• She was born 22 years after the Battle of Yavin to Chi, a talented artist and Mazer Saren, a veteran pilot who fought in the battle of Yavin, in Kala’uun City in the Ryloth System. Three years after her birth, Mazer died in a heat storm while trying to assist refugees from a small town to the north get to a small complex of caves near the Saren home. Shortly afterwards Chi, though they wanted for nothing, accepted a job on Corusant Planet working as a secretary for the New Republic Senators. Within days after her 5th birthday, Lyn was stolen from her mother- never to see her again.

    After three years of bouncing from master to master, Lyn found herself in the “servitude” of a different kind of master. This one was a kind man who had lost his daughter in an Imperial raid at the Mon Calamari Shipyards. He recognized at once that same inner fire that fueled his daughter and decided to teach Lyn the same as he had instructed his daughter- hand to hand combat and how to fly. Due to her ever increasing skill and accuracy, and her unreal beauty, he gave her the nickname of Siren. At the age of 19, and having all the knowledge he thought he could give her, her master set her free. She spent a year flying cargo, reading GNN articles on the infamous Rogue Squadron… hoping one day to fly with them. Shortly after turning 20, she joined the New Republic and was placed into Eagle Squadron. Still her desire to fly with Rogue nagged at her… then she got the transfer she was waiting for… Rogue… at last…

    Shortly after joining Rogue, Siren came across a pilot flying a Mandalorian ship by the name of Dye'Drin Ordo during a skirmish near Tolgadriel Mining Station in Corusant System. She let the hum of her Rebel XJ's engines soak into her soul as she drew a bead on him with her finger on the trigger. She paused. Something told her she shouldn't fire on this one. She could feel his discontent over having to fight beside the Imperial Navy. The jolt of lasers hitting her shields shook her form her contemplation. Having found a different target, she re-engaged the fight.

    A few short weeks later, Siren received a transmission from Viper, CO of Hardpoint Squadron. He requested that, due to her unwavering dedication to both the New Republic and to improving her skills as a fighter pilot, she transfer to Hardpoint. Hardpoint was a squadron designed for trainers to develop training techniques and teamwork, and to set an example of how a squadron SHOULD function. If she accepted, that meant that she would have to give up her much-loved Rebel XJ and get the sleeker T-84. After some thought and discussion with Viper, Haman and Varra, she decided to transfer. Training was hard- mostly because she pushed herself to her limits to learn more- but she quickly picked up everything that Viper threw at her. After a couple of weeks in Hardpoint, four of the seven members of the squadron were called out of Hardpoint for reasons that Siren didn't understand. Viper left orders that the remaining Hardpoint members transfer back to Rogue.

    She made her way across Golan Arms Station the morning she arrived, passing by a few familiar faces on her way to the assignment office.

    “Good to have you back, Siren” Pron shouted from down the hall. As he got closer he asked, “You coming back to Rogue?”

    “Absolutely.” Siren smiled. “I can’t talk now. I need to get my Black Beast back.”

    “Roger.” Pron grinned. “See ya in space.”

    A couple minutes later Siren found herself at the assignment office and opened the door.

    “Can I help you?” the lady said without looking up.

    “I need a bunk and a fighter.”

    The lady at the desk looked up. “Captain Siren,” she smiled. “Glad to have you back.”

    “My same quarters wouldn’t still be free, would they?”

    The lady at the desk looked down to her computer for a minute. “Looks like it. Is that the one you want?”

    Siren nodded. “The key code still the same?”

    “Yes ma’am.”

    “Good. I’ll take it.” Siren said as she walked back to the door. “I need to go get my Black Beast back.” Out the door she went.

    She moved quickly and quietly down the corridor to the turbo lift. As she approached, the door slid open.

    “Siren… good to see you.” It was her Jedi friend, Master Sushi. “I heard you got transferred back to Rogue.”

    “Master Sushi.” Siren grinned. “Good to see you too, my friend.” She adjusted her bag on her shoulder. “On my way to get my Rebel XJ as we speak.”

    Sushi grinned. “Which do you think you like better?”

    “What do you mean?”

    “The XJ or the T-84?”

    “Honestly, I don’t know. Give me a few fights and I’ll be able to tell you.”

    He nodded. “I need to go. See you in later?”

    “Absolutely.”

    She reached the command level of the station and the door slid open again. She stepped out and headed to Goodard’s office.

    Once there, she pushed the door open. “You busy?”

    “Not at the moment.” He looked up from his desk. “What’s up?”

    “I wanted to trade in the T-84 for an XJ.”

    “You’re no longer in Hardpoint?”

    “I’ve been assigned back to Rogue. Hardpoint is no more,”

    “No problem.”

    “Thanks, Goodie” Siren smiled. “Anything I should be aware of here at Golan Arms?”

    “Nothing new at the moment.”

    “I got my old room reassigned. If you need anything…”

    “I know where to look.” He chuckled. “Though I think I’ll have a better time finding you in space blowing up Imperials and Sith.”

    It was Siren’s turn to let out a chuckle, “True enough. I’ll talk to you later. I need to get my stuff put away.”

    “See ya.” He called after her as she hurried out the door.

    As soon as she got settled back into her old quarters, she was back out in space getting re-acquainted with her ship and it's quirks. How she missed the hum of the thrusters!! While on a few such training expeditions, she ran into Dye'Drin Ordo again. He requested to duel her claiming he needed the practice to better his aim. But she could sense something else...

    "He couldn't be..." she wondered aloud only to shake the thought from her head. "No way... he fights beside the Imperials... there's no way..." Although her feelings and impressions had always rang true in the past, she was sure there was no way she could be anywhere near right about this Mandalorian.

    More than once she caught herself smiling when she saw his approach on the scanner.

    Orders came through that the New Republic was to try to take the ISD Predator in Bespin System and Marv, the Commander of New Republic Fleet, wanted her to fly an escort class capital ship for the engagement. Having never flown a cap ship, Siren worried a bit that she’d end up getting herself killed. After much reassurance from Marv and a few others from NR Command, she finally agreed to fly one.

    Once in the Capital ship, she felt terribly out of place… all the controls felt foreign to her. And the Captain’s chair felt like the ship… too damn big and clumsy. And the turbo lasers were slow and, from what Siren could tell, terribly inaccurate. She looked at her scanner as she got to The Ocean’s Pride in Bespin and a smile crossed her lips as, once again, she saw Dye’Drin on her scanner.

    “I hope he fares well today.” She said louder than she intended.

    “Captain?” her first mate asked.

    “Nothing, Lieutenant. All systems ready?”

    “Aye, Captain”

    “Let’s do this” she said as she pushed a button on her console opening a channel to all the New Republic. “Falen… BRING THE RAIN!!!” she called out.

    Soon the fleet was moving quickly towards battle. Four of the enemy’s capital ships ganged up on Falen’s heavy cap making quick work of him. Gritting her teeth, Siren engaged the closest of those huge ships.

    “Captain, shields down to 75%…” her first mate said. “50… 30…”

    “The hull starts to compromise, I want all but vessel command to abandon ship” Siren ordered.

    “20… 10…”

    “Ensign… fire on that fighter…” Siren called. “More power to shields”

    “Aye, Captain”

    “5…”

    She pushed another button opening up the ship’s intercom. “Start evac procedures.”

    “Captain, we have hull breach”

    Just then, she saw Dye’Drin’s ship block a laser from a fighter, drawing another smile momentarily to her face.

    “Evacuate all but essential crew.” Siren ordered. “keep firing on that cap ship… if we go down, I want them to go down too!!”

    “50% hull, Captain”

    She pushed the intercom button again, “Abandon ship… all personel… abandon ship.”

    The rest of the crew made it to their escape pods and barely made it to a safe distance before the ship exploded.

    She then opened up communications to the other NR still in battle, “We’re ok. Heading back to Corusant”

    “Roger, Siren” Fancho called back. “We’ll see you on the flight deck”

    * * *

    Her eyes cracked open… bright light stinging away the darkness… a flash of a kind and familiar face… is she dreaming? She shakes her head to try and clear her thoughts… again that face… then all goes dark again as she falls into something soft… her bed? She doesn't know… her flight suit was still on… and her boots… but she couldn't move from the exhaustion… the day's battle exhausted her… as usual…

    But this time more than others… other lives depended on her for survival… Her eyes cracked open again and her gaze fell upon a holo-picture. His eyes she could not soon forget. There was kindness behind them. She smiled again and fell back asleep for some much-needed rest.

    * * *

    The sound of her alarm levitated her from sleep. Siren smacked at the console next to her bed to turn it off and kept missing the button. Finally, she sat up and through fuzzy eyes managed to hit the right button and flopped back onto her bed. Her head was still reeling from the battle. Why did Dye’Drin block the laser blast and risk his own life? She wondered. I hope he made it out of there ok.

    She sat up again and looked down at her clothes, “Man… I didn’t even get my flight suit and boots off last night.” She laughed.

    She got up and grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed to the shower.

    An hour later, Siren sat in the mess hall with a plate of food in front of her that she had barely touched in the thirty minutes she had been sitting there when her old friend Julianne Kaye sat down next to her. “You ok?”

    Siren looked at her friend, “yeah… just have a lot on my mind.”

    Julianne raised an eyebrow curiously, "Well care to share? I wouldn't mind talking about something other than finances for a while," she said.

    Siren took a deep breath. “Well,” she started, “I don’t know, really. In yesterday’s skirmish in Bespin, a Mandalorian pilot deliberately blocked a laser blast meant for my ship.” A look of confusion crossed her delicate features. “Why would he do that?” She looked up from her plate to gaze into her friend’s eyes. “We’re supposed to be enemies… right?”

    "Sure he didn't just run into it," She said smirking, and unlidding the cup of caf she had brought with her.

    “He was in the midst of fighting another fighter that he wouldn’t have been just thrown in the way… besides… he flew right between me and the guy shooting at me… and stopped in the laser’s path.” She looked back to her now cold food.

    The Finance minister lowered her eyes and looked straight at Siren, "The Mandalorians have ditched Corellia and sided with what's left of the Empire. They aren't interested in being friendly."

    Siren took another deep breath, "This isn't the first time he's done something like this." She looked back up to meet Julianne's eyes once more. "He's openly refused to fire on me when ordered to by an Imperial... several times... he's told a Black Sun to leave me alone... there's more to it than that... and... I'm confused about it all..."

    "I don't know what ulterior motives that pilot may have, but be warned. Those other motives exist. Most likely they aren't just your survival." Julianne tried to smile but found it hard too.

    "I'm a survivor, Jules... you know that... you know my past."

    Kaye nodded silently.

    "And you know my gut feeling is always right... it's what kept me alive this far... and my gut tells me that he doesn't have any ulterior motives." She rested her chin in her hands. "I just can't trust... ya know?"

    "Your speaking as if the Mandalorians have Republic sympathizers amongst their ranks," Jules shook her head at the notion, "I'd like to believe it, but I don't."

    "I don't know what it is... and that's why it's driving me crazy."

    Jules just shrugged and took a sip of her drink, "Beats me. But I'd get it out of your head, you still have to keep shooting at these guys."

    "I know I do... and I don't mind shooting at them... it's just that one." Siren stood up, not interested in her food anymore. "Thanks Jules. I think I'll get out in space and find something or someone to shoot at so I can blow off some of this frustration."

    Jules nodded and watched her friend move away from the table. She sighed at the toll the war was taking on those close to her.

    Fighting Imperials usually cleared her mind. It didn't work this time. As she limped her fighter back to base, she cursed herself for letting this Mandalorian distract her to the point of almost not making it back. With her usual precision, she set her ship down in the crowded launch bay of Golan Arms Station. As soon as the shields went up over the launch portal, she pulled the lever to open her cockpit. On her way down the ladder, she could hear the mechanics grumbling about the damage. When she reached the floor, Siren hurried over to the chief mechanic and took his data pad.

    “This should cover it.” She huffed as she put in her code to transfer credits. “If you need more, I’ll be in my quarters.”

    “You alright Captain?” he asked when he saw the fires of aggression in her normally calm eyes.

    “I just have a lot on my mind.” She said as she turned to walk away.

    “You know where I’m at if ya need to talk…” he offered.

    “Thanks.” Siren said as she walked away. She really didn’t feel like talking about it. Why can’t I get the whole thing out of my head? She demanded of herself. None of this makes any sense. He was born my enemy. She stormed through the hallways of Golan Arms like a fireball fueled with anger. Anger at herself for almost demolishing her “Black Beast” as she commonly referred to her Rebel XJ. Her ship was all she could call her own, even though it technically belonged to the New Republic. Everything and just about everyone, it seemed, had been taken from her. Was her sanity, too, going to be taken?

    Siren finally reached her quarters and went in. Her head spun from the events of the past few months. And not being able to understand any of it was driving her mad. She flopped down face-first on her bed.

    A few moments later, she jumped up – an idea came to her like a warhead finding its target. She rushed over to the communications console on the far side of the room and opened up a secure channel to Dye’Drin Ordo. Siren took a deep breath and pushed the button to record:

    "Dye’Drin Ordo,

    I know this seems rather odd that I send you this communication, but I have questions I am unable to find answers to. I am hoping that maybe you might be able to shed a little light on it for me.

    For some reason, since my first encounter with you, except for our few duels that YOU requested, I am utterly unable to fire on you. It seems that you suffer from the same issue – not that the reasons are the same, they may not be. Why, in the name of all that is good, is this happening??? And what ever possessed you to block that missile in that skirmish a week ago??? We were born enemies… none of this makes sense… I can’t see logic in any of it…

    I sense a lot of good in you. And if that feeling is true, then why do you fight for the Imperials? They are a wicked breed that enjoys taking innocent lives and pushes to win at all costs." She took a deep breath and continued. "I don’t know… don’t even think I should send this transmission… but I am anyways… I need answers and have run out of places to look for them…" Before she could think about it, she pushed the button to transmit.

    The young Twi’Lek walked over to the console by her bed and picked up the holo-picture and turned it on. Dye’Drin’s face seemingly materialized in front of her. She sighed, confused for perhaps the first time in her life. Always, her eyes were clear and she knew where she was going and how she would get there. Who would have guessed that this young Mandalorian staring back at her from the holo-picture could cloud her vision like this. She turned it back off and set it down.

    After a shower and some fresh clothes, Siren started the walk to the mess hall hoping she could eat this time.

    The walk to the mess hall took her longer than usual with the many detours she took. Wanting to avoid people and conversation, Siren walked down corridors that she knew would be empty this time of day. She stopped in front of one of the many doors in the corporate hall and instinctively took her blaster from its holster. She stepped up to the console to the right of the door and pushed a couple of buttons opening a channel to security.

    “Captain Siren, how can I help you?”

    “Lieutenant Joran, there’s an intruder in Kundari’s old office.” She started. “ I need a couple of security officers down here to assist me in capturing him.”

    “They’re on their way.” He replied.

    “Roger. Siren out.” Before Joran could start to insist that she wait for security to arrive, she closed the com-link.

    She brought her blaster to the ready and opened the door. As the door slid open, she silently entered the unlit room. Even with the dim light filtering in from the hall, she could tell that the office hadn’t been touched since Kundari had left. The Twi’Lek closed her eyes for a moment to center herself and quiet her mind. Before she knew what was happening, Siren was diving down and to the left as a laser blast scorched the wall where her head had been. Tucking and rolling with her momentum, she landed on one knee and fired. She heard the thud of a body hitting the floor from across the room. Just as she reached to turn on the lights, two security officers came skidding around the corner.

    “Captain…” the taller of the two said out of breath, “you should have…”

    “The intruder is behind the desk.” Siren said. “Put him in the brig for questioning.”

    “But how…”

    Siren stood and walked out of the room. Her stomach was beginning to hurt from hunger, so she took the most direct route to the mess hall.

    The young Rogue Captain walked through the open door to the mess hall. There were only a few other pilots in there eating at the moment. She walked over to the counter and took a tray from the stack near the door.

    A rather large human with scruffy blonde hair behind the counter came toward Siren. “How you doin’ today, cap’n?” he smiled, always pleased to see the younger pilots that have managed to stay alive long enough to start climbing in ranks. “We just got in a shipment of fruits from Naboo this morning.”

    “Just have a few things on my mind, Cookie.” She said trying futilely to smile.

    “Well, I think I know you well enough to know that you’ll get it sorted out in no time.”

    This time a faint smile did find her lips.

    “So, what’ll it be today, Cap’n?”

    “Cookie, I think I’ll stick with my usual.”

    “Right-oh.” With that, Cookie loaded Siren’s tray with fruit.

    Siren made her way to one of the empty tables near the window over looking the docking bay and sat down. She kicked her feet up in a chair next to her, picked up a piece of fruit and took a bite. As she ate, she began to relax. Maybe he will be able to help. She thought. Maybe…

    She woke up in her room the next day to the sound of a message alert. Siren got p and walked across the room to the communications console.

    "1 new message" the console read.

    She pushed a few buttons and the message began to play:

    "Sometimes a warrior goes to the battlefield with an unquenching thirst, sometimes for blood, some like my father to conquer; but most of all for battle. In this our spirits bond in the marriage of life and death, just as birth; we find our death, and with that join our ancestors in the house of our fathers before us. In this bond, I was brought into battle at the age of 13 in your years in a ceremony called verd'goten; or coming of age where you go into manhood and marry sometimes, I didn't, when my time came we were in time of war, my father passed, things happened that preserved my life. And now, by all that I have learned, I've found my equal in battle; one to share the remainder of my life..."

    She sighed, not really sure what the young Mandalorian meant. It would require some thought she knew, and that would have to wait ‘til she was completely awake.

    After a long day of trading, Siren sat in a chair near her communications console replaying Dye’Drin’s message over and over; trying to figure out what he could possibly mean.

    "And now, by all that I have learned, I've found my equal in battle; one to share the remainder of my life..." That one line stuck in her head more than the rest of it. What does he mean? She wondered. What is he talking about? She closed her eyes for a minute. “Why are you so obsessed with him??” She demanded aloud.

    She took another swig from the bottle of Corellian Rum that a crazy pirate associate of hers gave to her the first time she was accepted into Rogue. As soon as she set the bottle back down she heard a knock at the door. She stopped the recording.

    “Come on…” she hollered, not wanting to get up.

    She looked up as the door slid open. “General,” she said seeing New Republic General Anton Holcoym standing in her doorway. She tried to stand and her legs came out from under her, landing her back in the chair.

    “Siren,” he said looking at her funny. “Are you ok?”

    “No… I’m… not really…” She was beginning to stumble on her words. “I think I’m…” She put her head down on the cool table.

    “I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t need you to suit up and fly.”

    “Sir?”

    “I have been told by quite a few people that you’ve not been yourself lately.” He started. “You’ve been keeping to yourself and avoiding people. Going so far as to walk way out of your way to get to the mess hall and flight deck.” He stepped into Siren’s quarters and the door slid shut behind him.

    “Between the crap I’m getting while trying to help fix the New Republic’s situation and other more personal issues…” she sighed, letting her words hang.

    “Well, the New Republic is on the mend,” he started. “That’s getting sorted out.” The General approached the promising young captain. “Is there anything you want to talk about?”

    Siren laughed. “Not really, though I probably should,” she said. “seeing as I can’t figure it out on my own.” She lifted her head long enough to take another swig.

    The General pulled up a chair next to her, sat down and took the bottle from her setting it down out of her reach. “For starters,” he began. “you don’t need anymore of this. It clouds your head.”

    Siren sat up with a sour look on her face.

    “Now what’s the deal?”

    She shook her head. “Long story…”

    “I have nothing but time.”

    She took a deep breath, knowing what she was about to tell him might land her in the brig. Siren relayed the whole thing, from the first time she encountered Dye’Drin to the communications they had exchanged.

    “The whole thing confuses me. I don’t know what to think, sir.”

    He shook his head.

    “Right now I am merely a concerned friend. Not a General talking to a Captain.”

    She tried to smile, really wanted to, but one didn’t find her lips. She shook her head, “I don’t get any of it.”

    Anton leaned back in his chair considering her words. After a few moments of thought, he said, “And you say you can’t get him out of your head?”

    Siren shook her head. “It’s more than that,” she started. “every time he gets within 10K of me, I can feel him. I can feel his heart race… And my heart races, as if in unison.

    “Sounds to me like you’ve fallen for him,” he said. “And him for you.”

    A slight chuckle escaped her lips. “But he’s supposed to be the enemy…”

    “I am neither going to condone, nor condemn this,” he said. “Only because I know you well enough to know that you won’t betray the New Republic!”

    The young Twi’Lek sat there digesting what he said. “You really think that’s what’s going on?”

    “I do,” he started. “Just, please, be careful.”

    Siren folded her arms on the table and laid her head down absorbing everything- well, as much as her inebriated state would allow.

    “I think maybe you need to sleep off your drink,” the General stated as he stood up from the table.

    “I will when I can find my legs long enough to go to bed,” came the somewhat slurred words from Siren.

    Anton chuckled softly. “C’mon lets go.” He said helping her to her not so steady feet.
    “I can make it,” “she protested, just give me a minute.”

    “No, if I leave you at the table, you’ll pass out there.”

    “Ehhh…” she said as she struggled to her feet. With the general’s help, she stumbled to her bed.

    “Now, I want to see you rested and on the flight line at 0800. “ He smiled at the idea if her drunken state. Always had she been very alert. And even when she hung out with the other pilots at the station bar, she usually drank water.

    Once he got her to lie down, he quietly left her quarters.

    She sat in her room all the next day thinking. Her interludes with Dye’Drin had her usually clear mind in chaos. There was no way that she could live up to her duties as Vice President of Golan Arms Corp. in her current state of mind. She had to get away. Siren got up from her bed and walked across the room to the communications console to send a transmission.

    "President Falen,

    I regret to inform you that I am no longer capable of performing my duties as VPO of Golan Arms. Also, have Demi remove me from the Rogue roster. I have turned in my Black Beast and have purchased a medium fighter so I can get to where I am going, which is still unknown to me.

    I don’t know that I will ever return. My mind isn’t right, and I shouldn’t be fighting for the New Republic in my current state.

    You will find my rank insignias sitting on the table in my quarters on Golan Arms Station.

    Siren out…"

    She hit the transmit button and went to pack what few things she had.

    * * *

    A tall young yellow-skinned Twi’Lek named Mai sat across from her master, Emperor Ravenous, eyes closed and a wicked smile crossing her face.

    “Something amuses you?”

    “She leaves the New Republic as we speak, my Lord.”

    “Good,” Ravenous, too, smiled. He had been actively trying to get young Siren to come to the Dark Side. He could feel the power hidden deep within her. He knew her potential for power was great and had tried on many occasions to tempt her into coming to the Sith. At first, he wanted Siren dead. But more and more, she eluded him. And to top it off, she had managed to ensnare one of his own allies, a young Mandalorian from clan Ordo. Dye’Drin had refused to fire on her on more than a few occasions. Had refused a direct order to do so, knowing full well what it could have cost him… and Mandalore.

    “Shall I have her hunted down?”

    Pulled from his thoughts, Ravenous gave the pathetic creature a dangerous look. “Since when do you advise me? I only taught you the little that I did so you could be no more than a tool to me.”

    The smile faded from Mai’s face, replaced by a look of fear. It was true enough that he had only taught her enough to be useful to him. And that he could destroy her with little effort.

    “We will bring her to the Dark Side.” He decided. “She will be my apprentice.”

    A look of total disdain crossed Mai’s delicate features.

    Ravenous grinned. “You do not approve?”

    Suddenly aware of Lord Ravenous’ dangerous tone, “My Lord?”

    “Don’t play innocent with me.”

    “I just…”

    “You envy her,” he stated. “Let this be a warning to you. I will kill you for even talking to her without my consent.”

    “No,” she stood to protest.

    “Unless, of course, you wish to die right now?”

    She sighed in resignation and dropped to her knees, “As you wish, my Lord.”

    “Get out of my sight.” He said coldly.

    She got up, turned and hurried out of the dimly lit room- frustration and hate for that rebel named Siren welling deep inside her.

    The Emperor laughed at the uncontrolled display. “Yes, child, I will kill you.” He paused a moment, “If Siren doesn’t do it first.”

    He thought again about that troublesome Mandalorian. Little did the young man know that his love for that Rogue pilot would be used to drive her from the New Republic to the clutches of the Sith Emperor- to the very thing that the young Dye’Drin disliked the most… the Sith… and the Empire…

    * * *

    With her few odds and ends packed tightly into a small bag that she had slung over her shoulder, Siren walked swiftly to the hanger where her Y-wing was ready and waiting. She hoped with all she had that she wouldn’t run into anyone from Rogue. They would never forgive her for leaving. She ducked through shortcuts taking the quickest route she knew of. Then she saw something she wanted to avoid. A familiar face. It was Col. Kai.

    “Where you off to in such a hurry?” he asked.

    “I…” she began. “I need to clear my head.” She looked away from his knowing eyes.

    “I know you better than…” he paused, noticing her collar where her rank insignia would normally be. “Where are you going? I didn’t see your freighter in the hanger.”

    His questioning forced her to look at him. “Col., I need to clear my head…”

    “And?”

    She sighed, “and… I don’t know yet. All I know is that I feel like I’m losing it… I just need to get everything sorted out is all…”

    “Fair enough.”

    With that, Siren hurried off to her waiting ship, tossed her bag in behind the seat, strapped herself in and closed the canopy. She took a deep breath to steady herself. This was the first time she didn’t know where she was headed.

    “Captain, you are cleared for take off.” She heard over the radio.

    “Roger.” Siren responded as she lifted the ship off the landing deck and headed towards the bay doors.

    Once clear of the station, she looked over her navigational computer to find some place to head to. She laid in a course for Recynder Station in Bilbringi System. She wanted to steer clear of any attention from any faction, and she knew that the New Republic fighters that do dock there only do so for short periods of time and none that did would recognize her ship. And the best place to hide from the Imperials was in plain sight.

    * * *

    Her flight through Corusant and Corellia was relatively uneventful. Upon her arrival in Bilbringi, she was met by three Imperial fighters.

    “Pilot, identify yourself and state you purpose for flying in Imperial space”

    “Name’s Lyn. I’m headed to Recynder.” She knew that the name Siren would be met with laser fire.

    “What business do you have at Recynder?”

    “It is none of your concern why I go there. I am a civilian and am allowed to fly here.”

    The radio was silent for a minute. Then a familiar voice came over the radio. “Let her pass.” It was Emperor Ravenous.

    Though stunned, she was glad of the momentary confusion that simple statement had caused and engaged the hyperdrive. She realized she should probably speed dock to avoid any further entanglements. The only issue that most pilots would have with that was getting through the debris field that Recynder sat in the middle of. Siren had navigated through that same debris field enough that she could almost do it with her eyes closed.

    Once docked, she grabbed her small bag and headed to the lodging area to get her quarters assigned.

    “Just you?” the gray-bearded man asked.

    The way he was staring angered her. Though, outside of New Republic space, she knew she would get looks like that and would have to be on her guard. “Yes.” She said. “I don’t need anything very big, and prefer to be left alone.”

    “Alone, you say…”

    Siren grabbed the man by the collar. “Don’t get any funny ideas. I have perfect aim with a blaster and few can beat me without one. All I want is a small room to sleep in and to be left alone.”

    “Aye, ma’am.” He smiled weakly. “I apologize. We don’t see many Twi’Leks out this way… except the occasional slave that comes in with their master.” He pushed a few buttons on his console, then looked back at Siren. “And the name I should register it to?”

    “Lilian.”

    “Very well,” he said offering an electronic card to her. “You do have a datapad?”

    “Yes I do.”

    “Scan that to your data pad and it will tell you how to get there and the key-code to get in.” The man settled back in his chair wanting nothing more than to have the apparently dangerous female away from him.

    Siren turned and walked down the hall to the nearest turbo lift.

    Once in her quarters, she closed and locked the door. “I don’t want to be here,” she sighed. Siren walked to the bed, set her bag down and opened it. She pulled the holo-picture out and set it on the table next to her bed and turned it on. Dye’Drin’s face appeared and a faint smile came to Siren’s lips.

    “I wonder what he’s doing,” she wondered aloud. Siren looked around the room for the communications console. It was opposite from her bed. She walked over to it and pushed a few buttons and began the transmission:

    "I’m not sure how to say what I want to say… I don’t even know why I am doing this… truth is, I can’t stop thinking about you. To the point where I feel like I’m losing what sanity I had to begin with. A few changes have happened since I last heard from you. I am no longer with the New Republic… I moved from Golan Arms Station to Recynder in Bilbringi system. I hate it here… I probably should have never left, but I did. I need a break. This war is wearing on me. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like the thrill of battle… the pure adrenaline rush that so far has allowed me to see the next battle…

    "Before I left the New Republic, I was too distracted while fighting and damn near got myself killed for it… I was making dumb mistakes that I wouldn’t normally make… Dye’Drin… she sighed, not wanting to admit it to herself let alone this Mandalorian… Dye’Drin… you have been that distraction… I can’t seem to get you out of my head… when I see you on my scanners, my heart races… I want to be near you, though I knew that being in the New Republic I never could… well, no more than on opposite ends of the battlefield.

    "Along with this transmission I am sending my location on Recynder so you may contact me directly and privately if you wish."

    Siren pushed the button to send and her heart raced. She hoped she would hear from him soon.

    Tired from everything, she laid down on her bed and went to sleep.

    * * *

    Dreams…

    Such a peculiar thing… and for a Sith, easily manipulated…

    Siren’s dreams, of late, had been filled with darkness… and pain… she had been waking up in a panic and drenched with sweat. Every muscle in her body ached. She was sleeping less than four hours a night since she had come to Recynder. All she could remember was a shadowy face and a voice- the voice of Ravenous- beckoning her to come to him with promises of power. And always she felt like she was hanging from a cliff and someone was trying to pull her down.

    She sat there on her bed shaken and sweating and cold.

    Siren looked around her small room, her gaze resting on the holo-picture that was sitting on the table. She wanted to hear his voice. Her head tilted slightly. No. She thought. I don’t want to just hear his voice. As if picked up by an unseen hand, the holo-picture made it’s way across the room and rested gently in Siren’s hand. She laid back down and set the holo-picture on the small table next to her bed. Her mind finally slowed down enough to fall back asleep.

    Two weeks went by with broken sleep and those dreams. She had to do something. Lack of sleep was dulling her senses and slowing her reflexes dangerously. She knew that she dared not launch to space. If the Imperials found her, and found out who she was, they would surely attack.

    She wandered through the corridors early one morning after waking to one of those dreams. Maybe if I eat something, I can get back to sleep, she thought. She hadn’t been eating right either. Siren was used to eating six or seven small meals a day, but now she was lucky to choke down one. It wasn’t the food. The cantina on Recynder Station had almost the same as Golan Arms Station- with few exceptions- and the food was always fresh. Her appetite had diminished. Half-awake and fully exhausted, she made her way to the cantina. As she reached the door, the motion sensor detected her approach and the door slid open and she stepped into the room. She looked up to see a single being in the empty room. A single and unmistakable face. One that she wished was Dye’Drin. The door slid closed.

    Emperor Ravenous sat across the room form the door with his feet comfortably resting on the table in front of him. “Do come in,” he bade her. “Sit… eat…”

    “I have changed my mind. I am no longer in the mood to eat.” Siren turned to leave but the doors did not open. She looked back at Ravenous with contempt. “I do not wish to remain here with you, Ravenous,” she spat.

    “It would seem, you are in need of a new banner to carry,” he began, ignoring her blatant disrespect. “And I am in need of an apprentice.”

    She turned to face him fully. “I am not interested in what you have to say.”

    “How have your dreams been lately?”

    She could feel the anger welling inside her.

    “You do not enjoy them?” He grinned. “Ah. That is why you look so tired and worn.”

    All she could do was glare at him. Being this close to him made her feel ill. She wanted nothing more than to walk out the door and launch to space where she would at least have a fighting chance against him.

    “My guess would be that you would like the dreams to stop?” He was teasing her now. “I know how to stop them.”

    Still, she stayed silent.

    “But, of course, if you’re not interested…” he left the statement hanging.

    “What do you want?” Siren demanded at last.

    Ravenous was fully amused at Siren’s apparent irritation. “The Force is strong with you.” He began. “You only lack proper training and guidance.”

    “I suppose you are the one that can give that to me?”

    “Perhaps,” he smiled again, “At least I am the only one that can bring you to your full potential.”

    “And what of the Jedi? I know quite a few that are…”

    Ravenous laughed. “The Jedi… If you went to the Jedi, do you REALLY think you and Dye’Drin Ordo could be together?”

    Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed.

    “Your feelings betray you,” he smirked, “as much as they have betrayed him.”

    “What are you suggesting?”

    “Come to the Dark Side,” he began. “And you can see him anytime you like.”

    “And if I don’t?”

    At that, he gave a wicked smile letting the unspoken threat hang. “Come,” he bade. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.”

    “You’ll quit poisoning my dreams?”

    “I’ll even teach you how to defend against such attacks.”

    She walked over to the counter and picked up a piece of fruit then turned to look at Ravenous again. “I don’t trust you.”

    Again he laughed as she started to approach him.

    She stopped right in front of him, a frown crossing her delicate face. “Never have you given me reason to trust you.” Siren took a bite of the juicy fruit that she held. She could feel the energy beginning to return to her body ever so slowly. “Many a friend have been lost to Imperial and Sith attacks.”

    “They were New Republic and Jedi scum.” Ravenous stated matter-of-factly, as if that was supposed to quell her argument.

    She bent over, bringing her face to his level and her nose about four inches from his. Her breathing was the slow and steady breathing of an assassin facing their victim. Even if she were afraid, she didn’t show it. “I despise you and your Empire. I despise everything about you.” She spat, her words dripping with venom. “What makes you think I would…”

    With one swift movement, Ravenous stood, grabbed Siren by the arms and sat her down in his seat. “You under estimate me, Siren.” He said. “Whether you trust me isn’t the issue.” Ravenous paused for a moment. “The issue is whether or not you want the training I am offering.”

    “What do you get out of it?” She hissed, her glare unwavering. “I can’t get something for nothing… especially from the likes of you.”

    “You will guard me with your life. You will do everything I demand of you.”

    “Oh… is THAT all…” sarcasm crept into her voice.

    “I will give you time to think things over. And the nightmares will stop for a time.”

    She stood and pushed past him, heading for the door. She needed to get away from him before she exploded. As Siren approached the door, it didn’t open- still held closed by Ravenous. “Let the door open.” She demanded with her back to him.

    “You will stay and listen to me.” He was toying with her by this point.

    Every muscle in her slender body tightened and an explosion of energy came from her. She looked again at the door. Ravenous tried to keep it shut to see how far he might push her and lost his hold on it as she slammed it open and ran off down the corridor.

    Thoroughly impressed with her untamed abilities, Ravenous sat down again, smiling. The yellow-skinned Twi’Lek stepped from the shadows with a scowl on her face. Having seen Siren in person, she knew Ravenous’ assumption of jealousy had been right. Being a Twi’Lek female, she was very attractive. But Siren was well beyond most other Twi’Lek females. “No wonder you want her to come to the dark side.” She muttered.

    “Do not confuse my ambitions with lust.” Ravenous looked at her dangerously. “Her beauty is far beyond anything that I have ever seen. But Siren would be a very powerful alley. Her raw power combined with my own and we would be unstoppable. We could crush the New Republic and their Jedi lapdogs in a mere matter of weeks.”