On Nancora, the twin cities of Faron and Axio are connected via a single rail system. This direct line between them consists of staggered transit stations that provide a means of access to the badlands and the resources buried within them. Axio Transit Station Cresh is one such stop for the trams. Named as such due to its closer proximity to Axio than Faron, Station Cresh maintains the same design as all the other stations along the route.

The rail system itself spans four lines wide, double stacked to allow for maximum flow of transit. This results in eight active trams at any one time. Each side moves in the opposite direction of the other, meaning the fast moving trams could come rushing through at any time from either Faron, Axio, or both. The station itself consists of lifts and walkways leading to the surface far beneath the platform. The main buildings present offer up supply stalls serving food, beverages, and equipment, sold at a premium to account for their necessity in the Badlands. What remains is a small security presence as the Technocratic Guild has an armed garrison at each of their stations.

As a major supply route between the cities, the transit stations see a lot of traffic no matter the time. Station Cresh is one of the busiest, often seeing materials arriving from the lifts and being loaded onto the trams. The seeming small scale of the station can lend one to underestimating it, but its importance means any disruption will be dealt with swiftly.

Valkyrie owed him for this, or at least that was what Koda kept telling himself as he meandered back from the train that now, thanks to him, was full of supplies for the Crusaders. Food, water, weapons, ammunition, building materials for Winch, bacta for Heart, and not to mention the crate of extremely expensive Naboo wine that Angel seemed ever so fond of. It was quite the list, but somehow, Koda had pulled it off without anyone being any the wiser.

Why was he doing this? He wasn't even so sure. The Crusaders were once family to him. Once being the key word. He'd lost track of how many times Thea in particular had called him a traitor, how her eyes seemed to pierce him with her scorn like a vibroknife through his heart. Yet, whether they understood his reasons or not, they were still family, and family meant more to Koda than anything, even if they never accepted him back. He would keep their existence a secret for as long as he could. He could do that much at least.

Koda took a few steps back, listening to the grinding of steel on the rail track as the train began to depart the station, lit up by the station lights under the night sky, but then, it stopped. He could make out the faintest hint of an argument starting from the front of the train.

He sighed, letting his head hang low for a moment. Nothing was ever simple was it? Koda just wanted to get out of Station Cresh before it got too busy, or even busier, as the case seemed to be. The whole reason Koda chose to do this delivery at night was to avoid the rush of people during the day, but that didn't seem to have worked. If anything, Station Cresh seemed just as busy at night as it did when the sun was casting its unbearable heat down upon them.

Koda clasped his hands together in preparation to play peacekeeper. "Alright, what's going on he-"

He froze when he saw what, or rather who was there. A man in crimson-red Mandalorian armor stood in front of the train, arms folded across his chest as the train driver hurled a series of profanities at him. He was Appius Taldrya Wight, Taldryan's Consul and Supreme Chancellor of the Taldryan Republic.

The train driver had no idea who he was talking to.

"I understand, my good man. I just want to have a word about this shipment with the man who organised it and then I'll be out of your way," Appius said, attempting to appease the train driver. He then spotted Koda. "Ah, Koda! Just the man I wanted to see!"

"Oh, crap…" Koda said.

"Oh, crap indeed," Appius said. "You, me, on the platform. Now."

Koda followed Appius, much to the chagrin of the train driver who was now hurling insults at both of them. The platform itself was thankfully deserted, Koda having made the arrangements before his arrival so he could organise the shipment in relative secrecy.

"Appius, I can explain," Koda said.

"I'm sure you can! So, are we going to get right to the point, or do we want me to listen to the first five stupid reasons you've come up with in your head in case you got caught?"

Koda scoffed indignantly. "Hey, now. They aren't all stupid."

Appius was unamused by Koda's attempt at a light-hearted joke. Instead, he rummaged into his pocket, retrieving a small, circular object. He pressed a button, and the image of a Clone Trooper with beige and green accents to their armor appeared in holographic view in front of them.

Koda was glad he was wearing his helmet, lest it betray the shock on his face. The holoprojector cycled through several sets of armor, all of which Koda recognised instantly. Winch, Thea, Ellisyn, Valkyrie, and lastly, himself. Each set of armor shone with the emblem of the Crusaders, the burning candle with wings.

"You… you've been tracking us, haven't you? Me and Valkyrie. That's how you knew I was here. You never trusted me, did you?" Koda accused, though his tone was low and quiet.

"And you've given me no good reason to do so," Appius retorted. He began to pace back and forth in front of Koda. "Who are you, Koda? All of you? I've heard the name Crusaders being thrown around. What does that even mean? Are you planning on invading Taldryan?"

"Of course not!" Koda argued back. He didn't appreciate Appius' attempt at playing the bad cop. "They're just recluses who want to retire from fighting. That's all!"

"That's a load of crap, and you know it!" Appius was now raising his voice at him. "Recluses who want to retire don't just turn up repeatedly in Port Kasiya looking for a fight! Tell me the truth, Koda! You are here getting supplies for them, for Manda's sake!"

Koda chose not to answer, eliciting a small chuckle from Appius.

"Has anyone ever told you that silence is the last answer of a guilty man?" Appius asked, clasping his hands together. "OK, Koda. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to take these images I have, and that little emblem of yours, and place them at the top of every wanted list in the Caelus System. There won't be a single place safe for them. They'll be captured, imprisoned, and they'll never see the light of day again! Hell, if they're lucky, they'll be killed so they won't have to go through the Hell I have planned for them!"

"You can't do that!" Koda's fists were tensed at his side as he fought the urge to lash out at Appius.

"You know what? You're right. It's not like I'm the Supreme Chancellor of the Taldryan Republic, is it? Oh, wait a second… I am!" Appius said, he was suddenly right in Koda's face. "I can, and will do it, unless you give me a reason not to! I'm sick of my summit hiding secrets from me! You, Teebu, and Valkyrie! I am so done with it! This is your last chance, Koda! Tell me what you know!"

That was Koda's impossible choice. He could tell Appius everything he knew, potentially saving them from a fate worse than death if Appius knew the truth. However, he could just as easily see him declaring the Crusaders the new, biggest threat to the Taldryan Republic if he did. If Koda said nothing, he could keep their secret, but he would doom their existence in the Caelus System. Valkyrie would have nowhere to run…

Koda's heart pounded in his chest, his breathing becoming more rapid as his body tensed. At that moment, he only had one answer.

He grabbed Atlas, and swung vertically in an attempt to crack Appius on the top of his head, though his target took a large leap back as Koda's hammer smashed into the duracrete platform. The ground where the Hammer struck cracked and broke, and Koda raised his weapon to strike again.

However, Appius was prepared. The Taldryan Consul thrust his right hand forward, and Koda felt himself hit square in the chest by a wave of telekinetic energy. He could do nothing to stop his back and spine from slamming into the side of the train with a loud clang.

Koda slid down, but landed on his feet, still holding onto Atlas with all his might. He grit his teeth as he heard the roaring of a jetpack, and sure enough, there was Appius, flying above him.

Koda barely had time to register the blast of Force Lightning as it soared towards him. He ducked, and rolled across the platform next to the train, all the while still refusing to let go of his weapon.

Appius descended upon him like a mynock that smelled the burning circuits of a starfighter. He stomped a hard boot on Koda's beskar chestplate, preventing him from getting up.

"So, it's treason, then?" Appius asked. He raised his right hand, sparks jittering at his fingertips.

Koda had no choice but to release his hold of Atlas. He pointed one of his vambraces at Appius, shooting the in-built blaster at his now former boss. They hit Appius in his forehead, staggering him back more out of surprise than any damage done.

That was all Koda needed. He quickly jumped to his feet and charged at Appius whilst he was still dazed. The crimson-coloured Mandalorian raised his arms to defend himself, but couldn't stop Koda from tackling him to the ground.

"Get out of here!" Koda roared at the train, hoping against everything that the driver had heard him. Mercifully, the grinding of steel pierced his ears as the train began to move.

Koda was a big man. He was two-hundred and thirty-six pounds of muscle and might. He was more than enough to hold Appius in place whilst the Crusaders' supplies vanished into the distance. The one thing he forgot at that moment, however, is that Appius could be more slippery than a slimy Quarren when he needed to be.

Appius activated his jetpack, and Koda failed to tighten his grip before the Taldryan Consul slipped out from underneath him.

Appius returned to his feet, and spun to face the train. He looked at Koda, then the train, then Koda again before finally launching himself after the train, his jetpack propelling him through the air until he landed on top of it seconds later.

Koda's eyes widened. He couldn't let Appius stop that train! He could not fail them now! He quickly grabbed Atlas and rocketed away, activating his jetpack to give chase.

Koda soared after Appius as they followed after the train, attaching Atlas to his back. The bright red Mandalorian was ready for him, charging lighting at his fingertips, and releasing bolts towards his foe. Koda, being the skilled pilot that he was, narrowly maneuvered out of the way of blasts. He raised his right arm and fired off a barrage of blaster bolts from his gauntlet, causing Appius to lift his forearms up to block them with beskar. Koda used this opportunity to dive down beside the other side of the train. Rising from below the Consul’s view and behind the train, Koda used all the built up momentum to throw an uppercut into Appius’s helmet. The Supreme Chancellor didn’t have enough time to charge up a blast before he staggered backwards and fell onto his back, landing with a metallic thunk on the train car.

“Stand down, Chancellor. You won’t beat me this time.” Koda grabbed Atlas off of his back and tightly gripped the handle.

“I can do this all day.” Appius took a deep breath before putting his hands beside his head and flinging himself upward and onto his feet. Before Koda could swing his hammer, Appius extended both of his arms and flung Koda backwards with the Force. He tumbled backwards into the air and off the back of the train. Atlas is sent flying off into the distance as Koda just barely manages to fire a grappling line into Appius’s boot, pulling him off balance as the weight of the Elysian Governor drags him backwards. The two tumbled as they hit the ground hard. Appius groaned as he pushed himself off the ground. He reached down and took the Darksaberstaff off his belt, proceeding to activate both sides, their surroundings hued with emerald light. He quickly spun the saber around and cut the line between the two. Koda slowly got to his feet and realized that he no longer had the upper hand. “I don’t want to kill you, Koda. Surrender and tell me what I need to know, and you won't be harmed.”

“I can’t trust you with that information, Chancellor.” Koda lifted up his fists, “You would want to protect your family too.”

“I do. That’s why I need to know! Why is it so hard to tell me who they are?! I need to know if you’re a danger to this Republic! To my family.”

“Then don’t take this personally.” Koda quickly raised his left arm and fired off a poison tipped dart at Appius’s neck. The Consul sensed something was off the moment the words left Koda’s mouth. As if time slowed down for him, he narrowly dodged out of the way of the dart, it just barely skimming his under suit.

“So be it.” Appius gritted his teeth as he quickly closed the gap, lunging at his foe and extending his arm, thrusting the Darksaberstaff forward. Koda rotated his left forearm slightly and activated his shield, moving his arm across his body just as the emerald blade approached, all while pulling his right arm back and clenching a fist. Appius’s blade was redirected away from Koda’s body as he threw the hardest punch he could manage, slamming into the Consul’s helmet once again, staggering Appius off to the side.

Appius' helmet protected him, but the power behind Koda's punch left a loud, metallic ringing in the Consul's ear that hurt like Hell!

Koda was like a shark that smelt blood in the water as he lunged forward, throwing another punch forward with enough force behind it to cleave Appius' head from his shoulders.

Luckily, thanks to the Force, Appius sensed the attack coming and dropped his weapon. He raised his arms in order to better defend himself. Koda's fist smashed into Appius' forearm, and even through the beskar, the Taldryan Consul felt the vibration course across his flesh and bone.

Koda hit like a freight train. All it would take is one good hit, and Appius knew he'd be out cold, or dead. Whichever happened first.

Thankfully, for as hard-hitting as Koda was, he was slower than Appius. Whilst the Consul was on the back foot, he was able to deflect incoming strikes away from him. One punch narrowly grazed the side of Appius' helmet as he searched for an opportunity to capitalise.

The moment came when Koda overextended. Appius grabbed hold of Koda's wrist as it flew past his face, and planted his knee into the younger man's sternum. Koda, to his credit, remained upright, despite the grunt of pain. Appius responded by driving his knee into Koda's sternum again, and again, then one last time with his strength amplified by the Force.

Koda finally dropped to one knee, that final strike taking the wind out of his lungs as he gasped for air. Appius looked to his right, the train was now nothing more than a speck in the distance. Station Cresh was back the other way, so it was just the two of them, alone in the Nancora Wasteland. He looked back to Koda, and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

Appius didn't hate Koda for the choice he made, as much as he wanted to. Koda had effectively turned his back on every privilege Appius had given him since he arrived in Taldryan. It was like a giant slap in the face. Most would have killed for the opportunity to become Governor of an entire moon in a flourishing Republic.

Despite all that, Appius couldn't hate him because Koda was right. If the situation were reversed, Appius would have done exactly the same.

In a heartbeat.

Without a second thought.

To Hell with the consequences.

Nothing mattered to him more than his family, and because of that, he would do what he must here and now.

When he looked at Koda, he did so with a heavy heart. Even on his best day, Appius believed Koda couldn't beat him, and his Magistrate would likely perish here as a result.

Appius raised his right arm, summoning the Force into a maelstrom at his fingertips. The electricity illuminated the train tracks around them in rapid, flashing lights.

"I'm sorry, Koda," Appius said.

His words were barely louder than a mumble, but they seemed to spur Koda into action. Appius felt the danger coming, but was unable to stop Koda landing a second uppercut, this time to his groin.

The lightning instantly dissipated, and Appius keeled over, letting out a high-pitched whimper.

"Spare me your pity, you son of a bitch!"

Koda spat the vitriolic words in Appius' face, toxicity and venom uninhibited. He pushed Appius away from him, letting the Consul fall to the floor. Koda quickly retrieved Atlas, which had landed several feet away, and stormed over to Appius, swinging the oversized hammer over his head.

Appius rolled out of the way before he became a fine paste on the Nancora floor. He fought through tbe pain in his loins and returned to his feet to face his attacker, but Koda was already prepared for him.

Koda released Atlas from his grip, pointing his vambrace at Appius again. The Taldryan Consul's eyes widened behind his visor. He didn't need the Force to know what was coming.

'Crap, crap, CRAP!'

Appius threw his hands in front of him faster than he had ever done so in his life as a jet of flames threatened to engulf him. The heat was nigh-unbearable, the feeling of his hands sizzling against the flames nearly broke his concentration as the fire dispersed around him.

Mercifully, the flames ceased, and Appius dropped his hold on his makeshift barrier. He released the breath he didn't realise he was holding, and was paid for his efforts when Koda crashed his boot into Appius' chest.

"Oof!" Appius staggered back. "That was just uncalled for!"

The dreadful sound of a man possessed by anger filled his ears. Koda roared as he retrieved Atlas, once again, he was going to try and smash Appius into dust. Koda was dangerous, furious, wild…

And predictable.

Appius was ready for him. He reached out, his Conversion Hilt flying through the air and into the palm of his hand. He stepped back out of the way of the horizontal swing. He could feel the wind rush past him as the Hammer came within inches of hitting him.

Snap-Hiss!

The twin blades of his weapon roared to life like krayt dragons on the hunt. As Koda's left arm came into view, Appius swung his weapon vertically, aiming for the gap between beskar and flesh.

His attack connected, though instead of flesh, Appius instead severed the cybernetic left arm that Koda had from his forearm down. The latter recoiled at the now sparking appendage. He clutched at it, his body tensing at the pain. The cybernetic was designed to be as real as possible, right down to the nerve receptors that could feel pain.

It was like losing his arm all over again.

Appius didn't want to test the rage of a man who fought for his family. He knew first-hand the power that can be brought out in a man who fought for those he loved, no matter the injury, no matter how close to death's door one might have been. It would take opening the gates of Hell itself to stop that.

Appius didn't want to go that far again.

He had to put Koda down. Now.

Tendrils of lightning burst from his fingertips, enveloping Koda like a torturous blanket. Koda gasped, bit held his tongue, not wanting to give Appius the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

There was another blast of lightning, then another a few seconds later, and then another. Appius could hear his heart pound in his ears as Koda writhed on the floor at his feet. Finally, Koda stopped twitching, slowly breathing as indicated by the methodic rising of his chest.

Appius gasped for air, still clutching his weapon in his right hand. He placed it back on his hip and towered over the slightly taller man. He had an impossible choice to make as he looked down on him. Koda was vulnerable, and Appius could kill him right now. He could effectively eliminate one part of a complicated puzzle right now.

And he did hate puzzles…

The big question was did Appius want to kill him? Keeping Koda alive had its own set of advantages, such as having his mind probed for information, and not to mention despite everything, he was a fantastic Magistrate. Yet, that wasn't the reason Appius wanted to keep him alive.

“I can’t trust you with that information, Chancellor. You would want to protect your family too.”

He did. By everything good in this wretched universe, he wanted to protect his family more than anything. It was something the two of them seemingly shared; a desire to protect what was precious to them.

In the end, Appius couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Koda. The mere thought created hesitation in him. So, instead, he did the one thing he could do at that moment.

He waited for Koda to wake up.

Maybe, just maybe, they could talk things out, and settle their differences? He still needed to know who the Crusaders were, but maybe they could come to some sort of an agreement.

Stirring beneath him caught his attention. Koda's fingers twitched as he regained consciousness. Appius helped him into an upright position as the sun began to rise on Nancora for the early morning. They had a lot to talk about, but the best friendships were forged in fire. Maybe this would be no different?

Koda drew Due Process from his holster and fired the double-barreled blaster into Appius’s torso. The Consul took one set of blaster bolts to his chest before he was able to deflect the blaster bolts, redirecting them back at the Governor. Koda lifted up his shield and protected himself against the red bolts of energy. As he continued unloading his blaster into Appius, the Consul saw that the end of the barrel was starting to glow from the heat. The moment Koda stopped firing because of the overheating, Appius extended his left arm towards his foe, using the Force to fling him into the wall behind. Koda slammed into the wall with a very loud, metallic thunk, landing on his side with his blaster scattering a few feet away from him. Koda tried to quickly crawl his way over to his blaster, but Appius used the Force to pull it towards him, using his saber to slice it in half. “It’s over, Koda. You can’t win here! No matter what you do, I will know it before it happens.” Appius tried one more final plea to the man he once took pity on. He watched as Koda slowly got himself off of the ground, “Just tell me what I need to know, and everything can go back to normal.” “Over.” Koda put a hand on his knee as he stood up, “My dead,” He took a deep breath and clenched his fists, raising them to his face, “Body!” He growled, charging at Appius and activating his jetpack for a momentary boost. Koda started to throw a punch in the middle of the air, aiming it for the Consul’s neck and activating all remaining poison-tipped darts. Appius brought the tail-end of his saber upwards, cutting through Koda’s elbow like butter, but he was not fast enough. The Consul felt the sting of three sharp objects penetrate into his neck. Koda slammed into the floor behind him, the sound of metal scattering for a few feet as he let out a pained cry, grabbing onto his new stump. “What did…” Appius stumbled a little as his vision went a little fuzzy and his limbs started to go numb, “...did you do to…me?” His question would be left unanswered as he stumbled towards Koda, blacking out and landing on the ground between them. Koda rested his head back on the ground and let out a pained scream that he had been holding in. He slowly got up off of the ground, using his remaining arm to push himself up. He slowly walked over to where Appius was lying unconscious, and dragged him over to a wall so that he wouldn’t get hit by a train if one came by. “You owe me…bastard.” Koda grumbled to the unconscious Consul and went over to where his right forearm had landed and picked it up, this was not the first time this happened. From there he stumbled his way back to the station, unsure of the events to follow…