AUTHOR: Elizabeth E. Carter

TITLE: Huntress

SERIES: Star wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: Lords of the Sith

PAIRING: Lightsided Female Exile / Mira

CATEGORY: Action / Romance
RATING: M for mature

SUMMARY: The huntress reflects on her bounty the Exile.

DISCLAIMER: Lucasarts / Bioware owns the concept of the Exile, Mira and other characters. The name was one I generated during character creation.

Zez-Kai Ell wanted her.

Goto wanted her.

The Sith wanted her.

I even heard the Republic wanted her.

Whatever she did to piss people off obviously she was good at it. A Jedi. 'Thee' Jedi. The Exile. Meetra Surik.

Well yeah, the Jedi Order wreaked havoc across the galaxy. Because of them countless worlds suffered in the war. More aptly I should have said the Jedi Civil War. They got this devotion in an ancient religion. One side calls 'emselves the Sith and the Jedi say they are all dark and evil and rash; filled with anger and blood-lust and warmongers.

The Sith say things like the Jedi are pacifists and weak, useless, passionless, loveless monks.

Both sides claim the other is corrupt.

To me and so many others they seem almost like the same coin with two faces. Not heads and tails but two heads. A great schism broke their religion, but to a lot of us non-Force welders it's all the same. And if Zez-Kai Ell is a Jedi, I don't want to meet a Sith. For a person that isn't supposed to hold anger he sure resents the Exile.

He's so filled with antipathy for the Exile. He never said her name, just gave me a holopic of her face and just said the word as if "exile" was her name not her predicament. Exile.

I know of her more for being a General. That's how I knew her name. Meetra Surik.

I knew she was at Malachor V and instrumental in the destruction of the planet. I felt the waves and repercussions of that war. So did a lot of people. Lot of lost people out there. Lost families. I lost my family there. That is a whole different story.

Goto- big crime boss of the Exchange crime syndicate- wants the Exile just like the Jedi Master. Like the old man, Goto wants her alive. He said as long as she's on the smugglers moon no one is to harm her. That order got the bounty hunter's guild in an uproar. There is a truce and they want to fight hardcore. Hanharr, the Zhug boys, the Twin Suns (fracking dancing Twi'leks) and those creepy HK-Droids are all sniffing around for the Exile. All of them want her blood nearly as much as they wanted each other's. They want the massive credits the Exile's blood would gain them. As I said before, when the Exile makes enemies she doesn't go half way, that is for sure.

Zez-Kai Ell puzzles me. He said the Exile betrayed the Order by going to war with the Mandalorians- by acting rash. That was nearly ten years ago. How old is she? She doesn't look any older than me. She was what twenty when they made her a general? I shook my head, must be nice to be a Jedi.

Back to old Zez-Kai Ell. He said she was the reason he left the Order. He wouldn't go into it but he is hiding something... something big. Something so big it was part of the reason the Exile is the way she is. I figured they must have ripped the Force from her somehow. However, I've seen her use mind tricks, telekinetics and a whole lot of other Jedi magic tricks. So maybe she got healed or something, I don't know. Zez-Kai Ell was a bit surprised to find out she had a lightsaber. Not only that but one of those double-blade dealies. Heard they are harder to wield and it takes a blade-master to even handle one.

He demanded to know the colour. I said cyan… and he relaxed a little. I know why he got all twitchy at the knowledge of the sword. The Sith. The only colour they ever use is red. Their weapon masters love the double-blades because how deadly they are. Of course I don't point out that he himself carries one of the double bladed lightsabers. I took note of what I know of other Jedi from the holocrons. They use all sorts of colours. What difference dose it make? A caste system perhaps. The colour represents something you do, who you are. Blue for Guardians, yellow for Sentinels and green for Councilors and of course there were several other colours.

'She had a viridian saber before. It was a colour we've never seen before in a blade.' Zez-Kai Ell told me once. 'Atris took it out of the obelisk Meetra had stabbed after her trial and kept it. A trophy perhaps.' His voice murmured that such a thing was dangerous. I asked him what was so dangerous. He mumbled something about love. 'Atris had loved the Exile, deeply.' I get the feeling it was not the sort of love sisters shared. It was the romantic sort. The forbidden sort that Jedi 'aint allowed to feel.

'They were an item?'

'There was affection shared,' he didn't say anything more. 'Such things are forbidden. Meetra… the Exile was a hero to so many. So many of the younger ones wanted to be her. She inspired others and a few resented her. She formed Force bonds easily; learned things very quickly. She had one of the deepest connections to the Force any of us had even seen or heard of. Vrook always said she was a mediocre Jedi at best. I think she didn't apply herself as well as she could have to the Code. She had talent and skill but lacked devotion. That was the dangerous thing. She brought inspiration and I think that was her greatest talent.

'Vrook, I think was jealous of her.' Old Zez-Kai Ell shook his head and took another swig of jum jum juice. 'The Order generally tries to find those who are Force sensitive when they are newborn or infants with high midichlorian counts. Training starts during infancy, before they have experienced fear and anger. Meetra came to us when she was three. She has a midichlorian count higher than Master Vandar which is why she was accepted. She was so curious about everything. She asked so many questions, always asking why. Vrook yelled at her and told her she needed to be controlled.

'Master Vrook was harder on her than he had been on Revan and Malak. It was as if he was punishing her for her talents to form Force bonds; for her curiosity; for her quickness to defend the helpless. I remember one incident. Meetra punched a senior Padawan in the face. Broke his nose. Of course it didn't help matters that the Padawan was Vrook's. When she was asked why she had attacked him she said he was picking on a youngling more than he should have during the training exorcise. When Vrook asked what was she thinking, she flippantly said "to aim high".' The old man chuckled at the memory and I found myself snickering too.

'Master Vrook had gone to Master Vandar because Master Kavar wouldn't punish Meetra over the fight. As I said, the other student was Vrook's Padawan and that was enough for the old man to blow a circuit. Vrook wanted Meetra punished severely. She and Revan had always been swift to act saying they were defending the weak but they never thought further than that; of the repercussions it would cause. It was the reason Revan went to war and why Meetra followed. But Meetra was the only one ever to come back to face trial. She was looking for redemption I think after what happened during the war.'

I thought of Malachor V and thought about Nar Shaddaa. I can feel the hum of life here. What if you could feel a planet… what if you had been the one to give the order to destroy the planet where your enemy had their stronghold? Sure, you knew there were no innocents on the planet. You know it is only a small planet, mostly uninhabited save for one large base of the Mandalorians. It was their power base. Crush it, and you crush your enemy. What if you destroyed the planet- obliterated it- and were still connected to the hum of the life on it? Gods that would tear someone apart. It would shatter them.

Suddenly I got a whole new perspective on the Exile. I didn't know what to make of my new view of her. So over the next couple of days I watched; waited to see what she would do.

My Bounty oozes confidence but not conceit despite what the old Jedi said about her. I didn't see arrogance. I saw confidence. I was pulled in watching. She paid a few credits to one of the refugees and spoke to him. I found out she only wanted some answers to general questions like what sort of things were on Nar Shaddaa, if he had heard about bounty hunters, the Exchange and the movements of the Hutts. She even asked him about the refugees. He told me she had a look in her eyes like she was a mourner at her own funeral but she was also at peace. It as a contrast. The calm before the storm. An echo of some far distant sound.

I saw her give a few credits to another without thinking and I know he'd get busted down for it and so did the old witch. Guess my target thought she was doing a good thing and well her actions ended up getting him killed. I know Zez-Kai Ell would have probably blamed her for not thinking ahead. Me… I see a naive person with a bleeding heart. How was this person the hardcore Jedi General that destroyed Malachor V? She didn't see beyond what was a good act that would lead to death. The old witch said as much to her and the Exile, I heard say: 'You have a lot of wisdom Kreia. I won't be as quick in the future.'

'That is all I ask. Good intentions often pave the roads to destruction.'

Even with the old witch's words in her head, I witnessed my Target do things for others. She tried to talk her way out of fights. She didn't actually show her mind tricks but then she kinda did get two thugs to leave off trying to mug her because some punk ass refugee pointed the finger at her saying she had the credits he owed them. She said he was lying and she had no credits and would never gain any from her.

When the thugs backed away and left the refugee said things might be worse. My Target said, 'Yes they could have killed you. I might have walked by or killed you myself for your foolishness. I'm not having a good day and that kinda pissed me off. No wonder the gang-bangers were after your creds if this is how you deal with people. I think perhaps the authorities should best deal with you.'

'I'm sorry. I didn't know you were a warrior.'

'This is why you're a fool. Now answer my questions and I will let you run away as the coward you are. I want to know about the bounty hunters on this moon. Where are they located? How do I contact them?'

'Get someone mad at you to place a bounty on your head.' The man whimpered.

'Besides that.'

'Try the cantina… I don't know. Maybe the docks… shady things on the docks near Jekk'Jekk Tarr. A lot of aliens go there.'

'Fine.' She used the Force to lift the man in the air, her teeth gnashed together. 'Oh and a word of warning: NEVER try to blame someone else for your failings, it will end up with your death for such foolishness. Now be gone.' She dropped him. The shutta scurried away, terror on his face.

Can't say I disagreed with anything she said.

My Target got involved in a little merchant dispute and in the end she sided with Greeda the female Rodian and I watched that with some interest. Greeda wasn't your typical Rodian. She was articulate, and yeah I was in the shop a few shelves over from where my bounty was, and hell if Greeda wasn't flirting with her.

Greeda got philosophical and my target picked up on the fact she was talking about the Force. Greeda said the path my Bounty was taking was going to be a long path filled with uncertainties and little reward. The Exile said it was her path nonetheless.

That soft brown boy toy… the Disciple (I head the Witch call him by that name) started talking a bit about the movements of the Force and the echoes left behind by my Bounty's choice. The Exile said she'd help set up a trade line for Greeda with other systems. They started stocking up on supplies, armor, weapons, med-packs, stims, and even some odds and bobs for lightsabers- at least it looked like they were. They found a silver crystal and a viridian one that made my target almost wince.

Disciple was at her side almost instantly like he felt a jab of pain ebbing from her. She smiled and from where I was standing it was a sad smile. Like she was remembering an old friend now long since dead. Then it hit me… yeah viridian. Old Zez-Kai Ell said her saber was viridian before the Council took it away from her because an Exile wasn't allowed to keep them.

I saw her touch Disciple on the cheek. It was such a soft touch. I kinda thought I felt it on my own cheek. Her smile was back and it was like she was standing too close to a generator. She was beaming. She was glowing not a real glow but a glow anyway. Guess he's a good toss in the bed. I mean the only time I seen that sorta glowing on a woman was after I made her fly… well… er…. anyway.

All I can say is I could see why this Atris person had a thing for her. Disciple sure did and so did that Atton guy. Even the veiled woman Visas had a thing for my target. I could feel it… even that old Witch loved my target. This was so odd. Zez-Kai Ell made it sound like she was a carrier of a dark disease. She was the echo of the death of life or something.

That isn't what I saw. Others were drawn to her. Hell even Champ, that little bat, thought she was pretty for a tall furless sentient. I know the Twin Suns thought that she was beautiful and wouldn't mind a toss in the bed with her first before they collected their bounty on her.

Hanharr… he wanted her too. Not in the good way. He hated her as much as he did me and he never met her. Hanharr hates all humans, but to him she was like some sort of cavity. Maybe it's because he radiates malevolence and hate and she… she doesn't… she radiates something else. But Hanharr I know respects her and fears her. With good reason too.

I'm going to have to think outside the box if I want to nail my bounty. Definitely not aggression. She'd feel that miles away. So something else… can't bait her friends. I don't hunt my prey like a merc. I know the others are doing that and that is a quick way to end up dead. I know that at least three of them to be Jedi trained. I can feel it.

The old Witch- she's dangerous and overprotective and omnipresent. So is the other younger blind woman. That one sees things beyond sight. Visas unnerves me I think more so than the old Witch Kreia. Bao-Dur the solider- he'd do anything for his general. He would follow any order given to him, even if he disagreed with it. Not because he was a solider but because it was 'her' asking him. The Disciple is so in love with her that he'd do anything to protect her. And Atton is sneaky and underhanded. He reeks of murder. Nope targeting them is blatant fool's errand.

So… well how about the blunt in-your-face approach?

The in-your-face non-lethal approach.

For both of us.

Visquis wanted to meet her in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. First, getting in there for a human was hard enough, never mind the toxic gasses that would seize your lungs and start to eviscerate major organs and then of course it ate away at the tissues of the skin. And the stink. It was enough to make you gag for a lifetime and you would be washing out that smell for weeks.

It also stinks of a trap.

And the set up was working because here she was running down corridors from the blast door that separated the lading sector from the docks. She set a good pace-a soldier's gate that eats up the miles without taxing your reserves. She didn't seem to notice me, or if she had she didn't seem to think me a threat. No, I'm not bruised ego-wise because I didn't present a menacing aura for her Jedi mumbo-jumbo anger sense to pick up on.

"And I thought Jedi were supposed to be smart."

She whirled on me, her hand already on the hilt of her saber, her other hand slightly rising. I've seen what she could do. I could be flung back into a wall, or worse.

"I've been watching you running all over Nar Shaddaa like a rampaging bantha. For someone trying to keep a low profile you're not doing a good job."

"Bounty Hunter," she addressed me not as a title but like those that called her Exile. It was a name. "My actions were deliberate," she smiled, "a two fold move. Smoke out my hunters and get the attention of the Exchange. Goto put a bounty on my head in the first place." She moved her feet slightly into a fighting stance. I've seen her use that stance before it meant a quick swift death for any opposing her.

"Look, whatever your reasons are, you go into the Jekk'Jekk Tarr you're walking into a trap. And if I know about it, rest assured everyone else knows about it and that means the truce is off and the bounty hunters go to war."

"I've been hunted since I stepped foot back into Republic space," she said with a hint of tiredness I know all too well.

"It's not you; it's your friends you might worry about."

That got her attention.

"Look not here, let's talk somewhere private."

"Who are you?"

"Mira, best bounty hunter around. That's not bragging, it's fact."

She smirked.

So I lead her to one of my digs. I saw her raise an eyebrow because she recognized the place. Well she should she was here a few times, talking to that Bith scientist who was tracking an odd signal because it had been aggravating his hearing. Or so he claimed. There was an Ithorian who needed to get off the base and she negotiated for him to trade his power cells. She helped a man reacquaint himself with his wife in the refugee sector. And she had even returned an errant Weequay captain to his crew. That meant she had survived in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr before. So could I.

I knew as soon as she came into the place she sneezed and wrinkled her nose. "What a distinctive odor you've discovered."

"Yeah well you get use to it, keeps the rats and thugs away."

She tried to steal herself and tied to keep from sneezing. I smirked. The tranquilizers in the gas were working.

"Why did you bring me here?" she adjusts the heavy pack over her shoulder, less out of the need for comfort and more for battle readiness.

"Look like I said, it's a trap." I said in all honesty.

"I know." She didn't roll her eyes but I got the impression that was exactly what she did. She looked around her for a moment and she knew she was in a trap here too. Why she played along I don't know but I know it wasn't because she was naive and far too trusting.

So we both played the game.

"Visquis' got the place rigged against humanoids. He managed to get Ubese and Genoharadan conscripts."

"Genoharadan! They hate Jedi more beyond reason, more than any other life." Her blue eyes darkened her face fell into a frown. I got the impression she wasn't looking forward having to take their lives even if they were ready and more than willing to take hers.

"Like I said you got a huge price on your head, Jedi. Enough for someone to buy a planet from under a Hutt. You sure managed to get the Exchange pissed off at you. Goto is a powerful enemy and one of the Exchange's most prominent Bosses. Why you going?"

"I need to see Goto. This goes a lot deeper than a bounty on Jedi. I've been hunted- not because I am Jedi. It's me personally and I need to know why. You're on my tail, why? What where you told?" she said and started to waver on her feet, her head by now had to be swimming. Gotta admit that it taking longer for her than it had others.

Then suddenly she collapses hard against the floor of my apartment. I wince at the sound of her body connecting with the cement. That will leave a bruise in the morning. "That 'distinctive' smell you were breathing in… is paralytic toxin. Anyone without olfactory blockers will end up unconscious. You're going to have a splitting headache when you wake up. Sorry about that. Visquis is cutting out the bounty hunters and that is going to lead to war, I'm not going to let that happen. Don't worry, you'll reach Goto, but on my terms."

I bend down and touch the smooth skin of her cheek. 'The dancing Twi'lek assassins were right. You are beautiful.' I brush away the unruly locks of soft brown hair from her forehead and think how young she is and how old her eyes are. I heft her over to my sleeping mat. Goddess of the Hunt she's a slight thing. I guess I figured her to be heavier; she walks like she carried the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders.

I picked up the pack she dropped on the floor when she was knocked out. In it contained an environmental suit. "And I'm going to take this. Your environmental suit will keep me alive and keep me covered."

I saw Zez-Kai Ell in the corridors and saluted him in our typical greeting so he knew it was me. "She's in there. Remember she's my bounty and therefore under my protection."

"Don't worry Mira, I won't take her life. I haven't fallen so far to do murder. But she will answer for her crimes."

"I thought that was why she was exiled."

"I mean here."

"She didn't commit crimes against innocents, Zez-Kai Ell. She paid a bat named Kaalah-nah 2000 credits to spread rumors to the Exchange so they would take an interest in her. She wanted them to think she was doing things in their favor. I've watched her. She did everything she could to sabotage them." From the expression on the old man's face I knew he hadn't expected that. All he saw, all he wanted to see was a criminal, someone who left the Order to go to war. Someone who had defied every Master on the Council because she felt she was doing the right thing by answering the call. He wanted someone to blame.

"She is here seeking revenge."

"Against you? You and the other Jedi who kicked her out of your little club?"

"Mira… you don't know anything about this. She has fallen to the Dark Side! She followed the Witch's words- her teachings- the same teachings that lead Revan to fall. The Exile should never have returned. It is better she put down- now- while we have a chance, while she is weakened!"

"SHE isn't evil! I got a sense about this." My own rage was building up now. This man was as thick as that Wookiee Hanharr who wants me dead. Only this old Master is ten times worse because he's a Jedi.

"A pretty face only, Mira. I admit she's got a charming personality. Don't let it touch you. Mira, she is guilty of so much. Worlds die because of her. She's the death of the Force. She is a disease that must be purged."

"She's still under my protection. And from what I'm seeing right now, she 'aint the one going all Dark Sidey. Don't harm her!"

"Noted," the old human remarked. And I wanted to believe him, but I got a sick feeling in my gut that leaving my Bounty with this guy wasn't the smartest moves. So I played the last hand in my deck. "You want people to start trusting Jedi again? People like me? Then better keep your word. Don't hurt her."

"Very well Mira. But you will regret this day."

He left me and I managed to make my way to the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. And yeah I got trapped. In Visquis' lair. Hanharr was there along side the squid head. He was to take my Jedi! Sith's blood! I won't let that happen. She's mine!

Visquis was pissed off I was there and not my mark. Hanharr wanted to tear me apart but before he could do that old squid head zapped with me a floor-rigged electrical pulse. I fell. DAMN. Don't know how long it was before I woke up in a pit. Arena more like it. A fighting pit no doubt.

Great.

Just Great.