"Leiraya, I want you to back up very slowly," Aiden instructed. "Try not to fall off the cliff."

Nodding, she started moving away from the extremely large creature staring them down. "Yeah, good plan. And what, precisely do you plan to do?"

Keeping eye contact with the strange beast, Aiden merely shrugged. "Not die."

Sensing that Leiraya was far enough away, he turned on his lightsaber and dove between the creature's legs, coming up on its other side. The beast looked confused for a brief moment, but quickly turned around and swiped a massive claw at Aiden. He deftly rolled out of the way, shoving the beast back with a wall of Force energy as he moved.

"Carth," Aiden shouted. "Set up some land mines! I'm going to distract it!

"On it!" Carth reached into his pack and pulled out some of the small mines they'd collected on their journey. Wasting no time, he set them up in a line, completely blocking land access to one of the paths leading off into the jungle.

Aiden, meanwhile, was jumping, diving, rolling, and trying to hack at the monstrosity with his lightsaber, with little success on the last. "You just about finished, Onasi?"

"Go for it," Carth yelled, clearing himself well out of the area. Aiden saw the line of mines, and bolted for them. The monster lumbered after him, an ungraceful mass of craggy joints and bad teeth. Running, Aiden waited until he was almost on top of the mines, then launched into a leaping flip that carried him up and over them.

The beast seemed to get a curious look in his eyes, but he lacked the dexterity to even attempt to duplicate Aiden's maneuver, so it settled for advancing forward in a more conventional fashion. This more conventional fashion, however, did exactly what Aiden hoped it would- it caused a very large explosion, which knocked Aiden, Carth, Jolee, and Leiraya off their feet, and blew the beast into many small and roasted pieces.

Picking himself up, he brushed the small monster bits off him. "Well, that was effective."

"Effective, and just a little disgusting," Leiraya agreed, hoisting herself up with the help of a low-hanging tree branch. "You blew it up."

"Well, I'm not dead, am I?"

"Not yet, you're not," she frowned, brushing dirt and charred skin bits from her skirt. "You're killing my wardrobe, though."

"And yet, I will somehow manage to survive," he grinned.

"Much unlike our fried friend, here," Carth observed, stepping closer to the still steaming pieces of monster corpse. "Looks like anything less would have only irritated him, though. See this blade just sticking out of his side?"

Jolee looked at it closer. "Wait a minute... that's not just any blade. See that inscription?"

Carth squinted. "Yeah, looks to be in some ancient form of Shyriiwook... you don't think this is actually... it can't be, can it?"

Jolee started laughing. "And here I was, thinking you'd never find it." He slapped Aiden on the back in congratulations. "You've blown apart a very nasty beast, and found Bacca's blade."

Aiden blinked at it for a couple of seconds, then carefully reached down and pulled it from the crusty and charred flesh of the beast. "Who'd have guessed? The Force must really like me."

"Apparently so," Leiraya nodded, walking over to see the blade. "That has to be the most disgusting way to find a ceremonial blade I've ever seen. I can't believe it just lived with a giant sword lodged in its side."

"Tenacious creature," Aiden agreed. "Though I admit I'm surprised you're not reaming me out for cruelty to animals."

"I make exceptions for animals that try to kill my friends," she shrugged. "Though I might have preferred you knocked it unconscious or something."

"Knock it unconscious?" Carth echoed incredulously. "With what, an entire wroshyr tree?"

"Do you notice how I'm not making a big deal out of it?"

"And we're all very proud of you," Aiden grinned.

"You should stow that thing away, son, and keep moving," Jolee advised. "Nasty things tend to wander about these parts, and you've done a lot of fighting without a lot of sleeping."

"Right. Star Map." Aiden handed the blade to Leiraya. "Here, stow this in your bag, or something."

"You want me to put a giant sword blade in my shoulder bag?"

"Well... yes."

She made a sour face, but tucked it inside. "If this makes a hole in my trusty bag, I'm blaming you."

"And I am ready to accept that responsibility." He turned to Jolee. "So, where is the Star Map?"

"Not far from here, actually." Jolee started walking down a path parallel to the ravine. "Come along this way."

The trio followed him silently for several minutes down the path, stepping over vines, branches, and all manner of growths. The Shadowlands were treacherous, but strangely beautiful, Aiden had to admit. And though he knew he'd never been to Kashyyyk before, it all seemed oddly familiar. Most likely since he did his Watchman internship on a heavily forested world, though the forests of Carenis did not really compare to these forests at all... few forests in the galaxy were so dense, with the sense of sheer massiveness that these had. But maybe Leiraya was on to something when she talked about getting to know trees. Maybe all trees, when it came right down to it, were the same.

And maybe he was turning into a crazy tree-hugger like her. He glanced back at her, pushing ahead through the undergrowth in spite of the obvious physical pain she was in. But... he couldn't see it in her face. No, she was about as happy as he'd seen her, eyes shining as she absorbed the nature around her. Carth, walking steadily next to her, looked more like he was ready to shoot anything that moved. No, Leiraya was the sparkling one of the group, even with her cane and the shoulder bag she carried everywhere with her, laden with supplies and now the blade of a sword. He never knew what to make of her from one minute to the next, but at this moment, in the deepest depths of Kashyyyk, where even the Wookiees feared to tread, she was absolutely beautiful.

With that thought, he snapped his head back forward. Oh, I am in big trouble... Shaking his head, he turned his attention to Jolee. "So, how long have you been living down here, anyway?"

"Oh, a long time. Twenty years, I believe." Jolee chuckled. "Crash-landed and liked it so much I thought I'd stay for a while."

"Twenty years? Wow." Aiden shook his head. "I'm not sure I'd stay here that long."

"Ahh, the trees are nice, and the Wookiees really are charming neighbours once you get to know them... at least, they were before Czerka came in and made them hate humans."

"So you've pretty much explored everything down here, I'd imagine," Aiden commented.

"Most everything, yes. Keeps a man occupied." Jolee squinted. "Ha! There we have it." He pushed ahead to a small clearing. On the edge of the clearing sat a computer terminal, and a closed Star Map identical to the one on Dantooine.

"Looks like we've found it." Aiden reached for where he knew a button should be, but he found instead a cord, which led to the computer interface.

Jolee walked up to the interface. "Yeah, I found this a year or so ago, but I haven't been able to get it to do anything. Just brings up this stupid hologram and tells me I can't access anything."

"Really?" Aiden peered at it, and as he bent close, a hologram of an unfamiliar alien species materialized on the platform, in what would be about a quarter of its normal size, assuming it had approximately human proportions. It started speaking, what he assumed was an automated response.

"Lifeforms detected. Determining Parameters. Initializing neural recognition."

"This is the part that I can never get past..." Jolee started.

"Primary neural recognition complete. Preliminary match found."

Jolee gaped at the machine. "What? That's not fair."

Aiden grinned. "It likes me more than it likes you."

The computer did not respond to this, but merely continued. "Greetings. This terminal has not been accessed for quite some time."

"Are you saying you've just been sitting here?" Aiden asked cautiously.

"Error. Subject displays unfamiliarity with environment. Behavioural reconfiguration will be needed before access."

"Behavioural reconfiguration?" Aiden echoed.

"I am sorry," the image apologized. "I did not mean to confuse you. I will answer questions to the best of my programming limitations."

"Irritating little thing, isn't it?" Jolee harrumphed. "Never tells you what you want."

"Who has tried to access this terminal?" Aiden asked the image.

"Sorting by identity." There was a slight whirring noise. "Three attempts by the Wookiee Freyyr, all denied. 152 Attempts by human Jolee Bindo, all denied."

Aiden raised an eyebrow at Jolee, who merely looked sourly at the computer. "What can I say? Call me stubborn, I guess. There really wasn't much else to do around here."

"Was Revan here?" Aiden asked the computer.

"Error. Data regarding subject "Revan" corrupted."

"What do you mean, corrupted?"

"Corruption has resulted in gaps appearing in my memory, and in that of the original installation," the computer responded.

"Corruption, huh?" Aiden looked over at Jolee, Carth, and Leiraya. "What do you want to bet that Revan came through and erased all the relevant information?"

The computer, apparently not caring that it had not been addressed, answered. "It could be theorized that these gaps are intentional, but I have no information on that."

"Well, do you have information on the Star Map?"

"Accessing." There was a pause before it continued. "Yes, I have found a Star Map in my original system memory. Access is restricted."

Aiden frowned. "Well, how can I get to this data?"

"Your request requires additional security access. You must be made to match the parameters I have been supplied."

"Parameters? What do you mean by parameters?" Aiden looked helplessly at Jolee, who merely shrugged.

"Subject is unfamiliar with the environment. Behavioural recognition process is required."

"Some lot of help you are," he muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "And what if I don't match these parameters?"

"Then you are not worthy of further access. You will be rejected as unsuitable."

"Well, then, what must I do?"

The computer responded impassively. "I will evaluate your responses to a series of questions."

"Wait a minute," Aiden protested. "What good will questions do you?"

Ignoring him, the computer simply continued. "Evaluation commencing. Results will be compared against the pattern in memory. Just act like you should."

"And the winner for vague instruction goes to..." Leiraya smirked. "Computers are by far overrated."

"Shush, you. You're not helping." Aiden sighed and turned back to the computer, which had started asking its first quesetion.

"You travel with a Wookiee and have encountered complications. Hypothetical: You and this Zaalbar have been captured and separated. If you both remain silent, one year in prison for both of you. However, if you accuse Zaalbar of being a traitor, and he will serve five while you serve none. He is offered the same deal, but if you both accuse the other, you both serve two years."

"Hey," Aiden pointed his finger at the hologram. "How did you know about Zaalbar? I've never mentioned him."

"I hear what happens on Kashyyyk, and a great deal beyond. Answer the question I have posed."

"How about I tear you apart piece by piece and scatter your circuit boards throughout the Shadowlands, never to be reconstructed again?"

The hologram was unfluttered. "Implied threat matches pattern in memory but subject has failed to demonstrate required recognition."

Aiden scowled. "Fine. I'd remain silent. Happy?"

"Are you sure?" The machine seemed almost confused by his response. "If you turn, you risk two years or none at all. If you rely on loyalty, you risk five."

"Yes, I'm sure," Aiden stated firmly.

"Your loyalty is dangerous. Your companion could take the opportunity to benefeit by turning on you."

"He wouldn't. Zaalbar has a lot more honour than you give him credit for, and you're not getting me to change my answer."

"Zaalbar's family is mired in treachery. What loyalty or honour do they know? Your answer is incorrect." Aiden opened his mouth to protest, but the computer merely continued. "Hypothetical: you are at war. Deciphering an intercepted code, you learn two things about your enemy. A single spot in their defense will be at its weakest in ten days and they will attack one of your cities in five. What do you do with this information? What is the most efficient course of action?"

"I don't like you," Aiden stated simply.

"Your opinion of me is immaterial. Answer the question."

"I'd protect the city, then. Evacuate if necessary."

"Evacuation would alert the enemy to the loss of their codes. Are you sure this is what you would do?"

Carth eyed the computer suspiciously. "It really seems to want a specific answer, doesn't it?"

Aiden nodded. "Yeah, and I don't like the types of answers it's coaxing. It's like it wants me to answer a certain way. I don't get it."

"Well, if you'd like, I can help you tear the thing to shreds," Carth offered.

"No, I need to get to that Star Map. It'll have to happen some other way." Returning his attention to the computer, he replied. "We evacuate and deal with the consequences. I'd rather not lose a city." Watching Taris was bad enough.

"Sacrificing the city would be the logical course of action. Your answer is incorrect." There was a pause and a slight whirring noise. "You do not match the pattern in memory. Subject has failed to demonstrate the required behaviour."

"Yeah, well, I didn't like your required behaviour," Aiden snapped.

"Your opinion is immaterial," the computer repeated. "Defense systems activated."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Carth muttered.

"With good reason," Leiraya pointed. Two 'droids emerged from what had appeared to be a pile of rubble, but apparently was not. Immediately, her free hand dove into her shoulder bag, removing two ion grenades. She quickly hurled them at the 'droids in rapid succession, but it did not do much to slow them down.

Aiden ignited and threw his lightsaber, the cerulean blade whirling through the air, cutting through both the 'droids before coming back to his hand. It didn't seem to have much of an effect, but before he could come up with a better plan, his danger senses went off and he reflexively flipped back out of the way. Two thermal detonators sailed into the 'droids, turning them into twitching heaps of scrap metal. Aiden walked over, sliced off the few moving pieces left then turned back to Leiraya, who was putting the spare grenades back into her shoulder bag. "Good work."

Meanwhile, the computer was back to making whirring and clicking noises. "Behavioural recognition changed: you have satisfied the criterion."

"Huh?" Carth blinked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"What do you mean, I now satisfy your criterion?" Aiden looked skeptically at the machine. "My answers certainly haven't changed."

"During battle your emotions were more clear and easier to read," the computer replied. "The Star Map is at your disposal." With that, the image disappeared and a Star Map looking just like the one they found on Dantooine materialized in front of them.

"All right, that was strange," Carth frowned. "What were the criterion? Why was this thing set up, anyway?"

"I don't know," Aiden shook his head. "And I don't really like it. Something's wrong about this."

"Revan was a tactical genius," Carth continued. "If he left this thing here, it was for a reason. And I can't imagine it's a good one. What if all that was one big ruse so it could signal Malak that someone was accessing the Star Map?"

"Well, it certainly isn't Malak's style," Aiden observed.

"No, but it is Revan's. And he would have been the one to plan this."

"That still doesn't explain why Jolee could never access it."

"Probably wanted a real Jedi," Jolee shrugged. "There are ways to detect that sort of thing."

"Well, if he knows we're here, then we'd best get moving." Aiden turned to leave the area. "Let's get that blade to Freyyr and get Zaalbar back where he belongs."

------

Note: much of the computer's dialogue is taken directly from the game. Bioware did such a fantastic job with it, I thought I'd keep it just as it was. But if you think it looks terribly familiar, that's why. :)