Disclaimer: I don't own Kotor, unfortunately
Bastila's and Carth's soft voices could be heard on half-way to the cockpit and they stopped me for a moment to hear what they were talking about. It was nothing serious as I'd been afraid at first, just something about Korriban and about what our next steps should be.
I took a slow breath to calm down before I brought myself to finally enter the cockpit with an easy smile on my lips. I was trying so hard to look casually and as if nothing bothered me. To be frank, the talk with Carth frightened the hell out of me, but I was decided to appear as strong as usually. Although my: "Hi," came a little quieter and less confident than I'd planned, but they didn't seem to notice. In truth, Carth's head remained turned away from me, ignoring me. Bastila, on the other hand, looked at me and greeted me loudly, breaking the terrible silence. "So you're done talking with the Sith?" she added.
I nodded. "For now. He needs to be put to his place from time to time however."
"He seems to listen to you," she said, looking at me with a blank expression, but somehow I knew she was wondering about our history.
I shook my head slowly. "He doesn't. He only knows the odds are against him right now. Raenah's no fool. He knows every threat I made in the main room was serious." One corner of my lip perked up a little as another memory shot through my mind. "I can defeat him in a fight and he's aware of that. I've done it before," I ended in a whisper. It had happened the first day we met. Our employer sent me and Alek to eliminate a certain person and bring back his holokron. And because killing Sith wasn't anything we would lose our sleep over, we accepted. We met Raenah there, as he was sent by his own Master to kill the same person, what a stupid coincidence. He wanted the same thing as we did, so we duelled and I managed to get him cornered, but before I could deliver the killing blow, Alek shouted at me he'd killed the target and took the holokron and that we should get out of there. And so we did. Right after we returned to hand over the holokron we found out it wasn't a coincidence we'd met. Our employers had been arguing whose killers were better. I got terribly punished, because on one hand I defeated Raenah, but on the other hand I let him live – both our employers lost.
I shuddered and goose bumps prickled my skin at the memory of the pain. "Anyway, I let HK with him, just in case," I added loudly again focusing on the present again.
"A wise decision," she nodded and for a moment her eyes went to Carth. She stood up slowly. She opened her mouth to say something, but apparently changed her mind. She closed it again and left the cockpit without any sound, leaving me and Carth finally alone. I admit, this was exactly what I wanted, but suddenly I found myself yearning to follow her. And Carth seemed to be as uncomfortable with the upcoming talk as I was; he tensed and I noticed he was looking at my reflection in the cockpit window with a frown.
Tentatively I took up the empty co-pilots seat, moving slowly so that Carth, if he wanted, could always tell me to get lost, but he didn't say a thing. His eyes were focused in front of him, but this time he was watching the blue and black tube of the whirling hyperspace outside. It was a beautiful sight indeed.
"Thank you," I started finally, clearing my throat.
"What for?" he shrugged. I was glad for once that his voice didn't sound irritated. He was still frowning though.
"For saving my life," I explained and shifted in the seat, turning to him.
He gave an empty chuckle. "You've probably mistaken me for someone else. As far as I remember, I didn't use the Force to part you and Malak, nor I dragged you in the ship," he said calmly, however there was this queer overtone in his voice, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was making me uneasy, but I tried to put the thoughts aside.
"And as far as I remember, Raenah didn't have any long-ranged weapons. I mean...I would have been dead if you hadn't distracted Malak from striking me down."
I watched his profile get a little darker as his scowl deepened and he clenched his jaw. "You have nothing to thank me for. I didn't save you," he stated after a while of silence.
"You did," I opposed him. "I know it wasn't anything special on your part. After all," I gave a pause to take a breath, "you've never left anyone behind and you never will, but..."
"I didn't save you," he repeated in grim voice to hide the anger that finally found its way in it.
"Yes, you did," I kept my ground. "Without your interference he would have...cut me in a half probably. Or beheaded me or severed one of my arms."
"Yeah," he growled, "so he stabbed you instead. What a jackpot," he shook his head and turned it away from me. His hands finally let go of the ship's controlling and rested on the armrests of the pilot's seat. I noticed how tightly he grabbed them; his knuckles went white.
I didn't know what to say for a moment when it all had dawned on me. "Is that why you're angry?" I asked hesitantly. "Because..."
"Very well," he cut me off and paid me an impatient glance. "Have it your way. I saved you. You're welcome. Is that all?" he asked curtly.
I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. "Yes, that's all I wanted," I said, realizing he wasn't in mood for talking at all, let alone for talking to me, and stood up. It was funny, just three months ago our positions were switched; back on Taris it had been Carth who approached me on the eve of the race to talk to me and I was the one sulking. Somehow our problems we'd had seemed petite now and I wished we'd been there again. Yes, it was escaping or dying – and the situation hadn't changed a bit ever since - but I didn't know about who I really was and had no idea Raenah existed and would show up some day, claiming to be sent to end my life and at once asking for my help. "I just wanted to let you know it meant something for me that you saved me. Again. Even thought it was nothing to you. I..." I hung my head, watching the datapad in my hands. Without holding on it I was sure they would tremble uncontrollably. "I doubt I could do the same, you know? Help someone I hate with all my heart," I whispered, looking at my face reflected in little the glistening screen of my datapad. It was deformed a little due to the tiny scratches on its surface and for moment I considered the thin scar on my left cheek to be one of them as well.
The cockpit fell into a deafening silence again. Only the quiet sounds of the ship and distant voices of Jolee and Bastila talking in the main room were disturbing it. I was about to finally leave him, when he spoke up. "It's not about hating you or not hating you. Right now you're the only person who knows where my son is."
I bit my lip, taking a slow breath and bracing myself for another storm. In slow motion I turned around and seated myself again. I was followed by his gaze the whole time. Our eyes met, finally, after so long. I tried to read in them, but they relieved nothing of his feelings. "He's on Korriban," I said in a week voice.
His eyes widened at first, then narrowed and he was speechless for a second. "Where?" he asked incredulously as if he couldn't believe his own ears leaning closer to me as if to make sure he hadn't misheard.
"Korriban. But it was his choice," I started to defend myself.
"His choice?" he repeated. His voice was calm and quiet, but his eyes betrayed the anger in him. "You mean he chose to join the academy?"
"Yes. He fell in love with this girl, Satine, Selene..." I was trying to remember, but couldn't. I didn't even know how the girl looked like anymore. "Argh! It doesn't matter! She joined the Academy and Dustil simply followed. He wanted to be with her and there was nothing I could say or do to make him reconsider. But I tried, believe me," I blurted quickly, trying to explain that I'd had little say in the matter.
"Don't bother," he said and shook his head lightly. I opened my mouth to speak, but he lifted his hand to stop me. "Don't bother, I said," he repeated, more firmly this time. "I don't believe a single word you say. Why would he join the Sith? They killed his mother, they destroyed Telos!" Now his voice was rising.
I looked away from him. I knew why Dustil wanted to stay with the Sith, but I was too afraid to tell him.
"Wow...the mighty Revan has nothing to say?" he asked, sarcasm and mockery dripping from his voice as venom. "Should I feel honoured?"
"Because of you," I whispered and kept avoiding his gaze. "Because of you," I repeated louder, still not looking at him. "He needed you, Carth. He was just a boy when you left to fight the Mandalorians. He didn't understand what it would mean if the Republic accidentally lost; all he saw was his father wasn't with him," I said, finally lifting my eyes to him.
That seemed to take him aback. He straightened again and for once his face bore signs of surprise instead of anger. And that was my chance; he was listening now. "He missed you so much, Carth. Every day he kept asking when daddy would come home again."
"Then why didn't he contact us? Why didn't he try to get in touch with me?"
"He lost faith in the Republic and in you," I said softly. "You were his hero, but you failed him, Carth. And children don't bear it with ease when their idol lets them down."
"So you say it's my fault?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of him, frowning again.
"No, I don't," I shook my head. "I can't deny I influenced him as well. I saw his talent he inherited after Morry and was training him. But I'm not the reason he turned his back to the Republic. When he arrived on board Spark – that was my flagship – after the massacre on Telos, I offered him to take him to Coruscant to drop him off to his grandparents, but he refused to be part of the Republic anymore. He hates it, Carth, because he feels it was taking you from him all his young life. And he hates you because you weren't here for him when he and Morry needed you most. He lost everything and everyone and the girl somehow helped him to find himself again. So he followed her on Korriban."
He looked thoughtful and disturbed. I was glad he was really considering what I'd just told him.
I looked at the datapad in my hands again. I had wanted to try to break the password again, but maybe... "Sometimes all a person needs is being offered a different point of view," I whispered to myself and stood up. Maybe he could succeed, where I had failed. "Think about it. Do you really think Dustil would have wanted to stay with me if it had been me who destroyed his whole world?" I asked while approaching his seat. I laid the datapad in his lap.
He took it with one hand and used the other to take mine to stop me from leaving. "Wait a minute. That's the datapad the sand people chieftain gave you. Why are you..."
"I understand why you don't believe me, Carth, but I'm speaking the truth. And here," I touched the datapad he was holding, "it is. It's my diary I kept from when I was a little girl," I said softly and pulled my hand away from him. He let go and turned his attention at the datapad. I heard the silent beep as he turned it on.
"It requires a password," he looked at me standing in the doorframe.
I smiled. "Precisely. Unfortunately, I don't remember it. And neither me, nor Bastila managed to get inside yet. Maybe you'll be luckier."
"Wait a minute. The password could be...anything! How am I supposed to find it?"
I shrugged. "Keep trying. Take it as a price for the knowledge." And with that I paid him one last smile before leaving finally. And somehow I felt at peace. I had expected him to start screaming at me the minute I would enter the cockpit.
"It's great to see you smiling," Jolee stated. He'd been eating, but now he let go of the fork and focused his attention on me.
Bastila was still there too and when she saw me she immediately asked me how it went.
"Better than I hoped for," I nodded, seating beside Jolee. I put my head in my hands and let out a relieved breath. "He doesn't seem to be angry at me," I mumbled through my fingers.
"I thought he wouldn't," Jolee said and according to the tone of his voice he was probably smiling, but I didn't lift my eyes to see it. I had them closed, enjoying the moment, because I had little doubt the peace wouldn't last long.
"How so?" Bastila asked. She sounded indifferent as usual.
Jolee let out a sigh. "Lass, I'm an old man and my old eyes have seen many things. I simply noticed something which made me believe he wouldn't condemn Revan so quickly."
"What did you notice?" I lifted my head finally from my palms.
He simply smiled and his hand tugged at the bottom of my ruined clothes. "Go change," he recommended me instead of answering. I knew it was futile to argue with him, so I simply obeyed him. When I stood up from the seat I gave him a lop-sided smile. "One day I'm gonna get all the answers I want from you, old man."
...
"So what's going on? You've been quiet for quite some time and it's really starting to make me nervous, Raven. Have you...have you managed to get yourself into some mess? Do you need help?" Jasmine broke off and looked sadly at me, hesitating. "I keep thinking about what the record said. I can't think of any other explanation than that your memory was damaged more than we thought and if it's true, you should visit hospital again. Maybe it's nothing I don't know, but I'm getting a bad feeling about this all. I know it's not my business and you really don't have to explain to me despite the promise you would, but I'm your friend and I worry about you. Take care and call me soon."
I sighed. "Thank you, T3," I looked at the droid. He beeped shortly and turned off the projecting.
I shook my head. "No, I'm not going to answer her. In no time we're on Korriban and then it's only a matter of days until we arrive on Lehon and Star Forge. And by that the Republic will know about everything, because I'll need them to destroy the factory."
T3 chimed few times, changing the colour of his optic sensor from dark blue into so bright, it seemed white for a moment. He was excited.
I smiled weakly. "Yes, we're going to blow the thing up together with Malak and the rest of his minions." And if I'm very, very lucky, Raenah might find his death there too...if I only find the way to make him go with me.
I knew he wasn't interested in anything we were doing. He was very moody ever since we had left Leviathan, because of the slow progress he was making. He simply couldn't calm his mind enough to focus on the visions and he refused to tell me what they were about so that at least I could help him. Not to mention he was incredibly mad at me for giving his lightsaber to that...well, I wasn't sure, what exactly he said; he finished the sentence in a series of expletives in the Sith language. However I had little doubts who he meant. But for once I was glad he was so glum all the time. I waited until he had one of the furious moments to ask him if he wanted to come with us on the surface, despite the fact he hadn't found out where we were heading to. But when I told him he would have to wear a breathing mask to conceal the hideous tendrils on his face, he unscrupulously told me to sod off and leave him alone.
"Adrianne!" Mission's voice carried through the ship. "Where are you? We're waiting!"
T3 reacted immediately. He turned and wheeled through the door from my quarters. I followed the little droid. Everyone was already gathered in the main hold, waiting impatiently, most of them Mission. She was anxious for another "war briefing." And the second I entered I noticed she had Raenah's lightsaber on the holopanel in front of her for everyone to see. I smirked.
The mentioned Sith appeared from the corridor leading to the garage at the same moment, with HK at his heels, and he frowned at the company. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes lingered on his lightsaber. His right hand clenched and flexed again.
I reached out and soon I felt the cold material against my palm. I fastened the 'saber to my belt. "HK?" I turned to the droid. "Take Raenah...well...anywhere, but not here. We're going to discuss things he's not interested in and I would hate to bother him," I said sweetly.
"Statement: Move it, meatbag, you heard the Master!" HK addressed Raenah and when they were passing me by I smiled at him.
When he was gone, Mission wriggled in her seat. "I'm sorry," she said and reached with her hand to me as if she wanted the lightsaber back. I shook my head. "Why not?" she whimpered. "I said I was sorry. I won't let it lying around like that again."
"A slave with a lightsaber would be highly suspicious, Mission," I said, smiling, giving the lightsaber to Canderous. I knew he was immune to Jedi mind tricks so if Raenah tried something, it would not work on him. Provided he would bother with mind tricks.
Mission gave me a perplexed look, but then her eyes lit merrily. We had discussed that anyone who would come with me on Korriban would play my slave. "You're taking me with you?" she asked.
Juhani frowned and looked at me. "Are you sure, Revan?"
I nodded. "The ship's now more dangerous than Geonosis." Since Raenah were so oblivious to the place where we were about to land, we had decided not to use Korriban's true name. Juhani suggested to call it Geonosis, since it was a desert planet too, just in case the Sith knew something about our galaxy.
The girl bit her lip eagerly. "Fantastic!"
"You got to be kidding," Carth murmured, looking at the young Twi'lek.
"Don't spoil the fun, republic," Canderous said while absentmindedly playing with the lightsaber in his hands.
"Fun?" the pilot echoed. "This is your definition of fun?"
I looked on the floor, smiling mildly. "Better than walking into rancor's nest armed with only a single grenade," I whispered.
Mission smiled, remembering the scene I was talking about. "Yeah, that was crazy." But it wasn't her positive reaction which literally warmed my heart – I noticed the memory brought slight smile on Carth's face as well.
"Who else's coming with you?" Juhani asked.
"Jolee. I'll need a healer," I stated curtly.
/That always puzzled me,/ Zaalbar spoke up. /Why don't you ever heal yourself? Does it work that you can only heal others?/
I shook my head. "Eh, no, Zaalbar. I was trained as a Jedi Guardian, which means I was trained mostly in combat and similar techniques and force powers. I've never managed to learn how to heal. I've tried, but..." I shrugged. "Anyway," I went on, looking at the holopanel in front of me, "the last one coming is Carth."
/You're not taking Bastila?/ Zaalbar asked, looking at the young Jedi. She was standing by my right, with her hands behind her back. "No, she's not," she answered instead of me. "We've agreed it would be safer if I stayed here."
"Safer?" Carth asked.
"Don't forget Malak was searching for her," Jolee reminded him.
"And still is," Mission added.
I nodded. "Okay, guys, so that's settled. I expect you three to be ready once we land. And don't forget to bring some warm clothes with you on Geonosis."
/Why should they? Isn't it just one big desert?/ Zaalbar asked curiously.
"It is," I admitted. "But to get to the star map I need to get access to a certain tomb, which can be achieved only through winning a little popularity contest. And to win I need to dig for few treasures in the alley behind the Academy."
"Still makes no sense," Canderous pointed out. "You'll be digging in the dirt in the desert."
I smiled. "Not in the dirt. The treasures I'm talking about are hidden inside tombs or caves and they are sort of cold."
...
Dreshdea looked as much as I remembered it. Hot, windy and dark – not thanks to the lack of light, even though there wasn't much of it, but the feeling of this place made my skin crawl.
"Nice hangar," Mission smiled when she ran down the ramp behind me. She listened to me and finally was wearing a long sleeves and trousers. Her belt seemed strangely empty without the holsters and blasters.
"Just a hangar," Carth couldn't understand her enthusiasm when he followed as well. His mood was grim. He was frowning and kept his hands in his pockets. Jolee followed the couple wordlessly, looking around with his typical mysterious smile.
"It's not just a hangar. It's a promise of something adventurous," Mission didn't let Carth ruin her excitement.
I shook my head, ignoring them, and approached the Twi'lek Sith dressed in a black and grey uniform of the Academy. He was standing behind a console in front of the closed hangar door. He didn't even bother to lift his eyes to me. /It's nice to see this girl again,/ he said, working on the console, and simply tossed his head in the direction of the Ebon hawk.
"You know my ship?" I asked curtly. I had the thumbs of my hands stuck behind the belt and the fingers of my right hand were touching the hilt of my double-bladed lightsaber.
/But of course,/ he said and finally met my eyes, but just for a moment before they drifted to the beauty behind me. /She's been there quite often this last year. I mean.../ he chuckled, /I'm not interested in any of her business – or the one of her crew, but...never mind./ He cleared his throat. /It's twenty five credits as a landing fee./
I gave a shrug and beckoned Mission to hand him the credits.
/Thank you. Enjoy your stay, Jedi,/ he said after he opened the door.
I stopped, standing in the doorframe, looking over my shoulder at him. "I'm no Jedi. You better remember it the next time we meet."
/No Jedi. If you say so,/ he shrugged and I let the matter drop. I entered the large corridor with walls made of glass to see all the Geonosis's beauty; sand and rocks. The wind was blowing, lifting grains of sand and throwing them about, making it hard to see anything outside in spite of the blue sky and shining sun.
The corridor itself was empty except for one person. The green-skinned Twi'lek was leaning casually against the wall with his shoulder, pretending to be reading something in his datapad. Yes, pretending – the corridor was dark, lit only by the light from the outside coming through the glassy walls, which wasn't much due to the wind, so one would expect to see his face lit by the dim light of the datapad's screen. But his face was half-hidden in a shadow as he had his head bent down to the deactivated device.
He is waiting for someone, I thought. And the way his eyes oh-so-nonchalantly travelled over us three filled me with certainty his waiting was at the end.
I stopped in front of him, hands crossed. "So, do we know each other?" I asked without delays.
He lifted his eyebrows as he his gaze travelled over me from head to toe. "No," he admitted and straightened, pocketing the datapad. "But I know you."
"I thought as much. That's why I talked to you in the first place."
He chuckled. "My...I didn't want to believe all the rumours, but I guess something must be true about your powers, Lord Revan."
"Oh...a bootlicker?" I said mockingly. "I'm sorry to let you down, but if you want power, you've got the wrong person. I'm not the Lord of the Sith anymore."
"It doesn't matter," he waved his hand and wanted to come closer to me, but when I used my hand to pat Bandon's lightsaber few times, he stopped.
"Who are you anyway? And how did you find out about me?" I asked impatiently. Especially when not so long ago I didn't know it myself, I added inwardly when I sent the Twi'lek a frown.
"Well," he started with a smile, "it was one big coincidence. We've been watching your ship for some time and recently she's been travelling from one world to another and we were curious why. So we used one moment back on Tatooine when your ship was all empty to plant a bug inside."
"A bug..." I repeated softly. "Most interesting..." I narrowed my eyes. I was decided to contact the ship and ask T3 to search the ship thoroughly.
"And, of course, some gossips from the Sith fleet. There are many soldiers and money can do wonders..." he smiled and shrugged.
I took a slow breath. On one hand, I couldn't feel any deceive from him; he didn't want to blackmail us or anything. It was reassuring and scary at once. What was it he wanted then? "And you're telling me all this because...?"
"Let's say it's our common interest to defeat your former apprentice. We offer you our help."
"And we're to believe that?" Carth blurted suddenly, making few steps forward. I put a hand in front of him to stop him from going further, watching the Twi'lek carefully for any sign of his intentions. "How?" I asked slowly.
"Information?" he asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.
I gave a laugh. "Are you forgetting who you're talking to? There's isn't any other person in this galaxy who knows Malak better than me. I know of his next action and moves even before he does. I don't need help with that."
"And do you know how to get inside the Academy yet?" he asked, the sly smile never leaving his face. And when I hesitated, he nodded. "I thought so. I have two words for you, my Lord. Yuthura. Ban." And with that, and a mocking bow, he walked into the hangar.
"Yuthura Ban? Who is it?" Mission asked when the hangar door closed behind him. "Some your old acquaintance?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. But I'm intending to rectify that."
"And how do we know how he looks like?" Jolee stepped in when we went on down the corridor. I ignored his question for a while. I was busy talking to T3 about the bug in our ship. When I was done, I frowned. "I don't know. But we'll find a way, ask around for him."
"Or her," Mission offered. "Because, you know, Yuthura – I don't think a guy would have name like that. At least any normal parent wouldn't name their boy Yuthura."
I snickered, looking at her. "You have a point. So now we're looking for a woman. Is anyone thirsty?" I asked with sweet smile.
"Are you paying?" Jolee joked.
I shook my head. "Mission holds the purse," I said
"I'm not really sure I like the idea," Mission protested, when we entered the little square. Alongside its walls – because everything in Dreshdea was in a one large building – were stands with remarkable variety of goods, from food and drinks, over clothes, armours and weapons to droids or spare parts for ships. The prices were ridiculously high when it came to weapons, I noticed, but the number of various kinds of weapons, blasters, rifles, carbines, grenades, swords, vibroblades and other stuff was incredible! This square could supply a small army with all this equipment. And some of the arms were even illegal in the Republic space.
"Of paying? Or going into cantina?" Carth asked her. We passed a shop with at least twenty kinds of grenades and I didn't even know there was that much of them. I was trying to remember which of them I had used during the wars, but I could recall throwing only freg, poison, thermal and sonic grenades.
"Cantina. I mean...drunken Sith?" she broke off. She was walking closely by my side, biting her lip nervously, watching the people around us. Mostly they were dressed in the Sith uniforms from both Empire and the Academy. Local citizens were here too, of course, but they kept off the main area, walking along walls so that they wouldn't get into someone's way and therefore a danger. The rest, they were smugglers, thieves and other pleasant folk.
"Keep close to me, don't look at anyone, don't talk to anyone and you should be fine," I tried to calm her down, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder, while watching the amazing display of light battle armours. Suddenly I wished we'd been richer.
She put on a brave face and nodded, looking around cautiously. "I doubt I have ever seen so many weapons and armours in one place," she stated, looking at a grotesquely expensive Arkanian shields.
"You haven't been on Nar Shaddaa apparently," Carth mumbled.
"This way," I said after I finally spotted a sign pointing to cantina and led us through the crowd to one of the exits.
It was as if a warning red light flashed inside my mind when a tall, thin blonde with a scornful look stepped into my way, making me stop in my tracks. My eyes narrowed as I scanned the woman in front of me and thousands thoughts crossed my mind. Was she someone I had known? Why did she stop us? Did she overhear our conversation? She was from the Academy, that much was clear. But maybe she just wanted to cause troubles.
"What have we here," she started in confident voice, her chin lifted slightly and there was a superior smile playing on the corner of her lips. "Newcomers in the colony, led by a Jedi no less," she spat the sentence, looking over her shoulders at two men standing behind her. Both were about her age and dressed in the black and grey uniform as well. They were smaller than she was, but had the same air of arrogance about them. I didn't miss the lightsabers that were proudly hanging from their belts.
"I hate Jedi," one of the guys said, making few steps forward. He stopped beside the woman, casting a sideways look at her as if asking for permission. "They always think so highly of themselves, just because they already know something."
"Great," a man voice sounded behind me, making my eyes grew wide, "a group of Sith who wants to steal our lunch credits," Carth stated curtly and his clothes rustled as he folded his hands in front of him.
The muscles on my right arm tensed as I was about to reach for my weapon, but was taken aback when the woman started laughing. "Well, well, they're amusing, aren't they?" she turned to the two minions of hers. "You know," she focused on us again, turning serious once more, the look in her icy blue eyes was stern, "here in Dreshdea it's up to Sith to decide whether you leave this colony or not at all. And we are Sith," she informed us as if the fact wasn't obvious at all.
"Don't say," Mission said boldly too, probably encouraged by Carth's performance.
This time the woman frowned a little and put her hands on her hips...dangerously close to the lightsaber as I noticed with a glower. "You don't seem to be taking the message. Do you have any idea how many of us are in colony?" she asked, a cold dripping from her voice.
"Is it a riddle?" Carth stepped in. "How many guesses do we have?"
"I think there are fifteen of them here," Mission played along.
"No," Jolee said and firmly shook his head. "Thirteen."
I simply crossed my hands in front of me, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Lashowe! Let me kill them!" one of the men begged her, already reaching to his belt, but the woman shook her head. "No, no, let's not be hasty," Lashowe said silently, paying my friends a searching look. "When they want to play buffoons, let them continue. What do you say?" Her eyes were travelling between Carth, Mission and Jolee. "Say something funny and we might let you live," she hissed and wanted to come closer to Carth but I stepped in her way with my hand laid over my lightsaber. "Touch one of them," I said in a low voice, "and it's like starting something with me too. And that's something you wouldn't want, believe me. If you want to try me anyway, go on, make the first step. I'll make it the last."
Lashowe's eyes dangerously narrowed and her face flushed as she got angry. "What?" she snapped at me.
But her "friends" seemed to be amused by me. They were laughing. "Finally someone stood up to you, Lashowe."
"Shut up or you're next!" she turned to them, using the Force to pull the lightsaber into her hand.
"Anytime..."the other growled, readying himself too.
I cocked my head to the side and bit my cheek from inside. Now that was something I wanted to see; I always loved it when my enemies fought each other.
"Enough you two," the last of the Sith spoke up, ruining the chance of bloodshed to my dismay. "You would let a bunch of such jerks set you against each other? I say, let's return to the Academy," he said and already turned around, walking in the corridor which led to the cantina and – as it seemed – it was the way to the Academy as well.
I let them get out of our earshot before I turned to my friends. "What the hell was that?" I screamed making few of nearby citizens turn their heads to look at me. But maybe the sight of someone armed with a lightsaber yelling at others was a common thing here for they quickly resumed what they were doing. Or they simply knew it was better to mind their own business, for their sake. "Do you want to get us all killed? This is exactly the sort of behaviour I didn't want to see here!" I went on, giving them a hard look.
Mission shrugged and sent me a shy smile. "She asked for it."
"A lot of them will yet ask for it, Mission, and a lot of them will kill you for less then what you've just showed off."
"We were just having fun," Mission objected.
"Fun?" I repeated, my voice no louder than a whisper. "Mission, this is no fun. This is no crazy adventure as it has been until up this point. We're watched here, we can't afford to make a misstep by having fun. We need to be just like them, to get lost among them so that they wouldn't find us suspicious."
She shifted her weigh, dropping her eyes. "You're right, I know, I just...we're not inside the Academy yet, so I thought..you know."
I nodded, looking at Carth and Jolee. "And you...you're both adults so I would expect you to behave as them, not like two spoiled boys."
"Spoilsport..." Jolee mumbled, looking elsewhere.
"Fine..." I took a slow breath and turned around. "Fine...I don't care. But don't count on me to save you next time someone wants to kill you. No way, I'll stay nearby and enjoy it thoroughly," I was muttering angrily as I was walking down the corridor, looking for any other signs to point me to the cantina.
"You wouldn't enjoy it, you're too kind for that," Jolee said with a broad smile on his lips when he joined my side. I looked at him and he winked at me, then slowed his pace. We arrived to the cantina so he again fell into his role. And slaves can't walk alongside their Masters...unless being told so, true.
Before I entered the small, thought quite long, room I looked who was inside. No one was visibly standing above the crowd and there seemed to but just as many women as men, which wasn't making my search any easier.
I narrowed my eyes when I walked in, slowly, watching everyone around me. Some of the eyes were watching me as well, but some averted their gaze as if afraid or ashamed they were caught staring.
There weren't many students from the Academy, unless they stripped their uniforms when outside, but I doubted that. They were far too proud of being part of the Sith Empire to do so, and they didn't have to hide the fact, like they had to on planets controlled by the Republic, like back on Taris. They were probably busy harassing citizens of this colony.
Come on, Adrianne, there aren't many of them. How about this one? No...she's too young. And that one? Nope, dropped her eyes, too sheepish...poor thing, won't last long in the Academy with that approach, was I thinking, thought my face betrayed none of my notions. I was making my way to the bar, slowly, searching, and finally I spotted the most prospective candidate – she was older than the rest of the uniformed people here and there was something about her that was screaming: teacher! Besides, when I took a look at the lightsaber at her belt, it seemed to be old; it was battered from frequent use, which was something mine never had the chance to experience. I'd had the annoying habit of losing them, getting one of them – if not both - stolen, destroyed...
I shook my head to get rid of the memory of Zhar, berating me for those mishaps. I approached the Twi'lek woman sitting behind bar and took a stool beside her. "Yuthura Ban?" I asked, not looking at her.
She was just about to drink from the glass filled with bright golden liquid, and my question didn't stop her. Slowly she took few sips, before setting the glass on the bar. "Who asks?" she said in a low, hoarse voice.
"Raven," I said and suppressed the unpleasant feeling that ran through my body. I still didn't like the name and would gladly forget it, but for now it was safer to use it. Of course, no one knew Revan was a woman and her real name was Adrianne...or her second name, because Raven was the first...but better safe than sorry.
She turned her head slightly to look at me causally. "How do you know me?"
"I have my ways," I said evasively. "I assume you know why I'm here. I want to join the Academy.
She chuckled at that, but her laugh was empty and cold. "And you assume you just walk right here and get inside? Naive little Jedi."
I smiled and boldly took her glass to drink from it. As much sweet as the liquid looked, it was bitter and made my throat sore, and I was sure I'd never tasted it before. Might have been some local speciality. "Naivety, such a wonderful human quality, wouldn't you say?" I asked in the same hoarse voice as she after she'd drunk. That made me smile even more.
"There's something odd about you," she said silently, examining me closely.
"And you don't even know half of it. So how about the Academy?"
"How am I to know you're not just a spy?" she answered my question with one of her own.
I was starting to like the game. "And if I am?" I asked, paying her the same searching look she was giving me.
"Then you're not naive, but stupid coming in place such as this."
"I like challenges," I nodded. "Although I admit; I grew up in the Order, was trained by their Masters, but all my life I felt I didn't belong there. The Sith on the other hand..." I didn't finish.
"I like people who know exactly what they want," she said after a while of silence. "Tell me, what would you do for getting inside the Academy?"
"Nothing. You're going to grant me access and give me the medallion just like that. Based on a simple sympathies. I'm very charismatic and charming person."
This time her laugh sounded more genuine and her eyes lit with a merry sparkles. But they soon faded. "I see you know already about the medallion."
I came with the idea how to distinguish students from others, apart from the uniforms, of course. "I know many things."
She nodded. "A good start," she said. she didn't add anything else, wordlessly she stood up and her hands searched for something hidden beneath the collar of her uniform. Slowly she pulled a golden chain with blue token with a symbol of the Empire on it and took it off her neck. I knew the symbol well; it was a black shape of the Star Forge. She let the medallion dangle from her palm for me to see and then she let it drop inside her glass. It sunk slowly to the bottom, leaving a trace of bubbles on its way. "See you in the Academy then, young one."
"Young one?" I whispered when she left me there. "I'm probably as old as you are," I added and took the glass, hurrying to my friends. I held the glass in the air between Carth and Jolee. The old man was the first to reach for it but as soon as he smelled the drink he grinned and offered it to Carth. Looking suspiciously at Jolee he took the glass and took a sip, then shrugged and downed it. Carth shoved the empty glass back to my hands.
I offered him a bright smile. "My hero," I whispered in soft voice, taking the medallion and drying it against the bottom of my shirt before I put it around my neck. Mission snickered when I turned my back to them and made my way out of the cantina.
To be continued :) Thanks for the patience guys and for reading and finding the time to review :) It's nice to know you find the story interesting :)