24
The flight from Dantooine to Kashyyyk was only about two and a half days, which passed in the beginnings of a somewhat uneasy truce. Canderous and Carth seemed to have found some common ground on the swoop bike, Canderous working on it out of sheer boredom and something to do and Carth working on it because the likelihood of Anna using it again was high, and after a few shaky runs on Tatooine he hadn't been fond of its performance. After several hours of a stony silence had run its course, the duo struck up a conversation wrought with progressively worse insults that ended up being mostly out of jest at some point in the late afternoon.
Fortunately this slowly developing camaraderie kept Canderous and Juhani away from one another, which while it meant that the three Jedi were often away from the rest of the crew to meditate - once Bastila assured Anna that she had no illusions of suddenly performing a coup or moving away from the three-three-three division of power that she, Carth, and Bastila shared - and do other Jedi-related things, it meant that the number of fights between the Cathar and the Mandalorian were kept to a minimum. Mission found herself, much to her chagrin, alone most of the time, playing solitaire Pazaak with herself while T3 worked on the ship (mostly on the stabilizer, which was now supplying more edible food than previously). Zaalbar had reclaimed his cargo hold, forcing the Jedi back to the storage room in the main hold. HK incessantly patrolled the ship until Anna forced him into a different corner of the garage and struggled to restore parts of his memory, more curious than anything since the droid performed nearly perfectly in the field.
The droid had just been explaining one of his masters - a politician, a couple of people before he'd wound up in the droid shop on Tatooine — and Anna had been closing up the droid's panels as he spoke.
"You know," she started. "You really don't have to call me master all the time. It's a little creepy."
The droid seemed confused. "Query: Don't I? I was under the assumption that most meatbags such as yourself enjoyed such forms of address."
Anna paused and rocked back on her heels, putting away her tools. "And then there's the 'meatbag' thing."
"Retraction: Did I say that out loud?" HK-47 didn't appear to be attempting to reverse any lost ground. "I apologize, master. While you are a meatbag, I suppose I should not call you such."
"Probably not."
"Amendment: Then I will endeavor not to refer to you by your meatbag status in the future, master. Does that suffice?"
"Not particularly." Usually a droid who did that on their own would be terminated. She could only imagine what his creator had been thinking.
"Query: I am confused. 'No' you do not wish to be referred to as meatbag or 'no' it does not suffice?"
"It's a bit of an arrogant term, don't you think?" She closed the top of the toolbox. "Are you doing it deliberately?"
"Answer: Deliberation implies some form of intent, master, when I am only stating a fact. Perhaps you would prefer the term liquidious fleshbag?"
Canderous chuckled in the corner. Anna glared at him. "Not particularly. You know, 'human' works. Or 'organic.' Someone might take offense." She didn't particularly care but it might not be best for a Jedi to be running around with a droid that insulted anything it saw.
"Objection: But that technical term does not accurately portray the vast amount of bulbous slushiness present in your bipedal form!" He protested.
"Fine. All right. Just . . . don't use that in negotiations or anything."
He whirred, sounding displeasured.
"Anna?" Anna looked up as she got back to her feet. Mission was in one of the doors, a hand braced against the doorway. "Can I talk to you?"
"Sure." Anna finished closing HK's panel. "All right. Do a sweep of the ship if you want. No killing any gizka."
"Dejected statement: Master, I—"
"No arguments." Canderous snickered again. Anna glared at him as HK started off, and pulled Mission back into the hallway.
"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.
"I'm worried about Big Z," Mission replied, looking down at her hands. "I haven't seen him since we left Dantooine. He's been in the cargo hold the entire time. Do you think we can talk to him?"
"What're you worried about? He's your best friend."
"But he'll listen to you."
Anna nodded. "All right."
The duo made their way to the cargo hold, the door closed and surprisingly locked. "Hey, Z?" Anna called, rapping on the door sharply. "Z, you good with us coming in?"
There was a muffled snarl on the other side of the door that would have not needed translating even to someone who didn't understand Shiiwook. Anna sighed. "Z, you know I'm coming in anyway."
There was another muffled grumble. "Go ahead and get the door open, Mish." Mission nodded and made her way through the door. When it slid open and Anna stepped through, the Wookiee halfheartedly groaned and waved them over to where he was cross-legged next to his cot, bowcaster in pieces around him. Mission scurried over and carefully hugged him, and when she wasn't batted for her troubles she sank to the floor next to him.
"You okay Big Z?" she inquired, rubbing his shoulder.
"Fine," he grumbled.
"You don't look fine." Anna settled herself across from the duo on the floor. "Zaalbar, I wanted to talk to you about Kashyyyk."
"There is nothing to discuss," he grumbled.
"So . . . this recent retreat has nothing to do with us preparing to land on your homeworld?" Anna crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly when the Wookiee seemed unwilling to answer. "Zaalbar . . ."
"I left my homeworld under less than ideal circumstances," Zaalbar replied hesitantly. "I will not be welcome."
"I'll need you as a guide. We can deal with whatever happens afterwards."
"They will not respect your office as others do. The Jedi do not carry weight with my people — they are merely another outside force."
"I'm not expecting them to." Anna continued. "I'm expecting them to treat us with suspicion. That's not the problem though. I need you as a guide. If you're a criminal or something I need to know now."
Zaalbar made an angry growl, and Anna and Mission both winced. "I am not a criminal! I . . . I stood up to my brother, and I was no longer welcome. If you wish to use me to receive a better welcome—"
"I'm not using you for anything, Zaalbar. You're here of your own volition and you know it. And if you won't be comfortable on Kashyyyk then you don't have to accompany us. However, if you can I would appreciate it. Just because I know the language doesn't mean I know the people."
"I . . . I know. I will accompany you, but . . . I cannot guarantee I'll be much help."
"I'd appreciate it if you filled me in, Zaalbar."
The Wookiee sighed, and looked away from both of them. Anna leaned forward and rested a hand on his arm. "Zaalbar, if you're worried about either of us thinking less of you, that isn't possible," she said quietly. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for all your species, and you are an exemplary member of it. There is very little that you could say that would lessen my opinion of you."
Zaalbar released a heavy, body-moving sigh.
"What can I expect? Will your people take a lot of offense at your presence?"
"I don't know. It has been a long time since I was on Kashyyyk, and things will likely have changed." Zaalbar looked like he was considering his next words extremely carefully. "My father was very powerful. A chieftain, you would say. His feelings may have mellowed, but if my brother has had his ear all this time . . . I may be very unwelcome. I do not know."
"We'll deal with that if it comes," Anna said comfortingly. Zaalbar shifted uncomfortably.
"That is what I am dreading. I was shamed. It was meant to be forgotten on some far away world — I never thought I'd come back."
"But you are, and I need your help Zaalbar."
"I . . . please respect this, Anna. I will tell you if I am required to but I would rather find out that my shame will not block us. Perhaps they will understand that my duty to you surpasses it. But I . . . There are some things I still wish to be private."
Anna sighed, and climbed to her feet. "All right. But just . . . don't hide in here, Zaalbar. We'll still need you tonight for planning."
"I will be there, and I will provide input. I swear it."
"Thank you." Anna nodded and left, sighing as she closed the cargo hold door. With Mission finally reconnected with Zaalbar, she wandered back to the garage. Finding Carth absent, she nodded at Canderous and made her way to the cockpit. "Heya, flyboy."
Carth looked up, feet propped on the console. "Hey. Is Zaalbar okay?"
"He should be fine." She sank into the copilot's seat. "He's worried about landing on Kashyyyk. Apparently he's blacklisted in the Wookiee community."
"Think we'll be fine?"
Anna shrugged. "I hope so." They were quiet for a while, Anna running through the ship's controls in her head. "So, Carth . . . what happened between you and Karath?"
"He betrayed us all," Carth replied simply. Anna tucked her knees to her chest.
"What happened with you and Karath?"
"Well . . ." He sighed. "I'm sure you don't want to hear about it."
"I asked, didn't I?"
"Why do you want to know?"
Anna shrugged. "I'm wondering. There's something back there in your past that's affected you, and I'm curious."
"It's just . . . I don't talk about it very much, okay?"
"I've noticed."
"I told you about Telos." Anna nodded. "Four years ago, Saul led the Sith fleet and demanded its surrender. The planet refused and they devastated it. Millions died." He reached over to press a button, and Anna noticed his hand was shaking. "I had . . . I had a family, on Telos. A wife and a son. I thought they'd be safe there. But our task force arrived too late to be of much help. We didn't have enough medical supplies. The colony was burning and people were dying and . . . I remember holding my wife and screaming for the medics but . . ."
Anna reached out and brushed the back of his hand. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't. How could you? I . . . I had nothing left after that, really. I devoted myself to the fleet, to hunting Saul. I know killing Saul won't bring them back, and it won't make me happy again . . . but I have to do it."
Anna nodded, silent for a few minutes. "What was she like?" she asked quietly.
"She had courage . . . and she was stubborn. Heh, a bit like you I suppose, in that regard. I could never talk her out of anything once she put her mind to she hated it when I signed back onto the fleet at the start of the war. I'd planned on leaving soon, to join her . . ."
"What about your son?"
He nodded, eyes far away as he stared out of the window. "Dustil. Dustil was his name. I don't know. The colony was a complete ruin, and we never found any trace of him. I made inquiries and followed the reports but . . . then I just stopped. There was no point. If he hadn't been found after four years I . . . but that's the story."
"Carth." He looked over at her. "Thanks. For telling me."
"I think it's good for us to have a better understanding of one another." He gave her a weak smile. "I've never really talked about it before. I suppose it's time I did."
"Mm." Anna looked back out the window, a frown ghosting across her face.
"What's wrong?" He echoed her frown, studying her carefully.
"Nothing." She looked back over at him and returned the weak smile. "I was just thinking. I . . . what if I had something? A family, or . . . what if there's people out there who're wondering where I am? I . . . I guess I'll never know."
"Zelka said your memory could come back."
"Could, but . . ." She sighed heavily, tucking her arms back around herself. "What if it doesn't?"
"I . . . I don't know." Carth glanced back over at her, not entirely sure what to say. "But you have people now. You have the Jedi — for what they're worth — and you have us now."
Anna smiled at him. "Thanks, Carth. I suppose I do . . . though that's likely better than the Jedi. I doubt they'll be worth much in a pinch." Carth laughed.
"No, I suspect not."
"So . . ." She turned her eyes back to the window, looking out at the stars shooting by in hyperspace. "What's it like? Having a family?"
Carth joined her gaze out the window and cleared his throat.
#
That morning, Anna didn't even need to wait for Bastila to join her in the main hold.
The dream hit at the normal time — or vision, rather, Anna suspected it was time to get her terminology right — just before the start of the day cycle, in what would be known as dawn on settled planets. This time as the map unfolded she could feel the forest litter under her boots, the musty smell of dust and moist, decaying plant matter heavy in her nose. It hung underneath the mask she wore — as always she was seeing it from Revan's perspective — and captured in the folds of the robes, likely requiring a heavy wash to get the scent out. She could feel Malak's presence next to her, a prickling feeling just over her right shoulder that rested as heavy as the moldy scent of Kashyyyk.
"Two more left," he breathed.
Anna jolted up and found herself pressed against the very edge of her cot, one arm slung over the side so that the movement sent her crashing to the floor. She laid there for a minute as the others jolted awake as well, Bastila's heavy breaths indicating that she'd just woken up from the same dream, as usual. In half a second, the aforementioned Jedi was leaning over her.
"Did you see it?" Bastila's hair was still wildly mussed from sleep, and Anna couldn't resist a small snicker.
"Are you all right?" Mission asked, the statement split by a huge yawn.
"Fine," Anna grumbled, picking herself up and tossing her covers back on her cot. She stretched and yawned, then dug into her footlocker. "Yes, I saw it."
"I doubt that the Wookiees placed it there —"
"It was on the forest floor," Anna interrupted tiredly, tying her robe. Bastila hurried to get dressed.
"This is important. Now that everyone is awake we should —"
"We'll talk over breakfast," Anna said firmly. "No sooner." Anna left the others getting dressed and stumbled into the main hold, passing HK-47 on one of his routine patrols.
"Query: Master, you look ill. Are you —"
"I'm fine, HK." She poured herself some caffa and dropped down at the table with a moan, rubbing her forehead. "Would you go and check the Sith feeds and see if anything new has been flagged overnight?"
"Statement: Yes, master. Right away, master. This is a good function for an assassin droid, master."
Anna waved him off and sipped her caffa, letting her eyes close to slits. The forest floor. They were old enough, the maps, to possibly outdate the enormous trees that coated Kashyyyk . . . and it was far from impossible to have placed it even if they weren't.
But it wasn't like that cleared it up or anything. Kashyyyk was enormous — the likelihood of finding the Star Map on a full planet was highly unlikely. It had been luck — or Bastila and Juhani would say the Force — that it had been such a fairly short hike from Anchorhead. The likelihood of this map being as close was exponentially low.
They would need to find someone — likely another Wookiee — highly familiar with the forest floor. She didn't think the Wookiees would have any interest or knowledge in the Star Maps, so what was she even going to ask about? Hi, I'm here on urgent Jedi business, I need you to tell me if you've found any weird three-armed black thinggys down on the forest floor. She didn't suspect that would go over very well with the locals.
Carth was the first to make his way in, pulling something to eat out of the synthesizer and sitting down next to her. "Not eating?"
Anna shook her head. "Not hungry."
He nodded as Canderous strolled in, humming what she thought may have been a Mandalorian battle song under his breath. Anna scowled, holding her mug closer. Of all people on the ship, the Mandalorian had to like mornings.
Everyone else trickled in slowly. Bastila bounded in, never as exhausted as Anna was after one of the dreams, promptly settling in her spot and doing her best to collect everyone else. As the crew settled in their spots, Bastila cleared her throat.
"We've seen the Star Map again," she started. "This one appeared to be on the forest floor." Anna grunted in agreement when they glanced over at her for confirmation.
"Statement. Master, there is nothing new on the datafeeds." HK's heavy footfalls announced his reappearance, and Anna waved her hand tiredly.
"Thanks, HK." She took another drink and looked up at Zaalbar. "What can you tell us about the forest floor?"
He seemed taken aback by being asked, but nodded. "The Shadowlands are extremely dangerous. They are hallowed by my people and used as testing grounds." Mission translated for him.
Carth sighed. "We always go to the best places."
Anna grinned.
"And apparently," she continued, tracing the rim of her mug with a finger. "Czerka has some questionable activities on the planet. Zaalbar says we likely won't be welcome. So, Bastila, Juhani, if the rumors of Sith involvement with Czerka Corp are true, then we can't rely on our authority here. I'm thinking that I'll take Zaalbar, Mission, and Carth into the Czerka outpost when we land." HK started to interrupt. "Yes, yes, you can come. We'll find out what we can from the Czerka office and come back to figure out the rest of the plan. Zaalbar, do you have any ideas about where the Map might be?"
He shook his head. "No. But the Shadowlands is a large place. Before I left, there were rumors of such a thing, but very few had stumbled across it. I couldn't begin to tell you where it was."
Anna sighed. Of course they wouldn't get that lucky twice. "All right. How long before we land?"
"Mm . . ." Carth glanced back at the cockpit. "Four hours."
"Great." She rubbed the side of her face, then stood. "I'll be in the garage."
The scent of decaying plant matter still hung too heavily in her nostrils.
#
The stench of decay had lessened by the time they landed; Mission bounded out the ramp first, interested in seeing the homeworld of her best friend, with Anna, Carth, and HK close behind. The droid's weapon was the only one out, rifle cradled in his arm as usual, though Carth and Anna's hands sat protectively on their own weaponry. Zaalbar was the last off the ship, movements nervous and agitated.
At first, no one really approached them until an Ithorian, looking out of place in his bright Czerka uniform, walked up with a datapad in hand.
"Greetings to you and, while I am pleased to welcome you to planet G5-623, I do not see your ship on my docking schedule."
Zaalbar made a quiet rumbling, disgruntled sounding noise.
"The Czerka Corporation will see to your needs, of course, but there will be a 100 credit docking fee. In advance, I fear."
Anna's lip twitched irritably. She didn't know if it was the Force or not, but something on this planet felt . . . wrong. Like something unnatural had altered the life-force of the entire world. She pursed her lips, hoping to stop the twitch. "I was under the impression that the proper name of this planet was Kashyyyk."
The Ithorian's eyes flickered to Zaalbar, still standing shadowed by the ship. "That is what the . . . dominant indigenous species calls this world, but maintaining this outpost grants Czerka Corporation naming rights in the trade guides." It was not a question he seemed used to answering. "But I'm sorry. I really must insist that docking fees be paid before I impart any further services. I must follow proper procedure."
"Sure would have been nice if the Jedi'd given you a pass or something," Carth murmured, breath hot against her ear. "These docking fees are hitting us hard."
"Upon collection of the correct fees I will extend what resources the Czerka corporation can offer. I'm sure you understand."
"I do," Anna said sweetly. "But I don't need to pay the docking fee." The ease with which she drew up the Force to color her words disturbed her for a second, but the effect of it was almost instantaneous. The Ithorian's eyes glassed for a second before he blinked.
"Perhaps you don't need to pay the fee," he said thoughtfully. "Any services you need will more than make up for it, I'm sure."
"As am I."
"Nice," Carth hissed.
"I see you have a Wookiee with you. Can I assume you understand their language? For a fee, Czer—"
"I'll be fine," Anna interrupted. Anything Czerka "could do" would be "for a fee."
"Very well. Now, then, please follow me to our information center. I will answer any further questions there." Anna gave a curt nod, and the Ithorian set off at his slow, loping pace down the walkway.
Anna made sure to keep up with him, and only paused once to trade pleasantries with the hunter that had helped them on Tatooine and a merchant along the way. Mission was busy looking around, wide-eyed, taking in everything she could. Zaalbar marched along with his head down, fringe of hair nearly hiding his eyes. HK was on full alert, and Carth focused instead on the people on the pathway. Nearly all wore Czerka colors — if the Sith were fronting Czerka, or Czerka was involved with the Sith in some way and they needed to get out quickly, then it would be a tough fight through the outpost.
The Ithorian led them into an uncomfortable looking office, lowering his bulk into a chair on the other side of a low, silvery desk. "Now," he continued. "How can Czerka Corporation serve you during your visit to Edean?" Not even an offer to sit, or question about their business on the planet. Anna took one of the chairs in front of the desk anyway, HK moving to stand behind her like any other droid bodyguard. She nodded Carth to the other one, as Mission poked around the room just outside the wide door to the office.
"Tell me about this planet," Anna began. "You called it G5-6233 before."
"That is the numerical designation. As I said, the galactic Basic name is Edean as decided by stockholders. As you are accompanied by a native of this world, however, I assume you know of it already."
A brief flicker of irritation flashed across her face but, contrary to some other confrontations they'd had before, she kept it from showing too much.
"I've been away for a long time," Zaalbar murmured from the archway.
"You let it speak for you?" The Ithorian sound surprised.
"I don't see why he shouldn't," Anna retorted. "Seeing as how he has a mind."
"You allow it more liberties than most of our customers."
Anna's hands fisted in the front of her robe. "Ah," she said quietly. "I believe I understand."
Carth glanced at her. She cleared her throat and motioned around the room, and he saw it as well. Bindings, weapons . . . this was a slaving operation, as clearly as those Gamorreans in the sewers on Taris.
Of course it was. Zaalbar growled behind her, the tone definitely threatening and harsh.
"Your current Wookiee seems displeased with the situation, but I fail to see a concern. You appear to be a satisfied customer."
"I am not one of your 'customers,'" she said, nearly spitting the word out. "Zaalbar is a friend. He travels with me because of a life-debt."
"Ah, a difficult thing to arrange. I commend you for it. So much easier than restraining collars."
The roar - and the threat implied by it - that Zaalbar made was terrifying, and for the briefest second the Ithorian looked terrified.
"I must warn you that you will be blamed for the actions of your Wookiee. Please, call it off."
"Him," Anna corrected, though she stood and took a step towards the angry Wookiee. "And I should let him rip through the lot of you."
Carth blinked. HK's joints whirled.
"Query: Truly, master? It would—"
"Zaalbar . . ." Mission pleaded, a hint of warning in her tone. Anna glanced over the Twi'lek's shoulder, spotting several guards clustering into the doorway with weapons ready.
"I am merely a servant of the corporation! The Wookiee leadership is in agreement! Harvesting is made as delicately as possible! Please it isn't my decision! It's an acceptable practice, I assure you."
Anna glared over her shoulder, one hand on a lightsaber and the other gripping into Zaalbar's fur. "Z, I need you to listen to me." She looked back to the worker. "Tell me about the operation."
"We supply arms in exchange for a supply of healthy Wookiees." Anna's hand tensed on Zaalbar's arm when she felt the muscles bunch underneath his fur. If he got particularly flustered it'd be almost impossible to restrain him, but she could possibly stun him long enough with the Force to get him back to the ship — though that would show her hand. "We are kept profitable and an agreeable leader is kept in power. It keeps the process from becoming a constant firefight."
"Yes, possibly because you've never considered what a sapient creature would like, hm?" She retorted harshly. "This leader's name?"
"I believe his name is Chuundar. I don't deal with them directly, thank goodness, far too brutish."
"That was not a name I wanted to hear," Zaalbar said quietly, and to her surprise she felt him relaxing even further. Anna kept her grip on his heavy forearm.
"It sounds as if your thrall has an opinion about our arrangement, but it doesn't matter. Chuundar is unquestioned."
Anna huffed back in her throat and turned back to Zaalbar, her voice lowering. "Zaalbar, I need you to stay calm."
"They're enslaving my people."
"And what good will you do for them if you get yourself killed now?" Zaalbar's tense muscles finally fell lax, and he nodded. "Now stay calm. We'll discuss this on the ship. For now, I need to get as much information out of him as possible."
Zaalbar nodded again, and Anna returned to her seat.
"What other services can you provide?" she asked, as if the previous confrontation had never happened.
About five minutes later, she was waltzing out of Czerka's headquarters, past the guards still standing around the entrance with hardly a second glance. "Best keep your beast on a better lead," one of them snarled, patting his gun suggestively. "Else we might be putting you on one, sweetheart."
Anna drew to a dead halt, Carth nearly running into her. She turned on her heel, pushing past the man's gun and coming within inches of his face.
"I suggest," she said sweetly, murder flashing across her eyes. "That you take your slave-trading, scum-filled slime back to wherever it came from, or you'll be shooting that gun from your mouth."
"Is that a threat, sweetheart?"
"Consider it a promise," she murmured into his ear before wrenching the gun out of his hands, taking in apart in a matter of seconds, and letting the pieces rain to the ground. "Have fun explaining that to your supervisor, shabu Hutt-spawn." She turned back on her heel and stalked towards the Hawk, only stopping briefly to shake out of Carth's hand when he tried to grip her arm.
"What the hell are you doing?" He hissed, getting a firmer grip on her robe and pulling her in so the Czerka workers staring at them couldn't hear what he was saying. "I thought you weren't trying to attract attention."
"They'll find us out soon enough," she snapped back. "It doesn't matter anyway. We have to go to the Shadowlands and the only individuals who'll allow us to do so are the Wookiees."
"You didn't have to get every Czerka soldier on high alert."
"They're slavers." She jerked back out of his hand and started towards the ship at full speed, heavy over-robe sweeping behind her with her pace. "It's not like it matters."