Yey another chapter! Sorry it's been so long, but I have been very busy. I have a few months of relaxation ahead of me so hopefully I can get a few chapters done and quickly to. Thanks for all of your reviews, please keep them coming, any suggestions are always nice!
A pair of verdant eyes darted about in the darkness, desperately trying to pierce the enveloping blackness, but it was to no avail. The air was tight down here, a coldness seemed to cling to the skin, helping to sew fear and uncertainty into the atmosphere.
Logan buried his head in his hands. How could this planet ever find piece when its soul was shrouded in such darkness?
A familiar presence found its way into Logan's mind. Her hand was at his shoulder once again, her concern brought him warmth at a time when there was no where else to look for hope and encouragement. Logan placed his hand on top of hers, pressing it deeper into her skin.
"Are you all right?" Bastila hesitantly quizzed through their bond. Logan didn't want to answer, he didn't want to burden her with his worries. He stole a glance at her angelic features, the darkness that seemed to eclipse all light could not penetrate her beauty. Not wanting to talk about anything as heavy as his turbulent thoughts, he immediately changed the subject. He wanted to question her about something anyway.
"Bas, why did the council send me on this mission with you? Why not someone more experienced?" The expression on her face betrayed her emotions, she was truly surprised at his candid question, what could she say? She couldn't tell him the truth.
"Well...I..." She pulled back and withdrew her hand, Logan could feel her guilt but couldn't understand why. "I could not accomplish this mission on my own. I need the aid of others especially one who is strong in the force. The bond between us made you a natural choice. Besides, the events on Taris proved that the Force wanted to bring us together for this mission, and there is little left to chance when the Force is involved." Logan tried to resist teasing her, but the temptation proved too strong.
"So the force wants us to be together, huh?" A small smile appeared on her face, she couldn't help but be intrigued by his persistence. Quickly though, her smile was replaced by an annoyed frown.
"I said that we were brought together for the mission, I hardly think that the force would be pushing us towards a romantic involvement when the fate of the galaxy is at stake, we need to stay focused, I cant imagine the council would be impressed if the knew we were discussing our mutual attraction."
"We've already done a little more than discuss it Bastila."
"I...I know, but whatever our feelings...whatever your feelings are you must try to suppress them. This mission, finding the missing pieces of the Star Map, tracking down the Star Forge, It is our only hope of stopping Malak. Nothing can get in the way of that. Logan's face had turned serious now, why was she pushing him away? He wouldn't let her. Logan moved closer, taking her hands in his.
"Bastila, I don't know what you are trying to protect me from, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, we can face it together." She looked down at their intertwined hands, despite the difference in size they seemed to fit together perfectly. Her eyes shimmered as the tears that were threatening to fall perched on her lid. She wanted to believe him, but if he ever knew the truth he would hate her, she couldn't live with herself if found out, she cursed the jedi for putting her in this position.
"I am going to defeat Malak Bastila." He moved closer and looked deep into her eyes. "But I want to do it with you at my side."
"You really mean that don't you?"
"Of course I do, I lo..." He considered telling her the truth, telling her that he loved her, no feeling in his life had ever come close, he thought about explaining to her that no matter what she did now, no matter what she said, she had stolen his heart and he didn't want it back. Logan stopped himself before he said too much, she didn't need this kind of pressure at the moment, he summarised.
"I'm here for you." She smiled inwardly as he said the last words, completely oblivious to his near revelation.
"You always are, and I am grateful for it."
"Now all we have to do is kill the bad guy and we can ride of into the sunset, who knows, maybe you'll be up for jedi of the year." Logan quipped in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. It had the desired effect as his companion let out a squeak of laughter. A low growl could be heard from the other side of the basket.
"Sorry." Bastila mumbled before staring daggers at Logan. He flashed her a smile as mischief danced across his eyes, she couldn't help but smile as well.
"*We're here jedi, I have been told to wait for your return, I suspect you wont.*" The wookie said with a snarl, his disdain plainly evident.
"I love you too Gorwooken." Logan glibly remarked as he brushed past the huge creature with Bastila and Juhani in tow, both were smiling at the off-the-cuff humour Logan never failed to provide. Immediately, Logan realised something was wrong.
"Greetings jedi, you've led me on quite a chase."
"Calo Nord." Logan's shock was apparent. He was sure this man was dead, Calo Nord was possibly the best bounty hunter in the galaxy, Logan had faced him in battle before, and wasn't eager to do so again.
"We don't have to do this, I urge you to take your men and leave, you still have your lives, if you go now you will keep them." The bounty hunter chuckled to himself, humour that was not shared by his several men.
"Sorry jedi, you got away once before, its not gonna happen again. Men, you know what to do!"
Calo's twin blasters soon found their way into his hands and began to fire precise shots at the jedi. Logan signalled his companions to focus their attention on the surrounding men while he tried to get closer to Calo. The bounty hunter quickly put a stop to Logan's charge by throwing two grenades into his path. Logan tried to dodge out of the way, but the area of the explosion was too large, the force of the explosion sent him spiralling into a tree and smashing his face against it.
Logan ignored the blood that was gushing down his face and began his pursuit again, this time moving more slowly. He focused on deflecting the shots back towards his enemy but found only frustration when they bounced off the amour and back towards him. He wasn't deterred however, and kept deflecting shots as he edged closer and closer to his prize.
Bastila's agility was proving useful, she danced through the barrage of gunfire while her double blade struck a blow with every swing, she turned to see Juhani swarming over her enemies, her Cathar blood in full flow, Bastila was heartened by this sight, soon this fight would be over and they would be the victors.
Calo's beastly smile was slowly retreating from his face, it began to be replaced by a look of worry, highlighted by the flashing red of blaster bolts. Logan was moving closer, deflecting every shot back, and back again. The distance was growing shorter, until they were barely a metre apart. The flash of red next to the inhuman speed of Logan's blade lit up the forest floor.
"Goodbye Calo." Logan snarled before slicing his blade across the man's neck, severing his head from his shoulders. The body stood there for a moment as the head hit the floor, then it crumpled.
Logan soon found himself on his knees, staring at the blood on his hands.
"Where...where did that come from?" He move his hand to his head, a sticky warmth was revealed, flowing from a deep gash.
"Logan!" Bastila was at his side in a heartbeat, placing her hand over the wound and channelling the force.
"I'm all right, its nothing." Logan slurred, struggling to stand.
"No you're not, you're concussed."
"I..I am? Ah my head!"
"Its OK, I've nearly got it...there."
"Thanks Bas I couldn't of..." Logan's words slowly began to fall of deaf ears as Bastila became entranced by the blood on her hands, his blood was on her hands again, just like before. It was just like before.
"Bastila?" He saw the look of dread on her face and quickly threw his cloak over her hands. Logan couldn't work out what just happened, Bastila had dealt with blood before.
"I...I'm sorry." She managed through breathless pants.
"Hey, its OK." She apologised again after she had calmed down.
"Some help I am, you're the one consoling me after you got injured."
"Don't be silly, you were a great help, I'd still be stumbling about on the floor if it wasn't you, now lets get moving. Are you OK Juhani?" Logan queried, after the jedi in question was done looting the corpses.
"Oh, yes. I rather enjoyed the battle, I felt more free this time, there was less anger."
"That's good Juhani, its important to have clarity, its nice the see you more serene." He smiled at the jedi then began to lead the party through the thick, overgrown floor of the forest. The moist air was a refreshing thing, indeed this whole planet was refreshing. If it wasn't for the thick atmosphere of evil, he was sure he would make it a holiday destination in the future.
Logan's attention was immediately caught by a flash of vibrant green, was that another jedi? Logan's suspicions were confirmed as he saw a man with a lghtsaber fighting off a pack of Katarns. The jedi walked towards them after he had disposed of the beasts.
"Ah, the damnable racket of battle..." The old jedi sighed. "Follow me to my home, and we'll talk there."
"That's a little forward isn't it?" Logan quipped.
"Heh, that's true...I'm Jolee Bindo...This is the part where you say your name." Logan hesitantly replied, still perturbed by the bluntness of this man's nature.
"Er, I'm Logan, this is Bastila and Juhani." Jolee glanced around at his surroundings before looking back at his new companions.
"This isn't really the place to have a civilized conversation. My home isn't far, follow me. You cant miss it, its just under that log over there." He noticed the look on his company's faces before he continued. "Hey, don't knock it till you try it." Logan found it a charming little place, even if it was missing some essential things, but it completely complimented the old hermits nature.
"Well, here's my home, such as it is. Pull up a stump and be comfortable. We've got a lot to talk about."
"Yes, I sense there's a lot I can learn from you."
"Now now, you settle down with all that jedi mystery nonsense. I left that behind long ago."
"You're not a jedi?" Bastila interjected. "But you wear the robes of the order."
"Ha, these were the only things that were clean, besides, they look good on me, I assure you I am not a jedi. Look I know what you are here for, its the only reason a jedi would come to Kashyyyk. You're here for the Star Map. I know where it is, I can show you."
"What's the catch?" Logan asked flatly, he knew nothing was for free in his galaxy, ever jedi, or ex-jedi as this one seemed to be, wanted a piece of the person.
"Poachers, a filthy bloodthirsty lot preying on the defenceless animals here, and they keep messing up my garden! I want them gone."
"OK, I can do that."
"Good, their camp is Northwest of here, I would prefer it if you didn't kill them."
"What? Why would I kill them?"
"I don't know? Why would you?" Logan paused for a moment before replying, he was confused, why did Jolee think that he would just kill people without reason?
"I'll be back when it's done." As Logan walked away from the hut, he suddenly felt very ignorant in the face of the old man, like a child learning a lesson from its parent, it was a feeling that he wasn't used to.
"Look! Over there!" Juhani hissed, It was the camp that Jolee had mentioned.
"Lets get this over with, watch out for the mines." Logan muttered while trying to navigate a safe path through them. He approached the man who appeared to be overseeing the operation and immediately disliked him
"Excuse me, are you the one in charge round here?" .the man turned to greet the jedi, but clearly with some annoyance.
"Yes I am. I'm Commander Dern, speak quickly, I'm on a tight schedule." Logan looked around to see creatures of all sizes in cages, There were some dead animals in a pile, with pieces missing. Logan was absolutely disgusted at the complete lack of compassion these people were showing the creatures of the planet.
"I want you gone, now." This man wasn't threatened by Logan at all, his already thin patience was stretched to the limit.
"So, you've been talking to that old fool Bindo, well he has no authority here, and nether do you! As long as the Tach are here and the sonic emitters are operational we're staying put!" Logan gritted his teeth in frustration.
"As long as the sonic emitters are operational you're staying put eh?" Logan nonchalantly walked over to one of the sonic emitters and began to quietly question one of the guards. He realised that life here was bad for the guards. The Commander was a brute who would shoot anyone on sight for deserting.
"So...if one of these emitters shut down you'd be free to go, yes?" The guard subtly handed him an access card.
"Put this in the machine, type in scenario four...please if any questions are asked, don't mention me."
"My lips are sealed good sir." Logan did as instructed, making sure not to be seen by Dern, a few seconds later the constant humming from the emitters surrounding the perimeter stopped. Dern noticed this and turned to face Logan with a look of fury and fear in his eyes.
"YOU IDIOT! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Dern pulled out his blaster and aimed it at Logan's head, but before he could place his shot, a monstrous howl drew the attention of everyone in the camp. Dern dropped his blaster and he and his men scuttled away in every direction
The three jedi dived behind a pile of rubble shielding themselves from the creatures that now had access to the camp site. A while later the area grew quite and the jedi braved the surface.
"Let these creatures out." Logan said, motioning to the cages, his distress at seeing the animals caged was plain for all to see. "This planed has suffered enough already. Now, lets get back to Jolee shall we?"