Elara entered the Cantina and inhaled the strong smell of cigarras, spilt drinks and what she could only disgustedly guess to be vomit. She had to smile; it was the same old cantina alright. She had tried to go back to the apartment, she really had but, as she had approached it, she could feel the memories of Carth everywhere. Though she was sure she was over Carth - having convinced herself that she felt nothing when he had repeatedly called her 'gorgeous' - the memories were still painful. The problem was that she was not as happy as she should have been about the whole Carth/Bastila thing - just because she had accepted them as a couple, didn't mean that she wanted to see them smooching in front of her like there was no tomorrow. And this wedding seemed a bit sudden, but she supposed that Bastila had a point about making the most of time. She was secretly a little bit happy for the couple – finding true romance was something hard to achieve. But she was already truly dreading the wedding - she could just see it now: she'd be spending a fun-filled night by herself. There would be the dancing, the wining, the dining amongst the couples - she was not in a couple. And then there was the rooming situation for the night at the hotel - Orience would no doubt go with Mical, and from what she had recently heard about Mission, she guessed she would rather be with Dustil than her. There was Juhani, of course, but given that confession on Rakata Prime, she decided that all in all she would rather not share a room with the cathar. So, it looked like a lonesome evening with lots of wine to look forward to. On second thoughts, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

She waited for her juma juice patiently, and scanned the place for somewhere to sit. There was a crowd of twi'lek dancers surrounding a man whose face she couldn't see.

"Ladies, please, there's enough of me to go around. If this leads to a mud wrestle though, so be it," said the man, solemnly. What a pig. She looked closer to see who the man was. By this point the man had looked up, looking slightly shocked, though she couldn't fathom why. He then gave her a lopsided grin and drawled, "What's the matter, sweets? See something you like?"

She rolled her eyes and ignored him, taking a seat at an empty table. Some people just couldn't get over themselves, which was especially irritating when the person was in fact extremely good looking. She sipped her drink and looked away, stealing glances at him when she thought he would be turned away. He was apparently doing the same, because every time she turned to look at him he turned away looking sheepish and she did the same to him, smiling to herself. An actual smile for the first time all day.

The man got up and approached her table.

"Quite a fan club you've got for yourself", she smiled again, surprised at how eagerly she smiled around this man, nodding towards the twi'leks who were all giggling about something or other.

He shrugged. "They're okay, I guess. But don't worry sweets - I prefer real women to the Cantina dancers", he winked.

"Oh thank the Force, I'm so relieved. I was ready for my life to end when I thought I didn't have a chance with you" she muttered, words soaking in sarcasm.

He feigned being wounded. "I'm not gonna pretend that didn't hurt babe, but I'm gonna forgive you anyway. 'Cause that's what people in relationships do – we forgive, forget, kiss and make up." He smirked as he sat down.

"And we've been in a relationship as of when?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow battling the urge to smile again.

"Since the 17th time you looked my way when I was sat over there…" Elara cringed as the man's crooked grin widened and he continued: "I mean, I knew I was good looking, but I felt like a god or something, the way you were looking at me back then. I mean-"

Elara cut him off frustratedly. "Oh, come on! You were hardly keeping your eyes to yourself! You kept looking over here too!"

"Who's to say I was looking at you, sweets? There are plenty of other attractive females in here besides you," he said gesturing vaguely behind her, his expression deadly serious. Shavvit, she thought to herself, Of course he doesn't like me. There's some stunning girl behind me who he's interested in. She turned round to see a large female hutt engaged in business with a rodian. Elara burst out laughing. The man smiled to himself, thinking to himself that she was even more beautiful when she laughed. And he had made her laugh. Elara became aware that the man was gazing at her and she quickly spoke again.

"Was I really that obvious?"

"Pure pazaak, sweets. About as obvious as a rancor incognito... Like a gamorreon who-"

"Enough, enough I get it!"

Pure pazaak? Who is this guy? She sat wracking her brains for the memory of that phrase, sure that someone else had used the same words at least once. She must have been quite quiet for a while as she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder:

"You okay, sweets?"

She looked at him and considered asking him about whether he knew Orience, but decided against it, saying instead, "What is it with men calling me a pet name?"

He looked crestfallen.

"You don't like it?"

"It's not bad", she smirked, and after a moment added, "Nah, I quite like it, it's just..." She honestly did like it, but after having accepted a pet name from Carth, which he now presumably used to address Bastila, she was slightly hesitant about receiving a pet name so early on in a relationship. If you could even call this random meeting that. "I think it's really cute and all but I mean..."

He suddenly nodded understandingly.

"We hardly know each other, and I'm already calling you by a pet name when I don't even know your real one…Right?"

She nodded - close enough.

He was looking at her again, not entirely convinced. "Well, my name's Jaq, would you like a drink?"

She nodded, somewhat distantly. Jaq. There was something oddly familiar about that name, and she felt certain that Orience knew something about it. A long time ago, she had known a man called Jaq. He looked nothing like this man though, for Jaq was a murderer, an assassin tainted by the dark side. That was back when she had been under the influence of the dark side herself, when lord Revan had been in power. She looked at him now, curiously, as he tossed some credits over the cantina counter. He had not made eye contact with her when he had given her that name. Maybe..? But no, it couldn't possibly be Jaq Rand. That man was probably long dead by now.

He walked back to their table, drinks in hand. He handed her another juma juice, drinking a much stronger looking substance himself.

"So what's yours?" he asked her, looking straight at her.

She sipped her drink. "It's a juma juice. Admittedly slightly worrying that you didn't know, considering you bought it and all."

He grinned again. There was something about her that meant he couldn't stop smiling. "Your name?"

"Oh, right!" She laughed and put out a hand. "I'm Elara Cosmos, pleased to meet you." He didn't need to know that she was Revan just yet. It would only complicate things.

They shook hands, blushing at the first time they had properly touched each other, no matter how small an action it was.

"So, you're a Jedi huh?" queried Jaq, eyeing the two sabers on her belt. She nodded though she did not elaborate, and he got the distinct feeling that there was something she was not telling him.

She looked at him, her eyes boring into him as if she could see straight inside him and said, "It's weird though - the force is really strong in you… But it's wild and untamed."

Fighting a battle with the urge to say, "And that's just the way I like it baby", he said, "Yeah, I know - I got some training a while back but my uh.. Master", he said the word some what bitterly, she thought, "Got a little distracted with one of her other Padawans."

They started to play a little pazaak, and although Elara was sure that he was letting her win, he was surprisingly good. They passed the time discussing the wars, both of them failing to mention their key roles by conveniently forgetting their dark side alter-egos. They had been talking and flirting a little for about an hour now with no mishap, their confidence enhanced by the amount of drinks they were consuming.

"Miss Cosmos," he slurred slightly, "I must confess - I lied to you earlier. Lovely as the hutt behind you is, it was you that I was looking at." Though he had started off like he was joking, and although he was drunk, Elara could tell that Jaq was being completely serious, and strangely she didn't feel awkward. Though it had barely been an hour she was really beginning to warm to this Jaq guy.

"Mr. Rand," she hiccuped, "You needn't worry, for I suspected as much. I must admit I feel flattered that you chose me over the lovely lady hutt." Elara was too drunk to realize the effect that her words had had on him, too drunk to realize that he had not told her his surname.

"So, Elara. Tell me about yourself. How do you know Orience?" He noticed Elara's features redden at the mention of Orience, though her expression was that of curiosity. There was something that she wasn't telling him. Something he wasn't telling her.

"Atton, Revan! So you guys finally met! Playing that game of pazaak I was talking about?" It was Orience with a blissful looking Mical wrapped round her.

They both stared at each other. If Elara had been red before she was deepest crimson now, wondering if the force was having a laugh at her expense, and even Atton was beginning to tinge slightly.

Elara hastily got up. "Yeah, Ja-- I mean, Atton is great at pazaak. But we were just finished and I should really go. Nice to meet you."

"What are you talking about Revan?" He said, spitting the words out very deliberately, no longer smiling. "The set's still tied. We should keep playing. Unless of course you've got somewhere to go? Maybe there's something you're not telling us about? I wouldn't be surprised," he muttered to himself, frustrated. How could he have been so stupid? Of course she was Revan. He served under her! How hadn't he recognized her? She was the reason that he went over to the dark side! But she had never looked like this, though he supposed her frequent wearing of a mask had contributed to this. She never acted like this though - she had been freakishly aggressive at the height of her rule - she had never been coy or witty, although he could still see the pain buried deep within her eyes. He felt like such an idiot - he had been telling her his opinion of the wars, telling her what he thought of Revan... He tinged further when he remembered some of the stuff he had said - he had just been flirting with a pretty jedi girl, not a former Sith Lord - damnit!

"Uh…" Orience was very confused. Mical quickly stepped in.

"No, no! Don't let us interrupt your game! We were just popping in to say hello to Atton - we thought he'd be here…"

The inebriated Atton glared at him, "You did, did you? Well tell me this, did you think I was gonna punch your face in, you no good-"

"Like he said - we're going!" said Orience hastily, leaving Atton and Mical to exchange equally venomous scowls. "See you at the wedding, I guess. You're going right, Elara?"

Elara's look said a thousand words, but she said merely, "Yeah, I'm going. And I'm staying at the hotel too." Her attempts to muster a smile at this point failed miserably, and Atton noticed the pain in her increase and had to fight the urge to put his arms round her. She's not who you thought she was. Then again, he had hardly been honest. Aware that she knew Orience, he had figured that she knew all about Atton Rand, hence he decided to be Jaq. He guessed her reason to hide her identity was a little better. He looked at her again, looked at the distressed expression; he wanted to help her, wanted to take the pain away… He wanted to save her.

Orience looked torn - should she stay here with her friend and comfort her, or should she go with the Disciple who was now pulling gently on her arm? She decided she would have to go, because she had spent a year with Revan and a day with Mical. She would leave, but not before speaking with Atton. He would have to be Elara's comfort tonight, no matter how much friction that there had appeared to be between the two of them earlier.

"Atton - could I talk to you for a second?" Atton looked at her as if only just realizing who she was. He nodded, allowing himself to be dragged towards the bar away from the table.

Elara followed them with her eyes and then looked up at Mical and met his gaze. This was going to be a barrel of laughs. By instinct she wasn't too sure about this guy, because from what she remembered about him back in their jedi academy days, this guy was a bit too good. Well, if Orience loved him she would have to get to know him.

She looked up and said "Pleased to meet you after all these years, Mical!"

He smiled, toothily and uncertainly, "And you Rev--, I apologize. Elara was it? I have heard much about your recent adventures from Orience." At his own mention of her name his expression suddenly turned goofy.

"So... How's things?" she asked, somewhat reluctantly.

"Oh, you know...It's all good with me, as they say!", he chuckled, but upon noticing her blank expression continued, "How about you? How's uh... How're things in the world of Rev-- damnit, uh, Elara?"

She sighed, just wanting to go home, not to have to endure painfully awkward small talk with this guy. She decided she would go back to her apartment. And face the traces of Carth? Suddenly staying in the cantina for as long as possible seemed like a plan and she divulged into the painful small talk once more.

Meanwhile, Orience filled Atton in on as much as she knew of the Carth story.

"So, one day while you're out there she suddenly feels through the force that this Onasi guy and her best friend are getting it on, and she doesn't seem to care?" He looked over to the table where he had spent his last hour or so with her. She was still sat there, strands of her jet black hair falling in front of her eyes, veiling that same mysterious expression. She was thinking about something which appeared to be causing her even more affliction, though talking with Mical often had that effect on people. He remembered the pain he had felt this morning from her when she had greeted the admiral and his fiancée. It disturbed him that someone so beautiful, so amazing, should have to suffer so much, though he wasn't naive enough to think it wasn't common. She seemed to keep it bottled up, probably because of that damned code. There is no emotion. Then again, maybe there was a reason they didn't encourage relationships within the order - maybe they knew the sadness it could cause. If only he could help to relieve the pain, because he was well aware that if she was left like this she would probably end up falling again. The Jedi didn't seem to understand about human emotion, and he decided he would help her out. It was like he had felt with the Exile all that time ago, but someone else had saved her; he wasn't going to miss out on this chance…Unless she was still in love with Carth? That was just a small hurdle to jump. "Explains a lot" he said shortly.

Orience stared at Atton, unable to work out what he was thinking, though she had seen that expression in his eyes before. It had been when he looked at her, yearning to protect her, to save her. That was before they had reached Dantooine, before she had met Mical. She wondered now if things could have been different. Maybe they would have? No. She stopped herself. It didn't matter - she had found true love and happiness with the Disciple and what could have been was irrelevant. She would need to get over this silly crush on Atton - it was just her wanting what she couldn't have. There's no time like the present she reminded herself. Who knew how much time she and Mical had together? It was her turn to look at Elara. Though the brave woman had maintained her happy attitude about Carth and Bastila this morning, Orience was less than convinced by her act. Maybe it would have been better if they hadn't organized the wedding so quickly? Elara would need company on that night too as it would, no doubt, be very painful for her. She made up her mind to stay in a room with Elara at the hotel instead of Mical. Mical would have to go with… "Say, Atton; are you going to the wedding?"

"Well, I got some fancy looking datapad this morning; never got round to reading it though. Thought it was kinda suspicious." He tried to keep his tone casual, eyes still fixed on Elara as he said "So uh, who else is going?"

Orience was completely oblivious to Atton's strange nature - if he had danced round naked with merely a lightsabre to cover his manhood, all the while singing "Atton and Elara will hopefully be sitting in a tree..." she would not have caught on, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts. "Um… Me, Mical, Carth and Bastila obviously… A lot of the old gang and probably the people who helped destroy the Star Forge. Oh, and Elara of course."

Atton's heart leapt. This was his chance - he'd get to know her before the wedding, spend time with her at the wedding and hopefully distract her from the actual ceremony. It would be good for him to help someone out, and she would understand what it felt like to have a dark past. "Well… Sure, I guess" he said, nonchalantly. "Why not?"

"The thing is, they're doing this thing where people are staying overnight at a hotel... So Elara's going to need someone to share a room with her--" Atton was practically in heaven already. It was like the force was on his side for once! He pinched his arm suspiciously as though concerned he was dreaming and he was in fact locked in a prison cell somewhere or other. No - it was real. Even Orience thought he and Elara should get together.

"ATTON? Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah sure - Elara needs a roomie for the night and you'll be with Mical soo…"

"Yeah - soo I'll go with her and you'll go with Mical. You seem really happy about it - I was kinda nervous about asking you… You never seemed to like him that much, y'know?"

Atton blinked. "Uh… The better man won? But look- I think you and Mical should go together - wouldn't want to break up the happy couple." Orience was surprised - there was no trace of bitterness in his voice. "There's gotta be someone else she can spend the night with, right?"

Atton's hinting was lost on Orience and she just said "I guess… We'll see when we get there."

Orience walked over to Mical, who after nodding politely to both Elara and Atton, put his hand into Orience's, leading her out of the cantina into the night.

Atton returned to Revan's table, and sat down opposite her, well aware that the combination of both their long legs left them in the predicament where their legs were pressed up against one another. She looked straight at him, attempting to read his sphinx-like expression, which exasperatingly gave nothing away. They sat in a silence, both pondering the other's identity.

"So," began Atton, sounding more confident than he felt, "Revan, huh?"

A/N: Feedback please?