CHAPTER NINE

First Visitor

Dorian came straight for the prison after landing on Hutta. This was his first time here and he now understood its reputation was well earned. Hutta looked like one large toxic waste dump. Stagnant water pooled in the middle of busy walkways. Some of the locals walked right through the festering puddles seemingly believing the filthy rags they wore couldn't get any worse. Most of the people he passed were Evocii. Everywhere he turned however there were Trandoshans, Gamorreans, and well armored humans. The criminal element was prominent and the honest cowered in the shadows.

He wore street clothes trying to avoid bringing any unusual interest from the locals or force Lenora into the position of having to explain why a Jedi was visiting her. Yet stand out he did. He was too clean to live on planet, and not armed enough to be a bounty hunter. His presence drew some attention but as long as he kept moving and didn't make eye contact he was left alone.

Once at the prison he was allowed to check the small bag he carried his lightsaber and a few other items in rather than allow it to be searched. He was escorted to a small room with a single door, a small rectangular table, and two uncomfortable chairs. He sat quietly waiting for 'Marsha Vost' to be brought in. It had been four weeks since he saw Lenora leave Alderaan and he was anxious to see her.
Dorian tried his best not to stare as Lenora was escorted into the room with chains around her wrists. She had the remnants of a braid in her hair but there were more strands pulled out from it than inside. She had bruises all over the left side of her face and a crusty cut over her right eyebrow. Her expression was cold.

"What happened to this prisoner?" Dorian barked at the guards. They just laughed and closed the door leaving the two alone.
Lenora rested her right hand on the back of one of the chairs letting Dorian get a look at the blackened knuckles before sliding it out and lowering herself into it. Dorian looked away from her shaking his head.

"What happened?" he asked.

Lenora raised her damaged eyebrow at the question.

"What happened? As if this is the result of one incident?"

Her words were sharp but he was not the target of their edge. She collected herself and tried to be calmer for Dorian.

"They don't actually separate the species, just the males and females. Sometimes being human is just a disadvantage you can't overcome."

"This can't go on. I'll talk to someone. We'll get you out of here then. Somewhere where there's only humans."

"Who will you talk to, Sesh?"

"Yes, and the authorities…"

"Did you forget who put me here?" Lenora asked interrupting him.

"No one knew this is what it'd be like. This is torture."

"It is, and he knew exactly what this place was like. He picked it."

"I don't believe that. He'll help get you out."

"You do that," she dismissed his words.

Lenora put both hands on the table and folded her fingers together. Her left hand looked little better than her right. She looked out the window at the bleak green tinted sky. Dorian was still shocked by her appearance and didn't know what to say. An awkward silence passed for a while before Lenora turned her head quickly to face Dorian.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. What do you mean? I told you I'd come as often as I could."

She looked away again in disgust.

"I appreciate the gesture but your visit doesn't exactly help me."

"Well, I'm gonna keep coming. You're my friend. And I'm going to find a way to stop, this, whatever this is. Protective custody or something."

"I guess I can't stop you," she answered softly.

Lenora stood up again and let the chair slide away. She looked down at Dorian on the other side of the table. He offered a smile. She tried to return one but her face hurt too much.

"I just got here, sit down," he requested. "We have an hour."

Lenora turned around and walked toward the door. She paused there before knocking on it to alert the guards.

"I guess I just don't have anything to talk about."

She raised a hand to knock and Dorian spoke to cut off her action.

"I'm a Jedi now."

He felt strange saying it out loud. He had hoped when the day came they would celebrate together. Even in prison he expected they could share the achievement. But she didn't turn around. She stayed facing the door with her hand still poised to knock.

"We had another battle an Alderaan after you left. I had Zent with me. We fought with a Sith. A Marauder. He was using two sabers. It was a tough battle but we defeated him."

She let the words hang in the air for another moment and then knocked on the door. They could hear the guards moving to open it.

"I don't feel like talking right now," she said softly.

The door opened and one of the guards grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her out of the room. Dorian stood up but didn't say anything. He exited by the same door and left determined to see Sesh and get her out of that prison.

#

The guards didn't take Lenora back to her cell. Instead they dragged and pushed her into the Warden's office. He sat behind his executive desk; the only decent piece of furniture in the whole office. The rest of the furnishings looked older than the dilapidated prison itself. The outside of the windows were covered with a coating of filth. The inside of the glass didn't look much better. The Evocii rubbed a rag over his nose and inhaled hard. He waved her in.

Lenora didn't move. She just stared at him. One of the guards jammed his stun stick into the small of her back sending an electric shock through her body. The jolt sent her forward several steps into the room but she managed to not cry out. The guard laughed at her pride.

"That's not necessary," the warden counseled the guards and waved them off. They retreated from the room and closed the door behind them. Lenora still stood stoically where the jolt left her. The warden rubbed his nose again.

"Please, have a seat."

Lenora studied the warden carefully. They had spoken several times already but she still could not get a clear read on him. He outwardly appeared to be a weakling and a coward, but such individuals could not shield their true feelings so well as he did. She believed him to be much shrewder than anyone would give him credit for.

She reluctantly moved closer to him and lowered herself into one of the straight back chairs in front of his desk. She let her hands drop together in front of her letting the chains from her wrists dangle between her legs. She leaned back in the chair and looked out the window.

"I'm so sorry things have been so hard for you, my dear."

Lenora shot him a sideways glance and returned to studying the filthy window.

"Perhaps we can arrange some more time in the infirmary? A day or two of peace?" he offered.

"I've seen enough of that place."

The warden seemed to have something on his mind he was reluctant to say. There was a reason she was here. She wasn't interested.

"Didn't you say things would start calming down for me after a week or two?"

"I did. That usually happens. Everyone tries the new blood, to see where the pecking order will turn out. Once that's figured out people will leave you alone."

"And yet it seems to be getting worse for me. Strange, isn't it?"

The warden felt accused and he immediately defended himself.

"It seems you've made more enemies than usual."

"How did I do that, I wonder?"

"These things are unpredictable sometimes. I could move you to another part of the prison. The 'feeling out' phase would start over with new people but somewhere else, perhaps the two week rule will apply. Just say the word," the warden smiled.

"I have a feeling it won't apply there either."

"It might not I'm afraid. But still, let's wait a little longer here then."

"Let's," Lenora let the 's' sound linger as she got up and walked to the window. It overlooked the prison's yard she spent two hours of every day in. A Rodian and her two Trandoshans stood vigil at the entrance.

"Who does the Rodian work for?"

"I have no idea, uh, I mean, which Rodian?"

Lenora laughed at his lie. He grumbled under his breath but didn't contradict her again.

"Look I want to help you, I really do."

"I'm sure you do."

"How about we move you to another prison? We could leak out that you're a Sith. Maybe a trick or two and then people would leave you alone."

"A Sith, and they'll leave me alone. But if it leaks out that I'm a Jedi, I'll be killed. How does that make sense?"

"Well, people are afraid of the Sith. It's risky of course, people will eventually find out you're not."

"You think the Sith are stronger than the Jedi?"

She turned to face him. He swallowed and wiped his nose again before answering.

"You're all much more powerful than I am. Who am I to judge these things?"

Lenora watched the Rodian slap two prisoners that entered the yard. The Trandoshans' presence eliminated any chance of retaliation.

"There is something I can do, perhaps," the warden spoke carefully.

"Oh?"

"Well, let's say there was someone on the outside that needed a little help."

His face twisted up like the words hurt leaving his mouth. Lenora kept staring out the window and shook her head knowingly.

"It comes out now."

"No, no, no, nothing is coming out. Just wondering. There are some elements on this planet that are very influential. They could be made allies. That would go a long way to providing you some space to operate here on Hutta."

Lenora walked towards the warden. She came around to his side of the desk and sat on it. He slid his chair away and smiled awkwardly.

"Is this influential individual a Hutt?"

"The Hutts are one option, a good suggestion even."

Lenora stared down at the warden. He nervously wiped his nose a few times and smiled. She stood up and with barely an effort snapped the chain holding her wrists together. Her pointer finger stabbed into the warden's chest emphasizing her words.

"You go tell whoever you work for I'm losing my patience. Don't think for a second I don't have the power to destroy this entire prison and everyone in it. I'll never work for a Hutt."

Each impact of her finger caused his chair to roll a little further back and she took steps to stay right over him until a wall prevented any further sliding.

"I expect to be left alone," she continued glaring down at him. "I won't tolerate this much longer. Tell him to back off. If he doesn't I'll find out who he is and then I'll put a stop to it."

"Please, please, you misunderstand. I don't work for anyone. I'm just trying to do everything I can to make sure you don't have it so rough."

"Oh, I guess I should thank you then?" she asked sarcastically, stepping away from him.

"No thanks necessary. I do what I can."

Lenora walked back around to her side of the table. The warden scooted back to his desk.

"Did they tell you why I'm here?" she asked.

"No. It's not my business."

"I killed two Sith," she said casually as she walked toward the exit.

The warden's nervousness increased and he fidgeted in his chair studying her.

"You…you killed two Sith?"

"No. I've killed five. I'm only here for killing two."

The warden swallowed hard again and wiped his nose a few more times. Lenora reached for the handle on the door to leave. She paused and looked back to the warden.

"Make sure that message gets through."

The guards met her just outside the door and escorted her to her cell.