Handles, Head Tails and Handgrenades

[The Conman]

Oh shi-.Oh shi-.Oh shi-.Oh shi-.Oh shi-.Oh shi-.Oh shi-.

Donnie was frozen. This was way beyond anything she knew how to handle. Unlike Var, Donnie had full memory of what had transpired. She knew what had been said and remembered it fully. Which, made her feel all the worse knowing why Var freaked out.

Donnie literally had no idea what to do. So she leaned back, and put her head back against the wall, and thought. Her usually quick brain was completely stalled by having to process the thick, gooey, and slow flowing thing called "emotion".

It wasn't that she didn't understand, far from it. The biggest factor causing stoppage was that she knew so much about what was a very sensitive topic for Var. Either she could tell her, that she'd spilled the beans when she was drunk. or Not.

If she told her, it would end up making Var angrier at her because Donnie did what she did knowing that. Or, she could say no, and be in the same position.

The difference that makes no difference...

She muttered to herself. Var was, as far as she could tell, a lost cause. The girl was SO messed up that the out come Donnie saw wasn't avoidable. She'd end up loosing Var as a friend, regardless. The point was, that either way, the outcome was the same. So the name of the game was damage control, and that meant...

Well, uh...

Donnie tried to start, realizing she hadn't thought out her words, so just decided to go off the cuff. She stood up, not really caring what var thought of a mostly naked Donnie parading around the quarters.

Acting like we, you know, don't know each other, isn't going to be easy...y'see we both work on the ship, and, I kinda sleep here-

She stated, motioning to her bunk.

So I think you asking me to "Un-friend" you is a bit...extreme, over what was meant to be a harmles-

Donnie stopped for a moment, feeling liquid on her foot.

What the...

She suddenly realized what it was.

You have to be kidding me Var, the washroom is RIGHT TH-

She said, before realizing. She'd probably been able to avoid it the night before and simply forgotten about it. It was distinctly possible that Var had avoided the bathroom while her and Dov were "on the job" so to speak.

It was becoming obvious to her that despite the younger Twi'lek's best efforts, this wasn't going to happen. Var was too delicate. Donnie was too blunt and caustic. Her sense of humor only bothered Var, and the need to handle Var with " kid gloves" was a chore. All Donnie wanted was a friend.

Oddly enough, her and Var weren't so incredibly different. Donnie didn't really have any friends back on Corellia. She had people she'd drink with, go to bed with, but not any friends. Which, probably contributed to her inability to actually keep them. Var, to her, at this point, was another failed experiment. She'd tried, and it'd failed. Simple.

Frak it. Your right, I'll sleep in the cargo hold, saw a hammock down there when I was working on the ship earier.

She said, wiping Var's puke off onto Var's comforter, as she rummaged around in a bag for a pair of pants, which she promptly put on, then her bra, then a tight, dark gray, SoroSub shirt with a faded white logo. She removed the bag containing Var's things, and dropped them on her bunk, before gathering up her bags and gingerly stepping over the mess Var'd made the night before.

I'll be up front, we're heading for Zeltros, should be there in a few days. In the meantime, if you want to be useful, the water filteration system needs the filters replaced, they're in the cargo hold, it'll give me time to fix the CO2 scrubbers today rather than tomorrow...

She said, before heading out towards the Cargo Hold.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"Donnie wait, I..." Var trailed off as she realized she'd held her tongue too long and the other Twi'lek had already left. She was too late.

Var had lost only the second friend in her life.

A different pang came into her heart. This time loneliness. She'd gotten used to having someone friendly around to talk to, to rely on. And now? No more.

Yesterday seemed like an entire lifetime ago.

Var knew she shouldn't have dared to dream. She'd been trying to be what she wasn't: a normal person. She'd spent the whole day before being friendly and trying new things with... with her friend. She'd lowered her guard too much.

She was a Sith. That was what she couldn't change. The Dark Side was her only friend. The Force could never hurt you or betray you. You could trust it to never leave you alone. In her head she knew she didn't need other friends. They could hold her back from power and victory. But her heart simply felt heavy.

The Twi'lek Sith Initiate sat on her bunk and picked up the things Donnie had bought her. She didn't have the heart to look at them or to discard them. She simply put them into her footlocker and tried to forget about them.

Varulla'aba stared off into nothingness, her green eyes glassy and unfocused. She was regretting her words. But what was done was done. She'd lost her only friend.

She curled up under the stained comforter and laid her head down on the pillow. She'd just had the worst morning of her life.

Back on Tatooine mornings had been her only time of peace. Her master had been too sluggish then to hurt her. Everything was calm and peaceful. Two words that couldn't have been further from what Var was.

Var was sadness, Var was pain. The good in her was so small and vulnerable that she buried it away under layer after layer of cynicism, bitterness, and arrogance. But she'd let those layers peel away and reveal her soul. Reestablishing them was going to take time.

The Twi'lek buried her face in her arms and wished she could feel nothing.

[Deleted]

The cynical Firrerreo stood in the doorway to Varulla's bunk a dark smirk across his lips. When they had landed Koeing slipped away before anyone could realize he was gone, he had a few things to take care of. It turned out well for him having made some credits and got a gift for Varulla for free. However upon his return things got dark, he overheard part of Donnie and Varulla's conversation something about Var "un-friending" the other Twi'lek and it made him laugh. "Why would she want to be friends with the very *friendly* person in the first place?" He asked himself now standing there staring at his apprentice.

"So, you lost a friend. She's worthless and useless, there is nothing to gain from being her friend. She will amount to nothing in her life, where as you will become a strong Sith under my guidance. I am all you need Varulla." He spoke with a cynical and harsh tone to his voice but it was the simple truth and he wouldn't allow Varulla to become weak because of some worthless pilot. "If you cannot realize this i will kill you here and now, release you from your foolish feelings. Shall i?" He asked with a sadistic tone in his voice staring at her with his cold eyes.

He reached down and his fingers closed around the hilt of his Viridian blade, slowly he pulled it free from the clip and held it infront of her. The blade ignited with a sharp snap and filled the room with an eerie glow, the light from the blade glinted off of his now exposed canines. "Swear to me this Twi'lek will not interfere with your training, swear to me you will overcome your weakness. Swear that you will become the Sith i know you can be. For if you do not i will not suffer your existance." He was being truly cold to the apprentice he so dearly cared for, and that was the only reason he gave her this ultimatim, anyone else he would have killed in an instant for showing such foolishness.

He stood awaiting her answer, if she chose death he would give it to her willingly, it would give him happiness to put her out of her misery so she could never become weak and worthless. However if she chose life then she would get no mercy, her training would put her through hell and back from that point on, only to make her stronger and grow in to a Sith he could respect, not like those bastards in the temple childish, foolish and ignorant.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Var stared at the glowing lightsaber that lit up the room, and of all the thoughts she had, a seemingly pointless one came to mind. Why wasn't the blade red?

She made a mental note to ask her mentor that question someday. But now wasn't the time or the place. And she wasn't in the mood to do so. And she doubted he was in the mood either. She'd come to know he was every bit as touchy about his past as she could be herself.

The cream-colored Twi'lek hung her head wearily. She just felt tired and stretched, first losing the friend she'd made and now this: her master, that she nursed a hidden affection for, threatening to kill her. To be fully honest, she wasn't sure that was a bad idea. A life with no friends, no family, and nothing but painful memories.

She'd chosen her path already, and it was too late to go back. The Jedi would never accept her back. And even if they would, she lacked the self-control. The kindness. The empathy. That door was shut to her.

"Yes master, I swear it." She murmured softly from her position on the bunk.

She had no other choice but to comply. Her life was all she had, and she was going to preserve it. Without her status as a Sith she was nothing. Nothing at all. Her destiny seemed to lie down that road.

But she had the painful feeling it was going to be a lonely road.

[Deleted]

"Good.." He spoke in a softer tone now, the eerie glow in the room came to an abrupt halt as the saber shut off with a snap. He moved to sit next to her on the bed and went to rest his left hand on her knee gently. "Varulla, i have a very important gift to give you, to signify the beginning of your training and your position as my apprentice." He nodded and even tried to force a soft smile when he pulled the small box out from behind him, laying it on her lap he watched her carefully, the gift meant a lot to him. A Durindfire crystal attached to a chain, she would wear it and possibly in the future place it within her own lightsaber.

He closed his eyes taking a slow breath remembering when he found his Durindfire crystal on Tattooine, it was a terrible time right after he had lost his Master. It had symbolized a new beginning for him, power and never failing again. His eyes slid open and he nodded to her before getting up to leave the room. "You may open it." He spoke in a low voice then left, he went about the ship searching for Donnie wondering where she'd gotten off to.

"Donnie! You damned Twi'lek where have you gone, i need a word." He called out knowing his voice would reverberate off of the ships hull and carry his message to her wherever the hell she was.

[The Conman]

Donnie was in the cockpit, feet up on the console, smoking a cigarette when she heard a male voice call out at her. It took the girl a few seconds to put a name to the voice, having not heard it in a few days. It was Koeing.

"The frak..." She muttered in huttese, putting the smoke out in the ash tray and giving the 6 inch tall Hula-ing Zeltron that was stuck to the console a small flick in the process.

Donnie removed her legs from the Console, stood up and pushed her Leeku over her shoulders. Koeing didn't sound happy. Not that most Sith really ever did. She stepped out of the Cockpit and looked down the hall, the Sith standing in Var's doorway.

Yo

She said, thinking about how to greet the man.

Is 'ike fidden feet away...vhy cha yellin'?

She asked.

[Deleted]

He stared at the Twi'lek and slowly a dull ache shot through his body, there was no denying Donnie was attractive however what he craved wasn't her body but that which coursed through it. He grinned with an evil taint and stepped toward her. "Now now Donnie, why are you causing so much trouble for my apprentice, hm? You have your Devaronian play-thing i suggest you leave her be or i'll fry you and turn you in to tomarrow's dinner." He glared at Donnie and stretched his body out to it's full height to impose himself over her as he strode closer.

Standing closer to her he resisted the urge to slam her against the wall and drain her dry, his grin showed off his impressive canines as he attempted to intimidate her. The tips of his fingers kept rolling the hilt of his lightsaber in a slow circular motion, itching to ignite it his eyes dared her to talk back to him, to make the wrong move.

"You're the pilot, i don't believe your job description describes interacting with the Sith Agents on this mission. You are to fly this hunk of metal where you're told to, nothing else. Continue to interfere and i will show you just how weak and worthless you are to this mission." His voice slipped in to a low growl his thumb hovering over the switch on his lightsaber.

[The Conman]

Donnie's expression was mostly blank. She'd grown up with rubbing shoulders with hit-men and con artists, being afraid for her life was, to her, so two years ago. However, Koeing did have a certain " I'll kill you then use your finger bones as cocktail stir sticks " sort of air to him, so she wasn't about to do anything overly stupid.

Then again, she wasn't overly impressed by the situation. Var was blubbering over what was really, at this point, spilled milk. Then AGAIN, however, this could very well be one sith's way of showing another that there was feelings there. Donnie held back a smirk.

Showing off to your girl...and your how old?

She thought, before replying.

Y'know, I diin' do poodo...krap, cha' lil pep talk ha' every thin' I wan'zay an' more.

Donnie said, leaning against the cockpit's doorway and crossing her arms.

I 'zpecially 'ike da par' bout " zufferin' cho exsistance". I din' da waz a nice touch.

She said, using her fingers for air quotes.

Truth be told, she was totally cool staying out of their way. If they wanted to go sith around, so be it. As far as Donnie was concerned they were all frakked in the head anyways.

She continued.

I won' be causin' no mo' trouble. Een mah defense, Iz ha' no idea da' us zupport folk weren't allowed to try to be frienz wi'da mangement, daz-a my bad.

She finished, still leaning in the cockpit door frame, hands now in her pockets.

[Deleted]

"Just stay out of the way child." He growled out his response then walked off to his quarters. He'd tolerate Donnie for now the mission still needed to be completed, once it was over however she'd better keep out of sight, Koeing would have no issue adding her to the list of dead that he kept in the back of his mind. Grinning to himself at the thought he unclipped his sabers and set them on the uncomfortable bed before settling down on the floor to meditate.

His muscles relaxed finally as his eye lids shut, he slowly slipped into the trance of meditation letting his senses stretch out, the world around them was too loud he enjoyed the solace of this ship. He could feel Donnie and Var doing whatever it is they were doing but he tuned them out so he could concentrate on the silence of space, he even tuned out his own thoughts allowing him to drift off in to bliss.

[The Conman]

Donnie rolled her eyes and went back into the cockpit, shutting the door in the process. It was becoming apparent that the sith weren't easy to deal with.

She sat down, and lit a smoke, putting her feet up on the console in the process, settling in for a think.

Koeing was mad at her for Var's failings, causing trouble, as he put it. The fact of the matter was simply that Var was the one causing trouble. Donnie had tried, more than she usually did, to be friendly. Only to end up offending her delicate sensibilities.

A Sith's Delicate Sensibilities.

Donnie chuckled.

Var was different from the other Sith she'd bumped into in the Temple. The girl was messed up, that much was certain, but she wasn't overly sadistic, evil, or particularly condescending. If Donnie had to guess, she'd say Var was Sith Lite, with all the evil flavour, but just one calorie.

The end result was that she, Donnie, thought that Var would be suitable to be a friend. So far, this had proven to be incorrect. But that didn't change the fact that Doneeda still cared about her to an extent. It was obvious to her that she was interested in Koeing.

What was also obvious was that Koeing would probably plow head long into the menagerie of issues that was Var's personality.

This, if it happened, would cause any number of issues, from a fight to Var being minus a head, anything was possible. It was also obvious to Donnie that they'd probably both be easier to deal with if they got "it" out of their systems.

She pondered, and put the smoke out, formulating a plan.

Donnie needed to warn Koeing, about Var's past, at very least, if not also divulge her interest in the man at the same time. It was underhanded, but Doneeda realized that Var wouldn't ever trust anybody enough to tell them.

Donnie was also already in her bad books, so things couldn't realistically get much worse, she figured.

The Twi'lek got up, opened the cockpit door, and strode down the hall to the door leading to Koe's quarters, and poked the door buzzer.

Nothing happened.

Echuta...

She said, simply knocking softly instead.

Hay, Koeing...I kinna wanna tal'tah yah.

She said, to the door. Hoping Koeing was actually in the room still.

[Deleted]

Koeing sat still in meditation when the door buzzer went off, a low growl eminated from his throat but he just ignored it. This time instead of the buzzer came a knock on the door, he heard Donnie's voice travel through the metal and he growled once more. Koeing flicked his hand in the direction of the door allowing the force to flow from him and open it. "What is it you wish to speak of Doneeda?" He said, his tone low almost a growl.

He stood slowly, the muslces in his legs protesting as he flexed them to stand up, a light sigh of irritation left his lips as he turned to face her. His eyes stared deep in to hers as a thought came to mind, he raised his left hand and through the force lifted his lightsaber with the Viridian crystal then moved it till it hovered infront of Donnie. "Take it, lets talk while you keep me entertained." He nodded slightly to her speaking in a somewhat softer tone now.

He reached out through the force calling his Durindfire saber over to his right hand, holding it gently he began to flip it back and forth between his fingers while waiting for Doneeda to speak or take the saber presented to her.

[The Conman]

Donnie, legitimately not knowing what to expect, was somewhat taken aback when the door opened and Koeing was still seated in the middle of the room. She half expected him to come rushing out in a furious rage of sithness.

But he was just sitting there. Growling words at her. This, oddly enough, was comforting. He was being "normal"...for a sith.

Then he stood up, and sent a light saber hovering her way.

Doneeda raised what, on a haired humanoid, would have been an eyebrow.

Chuuurrrreee...

She said slowly, taking the saber and stepping in, figuring that this was about as amicable as Mr.Dark Lord of Evil would get.

The Girl took a moment to have a gander at the saber. She'd never gotten to look at one up close before. Donnie made a point to keep the "business end" pointed away from herself, she didn't want to find out it had a hair trigger the hard way. After a few seconds, she found herself back in reality.

Uhh...Vell...

She stopped, realizing she hadn't thought through how to broach the topic.

Ah...Mr.Koeing...uh...I kinna' kno' a bi'bouda...'elations, I thin' cha'd agree?

She said gently.

Is'a 'ere, caaause...

And, the big moment ladies and gentlemen... she thought.

Choo an var...is preddy obvious...an...vell, Is nah 'er frien'no mo, bah cho shoul' kno a few tins' befo cha go geddin' wid dat.

Donnie finished, the saber now being looked at rather intently to help calm her nerves.

[Deleted]

Koeing shut his eyes and listened to Donnie, she seemed to be nervous and took quite a while to spit out what she was trying to say. As soon as she mentioned noticing something between him and Var his eyes shot open and he stared at her intently. Where does she come off presuming such things, something i should know? Time to find out. He thought to himself while glaring at Doneeda.

He took a couple steps toward her then his left hand shot up and the force enveloped the door to his quarters and it slid shut behind her with a thud. He advanced on Donnie to back her in to a corner his eyes warning her that death could be on its way.

"I suggest that whatever comes out of that mouth next is worded carefully Doneeda otherwise you may not have a mouth to speak with anylonger. Yes it is obvious i care for Varulla, now tell me what it is i should know then get out of here. We should be on our way to Tatooine by now." He growled at her and his thumb hovered over the ignition switch for his lightsaber.

[The Conman]

Donnie jumped slightly when the door shut, not expecting that reaction. As Koeing approached she backed up towards the wall, bumping into it with her backside after a few steps.

Y'know...you really didn't think this one through. Donnie told herself mentally.

It wasn't surprising that Koeing didn't see her act of contrition as what it was. Nor that he was angry. What was surprising, however, was his bad breath.

Donnie made a mental note to slip a tic-tac into his next meal, maybe a breath mint or two into his water whenever possible. That and make a point to ask the temple if they had a dentist.

A few seconds after Koeing asked her, Doneeda spoke.

Firssly, Is tryin' tah 'elp yah. Che needs yah, buh chee don know da yed. Eef choo mess dis up, no second chances, so Is givin yah da-

Donnie held up her fingers, indicating air quotes.

inssiderz infoz.

She said, returing her arms to their crossed position, before continuing.

Da gurlz mezzed up, man. Che waz a slave, inda ba-way. Dey bead 'er, cuss 'er, make'da poor thin' feel like 'che wa' worth nadda. Den, de owner raped 'er, and whip 'er....

Donnie paused, letting her words sink in with Koeing while she pushed her leeku over her shoulders.

...Mr.Koeing, dey din' do 'eet once neither. Da girl iz bea...be...beau...vatz da wor...

Donnie paused and went through a few phrases in Huttese and Twi'leki, trying to remember the basic word for gorgeous.

..ahh...real nize tah look 'ad, bah 'er bak...looks like dey diin' ever stop.

The Twi'lek stopped, pulled her pack of smokes out of her pocket, removed one, then fished her lighter out of her bra and lit the smoke, before returning everything to it's proper location. She took a long drag, then let out the lungful...in Koeing's altogether too close face.

Is 'ere cause I can tell yah da' chee need yah. Bah yah needa kno' dis. Mr.Koeing, you din' Is inda way, fine. Bah you's good at many tingders, dis, innit one of 'em...tread lightly wid'is one. Che vill truss, bah cha godda avoi' some o de mines, if ya geda driff.

Donnie finished, taking another long drag and emptying her lungs in Koe's direction.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

The loud clang of the metal door summoned Var out from her bunk and towards the source of the noise, at first merely with the intention of asking whoever it was to be quieter. Her head was still sore, and she would have much preferred silence. But quickly she changed her goals.

She could hear Donnie and Koeing talking, but it was muffled and barely audible through the door. She leaned in and focused intently on the words, struggling in places with Donnie's mangled Basic. As soon as she understood it, everything came flooding back from the night before.

Var could remember it clearly now. She'd been talking with Donnie, and she'd told her everything about her past, the slavery, the beatings, the rape. Everything she worked so hard to keep quiet, everything that showed just how small and weak she really was. Everything that made her a Sith no one could respect. What Sith let herself be used and hurt? And worse still...

She was telling Koeing.

Var's green eyes widened to what seemed like twice their normal size, and she felt her legs wobble beneath her and buckle. She slumped up against the bulkhead, falling to her knees.

Koeing knew now. He knew she was damaged, dirty, unclean. Now it would be impossible for him to ever look on her and see a strong woman. He'd see her as something weak and insignificant at best, and at worst? He'd see her as filthy, and he'd never be willing to touch her.

It was no stretch to say the cream-colored Twi'lek was in shock. She couldn't believe this was happening. Her carefully constructed world was crumbling around her, and she was being laid bare.

When Donnie mentioned the scars on her back, that was it. Var just froze up. It was as if her ears stopped working. She stopped listening, and she even stopped seeing. All she could imagine was a look of horror on Koeing's face, turning into one of disgust at the sight of her back. Inside her mind she could imagine his voice telling her to get out of his sight.

Her hopes were dashed. Everything she'd hoped for was gone. Her breath came in short and ragged spurts. It was over. Everything was over.

[Deleted]

Koeing stood before Doneeda listening, his eyes staring intently in to hers she began using air quotes causing Koeing's jaw to clench in irritation that she decided to take this approach. A low growl began to form in the base of his chest as he listened, his whole body tensed when Donnie mentioned Varulla being a slave and rage slowly started to build in the darkest parts of his being.

Then it came, Donnie spoke the words Koeing wished he wouldn't hear come from between her lips, Varulla had been beaten, raped and whipped he couldn't believe what he was hearing the image in his mind of Varulla the strong young woman he knew melted away as the rage consumed his form and the force surrounded him manifesting in a red swirling mist.

His hands raised and his left flicked toward Donnie, the force ripped his lightsaber from her hand and he gripped it tightly igniting them both instantaneously.

...Mr.Koeing, dey din' do 'eet once neither. Da girl iz bea...be...beau...vatz da wor...

Donnie paused and went through a few phrases in Huttese and Twi'leki, trying to remember the basic word for gorgeous.

..ahh...real nize tah look 'ad, bah 'er bak...looks like dey diin' ever stop.

His whole body shook with a rage he hadn't experienced since his Jedi Master had died at the hands of the Dark Jedi who took him in, he barely held back from dismembering Donnie then and there as she spoke. What he couldn't hold back however were the tears that seemed to explode from his tear ducts and run down his cheeks without end, whoever had done this to Varulla would die he was sure of that.

Koeing's rage finally exploded when Donnie took out her pack of smokes and lit one then blew the smoke directly in to his face. How dare she act casual! How dare she take this lightly and how dare she disrespect me and Var.

He thought as he stepped back from the woman, he was in such a rage he didn't even care to go through the motions of physically using the force to open the door behind her. The force flowed forth from deep within his being and the metal shot open so fast it broke the mechanism and slammed it against the inside of the hull filling the ship with a loud ringing.

Turning he slashed at the back wall of his quarters with his lightsabers scarring the metal with deep gashes, however they weren't deep enough to compromise the hull. "Leave Doneeda before i lose complete control and your body parts end up coating the inside of this ship! I do not wish to explain to the Sith why our pilot met a gruesome end, we have a mission to complete." Giving her one last hint a small wave of the force would hit her to force her backwards out of the room.

He dropped his lightsabers and the beautiful blades dissappeared into the hilts as he fell to his knees, he clenched his ribs with his arms and kept whispering to himself to maintain control. He couldn't lose it, not after so long of being able to control his rage but now, over this woman his rage threatened to explode like never before.

He couldn't help it, his lips parted and he let out a deep pain filled yell as if to release all of the hate, rage and pain he felt right this moment. He hunched over against the wall, his forehead placed firmly against the wall as he breathed heavily.

He couldn't believe it, Varulla had been a slave and had been subjected to such treatment. In his minds eye he could only imagine what she went through and suddenly gained a renewed respect and image of Varulla, she is strong he thought to himself. To have endured such pain and suffering and yet still stand as she does, resolute and unmoving.

He laughed weakly to himself then forced his body to obey his will and stood slowly. He looked back to make sure Donnie wasn't around then he went to his bed and laid down, his body exhausted from the Force Rage he just endured he slipped into a short lived coma.

[The Conman]

Donnie stumbled out of the door, still reeling from what just happened with Koeing. She'd known he wouldn't take it well, but his reaction was beyond bad. As he started screaming, Doneeda turned to her left and saw Var slumped beside the door.

She cocked an eyebrow. Then it hit her.

Var had very likely heard what she'd been talking to Koeing about.

Echuta.

She said, backing towards the cockpit.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Var was too busy cradling her face in her hands to even hear Koeing's response to Donnie. She was walled off, lost in herself and heedless of everything until...

She looked up and saw Donnie. And something inside her flared to life. It was fury. Unadulterated and pure, powerful and brimming with hatred. It was the sort of intensity of emotion she'd maybe had once or twice before. It was just as raw as the experience of being raped, but it inspired something worse than a feeling of helplessness; it inspired the fullest venom she could muster. Never before had she projected such hatred. Not towards anyone, not even the man who raped her.

This was a betrayal.

All she could envision was her hands on Donnie's throat, squeezing until the other woman died in her grasp.

She didn't even say a word at first. Her eyes said it all, they were positively on fire with fury, and if looks alone could kill Donnie would be ripped apart in a dozen pieces. Var's face was taut, and her teeth were gritted. When she spoke, it was a furious scream that seemed incredibly foreign to her. The woman's silky voice was unrecognizable.

"I'LL RIP YOUR HEADTAILS OFF AND STRANGLE YOU WITH THEM!"

Var charged across the room, her weapons forgotten. Of its own accord, her fist raced forward directly towards Donnie's face, faster and harder than a bolt of lightning.

[The Conman]

Donnie's eyes went wide when Var charged at her. Time seemed to slow down, she was waiting for Var to pull her saber...

But she, didn't.

Doneeda tried to get out of the way, but wasn't quite fast enough, and Var managed to connect with her cheek, producing a loud, wet, smack.

The impact wasn't overly hard, she'd been hit harder in her life, but the shock and suddenness of it all made up for her lack of strength, Doneeda was reeling for a good second or two, before fully realizing what was going on.

Var was trying to fight her, the stupid girl. The shock disappeared from Donnie's face, replaced by surprise.

You have to be-

Donnie thought, ducking and avoiding a badly timed haymaker.

-kidding me...

She finished the thought outloud, in huttese, taking advantage of Var's missed punch to simply give her a solid shove away.

Imma feed you your teeth if you don't back off!

Donnie said in huttese, moving towards the center of the hall, so her back wasn't against the wall.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Imma feed you your teeth if you don't back off!

"I'll kill you Donnie! You just took away my life, well now I'm going to take away YOURS!" Var hissed through gritted teeth, murderous intent clearly visible on her face.

And then it clicked. The Force was her ally. She didn't need to swing punches, she just needed to focus and exert control. She was going to seize control of this situation. She was going to kill Donnie. She'd have her revenge, and when the other woman lay dead on the floor she'd have some measure of satisfaction when she fled to start over again for the fourth time.

Something always turned her world upside down. First she'd been rescued by the Jedi. Then she'd fallen to the dark side, and most recently she'd joined the Sith. Now the decision had been made for her: leave the Sith.

She had to. Her life was over, Koeing knew. They'd all know soon, and what was private was laid bare. All because she'd been betrayed by the woman before him. It was her fault. And Var would see her dead for it.

The cream-colored Twi'lek raised her gloved hand and saw her fingers around Donnie's neck. Then she squeezed, and telekinetically she could feel the grip tightening. All she had to do was squeeze, and squeeze harder.

She clenched her hand as her green eyes blazed out of control.

"Say goodbye Donnie."