Ayanna felt a little uncomfortable to be sitting with Asajj again, but she was not as intimidated as she used to be by her,

"So where have you been Asajj?" Ayanna asked as a conversation opener, she wasn't so interested to speak with her but for the sake of politeness she did.

"Oh mainly I stayed on the Thranta to observe what was going on. I saw you as well as Kalin transforming. It's strange how your transformation went. My skin is naturally white, but yours turned white in an unnatural way. And those purple veins. That wasn't very healthy dear!"

In the cockpit Kalin was speaking in his mind to who he presumed to be Anakin: "I'm not afraid! Not any longer!

"Yes you are, you're only deluding yourself..." The voice whispered back. "I think it would be wise, if you got rid of that girl. You never know if you reach to a point that you'll kill her for sure!"

"That was you! I had nothing to do with it!" Kalin answered back angered.

"Yes you are, I only helped you taking your revenge. You were obviously too weak to do it yourself. But what will happen if you do become stronger, Kalin? Who is going to hold you back then?"

"I'm not listening to you anymore!" He replied.

"You can't ignore me Kalin, I will always be present here, right behind you... You know that..." The voice said again in a threatening manner.

"Yes I can..." Kalin said and he promised himself not to reply anymore no matter what the voice inside his mind said. It drove him nuts during the journey as the voice always kept saying the same thing: "You can't ingore me... I will always be here...."

Ayanna smiled a little to what Asajj said, "Well there has been a lot of changes in me now, Zaria is no more and I do not think she will return... I've gained confidence and strength I never thought possible, but I'm not going to be arrogant, I still have to devote myself to Kalin's teachings and learn.... There's a long road still ahead of me.... What do you plan to do Asajj? Just going to stick with us until something in life grabs you away from us?" She asked in a friendly manner.

"I don't know, I like you guys! Which is a real surprise, I have to say myself! Never expected it. But no, I don't want to stick around. I know I'm now probably more a burden to you than a friend. The Sith and the Empire are looking for me, thus there will always be this danger, so once I find a safe haven, I will leave you be. Besides I don't want to spoil this potential romance you have with Kalin." She grinned as she found it romantic. She was also slightly jealous she never had a relationship like this or a true friend like Kalin.

Kalin himself sighed out of relief that they finally had reached Dantooine and landed the ship at docking bay 94. He walked to the chamber and watched how Ventress and Ayanna were talking, then he interrupted them: "Okay, your ship has landed, ladies, so if we'll just get off board... Then we can continue wit our exploration!" He said a little sarcastically.

Ayanna laughed at his manner as she stood up, "It's nice being back on Dantooine again..... It feels like another home planet of mine... Though I only remember it a little....." She said as she walked out into the sunlight. Normally the sunlight was the very thing that turned her skin and her haiir golden but now it only made her seem to glow more, made her look more healthy, and her eyes far greener.

Ventress pulled her hood up as they had to smuggle her passed the stormtroopers who were guarding the hanger bays. Ayanna and her waited so that Kalin could get a permit for his ship so it could stay in the bay as long as it needed.
"Sir, I'll have to see the ladies their identification. Sorry, it's just procedure as we have a murderer on the lose so any woman is a suspect."

Kalin got alerted once he heard this. Maybe it was unwise to take Ventress along, but out of everything she had done for him, he would have felt guilty to just leave her on the ship. He tried to use another mind trick on the stormtrooper:

"You don't need to see their identification." He said in a hypnotizing voice.

The stormtrooper repeated: "We don't need to see their identification!"

Kalin nodded and continued his mind trick: "These aren't the women you're looking for!"

The stormtrooper shook his head to his partner: "These aren't the women we are looking for!"

Kalin turned around and nodded to Ayanna and Ventress to signal that the road for them was clear. Still out of safety, Ventress kept her hood up. Then the trio walked in the direction of the Crystal Cave.

Ayanna wandered back into the Thranta, sitting herself down inthe commune area. She felt pretty tired from all the travelling, and she still felt weakened a little from her dream, though she knew the strength would completely return to her in time,

"Where to now Kalin? I'm glad you'll be able to finally do something about your arm....... It doesn't hurt.... Does it?" She asked concerned.

"I'll give the choice to you. We can either go to Coruscant or Alderaan for my arm. Though Coruscant probably has better facilities for these kind of 'projects', but I know you like to be on Alderaan. So yeah, the choice is yours."

Standing at the entrance of the cockpit Asajj Ventress smiled at how Ayanna and Kalin were talking. She liked to see them both together. At least they were happy together and Kalin gave her more freedom, than Dooku gave to her. If it was up to Dooku he wouldn't have given her a choice, but she would have obeyed anyway. She couldn't deny that because of all the years of penitence, she had become a softy.

"If you will get better care on Coruscant, then that's where we will go..... I'm not so afraid of barren planets anymore.... I know I can survive them......" She smiled as she was in no way going to allow Kalin to be treated by anyone except the best in this field. Walked to him as she looked to the stump of his arm, then look up to his eyes. She felt sorry and worried if it hurt him still.

"Well Coruscant it is then. I know the best facilities there!" Kalin walked to the galaxy map and watched where they were located. It would take a little while to reach the capital, but once they finally left the atmosphere, they were already back in hyperscpace. Then Kalin asked the same question to Asajj Ventress as Ayanna did.

She replied: "Well if you're planning to go to Coruscant, I guess that's my stop. Once we reach the capital I'll sneak off board and I will no longer be a burden to you and find my own way around the galaxy again. I'll manage." She smiled but she did feel afraid.

"Are you sure? Coruscant is the most dangerous! The security there is very tight, you would be captured in a minute. Besides you're not a burden to us. You're our friend!" He said in a genuine friendly manner.

Ventress left a tear but didn't know what to say anymore. She never had a 'real' friend in her life, but she knew her life wouldn't last much longer.

Ayanna spoke, "Asajj you're not a burden..... If you were do you think we would have even left Aargonar with you?..." She smiled a little, "If you want to leave for your own reasons, then we will not stop you but don't leave because of us...... We have no quarrel with you..... As Kalin said, you're a friend..... Certainly to me..... You opened my eyes on many issues..... You may not be perfect but common.... Who is...... The days of the Clone Wars are long gone, and so is Dooku... Just because he did not treat you the way he should have does not mean we will be the same..." She said worried about her.

She sobbed a little: "I know you two are different, but can't you see? I'm dying. I don't have long to live anymore!" She lowered her head.

A little baffled Kalin asked her: "What do you mean? What's wrong!"

She had a little outburst when he heard his question: "I'm SICK, Kalin! I'm ill and can't be cured. For this type of disease, there is no cure! I may still have some years left, but I do not want to live anymore like this, knowing that I will die!"

"No! That's not. I mean, there must be something you can do?!" Kalin said who couldn't accept her fate.

"No Kalin, I've tried everything. I've been carrying this desease with me for 17 years now! I carried it with me ever since they tried to bring me back from the dead on Boz Pity. I have these episodes which damages my brain and I know, someday I'll be too weak and then an episode will come, which I won't survive. I've already survived this long, but I know my time is almost over. Maybe I only have about two years, maybe less...."

Ayanna was shocked and immediately approached Asajj, giving her a hug which she had never done before, "Asajj.... You can't give up so easily.... You haven't been to the best medical experts in the galaxy..... You probably only saw ones who work in the backstreets of the cities to avoid detection...... There must be something.... We are going to Coruscant anyway... Please... Let us take you to get examined again.... You can't refuse that...... Please......" She said as she felt teary herself at the very thought of this.

She smiled with sorrow eyes at her: "No Ayanna, I've been to the best. It's not difficult to reach them if you just use another mind trick on them. I've already been on Coruscant before, even better facilities. They said it was unlike anything they had seen before. It was just because I was resurrected in a really unusual way. That's why I still hate Dooku! If he hadn't interfered with my life, then I would already been joined with the living force in a peaceful manner, but now these episodes cause me more pain, than you can imagine."

Kalin sighed. He knew there wasn't much he could do to help her. If she now decided not to let herself be helped by them, then there was no point trying to sway her. She may have become a nicer person, but she was still stubborn.

"Are... Are you sure you want to be dropped off the capital though? We can drop you off at somewhere safer. Where you could find more rest for yourself." Kalin said trying to convince her that if she did not want another treatment for her disease, she could at least find a safer haven.

She didn't respond, but she shook her head, which meant that she wanted to leave the two of them alone once they would reach the capital.

Ayanna simply hugged ot Asajj once again, "Remember, we will always look on you as our friend..... And if you ever need us, do not hesitate......" She said as she held her tightly. She couldn't help but leave a few tears. She thought this was all so terrible, and unfortunate that it had to be this way.

When Ayanna hugged Ventress, she closed her eyes and left a tear: Thank you both, so much. You've shown me something I've never seen or felt before. For once in my life I felt loved again. I never felt loved like this since the time my first master saved me. He loved me like a father, but I love you both as my friends. I'll always treasure these moments, how small they were, I'll always remember them.

Hours and hours passed until they reached the capital and it was time to land the ship in Westport, though it would get tricky again for Asajj to get off board without getting noticed. But this time, she was going to wait. She was not planning to leave the ship together with Kalin and Ayanna.

Ayanna had remained with Asajj for the entire journey, she felt it was the best thing to do as a friend, to share those last moments together with her. She still couldn't believe it. When they had discovered her alive in the first place it seemed like a miracle, they almost saw her as indestructible. But now with her death in view, it felt so tragic, another key figure of the days of the Old Republic about to be lost into legend and then in the myth. Ayanna couldn't help but feel sad that they had all been enemies to begin with, and that even she herself had been rude to her, calling her a witch and such, she only hoped that Asajj had forgiven her for those days. She really felt that they had become close, but already it was about to come to an end.