AN: What the hell? An update? Say it ain't so! Sorry about the hiatus, I won't bore you with the details. Anyways I do have several more chapters done so I have quite a bit more that will be following this chapter in the coming weeks. Please leave me feedback or I eat lots of chocolate in my depression. It's the only way I know anyone's read it! As always concrit is appreciated, but do keep in mind that I don't currently have a beta and some of my mechanics are rather weak. Still pointing them out to me helps!
Carth was still cursing Morii as he opened the door out of the fresher. He had just finished rinsing out his mouth for the twentieth time when a scream cut through the cantina and he froze, Morii! Carth grabbed at one of his pistols while various scenarios went through his head as he shot through the bar. The Sith had shown up… or that bounty hunter had come back for her… or a group of the Vulkars had attacked her… he should have never left her alone! The damn woman was a walking disaster!
As he came around the corner he came upon Morii… talking to a Twi'lek woman. Carth let out a sigh of relief and exasperation when he saw Morii was all right. He scowled from across the room as he watched her chat and joke with the other woman. Damn her for scaring him like that! Stupid woman! With another sigh he wandered over to them.
"/…So then I told that Huttspawn that he could take his contract and shove it up his ass! I didn't sign up to be a prostitute! Had to pay a fortune to buy out of the contract and a ticket to Taris was all I could afford./" The peach Twi'lek frowned and with large gestures as she spoke.
Morii gave a nod and scowled, "What a Bantha's ass! He deserves to have his choobies cut off." Her eyes narrowed at the thought. She turned and at seeing Carth gave a rueful smile, "Still mad at me?"
"Now why would think that, Beautiful?" Carth smiled but his eyes were hard.
Morii frowned at the name, "Okay that's a yes."
Carth smirked and crossed his arms, "You think?"
The Twi'lek standing next to Morii cleared her throat loudly and nudged Morii in the ribs.
Morii looked over at the woman in surprise, "Oh, Lyn, this is Carth. Carth… Lyn."
Lyn held out her hand and smiled widely first at Morii, then Carth, "/Very nice to meet you, Carth./" Carth took her hand and returned the sentiment. "/So your turn, Morii, how'd you end up on Taris and who's your… friend?/"
Morii started to tell Lyn the whole story. Carth protested her sharing so much information until Morii told him, "Carth, its ok. I'd trust Lyn with my life; actually if it weren't for Lyn I'd be dead."
"/Well I seem to remember you returning the favor that night outside the club,/" Lyn gave Morii a fond smile and Carth's curiosity was piqued.
After Morii finished Lyn said with a laugh, "/Imagine Nemorii Vohn joining the Republic! I guess Hoth must have finally thawed!/" Morii laughed at the statement but Lyn turned serious. "/It's lucky for me you're here, Morii; I really need your help./"
Morii's lips pulled down in sympathy, "You know if I got it it's yours."
"/Well, I'm sorta out of a job since what happened with Bib Surool…/"
"You need creds?" Morii asked. Lyn was one of the few people she'd give money to free and clear with no questions asked.
"/No, no! I've got a little left. What I really need is a job./" Morii raised a suspicious eyebrow as Lyn continued. "/Javyar's is looking for a higher class of dancers than the schuttas they currently have but I need a partner for the second part of the audition./"
Morii groaned, "Lyn…"
"/Aw c'mon, Morii, I'm desperate here! I know I can get the job but I can't do it without your help! I need someone decent and all the dancers here and nothing more than glorified strippers. You said…/"
"I know dammit!" Morii squirmed in her chair. Carth was watching the back and forth with growing amusement. He wasn't sure what Lyn wanted but it was making Morii uncomfortable so it was bound to be good. Morii sighed in resignation, "When and where?"
Lyn beamed and grabbed her friend's hand, "/Oh thank you! I'll set it up for tomorrow! Be right back./" Lyn jumped out of her seat and headed to the back room of the cantina.
"So…" Carth casually took a drink, "What does she want you to do?"
"Nothing!" Morii snapped.
"Aw come on, you know I'm going to find out eventually," he gave her his best innocent smile and she snorted.
Lyn came trotting back and gave Morii a peck on the cheek. "/Tomorrow at six is when I set it up. The audition's here in the cantina. I don't suppose you still have your old outfit?/"
"Outfit?" Carth grinned.
Morii shot him a dirty look and turned to Lyn, "No, freighter go boom along with all my clothes." She sunk lower into her chair.
"/Don't worry I'll find something, I know your size./" Lyn beamed.
"Can't I just wear my clothes?" Morii pleaded. Carth looked ready to explode with happiness.
"/Morii, please! I need this job./"
"Alright, alright!" she threw a napkin on the table in disgust and began swearing under her breath. Lyn reached over and gave her another hug, "You're lucky I like you so much Lyn," Morii gave a rueful smile as she patted one of the arms Lyn had wrapped around her neck.
"/Well look at it this way, I think I can help you two out with your problem too…/" Carth and Morii perked up as Lyn sat down and began to talk. It turned out that Lyn was currently dating a Hidden Beks enforcer named Cerren and had ended up joining the gang herself. She knew that only people with high security clearance were being allowed into the Under City, "/but the Beks have connections,/" Lyn continued. "/Not to mention that if there's any other way into the Under City someone in the Hidden Beks will know about it. I'll talk to Cerren tonight to arrange a meeting for after the audition tomorrow night. Gadon's a good guy and I'm betting if he can help he will. Plus I'm pretty sure he'd like a chance to stick it to the Sith./"
"What exactly is going on with this gang war?" Carth asked.
Lyn paused as the waitress brought them another round. After she departed Lyn told them how Gadon's (the Bek leader) second in command left and turned traitor when Gadon didn't step down after being blinded. "/This whole gang war is all Brejik's fault,/" Lyn's voice was bitter. "/The Beks are the only thing keeping Davik in check. Bejik on the other hand has been taking bribes and money from Davik. If Brejik and his Vulkars win Davik will roll right over them. If you think this place is bad now, wait 'till Davik gets free reign of this sector of the Lower Cities./"
"What about breaking the quarantine?" Morii asked. "Is there anyway the Beks might be able to help with that?" They both felt the beginnings of hope wither and die when Lyn shook her head.
"/I don't think so. The Beks don't have any interstellar ships that I know of. Plus from what I understand even if you get off the planet there's still the problem of the auto-cannon satellites the Sith have surrounded the planet with. Any ship that tries to run through them without Sith security codes is instant space dust./"
Morii and Carth shared a dejected look. Carth said, "Well let's see about getting Bastila back, then we can worry about the quarantine."
Morii nodded but frankly she was more concerned about getting off Taris than rescuing the Super Jedi. Of course right now both looked pretty slim. "One other thing, Lyn, I need to know if I can trust the Beks to check on a bounty for me without trying to collect."
"/Yours?/" Lyn grinned.
Morii rolled her eyes, "Yeah."
Lyn waved a dismissive hand, "/Don't worry; you're with me so you're cool. We Beks take care of our own and anyone tries to mess with you they mess with me. They mess with me and they mess with the Beks. You two have a place to stay tonight?/"
"We're squatting in an apartment in the Upper City but…" Morii looked down at her chronometer and then at Carth, "the curfew's already in effect. Two nights in a row might be pushing our luck."
"/Well there's no curfew down here! So you two can crash at my place tonight./" Lyn spread her hands in emphasis.
"We don't want to impose…" Carth started. He didn't want to insult Morii's friend but he couldn't imagine how much worse the apartments were in the Lower Cities.
"/Nonsense!/" Lyn replied. "/You're with Morii and Morii's family. You two are staying with me./"
Morii beamed, "Lyn, you are a gem and doll."
"/It might be a little crowded though./" Morii and Carth both raised their eyebrows at Lyn's statement. Lyn merely winked at Morii, "/Let's just say I can never resist picking up strays./" Morii laughed but Carth's expression grew worried.
Looking for potential credits Morii went to talk to the Hutt that ran the bounty office. Lyn had assured Morii that the Hutt only posted local bounties so she'd be safe enough. Taking down the information she went back out to Lyn and Carth. Lyn had some stuff to do so she gave Morii a pass key and directions to her apartment. She also warned them to watch out for Vulkars as they attacked anyone who looked like they had two credits to rub together. Carth chuckled at the warning and mentioned that they had noticed.
"/One last thing, Morii,/" Lyn began, "/I have a full fridge at the moment but you're going to have restock it when you're done./" Lyn winked and sauntered off while Carth laughed.
They exited the cantina and made their way to Lyn's apartment. The Lower Cities traffic had picked up. More people wandered the streets and the noise from swoop engines were a constant background noise as the bikes raced alongside the walkways.
Carth stuck his hands in his pockets and gave Morii a sideways look, "Sooo, about the outfit?"
Morii groaned, damn you Lyn you owe me big for this one. She cocked her head at Carth, "Sooo, about my questions?"
Carth frowned in response. "Look I just don't trust easily for good reasons, which are my own."
Morii sighed and stopped walking, "Carth we have to work together, watch each other's backs and I need to know if you've got a problem with me."
"No," Carth shook his head, "I don't think you were responsible for the Spire's crash but I do think there's more going on here. Maybe it's you, maybe it's not." Carth shrugged. "I didn't get much info at all on this mission as the Jedi we're being so damn secretive about it. Basically I was there mostly as an advisor to Bastila," not that she listened Carth thought. "We picked up troops at Ord Mandell and we were on route to Dantooine. We weren't even supposed to stop at Taris. Someone ratted us out. The Sith pulled the Endar Spire out of hyperspace, which means we had a traitor on board." His face turned dark at the thought.
"I'm telling you I had nothing to do with any of that!" Morii was getting tired of protesting her innocence.
"Look calm down, I realize you're probably right." Seeing Morii wasn't mollified he continued. "You're probably one of the most skilled women I've ever met and you've saved my butt more than once. I'm lucky to have you along, no doubt about it! It's not you, it's me so don't take it personally."
"Don't tell me not to take it personally you Hairless Wookiee!" A flush began to bloom across Morii's face and Carth found it rather attractive.
"Hairless Wookiee?" Carth laughed. "Just… just calm down, Beautiful, before you head explodes."
"Stop calling me that!" Morii spun around and stomped off into a dilapidated store.
Good going, Onasi, Carth combed his hand through his hair. To make matters worse she had gone into a store! With resignation he followed her and realized that he'd better make things right, if for no other reason than she had the only key to where they were going to sleep tonight. He walked through the door and found Morii haggling with the shopkeeper about some of their recently lifted items. Carth couldn't help but feel sorry for the clerk as Morii was clearly taking out her frustration on him. Finally they came to an agreement and Morii shoved the stuff across the counter.
"Fine but this is lane piracy!" she told the Ithorian. "I could get more money out of a Hutt." The Ithorian calmly ignored her and passed the credits over, which Morii snapped up. Spotting Carth she stuck up her chin and started walking. "I'm not talking to you," she told him firmly.
"Funny I believe you just did," he shot back with a smirk.
Morii narrowed her eyes and swept out of the store.
Okay that was probably not the best way to go about it, Carth realized. "Hey, Morii, wait!" he yelled as her chased her out. "Look you really want to know why I don't trust people?"
She nodded.
Carth wiped his hand down his face, "Alright fine. Five years ago when the Jedi helped the Republic defeat the Mandalorians they were… heroes. When they turned on us and attacked the Republic it was completely unexpected. Our heroes had become brutal, conquering Sith. It was… horrifying and inconceivable."
"Okay, so what do I have to do with the Jedi? I was attached to work for them; I'm not one of them." Morii still didn't get it.
"I know that! It's not the Jedi exactly, there were others though… good, trusted men who went with them! Who betrayed everything they stood for and joined the Sith! Lord Malak and the other Dark Jedi who fell to the Dark Side deserve to die for what they did but the others who defected… they deserve no mercy!" Carth said the last part with a snarl.
Morii actually stepped back at the venom in his tone. She was beginning to see why he'd been flagged for a psych eval, that kind of hatred was dangerous… to him and others. "I haven't joined the Sith, Carth," she said softly.
Carth looked down in guilt at his outburst, "I know… I guess it's just that I've gotten so used to expecting the worst from people and…" he shrugged. "I know you haven't done anything to deserve that… I… I… well that's why. I saw too many people I trusted – fought back to back with turn and become the enemy." Carth started walking down the street.
Morii hurried to catch up. Slowing down once she was next to him Morii put a gentle hand on Carth's arm, "If it's any conciliation I know how you feel." Carth gave her a look of disbelief and she returned it with a wry smile, "I know what it's like to be betrayed by those you trust."
"What do you mean?" Carth stopped and looked her in the eyes. All of the sudden there was an intimacy there. It was the intimacy of two people who recognized the suffering of one another because they had been through it too.
Morii almost told him… almost told him everything but stopped herself. It's my only card if I'm ever going to get into Carth Onasi's head and I'm a good enough pazaak player to know when to keep my cards close to my chest, she thought. She smiled with a shake of her head, "Oh no you don't. You didn't really tell me anything. You show me yours and I'll show mine."
Carth grinned, "Oh that reminds me, so what about this outfit?" Carth waggled his eyebrows.
Morii couldn't help but laugh. Damn, she was really beginning to like Carth. He made her laugh, even if a moment later he usually pissed her off. "Alright, I'll tell you about the outfit, but let's get going." She started walking down the street and he joined. Carth was looking at her with expectation so she sighed and said, "When I said Lyn saved my life I wasn't kidding. I was… in a really bad spot and she came along gave me a place to stay… helped me get a job… took care of me until I could take care of myself. Lyn never asked for a thing in return. The job was… dancing," Morii grimaced.
"You don't like dancing?" Carth asked.
"No, actually I love dancing. I just hate doing it when strange men are groping me and shoving credits down my pants," Morii sighed and bit her lip. "Lyn's good, really good actually. She was way too good for that dive and she's way too good for some Lower Cities cantina. She's the one who taught me to dance, got me the job. I did it for about two months until I could get back on my feet, find a different job and pay Lyn back even though she never asked for a chip. I thought Starlight Entertainment was going to be her big break. No more dancing for sweaty pawing men but… I guess it didn't work out that way." Morii felt bad for Lyn. Her friend was too talented for Javyar's Cantina.
"Can I ask how bad a spot?" Carth asked. He judged from her earlier comment about going hungry it was pretty bad.
Morii debated telling him. She didn't want Carth to feel sorry for her, after all she'd survived and been forged into a tougher, more capable person. She had always been good in a fight but that whole experience had made her discover reserves she didn't know she had. Morii let out a weary sigh and decided to tell him the last half of it despite her earlier resolve. After all wasn't she constantly badgering Carth to tell her stuff about him? If she wasn't willing to share why should she expect him to? "All right, but this means you owe me one eventually, flyboy. I was living on the lower level streets in Nar Shaddaa through a… series of unfortunate events. I was doing okay… making it on my own," she shrugged, refusing to look at him.
The streets of Nar Shaddaa? Force… Carth felt his stomach clench but kept his expression carefully neutral and his thoughts to himself.
"Anyways there was a pimp who was trying to create a name for himself in the area where I was…" at Carth's horrified look she smirked. "No I wasn't a hooker, Carth. Had some friends who were… but that's where I learned my B and E skills."
"B and E?" he asked.
"Breaking and entering. Anyways this pimp… an Aqualish named Vorshk decided he wanted me for his little business venture. He was going around threatening and intimidating anyone who either stood in his way or wouldn't take his 'offer' to join his little syndicate. Lost some good friends…" Morii pinched the bridge of her nose to keep the tears at bay at the memories.
"There was a group of us who watched out for each other… kept each other safe… told each other about safe places to squat, that kind of thing." Morii gave a one shouldered shrug and a low laugh, "I was actually the group enforcer. You messed with my friends, you messed with me and I was mean enough when need be that we usually held our own, until Vorshk moved in. First it was the girls, they of course told him to get lost. What he did to them…" her eyes were distant, hard. "No one should ever have to go through that." Morii stopped talking for a moment, lost in memory.
Morii sucked in a deep breath and continued, "Anyways I was one of the few people standing in his way. He tried to recruit me, he tried to bribe me and then he threatened me and I laughed in his face. That was a mistake. It took fifteen of them but Vorshk had his thugs hunt me down one night. They beat me for hours… then left me for dead far away from my own turf so they could be sure no one would help me. It was Lyn who found me barely alive and bleeding to death in a gutter." Morii gave Carth a soft smile. "She took me in, took care of me… paid for the kolto treatments… almost a month's worth." Carth returned the soft smile. "And taught me to dance," she grinned at the attempted joke.
Carth gave her another smile. He honestly didn't know what to say. He was intuitive enough to know she didn't want an "I'm sorry." Carth was though. He knew of things like that happened in the galaxy he just had never known anyone personally… Carth said the only thing he could thing of and hoped it didn't piss her off, "You're an amazingly strong person, Beautiful." The nickname just slipped out that time, Carth hadn't meant to use it. He cringed inside and hoped she didn't explode.
To his relief Morii blushed and shoved him in the shoulder, "Oh see I knew it was a mistake to tell you. Now you're getting all mushy on me, Onasi."
"That's me, I'm just a big impotent fluorescent construction marker of mush," he chuckled.
She laughed and hooked an arm through his feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Carth was surprised at the gesture and felt something inside that he thought long dead crack open just a hair.
"I can't believe you just went up to that Mandalorian and started talking to him! Are you absolutely insane?" Carth was so agitated he combed both hands through his hair. They had entered Lynn's apartment complex after a tense confrontation with a Mandalorian merc outside.
Morii blew up at her forehead, "I said hi, it's considered polite in certain circles," she shot back. Morii walked up to the elevator and pushed the button to call the car. Lyn's apartment was on the top floor. The door slid open and they stepped inside.
"He could have killed us just for the fun of it!" Carth glared at her.
Morii chuckled, "In case you haven't noticed people have been trying to kill us all day 'just for the fun of it.'"
"Mandalorians are dangerous, Beautiful, a lot more dangerous than a couple of swoop punks."
Morii stabbed at the floor button again in a futile attempt to make the car go faster. "Stop calling me that! And I am perfectly aware of how dangerous Mandalorians are, Carth! Look," she turned back to him, "It's over… we're not dead… so it's all fine. Besides we're here," she said as the doors slid open.
Stupid, idiotic, gizka brained, morally corrupt woman! Carth stood and glared at her retreating form until the closing doors brought him out of his mental rant. He darted out of the elevator and followed her down the hall. He caught up to Morii as she was slipping the key card in the lock. The door slid open and a ball of cerulean blue energy popped up on the other side.
"Oh wow you guys must be Lynn's friends! This is so screamin', Lynn commed and told us you were coming! So hey I got dinner delivered and some holos I just picked up. By the way my name is Mission and Big Z's inside and I'm really glad you guys decided to stay here 'cause Lynn is never around. Especially since she stared dating Cerren who by the way I like but all's they ever do is tonsil wrestle when they are here. Hey do either of you guys play pazaak?"
Carth and Morii stared at the young blue Twi'lek girl in front of them stunned. She was pretty, slender, about fourteen and extremely hyper.
[Mission, is that Lynn's guests at the door? a growl floated out from the apartment.
Carth gaped, "Is there a Wookiee in there?"
