Chapter 14
Carth Onasi
"When did you meet Revan?" Carth asked his son. They were alone in the crew cabin now. Carth had sensed Dustil's reluctance to talk and tried to make small talk. Finally he couldn't hold his curiosity back any longer.
"Few years ago," Dustil replied shortly. He shifted uncomfortably, arguing some internal debate with himself. Carth knew to remain silent. It never helped to push Dustil into talking. When his son did speak again a look of chagrin crossed his face.
"I walked into a trap, it was so obvious that now I can't imagine how I didn't see it. But Master Revan was suddenly there. The men who were attempting to mug me weren't ready for her."
Carth smiled. No one was really ever prepared to meet Revan in battle he thought to himself.
"I was about to give the survivors chase, but she stopped me," Dustil said. He was relaxing now, opening up, the memory bringing a smile to her face. "It took me a second but I recognized her, from, you know."
He knew. Korriban, the Sith academy, where Dustil had been so full of anger Carth wasn't even certain he could reach out to him. Without saying anything the pilot nodded.
"Did she tell you I went back Telos?" Carth asked. I waited for you, but you never came.
"Yes. She chewed me out actually, I guess I should have sent a message," Dustil admitted. The young man sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I wasn't ready to talk. But I shouldn't have caused you to worry like that. I was wrong Father."
Carth smiled. Admitting fault wasn't a trait which came easily to the Onasi men it would appear.
"After that, she asked you to be her Padawan?"
"Oh, no. No. She told me to go to Coruscant and find you," Dustil said with a chuckle. "In fact, she nearly dragged me to the nearest port to put me on a ship headed in that direction. I told her I'd just get off at the first stop. Master said I wasn't likely to last long if I couldn't spot such easy traps. I suggested she train me so I could."
"I'm surprised Revan caved so easily," Carth admitted. The Council had made a few suggestions over the years regarding the addition of an apprentice. Revan firmly turned them down every time. After the third time he asked her why, and she'd been silent for a long moment before giving her answer. Because I'm not a babysitter.
"She didn't," Dustil was telling him. "I was just very persistent. She said - "
"What?"
Dustil had gone quiet again. That wall he had put up earlier was returning, Carth felt his son pulling away again.
"She said she had never met anyone as annoyingly persistent as the Onasi men," he said in a flat voice. Dustil stood then, his hands curling into fists. "Thank you for coming Father. I'm sure Master Revan will be happy to see her old acquaintances."
Before Carth could say anything Dustil left, walking away and leaving him staring in confusion at his sons back. His sons words echoed in his head. Old acquaintances?Carth let out a breath wondering what had set Dustil off again. He was still puzzling over it when Jolee and Bastilla came in.
"Good morning Carth, I hope you slept well," Bastilla said stiffly. Carth forced himself to smile. The Jedi was still angry over Varn. He knew he'd done wrong, but wished she would let it go. His own guilt was enough to bear.
"Bastilla. Jolee, what can I do for you?" he asked with forced pleasantry.
"We made some decisions about how to proceed with this matter," Bastilla said with her hands clasped behind her back. Jolee however sat on the bench near Carth.
"We're going to give that droid a little time to come back," Jolee said in a tone much friendlier and softer than Bastilla's. "It would be nice knowing what we're walking into you follow?"
"However, this is an attempt at a peaceful negotiation. It would be in the best interests of everyone if this matter was resolved without violence," Bastilla added. Jolee grimaced slightly at the abruptness of her tone. But he gave Carth a short nod of his chin to indicate that agreed.
"Yes, okay. So?" Carth asked feeling like he wasn't going to like the answer.
"So Jolee, Dustil and myself will - " Bastilla began but Carth leapt to his feet interrupting her.
"I am not staying behind!"
Bastilla looked at him coldly and finished speaking, "We will be there to negotiate Revan's release. You will accompany us only as an observer."
"Did no one teach you tact missy?" Jolee muttered under his breath. Carth swallowed back a bitter word and sat back down.
"I just want to be clear about this," Bastilla said looking disapprovingly at the elder Jedi. "We cannot afford to allow our - feelings - for Revan to affect this mission. You do realize we have no bargaining position here?"
"Yes, of course I do. Some Hutt is holding Revan hostage waiting for my son to sign a contract guaranteeing he'll die in a public sporting event!" Carth snapped. He forced himself to take a deep breath. "I know what's at stake here better than you do Bastilla."
Without a word Bastilla turned and walked away. Reluctantly Carth met Jolee's gaze.
"That went well," the old man remarked dryly. Carth snorted. Jolee leaned closer. "I can't speak about having a son, but trust me when I say I understand your pain over Revan."
"Do you?" Carth asked. "I didn't think the Jedi were allowed to love."
"Oh, we love. We hate. But we're trained not to allow these emotions to cloud our judgement. Bah! Even then some of us fail," Jolee said shaking his head. "Did Revan ever tell you about my wife?"
Carth blinked. "Aren't you forbidden from marriage?"
"We weren't the first Jedi to be married, we won't be the last," Jolee said with a wink. "Bastilla doesn't understand where you're coming from because she's never experienced this. She may one day, but I hope she never knows how much pain love can bring."
His sons departing words returned then, and Carth thought he finally understood them. Slapping his knee the pilot shook his head and cursed himself for not realizing it sooner.
"You want to share this with me sonny?" Jolee asked.
"I don't think Revan ever told Dustil about," he broke off, a little uncertain how to phrase it to the old Jedi. But Jolee caught the mans meaning immediately.
"I wish you luck my friend," Jolee said, patting Carth's shoulder. "But there's no advice I can offer for talking to your son about that. Just, give him time, I'm sure he'll come around."
Revan
Dustil, are you ever going to loosen up that stroke? Revan thought, watching her pupil take a swing at a Mandalorian. She was sat in an ornate office watching a replay of Dustil's three wildly successful duels. The office, along with the entire building, belonged her mysterious benefactor. A Hutt who introduced himself as Sibba Motta.
Upon her arrival Motta insisted she rest herself and ordered tea to be delivered. He was friendly and concerned for, as he explained, the health of his rising stars mother. It had taken by Revan by shock until she vaguely remembered the ruse Dustil resorted to keep them safe on Gargon.
"This next move guaranteed your sons destiny with stardom," Motta said with hushed admiration. Revan wasn't surprised though when Dustil Force pushed the Mandalorian several yards away. It was a move which narrowly saved him from getting his head removed from his neck. Motta was regarding her, trying to judge her reaction. "Did you ever suspect your son was Force sensitive?"
"I always suspected," Revan said sipping at her tea. It was a small half lie which gave nothing away.
"It's a good thing those Jedi never got their hands on him," Motta said. "Imagine wasting all this talent with that lot. Your son will be a household name on more than just Gargon Ms. Onasi."
"I don't think he wants to be a household name," Revan said ignoring how he'd addressed her. If she thought too much about that name it would generate feelings she wasn't prepared to cope with. The important thing right now was figuring out what the Hutt wanted from her and Dustil. "Where is my son at the moment?"
"Oh, but you must be worried! I sent him out last night to blow off some steam," Motta said. "He's been beside himself with worry for you, and sometimes a young man just needs to enjoy himself."
You don't know where he is. That's it isn't? I'm here to ensure Dustil returns.
"It must have been so hard on poor Dustil these last few months," Motta added with a weary sigh. "A young man caring for his ailing mother, and stranded on a place as unfriendly as Gargon. I'm only happy he came to me when he did. Things were touch and go last night, so I was told."
"I'm grateful for your assistance," Revan replied, and that was a truth she could confess to. Perhaps she hadn't been as at peace with dying as she'd told Dustil.
"But of course. Still, it's a shame his father wasn't here to help."
"His father? I wouldn't know where he is," Revan said being careful to keep her voice even.
"May I say you have done such an excellent job raising Dustil? My mother raised me by herself, so I know it's not easy work," Motta said. Revan smiled at him.
"Thank you. No, it's not. Your mother must be proud, such a successful son and so very generous," Revan told him. Your mother is whatever you need her to be isn't she? Well fine, lets play this game.
"Now, I can't help but express my concern about these fights. They are to the death after all and Dustil is all I have left in the world," Revan continued. "It would break my heart if something horrible happened to him."
"And that is the last thing I want to happen," Motta said quickly. He leaned forward to place a hand over Revan's. "I see no reason he couldn't have a bright, but long, career in the ring. Of course he'll need some proper training. His technique is a bit - lacking, I cannot imagine what his instructor was thinking. But we can discuss these things later. I should let you rest."
Lacking?! You overgrown worm! My technique is not lacking!
Revan bit back her indignation and murmured thanks to Motta instead. The Hutt summoned the Twi'lek who appeared soundlessly. She bowed deeply to her Master then went to Revan, helping the Jedi to her feet.
"Please, I would very much like to see Dustil the moment he returns," Revan said.
Carth Onasi
For the moment he was spared having to address his exact relationship with Revan to his son. T3 had come racing up the loading ramp so quickly it bounced off the opposite wall. Mission escorted the little droid into the main cabin and everyone gathered awaiting its news.
"Hang on," Mission said opening an access panel. "It looks like he wasn't able to get that far inside."
"Blast! I really would like to know what's waiting for us," Jolee said.
"The good news is T3 did get into the security system and managed to snag some footage," Mission added. She fiddled with the droid then stepped back. T3 went still and projected the captured security film. The first scene was a stock room, a short Rodian inside, shifting through crates of alcohol.
"Pulla Vaga," Dustil said. "He seems pretty decent. We may be able to count on him as an ally. At the very least for a serving job."
The image shifted to an empty kitchen then again to an elevator. When the next scene appeared Carth felt his throat tighten. It was a medical clinic, a small one intended for only a few patients. But it looked to be outfitted with the best equipment.
An armored Iridonian walked in through the doors carrying a woman in his arms. Revan. He brought her to the table and more or less dropped her before the medical droid. T3 began to fast forward and Carth almost called out for it to stop. In the elapsed footage they watched as Revan was examined by the droid, who drew samples of her blood before preparing her for submergence in the clinics kolto tank.
"I wonder what they found," Bastilla murmured watching the droid label and seal the vials of blood. T3 sped up the footage again while Revan remained in the healing fluid for several hours. Just as suddenly the droid resumed normal speed. Within the tank Revan regained consciousness, panicked for a moment as her hands went to the respirator covering her face. The medical droid was quick to react, and shortly after, pulled his patient free and brought her back to the table.
"She's so weak," Mission said, shocked to see the woman almost collapse for trying to stand. Her wide eyes turned to Dustil. "And so thin. Did this sickness really do that?"
He nodded. "Master would hardly eat. Even then, only if I begged her too."
"Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing the Hutt took her," Zaalbar pointed out.
"This won't be free. Motta will expect something in return for this," Dustil pointed out. In the video Revan seemed to be meditating when a Twi'lek entered the room.
"Do you recognize her?" Canderous asked Dustil.
"I can't say I do," Dustil said frowning. The women spoke together briefly before Revan allowed the Twi'lek to help her from the room. The footage ended and T3 chirped softly.
"That's all he could get," Mission told them. Carth exhaled, feeling some measure of relief after seeing Revan, even if only through a security tape. He looked to Jolee and Bastilla.
"Well? Are we going or not?" he asked.