Emmy20211: Okay, well this is a collab story that me and my friend Ellagne started writing a while ago... quite a while ago...
Ellagne: Not that long ago
Emmy20211: It was long ago
Ellagne: No it wasn't
Emmy20211: Yes it was!
Ellagne: ... Anyway, we finally finished chapter 1 and now we get to post it! :)
Emmy20211: Yeah, please enjoy and review--
Ellagne: Please review to tell us whatcha think of our first collaboration!
Emmy20211: What she said...
Chapter 1:
Jarah poked her head out of the damaged escape pod. Her brown eyes darted around her surroundings. "Crap," she breathed. "Tell me I'm not where I think I am." Jarah rubbed her head as she looked around again, swearing under her breath as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Less than twenty feet away, a grimy scavenger dug through the twisted remains of another escape pod. "This is not good," said Jarah, slipping back into the pod. Where there was one scavenger, there was usually more.
OK, how am I going to get out of here?Jarah wondered. She wasn't about to assume that the scavengers wouldn't make slaves of the survivors - assumptions got people killed or worse. The only idea that came to mind with her limited knowledge of the surroundings and resources was to wait for a distraction and then run like hell.
She was checking that her precious blaster was still in working condition when ghastly howling and yelping slid through the open crack in the pod hatch. Kinrath ran up and down her spine. Crap, what was that? Instinct and fear told her to freeze to which she obeyed. Her ears detected blaster fire, screams and inhuman cries and snarls.
Jarah wasn't sure what was going on; but whatever it was, it didn't sound pleasant and did sound like the perfect distraction. She slowly peeked out of the pod and surveyed the area. There were many scavengers spread about, but the thing that caught her eye was a little blue Twi'lek and a Wookiee being chased by grotesque creatures. The scavengers had turned their blasters on the pale creatures, while the Twi'lek and Wookiee turned to make their stand. Jarah briefly wondered what the beasts were, but couldn't look closely. Any desire to get a more thorough look at a live specimen vanished as she watched three of the creatures jump on one of the men, biting and clawing wildly. He screamed loudly as he was ripped apart until a stray blaster bolt hit him in the head.
Jarah watched the fight end as a large, muscled man blew the head off one beast with a nasty-ass Mandalorian heavy repeater. Judging from how that man regrouped the other scavengers, Jarah assumed he was the leader.
"Gee, thanks," the Twi'lek said in a bubbly voice. "Good thing you guys were down here today."
The man with the heavy repeater turned to face her, and Jarah noted that he had a Mandalorian clan tattoo on his upper arm. He sneered down at her, "I've seen you both fight before - you could've taken the rakghouls. You just want to search through this rubble and try and pickpocket what you can, don't you? Little thieving brat."
This left no doubt in Jarah's mind: he was a Mandalorian.
"What if we just take you as a slave to pay your debt? How about it, boys?" Sick hoots of agreement echoed through the dark. While the Twi'lek scowled, she looked unafraid. With good reason, as the Wookiee moved in front of his companion, completely shielding her from the scavengers' view, and roared something in Shriiwook.
Jarah frowned, but pounced on the opportunity to creep away from the pod. She froze when the Twi'lek turned around and saw her. To Jarah's surprise, however, the Twi'lek didn't raise the alarm. On the contrary, she motioned for Jarah to run around the corner on her left. Jarah stared suspiciously at the Twi'lek for a moment, then decided that things really couldn't get much worse and ran for the opening as fast as she dared.
Her blood ran cold when the grizzled Mandalorian stared right at her. But he didn't sound the alarm. Never the less, Jarah dashed away as fast as she could, adrenaline pounding through her system.
She ran and ran until she got through the alley, only thoughts on getting away from the Mandalorian and the scavengers. When the adrenaline rush faded, Jarah slowed down then stopped altogether. She turned around and saw the Twi'lek and Wookiee right behind her.
"Thanks," she said, analysing the two strangers and trying to judge whether they could be trusted or not. "That was a nice distraction."
"No prob," replied the Twi'lek with a smirk. "I'm Mission and this big guy is Zaalbar,"
"I'm Jarah," she said, nodding at Mission and Zaalbar, finally deciding that they were the trustworthy type. "What you're doing down here? Not that I'm not grateful that you were."
"Big Z and I like to explore the sewers and Undercity. It gives us something to do, you know?"
"Isn't it dangerous?" Jarah thought back to the glistening pale beasts that had madly torn apart the scavenger and tried to suppress a shudder.
"Not with Big Z here."
"Well, anyway, I owe you one."
Mission shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We weren't going to let them take you prisoner."
"But still," Jarah pressed, "you two didn't need to do that. If there'll be a way to repay the debt, I will."
"Such honour," Zaalbar remarked. "Why aren't more humans like you?"
Jarah gave some thought to the question. "Probably because humans seem to be more susceptible to greed and selfishness than other races."
Mission gasped. "You know Shriiwook?"
Jarah shrugged. "Yeah, I know many languages. It comes naturally."
"We can talk more later," the Wookiee said, "but right now we should move up to the Lower City. I can hear the scavengers moving and I don't want them to find Jarah."
"Good thinking," Mission replied. "Follow us, Jarah."
Jarah checked one more time that her blaster was in its holster and it wouldn't be hindered in being drawn, and then followed her rescuers.
oOo
"Have you found a way off Taris yet?" Bastila demanded.
Carth sighed in frustration. "No." Why did he have to be stuck with the prissy Jedi that the Sith were hunting? Couldn't he have been in the escape pod with some rookie? But then, he supposed, if he had been stuck with the rookie, then they probably would've had to jump through about twenty hoops to find Bastila.
"I don't like your tone, commander. Remember who is the leader--"
"With all due respect, we have been stranded in enemy territory for five days and you have constantly hounded me every time I walk through the door. Cut me a little slack."
"Well maybe if I could go out too, finding a way off this bloody planet would come easier!" Bastila replied hotly. She did not enjoy being forced to stay in the poorly-maintained apartment, no matter how many Sith were running around outside. She had found a rat in the bathroom this morning. And then there was the matter of losing the. . . Oh, if her masters found out, she would be in great trouble.
"You know that's not possible," he replied, trying to be more reasonable. "I know you're probably getting angsty, but if you're captured by the Sith then to put it in blunt terms, we'll be screwed."
She sighed. "How come they never mention things like this when telling you you're the only hope for the galaxy?"
There was a knock on the door before Carth could answer. Bastila knew the drill, so she stood up and hurried into the bathroom. Carth warily made his way to the door, one hand on a blaster. He pressed the door controls, and a young man stood there.
"I was asked to give you this by Dr. Zelka Forn," the stranger murmured, pressing a datapad into Carth's free hand. "Good day." He walked off. Carth stared after him for a moment then hit the controls again. He went to the rusting table and sat down.
"Who was that?" Bastila asked as she returned from her hiding place.
"No idea, but he gave me this and said it was from Zelka," Carth replied. He switched on the datapad and waited impatiently as it hummed to life. His mind thought it through. Either it was a trap set by the Sith, or one or more of the soldiers in the kolto tanks has miraculously healed. As he read through the message, he realised that both of his guesses seemed legit.
"Lieutenant Kailyn Moore," Bastila read over his shoulder, rolling the name experimentally around her mouth. "Do you know if she was on the Endar Spire?"
Carth thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, she was on the Spire. I remember plenty of people talking about her."
"Why?" Bastila queried.
"Because a few months ago she held off wave after wave of Sith from one of the Republic's near-deserted outposts all by herself for over half an hour until we could send in reinforcements. I imagine it must've been terrible afterwards, with everyone talking about it and all. So she was assigned to the Endar Spire."
"Oh," Bastila replied, unable to think of anything else to say. "Well, commander, do you think this is a trap? If she's well known for her achievement, then no doubt the Sith know her name."
Bastila didn't need to fuel his suspicion. "I know. But if this is genuine, then the lieutenant will be a valuable asset and we shouldn't leave her behind anyway."
"Let me come. I will be able to sense if it is be a trap or not."
Carth deliberated. Protecting Bastila was, admittedly, more important than another officer despite how he felt about leaving people behind. "How about this," he bargained, "I'll go alone, but if I'm not back within half an hour you should come looking for me. Just try to stay discreet."
Bastila sighed in defeat.
oOo
Carth had to admit he was surprised when it turned out to be genuine. Zelka had welcomed him, then ushered him into the secret room where the injured Republic troops were. There, sitting on a bed, was Lieutenant Kailyn Moore.
"Commander," Kailyn greeted. Her right hand twitched as if she was thinking of saluting.
"Lieutenant," he nodded in return. "It's good to know someone else survived." His eyes drifted to the other men and women in the kolto tanks.
"Yes," she replied softly as she also turned her gaze to the injured. Then she put herself back together. "Well I suppose I'll be going with you then." She stood up and stretched. Her ribs protested, shooting spikes of pain up her sides. Kailyn flinched, a quiet hiss breezing through her lips. Carth frowned slightly as he watched Kailyn wince, but he managed to regain his regular look before she faced him. Funny, that, he thought somewhat idly. Almost every time he had seen her she had been injured, but that didn't say she was inept. Kailyn just got into trouble frequently.
"Well, thank you Dr. Forn," she said.
"It was my pleasure."
"Lead the way, Commander," she said as she took a stiff posture, partly from habit and partly from her still-hurting body.
oOo
Zaalbar helped Jarah up from the derelict emergency ladder shaft. It was only one of the many ways Mission and Zaalbar used to move between the Lower City and Undercity. The two followed Mission, who had set off at a quick trot.
Boy, this girl has stamina, Jarah thought, impressed. She had a stitch in her side, but had too much pride to ask the Twi'lek to slow down.
As if Mission had heard her thought, she slowed as they reached an intersection. "Where should we go? I dunno if we have enough room in our apartment for three people, so where. . ." Mission trailed off, thinking hard. Where could they go that would be safe for their new friend to rest?
"The Beks are always hospitable," Zaalbar suggested.
"Big Z, you're a genius! C'mon!"
Mission grabbed Zaalbar's paw and Jarah's hand, and then promptly dragged them towards the base of the Hidden Beks.
Emmy20211: Please review! We're begging!!!
Ellagne: We like reviews
*both do puppy dog eyes*