A/N: Trying to edit/update this while playing ME3MP somewhat intoxicated. Let's see what happens...


48

"Is that it?"

They had gathered in the cockpit as soon as Carth had announced their drop out of lightspeed, waiting for the first glimpse of anything in the sky outside the bridge viewports. They hovered in the air, staring at the white, diamond-shaped factory hung over the system's only star. A bright beam of energy from the star seemed to keep it suspended, likely powering it. Anna nodded. Seeing it didn't make her remember anything in particular, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that that was the Star Forge, that Malak was there, and that this was the end.

"It looks like the Sith symbol," Mission observed.

"How much of the Sith fleet is here?" Anna asked quietly, almost as if she were afraid that their voices would carry through the vacuum.

"Looks like most of it," Carth replied, just as quietly. Anna shook her head.

"The Republic's not going to be able to stand up against those odds."

"We've already sent the message. They're massing, and then en route. We just get to sit and wait."

"And hopefully not be spotted by a fighter," Canderous said. His voice was loud in the otherwise silent room. X'lor cooed nervously and shifted on Anna's lap.

"So what now?" Mission asked.

"We wait," Jolee replied. He seemed surprisingly calm, though his shoulders were set in a stiff line as his eyes tried to count out the number of Sith warships ahead of them. "We—"

"Enemy fighters!" Carth snapped, springing to life. "Looks like we've been spotted!"

Canderous stomped out of the cockpit towards the guns. "Strap in," Anna said, pulling the copilot's harness over her shoulders. They ran back into the main hold.

"Hopefully no one will get a message off, or anything," Carth said, spinning the ship to dodge a blast.

"Malak already knows we're here," Anna replied, reaching for the controls as the ship lurched to the side.

"What did you touch?"

"I didn't touch a damn thing!" she snapped, as the ship lurched again. "What did you touch?"

"Wait—" He glanced at a screen as an alarm blared. "The planet's got a disruptor shield, instruments are jammed and - Anna, I need you to compensate with that stabilizer lever!"

She reached for it as the ship lurched again, pulling it flat. "We're still going!"

"I noticed! I can't compensate — whatever made that field's too strong, we've got a massive cascade failure." He pulled on the controls, trying to keep the ship level. "Open the comm, tell everyone to brace for impact."

Anna glanced over at him, surprised at how calm he was being with the ship about to crash, and reached for the switch. "All right everyone, we're caught in a disrupter field. Brace for impact and try not to scream too much if you wouldn't mind."

Carth bit his lip as he wrestled with the increasingly insane controls, the ship's systems systematically shutting down. The blue sky of the unknown planet loomed around them as they plummeted through the sky. They hit something, and Mission shrieked from the main hold accompanied by a loud trill from T3. Carth managed to straighten out.

"The red lever to your left. Emergency strut deployment."

Anna reached and grabbed it, pulling it down. Something clanged on the bottom of the ship as the struts shot down, just in time for the ship to bounce once then twice on the vast ocean underneath them then skid flat onto the yellowed beach. It banked, then skid, then jerked to a stop and settled.

They sat in the now-dark cockpit as the ship powered down, both Anna and Carth breathing heavily. "You all right?" he asked, reaching across the console. She nodded, brushing his hand with hers.

"You?"

"Fine. Just . . ." He winced as he took his harness off. "We need to check the damage."

She nodded, standing. "X'lor, stay." The gizka cooed unhappily, but settled on her chair as she and Carth ran through the cockpit.

"Everyone all right?" she asked. They were unstrapping, and Jolee waved her off.

"Go on. I'll make sure everyone's all right."

Anna nodded and followed Carth, grabbing her outer robe from the swoop bike where she'd left it. Just because it had a beach didn't mean it'd be warm.

She sprinted down the ramp and found Carth staring up at the base of the ship, chewing on his lip. "Stop that," she chided. "What's wrong?"

"The stabilizers're shot. The disruptor fields must have fried them. I don't even want to know what the hyperdrive looks like."

"Can we replace them? Or synthesize them? A temporary fix until after this is all over?"

"No. We'll need to find replacements."

Anna pursed her lips. "Let me just make one out of thin air, Onasi. I'm sure the Force will just let me pull one out of my ass—"

"I don't need your sass, Revan. There's enough wrecked ships on this world—"

"If you hadn't tried to go after those fighters, we wouldn't have had this problem!"

"I didn't try to go after those fighters! I was trying to avoid them, thank you very much."

"Oh that's not what it looked like from the copilot's seat!"

"It isn't like you were helping!"

"I was doing my best!"

"Yeah and your best wasn't helping, was —"

"Will you two stop?!" Canderous barked, and they turned to glance back at the crew, calmly watching the now-usual display from the ramp.

"How bad is it?" Jolee asked. Anna cleared her throat and glared at Carth.

"Stabilizers look shot," he explained. "Without them I can't control the ship in flight, and it means the hyperdrive is probably shot. There should be enough crashed ships here that we can find a temporary replacement."

"How long before the Republic arrives?"

"Dodonna said they were taking two days to gather the fleet and such," Anna replied. Juhani nodded. "So we have two days to —" She glanced past them, and almost immediately her lightsaber was in hand. Tall humanoids with elongated heads and bobbing, protruding stalk eyes were charging onto the beach, waving long staffs decorated with plants and feathers and screaming a guttural cry.

"Looks like some unhappy natives," Canderous said.

"Looks like," Jolee agreed, igniting his lightsaber. One of the incoming attackers fell, felled by a single shot from HK's rifle. Juhani leapt the distance between herself and the incoming aliens, pirouetting to take out two. Anna met one with a single lightsaber, then sliced through his staff and into his shoulder. Several more were tossed off their feet as Jolee pushed out through the Force, engaging another pole-wielding alien with his other hand.

Carth fired as one came up behind Anna, nearly clubbing her, shooting through one eye and the center of its head. It fell backwards, and Anna flashed him a small smile before engaging the next, moving his arms enough that Canderous had a clear shot at his chest. He took it, ripping through the alien with ease.

When the last fell to a well-placed shot from Zaalbar's bowcaster, Anna knelt down and gently touched one of the bodies. They seemed familiar, almost as if . . .

"We crashed here," she murmured, a frown furrowing her brow before she raised her voice. "Malak and I crashed here. We must have. There is a way off this planet then — we just need to find it."

"How are we going to do that?" Jolee asked. "I'm suspecting you've got one of those crazy schemes up your sleeves?"

"As always," she replied. "Carth, keep Mission, T3 and Zaalbar here to work on the ship. Everyone else, we'll go see if we can't track down the leader of these aliens and see if they know how to get off-world. I suspect the answer lies with them. And we'll need to figure something out about this damn stabilizer thing."

Juhani nodded inland. "During our . . . rather rapid descent-"

"We're lucky we made it in one piece," Carth muttered hotly.

"-I noticed numerous crashed ships. Perhaps the parts are in the wreckage."

"Cathar's right," Canderous agreed. "Place is a graveyard. But finding the parts is just something to do unless we can get that disruptor down."

"We'd just crash again." Carth leaned heavily on the table.

"And the Republic fleet will be on its way here very shortly," Anna said quietly. "If that field is still up when they arrive we'll lose the war. We need that disruptor field down." She paused as a curious thought occurred to her. "The Sith ships weren't having any problems. They must have some type of protection."

"Too bad we don't have time install it in our ships," Carth retorted. "But the disruptor could be coming from anywhere."

T3 chirped, rocking back and forth on his struts. Mission and Anna glanced at him, then each other. "He says there's an energy reading from a stone structure to the east. A big one." He chirped again, ending with a long whir. "Some kind of ancient temple?"

Anna blinked, pressing a hand to her temple. "I . . . I think that's where we need to go," she said, reaching out to stabilize herself on Carth's shirt.

"You all right?" he asked.

"Fine." She straightened. "If that's where the power fluctuations are coming from then that's where we need to go."

"And we still have to help Bastila," Mission added. Anna ducked her head, her eyes closing.

"Bastila has been Malak's prisoner for a long time," Juhani reminded her. "If he has been successful then the Sith will be invincible."

"I'm afraid we may be too late, and anyway, she's probably on the Star Forge," Anna said, brushing sand off her pants. There might still be hope that Bastila hadn't fallen, but Anna suspected that getting to her before Malak broke her was no longer an option. "We need to focus on getting this ship off-world in time to rendezvous with the Republic fleet and getting that disruptor field down before they get here and get slaughtered. Carth, do what you can. We'll look for parts while we're out, all right? Mission, Zaalbar, T3, stay here. Everyone else, with me."

"What do you mean, we might be too late?" Carth asked. She glanced at him, his eyebrows furrowed. Everyone was regarding her with suspicion, and she looked away. Anna had hoped her statement might pass their notice.

"It's irrelevant," she murmured. "We need to focus. Come on." With that, Anna started away to the pass the aliens had emerged from. Carth sighed and looked at Mission.

"I'll need you and T3 to look around here and check the extent of the damage. Z, stay with them and keep an eye out for more of those things. I'll be looking at the hyperdrive. If you see anything—" he pointed at Zaalbar. "—you let me know, all right?"

Zaalbar growled. "He says all right," Mission translated.

"Right." Carth nodded and headed back into the ship, scooping up X'lor from the top of the ramp. "No you don't, little guy. I'm going to put you back in the dorms before Anna has a heart attack because you're gone."

He cooed up at Carth and butted his head against his arm. Carth chuckled and scratched at his nubbly ears.

#

"Think the gizka are native to this world?" Juhani asked as they walked through a winding series of canyons, weapons in hand.

"Doubtful," Jolee said as they began to head downhill, towards what looked like another beach. They'd come across several crashed shuttles, but no ships that would possess compatible stabilizers. "Not with the disruptor field. It'd be impossible for a ship to land and then take off."

"Statement." They fell silent when HK spoke from his position slightly ahead of the group, metal head swiveling back towards Anna. "There are several organic meatbags of the irritated local variety ahead, master. Recommendation: We should be ready for a confrontation."

"We'll wait to see if they want to talk," Anna said quietly as they rounded a corner and stumbled to a stop.

Ahead of them was arrayed a large collection of the local lifeforms, accompanied by several young rancor. "Oh," Juhani said quietly. Canderous clicked something on his gun.

At the sound they dropped into an obviously trained stance, alien to anything they'd seen before with their staffs outheld towards them. HK trained his gun on one alien, and Anna quickly pushed it down. "Hold on." No one was attacking. A single alien stepped forward, hands outheld.

"Hold, interloper."

"This is going no where," Canderous said gruffly, hand tense on his gun. "It's not like we can understand them."

"We are not here for blood. We bring you an invitation from the One, Great Champion of the Rakata."

"I can understand them," she said quietly.

"What?" Juhani glanced over at her.

"I can understand them. What they're saying." She straightened. "And what is this invitation from the One, Great Champion of the Rakata?"

"Must have learned the language before the Jedi messed up your head," Canderous said, his guard barely lowering.

"You have used magics and weapons unknown to slaughter our raiders. You have bathed in the blood of fierce Rakatan warriors."

"Pleasant," Anna murmured. No one bothered to ask her for a translation.

"Your power and skill in battle has impressed the One. He wishes an audience with you — a great honor. Come with us now and we will take you to him."

"They want us to go with them," she explained. "I don't suspect that they mean us harm."

"How . . . sure are you?"

"Not very. Who is the One?" She directed the latter part of her question to the Rakata.

"He is the leader of our tribe, the Great Champion who will unite the Rakata and take us to the stars. He has feasted on the flesh of many foes. Come with us and we will take you to him now."

Anna pursed her lips. "I think it's probably for the best that we go," she murmured. "But it doesn't look like they're taking our weapons. So we should probably make sure we keep our guard up." She finished her sentence in Twi'leki, likely figuring that the Rakata could only understand Basic, and turned back. "All right. Take us to the One."

"Follow me." As they walked forward, clumping together into a tighter group, the Rakata fanned out around them in an escort.

"It appears they trained the rancor to fight with them," Juhani commented, scanning their escort.

"Anything can be trained from a young enough age, I suspect," Jolee replied. "Any new insights?"

Anna shook her head. "No."

"You're taking this in well," Canderous commented.

"On the outside. Inside I'm screaming in complete and utter terror."

He chuckled and clapped her on the shoulder.

Their escort waited, mostly at the entrance to the encampment on the other side of the beach. They followed their guide through the enclave, Anna cautiously watching the Rakata that lined up to stare at them. HK hung close to Anna, waiting for any sign of attack with his blaster ready. Most looked at the droid and hurried off — others continued to stare in rapt amazement.

They were led through to a round room at the far end, decorated as they would have expected for a high-ranking individual. The roof was open, and in the center stood a Rakata. He was dressed much finer than the rest, his staff more adorned and intricately carved. A few rancor roared in alcoves made into cages, pacing the bars of their prisons. Their escort bowed and left, and his eyes affixed on her. She held out her hand to stop them, and took several steps forward into the inner rim of the floor's carved circle.

"Revan." The Rakata she assumed was the One said, pacing a slow, scrutinizing circle around her. She stood rigidly in place, ready to give an order to fire at a moment's notice. "Somehow I knew we would meet again. Even when you vanished I knew you would not forget your vow."

She blinked as he moved to stand in front of her, gaze still scrutinizing. She recognized the look. It was a bit of wonder and quite a bit of the here-is-a-Jedi-now-how-can-I-best-utilize-this-resource look that she'd come to expect. "And when my scouts told me of a great warrior from the sky, slaughtering our raiding parties with mysterious powers and magics I knew you had at last returned!"

Anna glanced back at the others and nodded them forward. HK waited in the back, keeping an eye on the One's guards, as the rest stepped forward. "He says he knew it was my ship that landed," she translated simply. "Apparently I swore a vow to him."

"You know what it was?" Anna gave Jolee a look of long-suffering and returned her attention to the conversation.

"I apologize profusely," she said. "But I don't remember any vows being made."

His eyes blinked once, then twice. "Your words are confusing. I recognize you — the one called Revan, who fell from the sky, who came here before with Malak, the one who served you." He waved a hand, obviously growing agitated. She held up her hands. "You promised to slay our enemy in exchange for our aid! You swore to destroy the Elders and bring us their secrets! Does this mean nothing to you now?"

"We ran into a bit of a . . . complication," she explained quickly, hoping to diffuse the situation fast. "Malak turned on me and attempted to kill me. I have no memory past a few months ago."

He paused, eyes flashing in another slow blink. "I . . . sense that what you say is true. Something is different about you. Yet the power of magic is within you still! You can destroy the Elders and fulfill your vow!"

"He says," she started, now that he seemed to have calmed down. "That I swore to get rid of some people called the Elders. He believes I don't have my memories but he still wants me to do this." She looked back. "So . . . just what exactly did I do the last time I was here?" She wanted to make sure there were no more surprises waiting for herself elsewhere on the island, since it seemed that Revan's primary job previously had been primarily to make her amnesiac self's life more difficult when she wasn't attempting to take over the galaxy.

"I suppose if what you say is true you will have many questions. Very well. You arrived with your servant three of your galactic standard years ago. My scouts saw your sky ship plummet to the earth and went to loot the site. They attempted to take you prisoner, but you unleashed your magic upon them. Seeing your power, they bowed before you and brought you here."

She relayed the information, and Canderous snorted. "Bet you loved that."

"I bet I did." Anna looked back at the One.

"You used your power to rip our language from my mind even as you drove Basic into ours so we could help you in your quest to find something called the Star Forge."

"Right . . . And how was I going to do that?" At Jolee's look she translated.

"The answers were in the Temple of the Ancients, but we could not help you enter. Those secrets lie with the Elders alone, and they protect them with their lives."

"Right," Anna said. "So I was going to go into the Elders' settlement — wherever that is — and come back with the secrets of how to enter this temple?" That sounded like a brilliant plan, putting advanced technology in the hands of these creatures. She doubted they'd know about the disruptor field or the Star Forge hovering over their sun. But . . . "Have ships always fallen from the sky here?"

"Yes. It has always been this way; though in recent generations it has occurred more frequently. We do not understand them but my scouts rush to the sites to collect pieces in the hopes that we may one day unlock these secrets."

"So you collect pieces of these ships from the crash sites? I need a few parts for mine, and you may have the pieces I need."

"If you agree to our vow, I will let you examine them." He swept his hand at an unbarred alcove to his left. "We do not know what piece you need, nor what the function of any piece may be."

"So if I agree to destroy the Elders you'll let me look at your parts."

"You may do it before you leave. As a show of good faith."

"Fair." She nodded. "Jolee, would you like to take a look? See if they have any stabilizers we could fit into the Hawk?"

He nodded. "I'll see if there's anything we can use."

"This temple," Anna asked, redirecting her attention to the One. "I needed in there last time? What's in there?"

"We do not know. No Rakata can enter the temple. But you and your servant sought a way to enter, in order to escape this world and to seek ancient knowledge. But only the Elders know how to pass the barrier — and if you bring us their secrets, we will know as well. That was our agreement."

"But you said no Rakata can go in — how do the Elders even know how to bypass the barrier?"

"They guard the ancient secrets in their compound, including how to enter the Temple itself. I've lost many warriors and war beasts storming their gates but they use weapons of light and fire against us. It is impossible."

Anna murmured the description to Juhani. "Sounds like that's where we need to go," she finished, quietly. Juhani nodded.

"It does appear so." She nodded. "Fair. We'll go to the Elders. Where is their compound?"

#

"I really don't like this."

"Shut up, Candy." Anna nudged a dead Rakata with her boot, looking up at the electrical fields surrounding the strange encampment. "There appears to be a gap here —"

"You're kidding me," Canderous said. "I am not walking into that."

"Scared?" she teased. He scoffed.

"Of a little shock? Nah. I can handle that. You, on the other hand..."

She punched his arm. "Stay here." She squared her shoulders, looked between the two pillars marking the front of the row, closed her eyes, and took two steps forward.

When she heard Juhani release a held breath she opened her eyes. Noting a distinct lack of death greeting her, she took a few more tentative steps forward. "Hello?"

A shimmering projection of a Rakata appeared in front of her, examining her closely. "You are not Rakata. What is your business here, off-worlder?"

"Uh . . ." She glanced back at Jolee. "I'm looking for information about the Star Forge? I was here be—"

The projection took a step back. "You — you are Revan! The Council wishes to speak with you. You may enter."

She looked over her shoulder. "All right. We can—"

The projection held out his hand. "Only you may enter."

"Wait a moment," Jolee said, taking a step forward. "She isn't going in there by herself."

The apparition paused, then nodded. "You may bring one companion."

She looked back over her shoulder. "Jolee, come with me. Canderous, Juhani, HK, stay out here." Neither Canderous nor Juhani looked pleased, but they obliged. She nodded to Jolee and they walked forward.

"How did you know they were insisting I go in alone?" Anna asked. Jolee shrugged.

"Was fairly obvious, the way he was pointing at you."

"Fair."

"Just so you know," he said as the doors opened. "I expect you to translate for me."

Anna never got to answer. As soon as the doors closed behind them they found themselves surrounded by a collection of pike-wielding Rakata and old droids. Their hands fell to their lightsabers as Anna stepped around, pressing her back against Jolee's. "Still regretting coming?" she asked.

"Only about as much as I regret leaving the Shadowlands."

The front rank parted to allow several Rakata, wearing more ornate clothing than the others, through to the center. They closed around them, the Rakata with the weapons still keeping them trained on the two Jedi.

"Revan." The first Rakata spoke. He wore a ceremonial circlet that looked ancient, and Anna thought it marked him as the spokesman. "We of the Elder Council did not expect to see you again. We thought you had betrayed us. Why have you returned to our village, after all this time?"

"This would be a good time for translating," Jolee hissed. Anna glanced at him and did so, quickly.

"The last time I was here," she asked. "What did I want?"

"Is this some kind of trick? Are you playing some sort of game?" The circle closed on them, and she held up her hands.

"Oh, all right, let's just . . . let's not get anxious," she said placatingly. "Let me start from the beginning. The man who was with me before, Malak? He tried to kill me. I survived, but I have no memories before — well, that part is quite complicated. Suffice to say I don't remember anything before several months ago. I didn't even know this planet existed until last week."

"And how do we know we can trust you—"

"Because does it look like I'm lying? Please believe me."

The head of the council regarded her for several long moments, then nodded and sighed. "You came in search of a way to enter the Temple of the Ancients. You claimed to wish the destruction of the Star Forge, and we were foolish enough to believe you. Unaware of your intentions we helped you enter the Temple. But the Forge still hangs in our sky, and we want to know why your promise was not fulfilled and why we were betrayed."

"Again, it's . . . complicated. I don't know," she admitted.

"Then why are you here?"

"Uh . . ." She glanced at Jolee out of the corner of her eye. "I need to get into the Temple of the Ancients to destroy the Star Forge?" The ring took another step forward. "For real this time! I mean it!"

"Do you think we are fools?" he demanded. "Do you think we have forgotten your lies?"

"I told you, I've lost all my memories. It changed me. I'm not who I was. I'm really going to destroy it this time, I swear."

"This is some fine negotiating you're doing." Jolee warily eyed a Rakata that was starting to step too close to him.

"Shut it, old man," Anna hissed.

He glanced around the circle. "They say the experience of the past defines us and makes us what we are. If it is true that you have no memory then perhaps you have changed. But how are we to know this is not some trick, Revan?"

"I can't give you anything, just my word. But the part of me that was Revan is gone. I swear it."

"You say you are not who you once were, yet here on our world you repeat your actions! Like last time you crashed here, like last time you've come for our aid." He turned. "Take the betrayer outside. We—"

"No!" Anna protested, stepping forward. "There is an entire fleet en route to destroy the Forge as we speak." This caught his attention, and he turned back. "Before we crashed we alerted the Republic we serve to the location. I need in that Temple to take down the deflector field around this planet before every ship they send here crashes like we did. If you want the Star Forge destroyed then getting me into that Temple is your only hope." She paused, furrowing her brow. "If you won't let me go in, let my companions. I'll even stay here as collateral."

"Anna, you're insane," Jolee muttered. She glared at him.

"I'll stay and you can interrogate me or whatever, just let us get someone inside that Temple to take down the field. Please."

"You would not have begged before," he mused. She shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't have." Anna frowned. "What can we do to prove our intentions are noble? I can't convince you otherwise."

He nodded. "That I sense that you mean. But words are easy to say."

"Please let me do something." There was an edge of desperation to her voice. She needed to get into that Temple. She needed to get to the Star Forge. She needed to save Bastila.

"There are scouts that have been captured by the One, the tribe that seeks to destroy us. Many were brutally slaughtered but at least one is still alive. They will torture him to force him to reveal what he knows of us. And then he will be executed. You must risk your life to save another. Rescue him, and we will consider helping you."

She translated for Jolee, and he shook his head. "It's better than nothing."

"We would prefer you end this without bloodshed, but we do not believe that will be possible. The One is . . . not prone to negotiate."

She nodded, glancing back at Jolee. "We'll do what we can. Now can we leave?"

He answered with one curt nod of his head, and the rear ranks of the circle opened up. With a sigh, Anna turned on her heel and strode out. Jolee glanced back at the Elder, shook his head, and followed.

They did not have this sort of time.

#

Carth stared out the window blankly, eyes focused on the stars shining unreachabley outside the planet's atmosphere.

Well, they'd found it all right.

Anna had been out all day with the other Jedi, Canderous, and HK as the rest of them tried to fix the ship. All five had come back and collapsed immediately, barely pausing for dinner. HK, of course, was fine and standing guard outside the ship.

He leaned back in his chair, frowning. The stabilizers they'd found were for a different model ship that would take adapting for the Hawk, but he should be able to repair it in time to rendezvous with the Republic fleet when they arrived in – he looked at the chrono – eighteen to twenty-four standard hours.

Footsteps padded in the corridor behind him. "Hey," he said quietly as the door slipped closed.

"Hey," Anna murmured, settling herself into his lap. Her head fell onto his shoulder, entire body slumping against him. "I'm tired," she complained.

"How'd it go?" he laced his fingers together on her hip, holding her to him.

"Well," she started. "There were two warring factions, one hated the other, we were forced to wipe out that entire side, and I get to go alone into a temple full of ex-Jedi tomorrow morning."

"Alone?"

"They won't let anyone else in."

He sighed, pulling her closer to him. "Will you be all right?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She lifted her head, looking out the cockpit window. "I . . . well, I didn't do too badly on Korriban, and . . ."

"Hey." He turned her head to his, thumbing her chin. "You nearly died."

"Carth . . . there's no other way." She ran her hand through his hair, circling his ear with her thumb. "I have to."

"You can't even take Jolee or Juhani?"

She shook her head, tracing the line of his brow. "Apparently I pulled that the last time I was here. They aren't going to fall for it again."

"Not even for me?" Carth nuzzled her neck, breathing in the dust and ozone that radiated off her body from the myriad of fighting she'd done that day.

"No, not even for my flyboy." She laughed breathily, still playing with his hair. "But I'll come back. Promise."

Carth held her closer, face still buried in her hair. Anna sighed then shifted in his lap so her legs rested on either side of his hips, drawing his lips to hers gently. "You're still worried."

"Of course I am." He rubbed his thumbs in small circles on her hipbones. "I'm always worried about you."

She leaned in again, sweeping his bottom lip with her tongue as she pressed their lips together. "I'll just have to give you something else to think about."

"Like what?" A shudder slipped down her spine as his voice lowered.

"I don't know," she replied, hands sliding down for the toggles on his jacket. "But I think I can come up with something."

"Do you?"

Anna tugged his jacket open, stripping it and his shirt and throwing them both to the side. "I think . . ." she repeated, running her hands over his chest. "That I can come up with something."


A/N:

RS-82: Nope, no problem. I usually have one or two chapters I really hate but felt were necessary, and that was one of them. .

CROISSANT: LET ME LOVE YOU AND BASK IN YOUR PERFECTION. (Oh, wait, I already do on tumblr. :D Also WHY HAVEN'T YOU PLAYED KOTOR SILLY)