a mirage, because it appeared as though there was a long line of distorted figures crescenting around the now open door. But she soon realized that the people standing before her were very real.

"You're surrounded!" a familiar voice announced, "Surrender quietly and we'll do you no harm."

Rain stood frozen to the spot, taking in the long line of clone troopers and Republic gunships, at the head of which stood none other than General Kenobi and Rain's old master Aayla Secura. Although she couldn't see the Twilek's face from where she was, Rain could feel Secura's eyes on her.

Why her? Why did it have to be her?

Bane chuckled suddenly, "What's this, Kenobi? An execution squad? Rather excessive for just two people, isn't it?"

"I've learned not to underestimate you," Kenobi replied, "Now what will it be? Shall we do things the easy way, or the hard way?"

For a long time nobody moved.

Then Bane whipped out one pistol, firing a shot at Kenobi. It rebounded off the Jedi master's lightsaber, striking the sand harmlessly. A moment's silence followed.

"Very well then," said Kenobi, turning to his clone reinforcements, "Open fire!"

Rain flung herself in front of Bane, whipping out her dual sabers just as shots began to fly. Cad took aim at the nearest clone trooper and dropped him in one hit. Rain redirected the enemy's fire straight back into their ranks. One by one, the clones began to fall. Kenobi leapt forward then, Aayla following close at his heels.

Here we go.

Bane raised one arm, sending a jet of flame spewing from his gauntlet and stopping the two Jedi dead in their tracks. Three clones charged at Rain from the left and she quickly tapped into the force, slamming them backward. Bane abruptly cut off the stream of flame keeping Kenobi and Secura at bay, hastily following it up by firing a grappling hook. The long cord snaked out, wrapping itself around Kenobi's neck. Bane hauled back on the cable, sending the Jedi master crashing face first onto the floor of the ship. Kenobi's weapon went flying from his grip but Aayla grabbed it up in a snap, using the force to pull it into her hold. Rain turned to face her old master, planting herself in Secura's path. Aayla met her gaze, her deep brown eyes showing nothing but cool determination.

Good. I don't want her to hold back. It's time I showed her what I've learned.

Aayla hooked Kenobi's lightsaber onto her belt before assuming a defensive position.

Your mistake.

Rain sprang forward, slashing viciously at her opponent. Aayla fell back on Form III, using tight bladework to maintain her defence. Rain caught onto her intentions quickly, switching to more controlled strikes and forcing Secura to take the offensive. The Twilek began to throw more weight into her attacks, and Rain countered by using wide blows to press the advantage of her twin blades. They hammered away at each other, neither gaining any ground yet both refusing to back down. Then a sudden stirring in a force caught Rain's attention, warning her of danger. Out the corner of her eye, she spotted a clone aiming his blaster right at her. As he pulled the trigger, she cut left, sending the blaster bolt barrelling straight through the clone's chest. But the split second's distraction was all Aayla needed. Rain felt the ground disappear from under her feet as she was hurled backward into the cargo bay of Bane's ship. Momentarily stunned, she watched as only a few feet away Bane and Kenobi wrestled on the ground, each struggling to gain the upper hand. Kenobi, now sporting a black eye and a singed tunic, had Bane pinned under him. Bane was trying to reach his gauntlet but ended up settling for a well-aimed punch to the throat, throwing Kenobi off.

"Kenobi!" Aayla shouted, turning both heads.

Rain saw her snatch Kenobi's lightsaber off her belt and send it soaring in his direction. The Jedi master caught it and ignited it instantly, pushing himself back to his feet before facing off with Bane again. By now, a handful of clones had converged on Rain, their blasters pointed right into her face.

"Don't move," one hissed.

Rain released her grip on her lightsabers, raising her hands in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I surrender," she sighed.

Reaching through the force, she picked up the clones and smashed them against the opposite wall.

"No hard feelings," she assured the unconscious heap of troopers, grabbing up her weapons again and getting to her feet.

More clones were already on their way to greet her, laying down heavy fire as they came. Rain sliced the first trooper's blaster cleanly in half once he was close enough, following it up with a fatal jab. As the rest crowded in on her, it became a little harder to keep up. One clone managed to land a right hook under the jaw after she had cut his blaster out of his hands. She repaid him with an unbalancing kick before finishing him off with a lightsaber through his heart. As the last trooper fell, Rain paused to catch her breath before turning to assess Bane's situation. Secura and Kenobi had teamed up against him, forcing him to take to the air. He hovered just out of their reach, bombarding them with almost everything he had in his arsenal. The only remaining clones aside from those lying unconscious in Bane's ship were the ones piloting the gunships. Unable to leave their posts, they hung back.

Well, that takes care of THAT nuisance.

A sudden idea struck Rain and she bounded forward, completely ignoring Bane's plight and heading straight for the gunships. She vaulted aboard one, rounding on the pilot just as he started to reach for a weapon and seizing control of his mind.

"Fire on the other gunships," she instructed him.

The clone said nothing, turning back to the controls and aiming the ship's guns at its fellow Republic vessels. They promptly erupted into flame one by one, causing the two Jedi masters to freeze in horror.

"Now fire on the Jedi!" Rain shouted.

The pilot complied and Rain watched as Kenobi and Secura had to scramble for cover. Aayla bolted into Bane's ship, disappearing from view while Kenobi continued to run to and fro.

"Forget him!" Rain hissed, jabbing a finger at Bane's ship, "Blow the ship."

As the clone turned his focus back to Aayla's hiding spot, Rain noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Before she could react, that something struck the viewport, startling her. Rain looked up to see Kenobi glaring down at them. He lifted a hand and the pilot was suddenly thrown forward, his head striking the panel. Before he could get any further, Bane appeared, latching onto the Jedi with his grappling hook and jerking him backward. Rain dove forward, shoving the unconscious clone out of the way so she could get at the controls. She paused, her finger hovering over the trigger. Secura had emerged, along with the handful of troopers Rain had knocked out earlier. Rain glanced over at Bane. He'd been grounded and was quickly losing the advantage. She turned her gaze back to where her old master stood. Sweat started to bead on her forehead.

Press the damn trigger, Rain!

Secura signalled to the clones to aid Kenobi, then fixed her sights on Rain. The assassin quickly snapped out of her haze, slamming the trigger down. Bane's ship exploded, throwing Secura forward. She landed face down in the sand, going still. Rain leapt off the ship, racing toward the Twilek's unmoving figure. Aayla remained motionless, yet she showed no signs of injury.

She's not dead, just unconscious, but we should have enough time to deal with Kenobi before she becomes a problem again.

Rain turned to see Bane being encircled by troopers and was about to step in when suddenly her body seized up. She was flung backward, hitting the turf next to where Aayla lay. Only Aayla wasn't lying there anymore. She was standing over Rain, her weapon in her hand. Their eyes met, and Rain felt a sudden fury flare up within her. The force flooded through her, rising with her anger. She picked up Secura by her throat, squeezing with all her might. The Twilek dropped her weapon, her hands flying to her throat in a futile attempt to tear away the invisible force that was choking her. Every other thought in Rain's mind disappeared as Secura's struggling became more and more violent. She got to her feet, lifting Aayla even higher. She could hear Kenobi shouting something, but his voice seemed distant and muted.

"Ra—"

Secura fought to speak, her mouth opening and closing like that of a stranded fish.

"Ra—"

Rain stared in shock as tears suddenly began to cascade down the Twilek's face. A cold horror swept through her, the anger melting from her expression. She stumbled back, releasing her hold on Secura and watching as her old master fell in a crumpled heap on the sand, coughing violently. Then Rain felt something ram across the back of her skull and the world was instantly swallowed up in blackness.