- Carth -

I paced around the room, clenching and unclenching my fists. Stopping only once in a while to check the time.

"Carth, will you please stand still? You're making me nervous. And you're adding a rather large dent in the floor." Mission joked, hoisting herself on top of several stacked crates.

I ran my hand nervously through my hair. "I just don't understand. What could possibly be taking her so long. I'm worried that something's happened."

Mission nodded. "it has been a long time. But she's a Jedi. She can handle anything."

I knew she was right, but but I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. True, Alora was strong. She was smart...adaptable. "I know. But not even a Jedi can breathe under water."

I hadn't realized I had said those words aloud. I turned to see worry overwhelm the young twi'lek's blue face. She turned pale and her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Hey, hey, hey." I hurried over to her. From her position on the crates, she was eye level to me. I cupped her face in my hands. "she's going to be alright, Mish. But she needs us to stay strong. I know her. She couldn't like it very much if she knew I let you worry about her." I paused. I knew I sounded like I was trying to convince myself. I brushed the tears off her pretty face. "no more crying, got the, Solider?"

Mission smiled, though unconvinced, but hugged me regardless. "Thanks, Carth. Ya know, you're not so bad," she paused. "for an old geezer."

I smiled. "You're not so bad yourself, rawl-head." I playfully nudged her chin with my fist.

She looked down at the floor. "Hey, Carth." she started picking at a rip in her pants. "can I ask you something?" It's kind of...personal I guess."

Here it comes, I thought. "What is it, Mish?"

"What's going on between you and Alora?"

And there it is. "What do you mean?"

She laughed slightly. "Al said the same thing what I asked her."

I turned back towards her. "You asked her?" My heart raced. "What did she say?"

"Well, we didn't really get to talk much. It was this morning after she punched you. But she had this huge smile on her face when I told her I saw the two of you kissing last night."

I could feel my face grow hot. "Oh, you, uh, saw that huh?"

Mission simply nodded in response.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't really know how to explain my feelings for her. I haven't really felt this way since...since my wife died." I paused, looking over at her. She was looking at me sympathetically, listening intently. "After Morgana died, I devoted myself to the fleet. Killing Saul was all I had left. But now, since I met Alora, it's not my top priority anymore. It should be. But now..." I paused again, trying to conjure up the right words. "she makes me...think that there's something more to live for. She...she makes me happy."

Mission smiled softly. "Do you love her?"

I felt my mouth open, then close. I hadn't thought about it to that extent. "I...care for her. Deeply. But I don't think I love her...yet." I sighed. "But every time I'm with her...I fall a little bit more."

-Alora-

My heart pounded as I slammed the airlock door shut. My sonic emitter had gone out on me after just two uses. One was now ramming it's large head into the door I had just entered. Must have wanted me for dinner.

It was freezing in this section of the underwater base. I stripped off the water suit, finding a footlocker in the room, which, thank the Force, had a set of dry clothes.

The firaxan that chased me, had ripped part of my suit off my back, taking some of my skin with it, just before I made it into the base. My adrenalin was so high, I hadn't really noticed at first. It stung painfully as I removed the suit. I reached into the bag I had borrowed from Carth and pulled out a couple of bandages. I looked around to make sure no one was around and removed my shirt to wrap the bandage around my waist, thinking briefly that it would be a much easier process if someone could have helped me. I used the Force to place the bandage directly over the wound. Force, it hurt. Hope that damn shark enjoyed his snack, I thought bitterly.

I was too exhausted to use the Force to heal myself. I would need every possible ounce of energy I could consume in the next couple of weeks, I wagered.

After securing the bandage, I put on the dry clothes. They were a bit small. The shirt was too tight and clung to my body. The pants were just as tight, only resting somewhat comfortably on my hips. Oh, well. I thought. At least they're dry.

I walked through the blast doors, a force shield caught my eye. I could see the outlines of two figures standing behind it. Please for the love of the Force, don't let it be more of those insane fish people. Not that I couldn't take them, But I was just so exhausted...so drained.

Making my way, cautiously, over to the force shield, the shadows became clear. A man and a woman stood huddled close together.

"Someone's coming!" the woman shouted. "Activate the gas chambers! Hurry!"

All of the blast doors around me began closing all at once. I tried them all but they were wielded shut.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. Poisonous vapors filled the air, gagging me. It felt as if someone was cutting off my windpipes. I fell to my knees in front of the force field, the couple had a terrified look on their faces. The man placed a protective arm around the woman's shoulders.

I wish Mission were here. "Please." I managed to choke out, the fumes over-powering my lungs. "I mean...no harm."

The man looked at my skeptically then reached for a lever near him. The vapors disappeared and I could breathe again.

The man lowered the force field. "please forgive me. We're very skeptical of anyone who may wander in here. " he paused. "After the Selkath went crazy, killing everything in sight! Sami and I thought we were the only ones left."

"Anyone who survived the Selkath tried to leave and were killed by the firaxans." the woman continued.

I listened as they finished telling the story of what happened to the Selkath and the giant firaxan who made its home in the rift.

"How could I get past it?" I asked when they were finished.

"We've been working on a substance that was designed to drive them away. It's a toxin that you will have to put in the harvester machine. When emitted, it should kill all of the firaxans. But it's only been tested in closed captivity." the man said.

"But it could be dangerous for the environment, not to mention the kolto!" the woman cried. "We can't risk it."

I thought for a moment. I didn't like the idea of releasing toxin into the water. Is there another way?"

Sami nodded. "I'd hate to do it, but you could shut down the harvester. Before it was built, the firaxans were not so hostile. I think if you could destory it, you could get past it."

"But that would put us behind months, maybe even years!" The man exclaimed. "All of the work we've done would be in vain."

The woman shook her head sadly. "It's the only way."

Before I returned to the water, I was given a new sonic emitter, wet suit, and the man had slipped the toxin into my hand.

"You know what you have to do." he had whispered, so that his partner wouldn't hear him.

I climbed into my wet suit and opened the airlock. The firaxan greeted me with a toothy grin. I immediately reached for my emitter and shot it at him.

The shark's eyes rolled back and its body convulsed. I made my way over to the harvester, and after a good standard hour, shut it down. I moved away as quickly as I could before the harvester exploded.

I walked over a bridge, and could see the giant firaxan watching me. I stopped in my tracks. When it made no move to advance on me, I continued my journey.

There it was. The Star Map. I could feel the dark energy flow from it. I downloaded the information into my datapad, and began to make my way back over to where I left Carth and Mission.

I had no further problems with the firaxans. They seemed perfectly at ease as I passed by several schools of them.

I could see Carth pacing back and forth through the window of the complex. I looked down at my watch. I had been gone for four standard hours. Carth must be worried sick. I stifled a laugh as I thought of how Mission must be bored out of her mind, and driving Carth crazy.

"Finally!" Mission hopped down from the crates she was perched upon, throwing her arms around my waist. "We were afraid the firaxans got you."

I laughed and hugged her back, wincing as she pressed against the wound on my back.

Carth noticed. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, putting my arm around the little twi'lek's shoulder, easing her away from me.

"No you're not. There's blood on your wet suit." He walked behind me and unzipped the suit from behind, noticing the blood stained bandage around my back. "What the hell happened?"

Mission let go of me and walked around to where Carth was standing and winced. "That's not pretty."

I took the wet suit off, slowly, so not to reopen the gash. "A firaxan just wanted me for dinner."

Carth frowned. "Not funny."

I groaned. "It's just a flesh wound. I'm fine."

Carth grabbed the bag from my shoulders and searched through it. "Where the hell are all of the medpacs?"

"There was only one in there." I explained.

His eyes widened so much I thought that thought they would pop out of his head. "You went with one medpac?" he cried, covering his eyes with his hand. "I can't believe this."

Mission shrugged. "What's the big deal, Carth? She's fine. A little bloody maybe, and that gash is gonna leave one heck of scar..."

Carth closed his eyes. "Mission, would you excuse us?" he interrupted. "I need to speak with Alora alone for a minute."

Mission raised an eyebrow at him, then looked to me. "okay, I'll go find some insane Selkath to play with."

I snickered as she left the room. Carth placed his hand on the wall, not looking at me. "You could have been killed."

I walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm. "But I wasn't. I'm fine, Carth."

I heard him sigh sadly. "But what if you hadn't been okay? You were alone and...who knows what could have happened. I wasn't there to protect you."

"No...but there wasn't any other way." I stated calmly, squeezing his arm affectionately. "Why are you so upset?

Silence.

"Carth?"

He finally turned to face me. "Because...I wasn't able to save my wife and son. And I couldn't bare to loose someone else that, that I care about." he paused to look me in the eye. "I finally have a chance to do it right. Kill Saul has been my number one priority for years, and...and then, you came along." he touched my face gently, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "and you make me feel...like I have a purpose beyond revenge." he ran his fingers through my hair. "If I'm going to live past Saul, I need you too as well. Let me me protect you. You...you have to let me try."

I smiled sadly at him. "And just how are you going to protect me?"

I didn't mean for those words to come out the way they must have sounded to him But I am a Jedi, if I can't protect myself...who could?

Carth sighed. "I...I don't know. I'm not the best of men, and I'm not the strongest fighter there is, but I'll...find a way." He ran his hands up and down my arms. "I don't know if it means anything to you, but it does to me."

I smiled. "it means a lot to me, Carth. Thank you."

He took my hand and we headed to go find Mission. We opened the door, and as we did, the young twi'lek stumbled into the room, landing at our feet. She looked up at us with a sheepish grin on her face. "uh, hi, guys. I was just..."

"Ease-dropping?" I stated, putting my free hand on my hip.

We helped her off the floor and she brushed herself off. "ease-dropping? No, don't be ridiculous. I was just, um, napping. Yeah, that's it. Napping. Waiting for you to finish your swim bored the poo-doo out of me."

Carth and I exchanged amused glances. "Ease-dropping." we said in unison.

Mission giggled and took off running to the docking bay, with Carth and I close on her heels.

- Carth -

When we reached the surface again, the mercenary took off running as fast as he could, yelling "I quit!" as he rushed out of the enclave.

Roland Wann greeted us at the dock. "You're back. I was beginning to think the worst."

I listened as Alora began to tell him of the insane Selkath, missing scientists, and having to destroy harvester. The news brought a distraught look to the man's face. "That's terrible. This may have even cost us the war..."

He thanked us again for our assistance before we exited the enclave.

Outside, a group of Selkath waited for us. "You there, human. We have seen a security recording of you in the Harvest Rift. We believe that you are responsible for the destruction of the harvester. You are under arrest."

I watched as they put restraining bolts around her Alora's hands and ankles. "Now wait just a damn minute!" I protested.

Alora shook her head. "No, Carth. It's okay." she turned back to the Selkath. "I will go peacefully."

Mission and I just stood there, open mouthed. "I don't believe this." I muttered, throwing my hands in the air in frustration.

"What a load of poo-doo!" Mission exclaimed. "They arrested her when she could have killed the entire environment!"

I sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, we need to tell the others. After what they did to Sunry, a Republic war hero, there's no telling what they'll do about this."