Chapter 37: Dantooine: Questions and the Forgetting of Answers

~Carth~

As we exited the ruins I refused to go any further, I folded up my arms and looked at the two Jedi before me. I looked at Phoenix. "How could you string me along like that?"

"String you along?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Phoenix. You pretend to be open and honest with me, but when push comes to shove, you're just another secretive Jedi."

"Carth….please….I haven't strung you along. I've been honest as I could. Maybe I could have been a bit more open but…I am under assignment from the Council. You're a Republic soldier. You being a military man should know above all else that some assignments are not supposed to be talked about."

"Well I know…enough. So spill it, visions, Revan, Malak and a bond with Bastila. For one thing, I want to know what the Jedi Council has said to you. They pulled you into their meetings and refused to tell me a thing about it."

Bastila quickly interjected, "That is none of your concern, Carth, and you would do well to leave the matter be."

I said firmly, "I respect you, Bastila, but you've been as close-mouthed as the rest of the Council. If you won't talk to me, then maybe Phoenix will."

Phoenix sighed, "Carth, there is a bond between me and Bastila. I don't expect you to under…."

"A bond? What kind of bond? You mean to say that they told you you were "tied" to Bastila in some way? Heh, I have trouble believing that. All I see is that you're a neophyte padawan who's been saddled with the responsibility of finding what's in the ruins and the Star Map that was found there, and let me guess the Council is probably going to send you off to find more of these Star Maps. Why? That's not normal! I'm not trying to provoke you or imply that you're somehow responsible for the Jedi Council… but give me a hand, here! There has to be a reason!"

"Bastila and I have a bond. We are linked together and…." Phoenix sighed, "We must do this together."

I frowned, "And what does that mean? Is this more of that destiny garbage that the Jedi keep talking about? Well, that can't be it! I'll tell you this much… I am not going to wait around until I'm betrayed again!

Phoenix groaned, "Carth….we've been down this road before. I am not going to betray you. I am not Saul."

I remembered my conversation with Admiral Dodonna, Phoenix had been treated by the Jedi, and she had had amnesia. There was some possibility she wasn't who she was suppose to be. There was a Phoenix Naberrie on Naboo somewhere. If Phoenix Naberrie was Phoenix Star, then who was this woman?

"Well we'll just see about that, won't we?"

Phoenix looked hurt, her eyes betrayed pain. I flinched, I had hurt her. Despite everything, this woman...she loved me. She had given me her heart, and I had given her mine. Damn it, why couldn't I trust Phoenix? Get over it, Carth. She loves you. You love her. Stop seeing shadows from her. She helped rescue Bastila. She helped us all escape from Taris and even though she may be touched in the head, she wants to stop Malak. Regardless of whatever facts the Admiral came up with, Phoenix was….well Phoenix. I sighed. "Look, I didn't mean it that way. I want to get to Saul, not… no… no, forget it. It seems all I can do is insult you, isn't it? Just forget I said anything."

Phoenix looked up at me, "I am sick of listening to this. I thought we were past this kind of thing, but apparently we're not. Just shut up or leave! Or better yet, I'll leave." She raised her hand up, apparently calling upon the Force and bolted off.

I sighed; I had stuck my foot in my mouth once again.

Bastila seemed to be looking at me with a knowing look on her face and I said. "Don't tell me I-told-you-so."

Bastila shook her head. "I wasn't, but….I did warn you about pursuing a relationship with her."

I frowned. "Why Bastila? Oh I don't know….it couldn't have to do with Phoenix's amnesia could it? Or the fact there just so happens to be a Phoenix Naberrie on Naboo and that Phoenix Star has relatives on Naboo."

Bastila's eyes betrayed nothing, if she was hiding something, she was very cold and calculating about what she did know. "Carth….I don't know how you found all this out."

"I have my sources, Bastila as I am sure you have yours."

"Look Carth, even knowing this information is dangerous."

"To who? To you? To the Council? To the Republic?"

She sighed. "To Phoenix. Please Carth, if you love her….then you should drop this line of questioning. It will only hurt you and her."

"Hurt me? Hurt her? How?"

Bastila's shoulders slumped and she said firmly. "Carth Onasi….you will cease this line of questioning. You will forget that there is anything remotely off about Phoenix. You will go to her and apologize and…."

Bastila paused a moment and stated."You will do all that is in your power to make it up to her."

My eyes watered, tears stung and my head ached. What was it we were talking about? Of course, we had been talking about Phoenix about how I made her upset. I had wronged her, hadn't I? My shoulders slumped. "I….need to go apologize and make it up to her with all the power that's in me." I went running after her.

I finally managed to catch up to her."Phoenix…."

She turned, "What is it, Republic?"

"I am sorry….please forgive me." I grasped her. Yes, all in my power to make it up to her. I found myself, embracing her and I kissed her.

She gasped after the kiss."Republic? What in the Force? If you want to make it up to me, why didn't you say so?"

She grinned a bit and she said."We are alone after all….that is unless you want to count the random iriaz that's out here."

Yes, make it up to her. I must do all in my power to make it up to her. I grasped for her robe and I untied her Jedi robes. She chuckled. "Aren't we eager…."

She laughed and I found her undoing my clothes as well. "I am sorry…." I muttered. "Please forgive me."

"Of course, Republic I forgive you. I guess I wasn't expecting this kind of thing from you."

I smiled and as we ended up in the grass and I pressed my body into hers. She moaned. "Oh….Carth…..yes….oh….stars…."

I groaned. "Must….make it…up….to…you….all in…my…power…." I pressed even harder into her and she moaned in obvious pleasure.

She laughed suddenly and proceeded to, kiss, and lightly bite at my neck. "Oh….this…more…than covers it."

~Bastila~

Force forgive me, what had I done? I had made Carth go frantically off to pursue, Phoenix. This was madness, to force Carth to lustfully go after her in a forbidden relationship. Yet, I knew for the compulsion to take, I had to push on already existing emotions that Carth already had for her. I felt Phoenix and Carth making love to each other. I sighed; well I did compel Carth, to do everything in his power to make it up to her. Carth would forget about anything that he had learned about Phoenix and the only thing that would matter would be the mad desire to make love to her. I could not let the Republic, through Carth, find out anymore than they already had about Revan.

Carth mentioned he had sources, apparently he had told his superiors about Phoenix. This was getting dangerous. I needed to talk to the Council. Well minus what I had done, of course. I felt sick inside, but I was convinced that I had done the right thing. I was sure of it. Carth would no longer question about Phoenix's past and we could go hunting after the Star Maps without having the Republic looking over our shoulder and trying to claim Revan for war crimes. Well, I'd have to fix that, maybe have T3 short out the long range comm system in the Hawk, There would be no more communiqués from whatever sources Carth was getting his information from. I slowly went back to the Enclave…..when I heard a scream. It sounded like Phoenix.

I cringed and reached out more with the bond towards Phoenix. Dead body….there was a dead body…..

~Phoenix~

I sighed in Carth's arms. "Wow, Republic….you really know how to make a woman feel better after she's mad."

Carth groaned a bit. "That was….an understatement Phoenix. I don't know what happened I just felt like I needed to….well make crazy love to you in order to make up for everything I said."

I chuckled. "Well if that's all it takes….I'll have to get angry at you more often."

~Carth~

Phoenix lightly kissed my chest.

I sighed. "I, ahhh... I'm not very good at this. I... I know I owe you an apology. Uh, more than one, probably. I was just so desperate to finally face Saul directly in the battle over Taris, and I know this mission you're working on is important, it's just... I feel a bit useless. I can fight, sure, but I'm no Jedi... all this feels completely out of my league."

She smiled softly, "You already apologized you hairless wookiee, but I'll take it. Maybe if you pull yourself together you won't be so useless."

I sighed, "You don't exactly pull any punches, do you? Not that I don't deserve it, I suppose. I just hate not knowing what's going on and feeling this... helpless. But I shouldn't have taken that out on you. I've been a royal pain in the backside, haven't I?"

Phoenix laughed a bit and then leaned her head into my chest. "You sure have."

I stroked her black hair and I smirked. "Ha! Well... I guess I should be at least a little pleased that I haven't lost my touch."

Phoenix giggled lightly. "Lost your touch? Nope. I think making love to me proves you haven't."

I traced my fingers down her body. "So... I'm sorry. Will you accept my apology?

"Geeze, Republic how many times are you going to apologize? I told you I forgive you, but you do need to promise you'll work with me."

I got up from the grass and started to dress, "Done! Let's get underway, then, shall we... partner?"

~Phoenix~

I smiled as I got up and started to dress, I frowned; a few feet away was a dead body, it's cold dead eyes staring right at me. I suddenly screamed.

Carth ran over to me, "What is it, love?"

"D….d….dead….body…."

I watched as Carth went over to investigate the dead body. I was barely dressed when; Bastila came running up on the scene. "Phoenix….are you all right?"

I shook my head negatively. "I wouldn't have normally screamed but….umm….it was staring at me. That kind of thing kind of….gives me the creeps."

Bastila nodded and along with Carth, she also began to investigate the body. She sighed as she held up a data pad, "Its Casus Sandral…"

~0o0~

A/n Short chapter, I know….but….my computer is giving me fits and I want to post this before….I lose the whole thing I typed out and worked on. Darn Blue Screens of Death…. Bad Windows bad….

Oh and Bad Bastila….bad…tsk….tsk…tsk…