CHAPTER 41 - To defeat a Sith-witch Part 2/2
Alana sat in a chair in the lobby of the Grand Protector's Guild Hall, waiting for Master Mundi to finish up whatever negotiations he was conducting with the Rodian leaders so she could speak to him. Not that she was particularly looking forward to that conversation. While Alana's mission had been a complete and utter disaster Master Mundi and the clones had accomplished theirs perfectly - Iskaayuma was free, the hostages were free and mostly unscathed. The only downside was that they hadn't managed to capture Gunray - he'd slipped away during the chaos. Still, Iskaayuma was free and the people were safe and that's all that mattered. Captain Twos had relayed all that to them when they met up with him at the edge of the jungle, he'd also said that it was important that Alana meet with him as soon as possible- the Jedi didn't protest and here she was. Alana cast a glance to her side to see Jayden standing a bit off to her side wearing his full armour and leaning against the wall, they'd stopped by the apartment on their way here so both Jayden and Alana had their regular clothes in their possession, but Alana had refrained from changing just yet. She knew she needed medical attention, but this took priority, however that shouldn't stop the others from going on ahead seeing as how the airspace was clear now. TK had already left to prep the ship. Alana sighed as she looked at Jayden:
-I thought I told you to go on ahead.
-And I told you that I'm waiting for you.
-That's a waste of time.
-And arguing with me isn't?
-Not if the conclusion of the argument is productive.
-Which it won't be.
-And what makes you so sure?
-Come on, princess, how many times have we argued like this? You should know you can't persuade me that easily. We're both too stubborn.
-Even so you should get some medical attention. Holding off Ventress is no small feat and you certainly took a beating.
-Look who's talking.
-Are you ever going to listen to me?
-In this case? Never.
-Ugh, you're impossible.
-I though we established that a while ago, your highness.
-Just shut up, hunter.
Alana sighed and leaned back in her chair, trying to mentally prepare herself for the conversation to come. She'd be lucky if she got off with a scolding or a suspension, however the possibility of her getting kicked out was still there. She'd gone against the Master's orders before and here she was having failed them - this mission was not off to a good start. The guilt and the pain inside her burned brighter than ever, threatening to spill over the surface in the form of tears, but Alana denied them that freedom - if she needed to cry she would when she was alone. Did she pity herself? Perhaps she had once to a degree, but she wouldn't do that now. There was no point. It was just a waste of emotions and there were people who had gone through so much worse than she had - they deserved her compassion more than anyone else. She wouldn't be selfish. Alana had long admitted to herself that what she had done was wrong and she hated herself for giving in to the darkness, for breaking under it's weight - if she was honest Alana knew she did not deserve the name Jedi. She had failed them all. Alana felt the coils of despair slowly wind around her and begin to tighten, dragging her down towards the acknowledgment of total defeat. She was broken out of her trance by Jayden's voice:
-So?
Alana raised her head and looked at the spot where Jayden's eyes should be behind the mask only to see him suddenly take it off:
-What?
She hated how weak and broken her voice sounded. Jayden sighed:
-Do I really have to spell it out for you? I can sense your emotions and they're not positive.
-I don't really have much to be happy about. If you're worried about me snapping again don't be, I won't snap that easily again.
-I know that, but what I worry about is your mental state. Alana, you're teetering on the edge of depression.
-Don't be an idiot, I'm fine.
Jayden was silent for a minute, leading Alana to believe he had dropped the subject before he spoke again:
-You know the average human tells 100 lies a day and the most common one is "I'm fine". Alana, you can lie to everyone else in the world, but you can't lie to yourself. You know that.
The Jedi placed her head in her hands bracing them by putting her elbows on her knees:
-Then what do you want me to say, Jayden? That I want to break down crying because I'm in pain from what I've done, that I hate myself because I let down everyone who believed in me, that I'm a total failure, that I'm not worthy of the name Jedi? Just what am I supposed to tell you? What else can I tell you except "I'm fine"?!
Jayden just stood there mutely, trying to process her words and the sounds behind them. Alana suddenly stood up and whispered, her voice filled with emotional pain and grief, she didn't even notice her physical pain:
-Because yes, I do think all that. I know that I'm a failure, that I'm weak, that I'm not fit to be a Jedi. I don't need anyone else to tell me that, because I know. You probably think I'm just being melodramatic right now, but I just-
Alana didn't get to finish her sentence when she suddenly found herself in a hug. There were so many things she could say to make him move away, to hide her pain behind a smile, to stop her true self from being seen, but she just didn't have the strength to do that. She was done. She wasn't emotionless and though she could keep a good grip on her emotions when needed to, but she just couldn't do it right now. Jayden's words were quiet, but firm:
-It's alright to be weak. It's alright to be afraid. It's alright to cry. Crying doesn't indicate that you're weak, since birth it's always been a sign that you're alive. So don't bottle everything up inside. Listen, I've stuck with you this long and I've seen some crazy stuff - what kind of Mandolorian or even man would I be if I ran for the hills when I saw you cry? I know this sounds kind of cliche, but I'm here for you - I told you we're partners and if that means doubling back to help the other person out then it's alright. You're not alone, Alana, TK and I are here for you.
Alana didn't even realise she was crying until she was. She sighed: just this once, she would let herself be weak in front of him. Just until she had the energy to be strong again. Alana closed her eyes and leant her head in his armoured shoulder, letting herself cry for once. Jayden gave a small sad smile before closing his eyes- she was really to stubborn for her own good. Alana was a strong person, but she pushed herself too far trying to not rely on anyone. Trust wasn't an easy thing to earn, but he'd do it - just like she was slowly but surely earning his. It took a few minutes, but when Alana was finally sure that her tears had run dry she pulled away and earased all the tear tracks from her face. She couldn't look him in the face when she spoke:
-Thank you.
-Not a problem. Do you feel better?
Alana's lips tugged up into a tiny sincere smile:
-Yeah, I'm back to normal.
-Good and just in time it seems.
Alana turned around to see the door to the room where she was supposed to meet Master Ki-Adi Mundi slide open and a tree of Rodians step out. Jayden gave her a subtle push after he put his mask back on and Alana nodded. She flashed him a small smile:
-Wish me luck.
-I though Jedi didn't believe in luck.
-Believe me, for this conversation I'm going to need all the luck, blessings, support, whatever I can get.
Jayden laughed:
-Alright then. Good luck, your majesty.
-May the Force be with you, hunter.
==SW: LB==
-So let me make sure I understood you correctly, padawan. You gave Ventress what she wanted - an artefact of unknown power, she killed the youngling, you engaged her in combat, but lost before your partner showed up and somehow managed to stall her long enough for your droid to be able to create a distraction and draw her away?
Alana shrugged as she looked down at her clasped hands on her lap:
-I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's what happened. I'm sorry.
The Jedi Master sighed as he looked over at the teenage girl sitting across from him on the other side of the desk. She looked battered and beaten so he had no doubt the part about her engaging Ventress was true, but there was something unbelievable about the rest of the story and there was a a shadow hanging over the girl's presence in the Force. He also could not deny that she had acted completely irresponsibly with handing over the artefact to Ventress, especially since they didn't know what kind of damage it could cause. Ki-Adi Mundi pinched the bridge of his nose:
-Padawan, why exactly did you not hand the artefact over to a Jedi Master? Or to myself?
Alana looked up with a firm look in her dark blue eyes:
-I could not and still cannot.
-Why?
-Because I was advised against it and I am inclined to follow that advice.
-Who gave you that advice?
-The same person who told me that the artefact existed in the first place.
-And that is?
-A letter left behind by a Force-sensitive who was granted a vision many thousand years into the future to see my friends and I crash-land on Duro and to see me wander in to the Sith Temple.
-You found it in a Sith Temple?!
-Yes.
-Then you just handed an artefact of the Dark Side over to a woman who uses it! Do you know what you've done?!
Alana sighed:
-Acted irresponsibly and created a great problem?
-And a grave threat! If that artefact feels as powerful as you say it does then the Republic is facing a serious threat. Things like Force-sensitive artefacts are not always as they appear. What in the universe possessed you to hand it over to Ventress?!
Alana frowned and stood up from her seat:
-It was my only chance to save the youngling.
-The life of one youngling is nothing when weighed against thousands of innocent lives! You got attached!
-I did not get attached, Master! I was doing what felt right!
-You were going against our code!
-I was following my convictions. I wasn't about to let an innocent child die before my eyes when I could save her!
-Even if that meant dooming hundreds?
-There was and is no guarantee that it will work for Ventress.
-That is beside the point, young one! I told the Council you were not ready for a solo assignment.
-I am not alone.
-Yes and that worries me even more. Your friend seems to think little of the Jedi and their customs.
-He's a Mandolorian, what do you expect? We nearly wiped out their entire race a couple thousand years ago!
-That was necessary.
-I am not arguing with you on that. That was a period of war and so is now. Hard choices have to be made.
-Yes, but not ones that condemn hundreds.
-Like I said there is no guarantee that it will work for Ventress or her Master! That artefact is different! It has a connection to me, I can sense things from it occasionally- snatched of emotions or a word or two.
Master Mundi too stood up and started pacing:
-That is even worse. It's a much more powerful artefact if it is imbued with a conscious Force presence. And since it's an artefact of the Dark Side I have no doubt it will choose Ventress soon enough.
Alana could barely refrain from rolling her eyes - why did the Jedi mAsters always assume this?! Dark side - bad, light side- good?! It was stupid. Weren't they supposed to be Jedi MASTERS for crying out loud?! Why was their field of view so narrow?! A quiet voice in the back of her mind suggested that maybe they knew better, before Alana told it to shut up. Alana forced herself to adopt an impassive expression before speaking again:
-Master, with all due respect, that artefact is not of the Dark Side or of the Light.
-Then what is it?
-It's neutral.
-There is no such thing.
-Really? Then what about the colour grey? It's between black and white, right?
-Padawan, we are not discussing the colour spectrum right now.
Alana sighed:
-Master, I can admit that I acted rashly and irresponsibly and I apologise for that, however I will not apologise for trying to defend a helpless child. I underestimated Ventress yes and that is why I lost. I can do no more than say this.
-Padawan, you are missing the point! There is a Dark Side user with an ancient powerful artefact on the loose and it is because you got attached. We are doomed.
The voice that Ki-Adi Mundi heard next was both Alana's and not:
-No, you are not. The artefact does not belong to the woman cloaked in darkness so it has returned to the one it does belong to.
The Jedi Master turned around to see the padawan standing there blinking in confusion:
-Huh? What was I saying?
-Padawan, what was that?
-What was what?
-What you just said?
-I asked what I had been saying before I zoned out?
Ki-Adi Mundi frowned - this was highly unusual and coupled with that strong disturbance in the Force when the padawan's voice had changed... the Jedi Master's thoughts were interrupted a moment later when the girl exclaimed:
-Master, look!
The Jedi Master looked up to see the girl holding out something on her palm. He found himself speechless when he recognised it as the artefact the girl had described. Ki-Adi had seen many things in his life before, but never something like this. He raised an eyebrow:
-Padawan, where did you find it?
-It was clipped to my ear again.
-Again?
-Ah, yes. Um, this artefact can kind of move around occasionally. I have no idea how it does that. It changes colours too. It's a weird one.
Alana looked down at the artefact in her palm and smiled as she felt a small spark of happiness emanate from the artefact when she wrapped her fingers around it. She was glad to have it back too. Master Mundi sighed and sank back down in his chair:
-Padawan, you are something else entirely. It seems that one problem has solved itself.
-Indeed it has. Master, what now?
-Now? Now, you understand your mistakes and never repeat them again. I will report the conclusion of both missions to the High Jedi Council and you should be on your way.
Alana's eyes widened:
-Master, are you serious?
-I never joke, young one. Go. I feel only the Force and experience can truly teach you what you need to know.
-You are being awfully lenient this time,Master.
-Are you complaining?
-No.
Ki-Adi Mundi shook his head and gave a tired sigh:
-Go, padawan. And may the Force be with you in your journey.
-You too, Master Mundi.
Alana gave a small bow and limped out of the room. She was in the doorway when she heard the Cerean Master call out to her:
-Sheelan?
-Yes, Master?
-Get yourself to a bacta tank on the Vindicator- you need it. There's far too many wounded her, but there should be one or two empty ones on the Vindicator.
Alana turned around and gave the exhausted Jedi Master a small kind smile, one that he had never seen on her face before:
-Thank you, Master Mundi. Farewell.
==SW: LB==
Alana closed her eyes as she leaned back in the seat of the shuttle that was carrying them upwards through Rodia's atmosphere and towards the Vindicator. She was feeling slightly lightheaded and very tired - Alana attributed both too large amounts of blood loss. As much as she hated medbays, Alana couldn't wait to let the kolto or bacta slowly heal up all of her wounds and she just couldn't wait to go to sleep in her own warm bed in the crew quarters aboard the Storm. She had failed on Rodia and she knew it would take time for the ache in her chest and for the self-loathing to go away, but she wouldn't give up just yet. There was still quite a way to go and if she learned from her mistakes this time she hopefully would never repeat them again. Alana opened her eyes when she heard Jayden mutter:
-I never want to go back here again.
Alana nodded in agreement- this planet was not one she wanted to return to. If she had two describe Rodia using onto two words she'd use the words "beautiful" and "deadly". It was a tropical planet, but it was anything but a paradise. Alana shuddered at the memory of the Karstag and the Svaper - nope, she did not want to come back here again. That and she would always be reminded of how she failed Kii. They had told the local officials where to find the bodies of their own and the neighbors of the Thanakions had promised to arrange a proper funeral for them. Still, even with athat a weight lay on Alana's heart whenever she thought of the little child. She'd broken her promise to her. Unexpectedly, Alana felt something warm and gentle rush through the Force and envelop her. Stunned, Alana looked around to see a small almost transparent shape of a little Rodian girl standing at the doorway of the shuttle, a little girl Alana recognised as Kii. The transparent Kii bowed her head in a sign of gratitude and smiled one of her cute smiles. One of Alana's hands flew up to her mouth, she was trembling horribly. Was she really seeing this? She knew that with the Force many things were possible, but this seemed to be almost unreal - like something out of a holonovel. As if reading her thoughts the transparent Kii shook her head and smiled brighter, and holding out her hand as if to prove she was real. Kii's little mouth moved to form the words "Thank you" and Alana shook her head, her eyes rimming with unshed tears. She hadn't done anything worthy of gratitude, she had failed her. The transparent Kii sighed and made her way over to Alana before trying to take Alana's hands in her own tiny transparent ones which of course failed, but Alana understood. Her mouth formed an "o" and she let her hand drop from her mouth, Alana nodded and smiled, blinking away the tears as a consequence making them slide down her cheeks like raindrops. It must have looked like a bizarre scene to both Jayden and Captain Twos who were riding in the shuttle with her, but Alana didn't care - she finally understood what Kii was trying to say. Kii grinned and took a step back from the Jedi and waved her tiny hand goodbye, Alana waved feebly back, smiling and crying at once. The transparent Kii faded away and the disturbance in the Force settled back into the normal current, the normal flow of things. Alana hastily wiped away the tears from her cheeks and settled back into her seat with a smile on her face, thanking the Force inwardly. The Force responded with a gentle wave of warmth that Alana always received from it. Jayden look at his partner in confusion:
-What's wrong with you?
Alana didn't lose her smile:
-Nothing is wrong with me. I'm just happy.
-Why?
-Because Kii came to say goodbye.
-Are you sure you're ok?
-I'm fine, Jayden. The Force works in mysterious ways.
-If you say so. It's good to see that smile again.
-It's good to be able to smile.
Jayden and the clone Captain exchanged a look from behind their helmets and sighed. Alana shook her head and just continued smiling. She was so happy that she didn't even notice the subtle warnings she was getting through the Force and the way she physically felt.
==SW: LB==
Half a day later, Jayden sat in the cockpit of the Storm double-checking that all systems were a go and that the damage they had sustained when entering the system had been fixed. A moment later the report came up that all was green - they were ready to fly. Jayden frowned, but to where? He'd like to go to Asmeru and try to at least find the trail that the Spectrewolf had surely left behind. He had to eliminate the Spectrewolf and that was that. Still, he'd have to talk it over with TK and Alana.
As if on cue the astromech rolled into the cockpit and gave a cheerful whistle that stated that they were all ready to go. Jayden nodded and pulled up the navigation system to tap in the coordinates of their next destination so that the hyperdrive could take them there. He turned to TK:
-Where's Alana?
TK chirped that she had just gotten out of the bacta tank and had wanted to go to sleep so she'd headed straight to the crew quarters once they'd gotten aboard. As an afterthought the droid also added that she looked strange. Jayden crossed his arms over his chest:
-Strange how?
-Bee-deet-reet.
-Well, of course she's exhausted. Did she say where we should go next?
The droid stated that she had said it was his turn to choose and that they would go wherever he, the idiot captain, needed to. Jayden shook his head, but entered the coordinates for Asmeru in the ship's navicomputer:
-I'm fairly certain she didn't call me the idiot captain.
-Beep. Beep-dree.
-Ah, now that makes much more sense if it was you. Ok then, Asmeru it is.
-Bee-adwoo?
-Yeah, Asmeru is where we're going next.
-Bee-dee?
-Because I need to find and end a certain someone who my contact told me was there and put a hole in the back of their skull.
-Beep.
-Good to know I have your approval, tin can.
Jayden replied as he sat down on the pilot's chair and flipped the switch that detached them from the Vindicator's docking clamp. He heard Commander Arc's voice over the com:
-Sorry, I'm late, sir, but I wanted to wish you and Commander Sheehan a safe journey.
Jayden smiled as he piloted the ship away:
-Don't worry about it, Commander. It was nice to meet you and from the loos of things you'll be busy here for awhile.
The Clone commander gave a short laugh:
-Seems so. You take care of Commander Sheelan. She has great potential.
-That she does. I hope we cross paths again, Commander.
-Me too, sir. Captain Twos told me you were a great help in Iskaayuma.
Jayden flipped a switch to reroute power from the sublight engines to the hyperdrive:
-Eh, I helped out a bit. It was no big deal.
-Really? Apparently the whole plan of attack was your doing. Even General Mundi said so.
-Well, that's high praise. Tell them thank you for me. Good luck with chasing the Seps off Rodia, Commander.
-You too, sir. And one last thing - whether you're the Death's Hand or not what you've done here will not be forgotten.
The channel cut off and Jayden shook his head. That clone commander was a little too perceptive for his own good. Oh, well. Jayden turned to TK:
-Ready to go?
-Beep!
Jayden smiled at his confirmation and pushed forward the lever and a moment later they were launched right into the blue vortex of hyperspace. Jayden's facial expression was determined - he wouldn't let the Spectrewolf disappear again. No way in the universe.
==SW:LB==
Asajj Ventress was not pleased in the least as she sat in her personal starship, fuming. Those insolent brats! They didn't know who they had made an enemy of, they would regret their actions on this day. First she had had a little Jedi brat crawl through her most private memories, then she had gotten shown up and disarmed by another brat and finally she had chased a droid through the treetops of a jungle on Rodia and had taught him with her lightsabers only to have him release them and drop both Ventress and her lightsabers into a swamp. And then she had nearly gotten eaten by some giant swamp creature! And to top it all off those idiotic battle droids had lost Iskaayuma! Ventress clenched her pale hands into fists: they would pay dearly for messing up her day! They better hope she never saw them again!
Ventress took a deep breath and tried to reign in her emotions. Well, at least one good thing had come of this day - she had gotten the artefact and rid the world of another future Jedi brat. Ventress opened the compartment in her ship's wall where she knew she had placed it before she had gone to clean up, but to her shock found it empty. Ventress stared in shock. But how? It was impossible! Unless, the Jedi brat had somehow stolen it. Ventress hit her fist against the controls and shouted to no one in particular:
-Little Jedi, I will kill you!
It would suffice to say Ventress day only got worse when her holoterminal beeped and she saw that there was an incoming call from her Master. She had won the battle, but ultimately more or less lost the war in this case. She officially hated this planet.
==SW: LB==
Jayden rapped his knuckles on the door to the crew quarters twice and called:
-Hey, Alana, wake up. Dinner's ready.
A very exhausted voice answered back:
-Yeah, alright, I'm coming. You go on ahead.
-Uh, alright. Don't worry, TK cooked.
-Uh-huh. That's... good...
Jayden frowned that didn't sound like normal Alana. Was something wrong? Jayden shrugged and headed towards the galley where TK was still buzzing excitedly about managing to make something while the idiot captain had failed. Jayden shot the droid a mild glare, but still sat down at the table. He was a bit worried about Alana and more than a little worried about TK's cooking - he just hoped the droid didn't hate him enough to poison him. Knowing TK, he wouldn't put it past him. The thought made Jayden hesitate and cast a wary glance at the astromech-assassin:
-Hey, you didn't poison this did you?
TK gave an offended beep and stated that he had no need to poison the idiot captain when he could just shoot him. For extra effect he pulled out one of his blasters. A stern, but very exhausted female voice reprimanded the droid:
-TK, no blasters at the dinner table.
Jayden and TK looked towards the doorway to see Alana wearing long loose light blue pants and a light blouse in the same colour - sleepwear. Jayden raised an eyebrow when he saw the way she looked:
-You ok?
Alana have a little shrug and coughed:
-I'm fine. Just tired.
She took another step forward and suddenly fell over. She slowly pushed herself back up and waved off their concern:
-Just a little dizzy. Don't worry about me. I'll just drink some teas and I'll be fine for the night.
Jayden frowned when he noticed the unhealthy glimmer in her eyes, but wrote it off as exhaustion. Alana sat down on her chair and tucked her legs under herself, shivering slightly. She shot TK a small grateful smile when he handed her a cup of Jig tea using his mechanical appendages:
-Thank you.
She took a small sip, hoping that the warm drink would warm her up. Ever since she'd woken up Alana had been feeling like her body was made of lead and that it was deathly cold in addition to being really disoriented and exhausted. She felt weak and well, anything, but her normal self. She felt the warm tea go down her threat, but it didn't feel help. If anything she felt colder. Alana frowned and continued drinking the tea. Once she'd finished the cup she was about to ask for another when suddenly she felt nauseous. Excusing herself, Alana rushed to the refresher. Jayden's concern had only continued to grow. Something was wrong with Alana, but what? The kolto had healed all the wounds and the bacta should have patched up sprains and bruises. The joints would still be a little sore for the next few days, but other than that she should be fine. So why was she acting like this? Was it a girl thing?
Jayden shot to his feet wordlessly when he heard a crash and TK followed him, equally concerned and confused by the behaviour of their only female teammate. He found Alana collapsed on the floor of the common room. Jayden turned her over and frowned when he realised how hot to the touch her body was, he pressed a hand to her forehead and wrapped the other around her wrist to find that she was burning up. Jayden looked at TK, worriedly:
-She's running a really high fever.
-Beep-blip! Dee-ree.
-Sure.
Jayden picked Alana up easily and per TK's orders lay her down on the bed in the ship's Medbay, switching the light's on afterward. He was glad he managed to keep even the rarely used areas of the ship stocked up and clean. TK rolled in after him and ignoring him completely found the instruments he was looking for and drew a blood sample from Alana. Jayden frowned as he watched the droid:
-Why a blood sample?
TK whistled that he would explain later while he should go and get the girl a blanket since she was shivering like crazy or did he not know anything about how to deal with sick people? Jayden didn't even argue with the droid and silently went and brought a blanket and a pillow. When he did what he was told he simply sat down on one of the seats in the Medbay and waited for TK to finish whatever he was doing. A moment later the droid was done and explained that while it was obvious to him that Alana was very sick he couldn't determine what was the cause or what to use to cure her. Jayden shot him a worried look:
-Then what do we do? I don't understand how this even happened the bacta should have fixed everything so it can't be any external injury she sustained. And this isn't anemia, so what's wrong with her?
-Beep-rwoo. Meed-blip-dwwee.
Jayden stood up and sighed:
-I know she needs a medic, but where do we find a decent one? I mean sure there should be a medical droid here and there, but don't you have their knowledge and skill level?
-Beep. Dee-woot.
-Yeah, apart from surgery obviously. So we need a different medic. But where?
TK was silent for a moment before chirping a suggestion that made Jayden's eyes widen in surprise:
-No way. What in the blazes makes you think that there'd be a decent medic on Tatooine of all places in the galaxy?!
TK explained that he'd heard it from one of his contacts on Tatooine and he pointed out that they had only a few options left. According to the navicomputer they would be passing Tatooine soon and after that he knew nothing of doctors on the outer rim. Jayden sighed and looked at Alana's shivering body, before back at TK. A determined look blazed in his green eyes:
-Fine then. I'm going to go reroute our course to Tatooine. Do whatever you can to stabilise Alana in the meantime.
Jayden made his way to the cockpit and the first thing he did was pull them out of hyperspace before pulling up the hyperdrive controls again and changing the coordinates to Tatooine. The computer told him they'd be there in less than half an hour since he'd dropped them out relatively close to the Arkanis sector and not far from the Tatoo system in which Tatooine was the first planet on the orbital position list. Jayden pushed the lever again and sat down on his seat, closing his eyes and running a hand through his dark hair. He'd hoped he'd never have to set foot on that dustball ever again, but he had to do it to save Alana. He hated that planet with a passion, he'd probably call it his most hated world if not for the existence of a world called Orvax IV. Jayden shook his head and sighed:
-It's alright. I'll do this. The past is the past and I'm the one in power in now. Besides I'm Shadow and even if I do have to deal with those slugs they'll think twice before trying to attack me.
Jayden stood up and went back to the Medbay where he found TK interfacing with ship and telling the computer to keep him updated of any changes in Alana's life signs. Jayden looked towards his partner who's breathing was laboured and while her cheeks were flushed with colour she looked pale. He brushed away a longer strand of hair that had spilt onto her face. TK chirped a query and without looking away Jayden nodded:
-Yeah, we're going to Tatooine. We'll be there in half an hour. How is Alana?
TK gave a sad whistle and while he had done all he could to stabilise her it was up to how quickly they found the doctor, she wasn't strong enough to put herself in a healing trance. Jayden sighed and absentmindedly let his hand trail down Alana's arm before he found her hand. It was as cold as ice. Jayden suddenly looked up and turned to TK:
-It should be night on Tatooine now, right?
-Beep.
-I'll go out in the morning tomorrow and ask around Mos Eisely.
-Beep-deet?
-No, I'd rather not show up in Mos Ila. Let's just say there's a gang there that would shoot me on sight.
-Dee-ree!
-I know you could, but that's out of the question right now. I need you to stay behind and look after her. You're the only one with medical knowledge around here.
TK was silent for a moment before chirping a reluctant agreement. Jayden nodded and sighed:
-May the Force be with us. I have a feeling we're all going to need it.
