Chapter 29 – Decency and Decadence


[Author's Note: It seems I can't resist a bit of Austenish alliteration. This chapter flowed without too much difficulty (thank you Eleneri for the nudging!) and I'm hoping that without the spectre of combat hovering over my shoulder, I'll be able to update more frequently. But who knows? As always, I love reviews! ^.^


Risha grinned up at Bowdaar, but agreement came from a different direction. "You're quite right," said the blonde woman who approached them. "I wish this hadn't ended in violence, but it was brave of you to intervene."

Turning toward the woman as she joined them, Vacy straightened up a bit and her scowl eased into guarded curiosity. "Well… yeah," she replied, pulling her shoulders back and lifting her chin. "I mean, we're heroes. They were obviously out of their league."

The Jedi bowed her head, accepting the statement without voicing agreement this time. "I appreciate it all the same. My name is Nariel Pridence. I'm looking for Vaverone Zare, an agent of evil and servant of the Sith Empire!" As she spoke, her placid tone became more and more fervent and her eyes snapped. She hesitated, and when she continued, her tone was calm once more. "Have you seen her?"

Vacy put her hands on her hips, looking at Nariel with an expression of incredulity. "Have you heard yourself?" She shook her head, chuckling. "You Jedi might know some crazy juju, but your interpersonal skills are seriously lacking."

Corso cleared his throat and frowned at the captain a bit, and when she glanced at him, he shook his head ever so slightly.

With a sigh of resignation, Vacy turned back to Nariel. "Vaverone Zare? Uhhh… Don't think I've heard of her. Why, should I?" A bit of a twinkle returned to her eyes. "Does she owe me money?"

The Jedi was silent for a moment, her mouth pulled into a thin pucker of disapproval. But it didn't take long for her to force a prim smile. "I'm not sure we mean the same person; Zare is a being of vast darkness and a grave threat to the galaxy. I hear she's taken an interest in the local underworld, so I came to observe these criminals and gain information."

"Seriously?" Vacy scoffed. "What in blazes does a powerful Sith care about gangs on this east-buttcrack planet? Are you sure you're not supposed to be on Coruscant or Alderaan or somewhere else that everybody talks funny?" She shook her head, grinning broadly. "You ought to leave the shady dealing to folks that know how to do it right." And when she looked over her shoulder at her crew, she saw the gleam of pride in their eyes.

Nariel, however, merely sniffed. "Thank you, but I cannot put you in harm's way. I sense you're destined for greater things than consorting with common criminals."

But while it might technically have been able to pass for a compliment, her patronizing smile made Vacy grind her teeth. She folded her arms, glaring at the Jedi. "Lady, I only consort with the most uncommon of criminals."

That seemed to take some of the puffery out of the Jedi, and she took a hesitant step back. "Yes, well, I – I must continue my search for Vaverone Zare." She dipped her head again, well-mannered despite her obvious discomfort. "May the Force be with you." And with that, she turned and left, attempting to maintain what little of her dignity remained.

Risha chuckled softly as they watched the Jedi walk stiffly away. "I've heard that most Jedi have a stick up their rear end, but I think Her Ladyship there has got a whole fence post shoved… sorry, Mouse…" Risha grinned, looking not the least bit ashamed. "Forgot about your delicate sensibilities."

"I'm not delicate," Corso grumbled, scowling down at his toes. "Way you talk, anybody'd think the captain oughta invest in smelling salts."

Sighing, Risha walked over to Corso and patted him on the shoulder. "Aw, no, don't take it like that… we all know you're a big strong fellow. Right, Boss?"

Vacy peered at Risha suspiciously. "… Sure," she said, sounding anything but.

"In fact," continued Risha, without even pausing to listen to what Vacy's reply actually was, "there's a lovely young thing who just walked in and she certainly seems to have noticed what a big strong fellow you are."

"What?" gulped Corso.

"What?" growled Bowdaar.

"What?!" gasped Vacy.

Three heads turned sharply to look in the direction Risha had indicated, and sure enough, there was a curvaceous, dusky-skinned woman standing near the entrance, looking about somewhat uncertainly. She was wearing enough to be decent, but not nearly enough to be prudent. And it seemed that they weren't the only ones who'd noticed her.

"Looks like she could use some gentlemanly assistance," mused Risha. And without warning, she gave Corso a friendly shove that sent him stumbling in that direction.

"Well – I – uh – Captain?" Corso stammered, but at an abrupt, split-second glare from Risha, his tone changed. He straightened, and nodded briefly. "Oh! Right. Ah. Of course. I'll… catch up to you later."

A mischievous smile blossomed on the mechanic's face. "Sure thing, Mouse. We'll just be talking to Tookreek anyway. Awfully boring. You take your time." And she sauntered back over to the bartender without so much as a glance at her stunned crewmates.