Kindred Spirits " Kindred Spirits " is a short story by Christie Golden , with art by Magali Villeneuve , that was published in " Star Wars Insider " 159 . The story is a prequel to Golden ' s novel " Dark Disciple " . " Kindred Spirits " is available in the paperback edition of " Dark Disciple " . Plot summary . The former Sith assassin Asajj Ventress and the Blood Bone Order pirate captain Lassa Rhayme embark on a mission to seize the freighter " Steady On " from Hondo Ohnaka ' s pirate base on Florrum . Ventress poses as Rhayme ' s Jedi bounty while Rhayme poses as a renegade member of her own . Weeks earlier , Rhayme had rescued Ventress after the latter had accepted an ill - fated job to serve as an escort for the cargo ship " Steady On " , which was carrying a valuable item . However , Ventress and the other mercenaries ' starfighters had been ambushed by the Ohnaka Gang . Ventress was wounded during the attack and was rescued by Rhayme and her Blood Bone Order , who had intended to raid the " Stead On " . Rhayme had brought the wounded " Ventress " to the medbay of her starship " Opportunity " and healed her injuries . Rhayme had also towed Ventress ' ship " Banshee " for repairs . After finding Ventress ' s lightsaber , Rhayme thought she was a Jedi and enlisted her helped in recovering the " Steady On " . In return , Ventress would get to keep the valuable item aboard the freighter . Prior to the mission , one of Rhayme ' s crew had infiltrated the " Steady One " and reported back that Hondo was away but had left a skeleton crew behind to unload the freighter . Using Ventress as her " Jedi " prisoner , Rhayme managed to convince Hondo ' s lieutenant Jiro to let them inside the " Steady On " . Inside the " Steady On " , Rhayme poses as a renegade member of her own crew and offers to join the Ohnaka Gang by using her " Jedi " prisoner as a bargaining chip . To curry favor with Jiro , the disguised Rhayme offers to disclose Rhayme ' s plans so that he can defeat Rhayme and become Hondo ' s second in command . Growing impatient with Jiro ' s grilling , Ventress uses the Force to grab her lightsaber and pretends to attack Rhayme . Rhayme then uses the Force to stop the Weequays ' blaster bolts in mid air . After knocking out two pirates , she is kicked in the small of her back by Rhayme , who pretends to force her to yield . While Jiro ' s men take Ventress into custody , Rhayme proceeds with her " deal " with Jiro . In return for Jiro extorting a ransom from the Jedi Council , Rhayme would join their crew and help them find Lassa Rhayme ' s fleet . While Jiro is hesitant to move without Hondo ' s approval due to his earlier mutiny on Florrum , Rhayme offers to vouch for him if he attacks first . Unknown to Jiro , Ventress ' attempted escape was a means for Rhayme to use the lightsaber to damage her stuncuffs . After being led out of the grand hall , Ventress uses the Force to shatter her remaining binders and then knocks four guards unconscious . Ventress then rushes to secure the valuable item aboard the " Steady On " . Back in the grand hall , Lassa manages to convince Jiro to send the bulk of the remaining ships on Florrum to attack the Blood Bone Order ' s fleet . To distract Jiro , Lassa plies her with tales about Rhayme ' s hoard of Tevraki whiskey . After Ventress had slipped outside , Lassa attacks the drunken Jiro with Ventress ' lightsaber . Before the fight can escalate , Hondo Ohnaka returns and chastises Jiro for sending away his crew and accepting a Jedi bounty . When Ohnaka confronts Lassa , she reveals herself as the true Lassa Rhayme and demands the stolen " Steady On " and its haul . Though outnumbered and not Force - sensitive , Rhayme uses Ventress ' lightsaber to knock Ohnaka ' s electrostaff out of his hand . She then fires a blaster at Hondo and flings the lightsaber towards the doorway . Meanwhile , Ventress uses a combination of the Force and the pirates ' own blasters to mow down the unloading crew and Hondo ' s ten men . Respecting Rhayme ' s wishes , Ventress wounds but does not kill them . Sensing the Force , Ventress retrieves her lightsaber . Some of Hondo ' s pirates try to grab it in midair and paid with their fingers . At that point , Ventress senses the arrive of another ship with two dozen life - forms . Back in the grand hall , Hondo manages to knock Lassa ' s blaster out of her hand , causing her to fall . However , Lassa manages to grab the blaster and fires it at Hondo . Following the skirmish on Florrum , Lassa and Ventress depart aboard the " Opportunity " with the valuable item that Ventress had requested . While chatting about their successful mission , Ventress asks why Rhayme lacks tattoo s unlike other Pantoran s . Lassa explains that she has loyalties to nobody but her crew , whom she regards as her family . The two drink whiskey to celebrate their success , which is much better than the beverages served on Coruscant ' s Level 1313 . Lassa offers Ventress a place among her crew complete with income , bed and board , and adventure . While Ventress likes the offer , she is still haunted by the deaths of her fellow Nightsisters and turns it down . Lassa accepts Ventress ' decline but tells her that the offer still stands should she change her mind . Ventress in return offers her services as a bounty hunter . At Rhayme ' s request , Ventress opens the cargo she was tasked with escorting . The object turns out to be simple statuette of a sea mammal with four flippers and an elongated muzzle . Despite its beauty , Ventress is still determined to deliver it to her employer .