...Hello there *insert Obi-Wan here*.

I apologize for the long delay — it's been a busy few years. Eventually, I will polish this story up (as I was re-reading it, I noticed a few glaring errors). But, I don't want you guys to wait for the next part any longer.

I recommend rereading the last chapter at least, but I'll summarize it quickly if you don't have time (which is understandable…).

We left Wes, Bastila, and Canderous after they had to leave their friends and murderous droid in the Sand People enclave. They have to go after the krayt dragon if they wish to rescue them.

Strong Winds

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Eastern Dune Sea was just as the vision described it: sandy, craggy, and hot as balls. I trudged wearily behind a not-as-sweating Bastila and Canderous. We had been forced to abandon our speeders due to the narrow and uneven terrain before us much to our grief. And we didn't have to walk far before finding something interesting. A few meters into the crag a flock of abandoned speeders greeted us—obviously there for days.

Bastila put a hand onto her lightsaber.

"Are we being followed?"

I rubbed some sand off of the abandoned speeders then looked inside the trunk. Spears, nets, and other heavy duty equipment laid inside.

"It's those beast hunters. I thought they said they didn't know where the krayt dragon was." I slammed the trunk. "Kriffin', lying little pieces of—"

Bastila interrupted my lovely cursing. "We'd better get there before they kill the dragon first and take the pearl."

At this, Canderous snorted. "As if…"

I had to agree with the mando. As if the hunters could kill something no one has killed in years…

Then again, that was just what we were trying to do, wasn't it?

We kept pushing forward as the sun continued to climb higher above our heads.

The comm buzzed within my robes. I sighed.

"What now?" I grumbled into the comm as I swiped sweat off my brow.

"Sorry to disappoint," Carth sneered. "But I've got bad news. Another ship has dropped into the hanger bay. It looks like more Sith assassins…" Silence. "You may have visitors."

"Well isn't that just perfect."

"What?" Bastila sauntered closer to me. "Where are they headed, Onasi?"

"No idea. Most likely they'll ask around town for you two. If they realize that you both went to the Sand People's camp, I doubt they'll let anyone in the vicinity live…"

"Kriff." I rubbed my forehead. "You've got to do something."

"Do what? I'm not a Jedi, you know."

"I don't know, genius, distract them? Fly away in the Ebon Hawk. They'll think we're running."

"That may work on the Sith but I doubt Calo will follow. He probably already left the city."

"It's better than nothing."

And with that, Carth ceased communication. I looked worriedly up at Bastila and Canderous. We were working on borrowed time…

As we continued our walk through the crags, Canderous came along my side. "Strange that a coward like Calo has allied himself with the Sith. I wonder…"

I glared at the mando. "Wonder what?"

"How much are the dark Jedi paying Calo to get their hands on you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Not thinking of betraying us now..."

In return, Canderous responded with a deep rumbling laugh. And, for some reason, this laugh put me at ease. It really should have put me at odds with the mando. Perhaps it was because I knew, deep down, that Canderous could be trusted. He could have turned us into Calo or those dark Jedi days ago when we were fighting them in the streets.

Bastila wasn't as appeased. Of course. She glared behind us after our little mini-discussion on current events and seemed to keep an eye on the mando. It got me thinking how many eyes the Jedi had—one for me and one for the mando didn't leave much for her own actual eyesight.

Finally, we arrived at a clearing within the craggy landscape that looked too familiar. The desert sands hit our cheeks as we began to slide down the first dune. I kept my eye on the horizon since I knew what sight would meet us.

A few caves dotted within the landscape and before the largest cave was a small camp. The camp reminded me of the one from the vision except now there were herds of bantha being caged for some reason. Bastila held up a hand as we approached. It was the "shut-up-Wes-or-so-help-me-I-will-put-this-saber-up-your-ass" signal.

Now, I didn't usually follow this signal. Not that I had a fetish or anything…

Before we could fully approach the encampment, one of the Rodian hunters screamed at a Twi'lek (who I assumed was their leader).

"I'm tired of waiting, Komad. How smart can this dragon of yours be?"

Wait, Komad? The same Komad that...Revan and Malak killed?

Something was wrong here…

The shouting hunter whistled and some of the others ran to either side of the cave's entrance with a large net. The Twi'lek, somehow-named-Komad, shouted at them to back off and that they would get killed. The hunters were not listening.

A whistle and two banthas were brought out of their cages. A Rodian ran behind the net, placing mines every meter. The banthas began to rustle in terror as a deep growl echoed from within the cave. And a darkness that I previously only felt in the vision permeated the air like a thick perfume. It was so strong I didn't realize I was holding my breath.

Bastila stood beside me as if she could sense the disturbance.

This was it. This was where the second star map resided.

From the darkness, another roar. Then a bang. Another bang. The hunters who hadn't gone against Komad's wishes trembled.

Canderous, ever candor, snorted. "They're dead men."

I was going to ask how he knew that, but a rupture that sounded like an starship explosion echoed within the cave. A beast taller than the sand crawler we saw a day previously slunk out from the darkness. Its blood-stained maw opened and saliva dripped like rain from between its teeth. I held my breath again as the stench reached my nose.

Definitely worse than the rancor...

The hunters shouted over the sounds of the krayt dragon to hold the net firm.

Something...changed within the beast's intelligent gaze. Its yellow eyes moved within its socket and watched the bantha as if it was going to make for the prey. I thought it would make for the poor bantha as well...yet, instead of chomping onto the animals, it grabbed the net.

The mines went off—yes—but the krayt dragon was faster than its size made it appear. It avoided the following explosions with a quick tug. The hunters holding both ends of the net screamed as they were pulled into the cavern after the krayt. And the screams continued as the mines went off, one by one, causing a gigantic rockfall to cave in the entrance.

Silence except for the sound of rolling rocks and debris.

Are. You. Kriffing. Kidding. Me.

The Twi'lek, Komad, seemed just as perturbed. He cursed at the surviving hunters, ordering them to bring the bantha back into the pens.

That was when the Twi'lek finally noticed our presence. "Oh, you, the Jedi from the cantina. Thought I'd be seeing you out here..."

"Oh, really now?" I crossed my arms.

He pushed one of his lekku off of his shoulder. "I apologize that my crew and I lied to you earlier. Please understand...this is not a normal hunt." He nodded to the destruction behind him. "I was telling you the truth earlier. Slightly. My father did die to this beast years ago. I am Komad Fortuna, son of Komad."

Ah, that made sense. Yet...still this younger Komad was misled. Revan and Malak, not this beast, killed his father years ago. I wasn't going to start correcting him though when there was no way for me to prove it.

I sneered. "You knew about the dragon's location yet didn't tell us?"

Komad sighed. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand. I've been wanting to kill this beast myself. I couldn't let a Jedi take the kill after all these years of preparation." He looked back at the cave. "Not that it matters now. The entrance has been blocked thanks to those idiots. We were going to strike at nightfall when the beast couldn't see as well. Would have disguised the net." He shook his head. "Perhaps we will be able to starve it out at least. Not the kind of revenge my father would have wanted..."

But we didn't have time to starve the beast out when another beast in the form of Calo Nord was following close behind us.

As the Twi'lek moved away, I glanced at Bastila then at Canderous. "I don't think we have a choice. We need to tell them we have to get past the rubble or else Calo will find us."

"Wes. We can tell no one about our mission."

I waved a hand at the rock pile. "How do you expect us to get past that? You think we could move all of that rubble on our own?"

"With the Force—"

"I doubt even the most powerful Sith lord could remove all that with the Force at once, sweetheart."

"Yes, but it could help." She crossed her arms. "Honestly, the problem will come after we remove the rubble. I can still feel the anger within the beast. Once it is free, I doubt it will stay within the cave for long."

"Or," Canderous finally interrupted. "You can take your little glow sticks, climb to the top of the rubble, cut a hole in the rocks, and fight it in the cave like a true warrior."

Bastila and I looked at the mando as if he'd grown another head.

"Are you crazy?"

"No way!"

Both Bastila and I said in unison.

Canderous rose his hands. "Just a suggestion, pssh."

Unfortunately, though, what Canderous suggested sounded like the only option we had without spending weeks clearing out the rubble. Except, we couldn't just go into the cave without a plan…

I eyed the pile of mines the hunters had. Then, at the bantha pens beside it. A grimace lit my face as an idea began to form…because I was not liking the idea of it...not one bit...

"What are you doing?"

Komad shouted at us as we headed towards both the pile of mines and the bantha pens. Bastila glanced at me as if asking me to explain our actions, but I doubt anything I said could appease the Twi'lek.

"Erm...we're taking some mines...you see…"

Komad crossed his arms. "Yeah, what for?"

I took in a deep breath. I mean...it was alright to tell the partial truth, right?

"Some of our friends have been captured by the Sand People. They've demanded a krayt dragon's pearl, so we kinda need to get one."

"Why not wait until the beast has been starved out?"

Kriff. "Well, yeah, about that. We don't have much time to waste before they're killed."

The hunter rubbed his chin before gazing back at his crew. "Well, if you're going to kill it with those mines then I'm going to press the trigger."

Bastila glared at me, as if trying to communicate her disapproval of this. Yet, we couldn't convince a Twi'lek hell bent on revenge against the beast, now could we?

Sighing, I nodded my head and the Twi'lek headed towards us. We gathered all the mines and bantha poo (trust me) that we could and headed towards the top of the rubble.

Komad huffed with his bag of explosives. "Alright...so what exactly are you planning to do?"

I smiled. "Simple - we use a trick I learned while fighting a rancor in a pit back on Taris. Don't ask. The dragon is hungry though not starving enough to try and escape. So, one of us will be playing bait." I picked up the bag I had been carrying. "The bantha's scent will make the dragon distracted. It will not notice as the rest of us plant remote detonated mines within the cave. Then we all run like a gizka out of there so that we can trigger the mines."

Komad nodded his head. "You think this will work? What if the krayt dragon catches the bait?"

"And you still haven't mentioned who exactly will be this 'bait'," Bastila interrupted, crossing her arms.

"Why, you of course, sunshine!"

She visibly paled as I came closer to her with the bantha poo.

"What? Why me?"

I smirked. "Simple...you're faster."

"There is no way you will touch me with that filth."

Wait, that's what she's worried about?

Canderous laughed deep as I opened the bag. "Oh, come on, princess, you've smelled worse."

"Smelled worse?" She made a kinrath pup glare at the mando. "How dare you!"

A fierce roar from the dragon almost caused Bastila to stumble. Canderous and I laughed at her while the Twi'lek frowned at our antics.

I gave the bag over to Bastila and with a reluctant sigh she began to slather herself with the poo. Now, I could have told it would have been enough to just carry it around with her...but where was the fun in that?

Eventually, she had covered her shoulders and neck with the stuff. She refused to put it onto her face.

I tutted. "Guess we all die thanks to the princess over here."

With a curse, she stuffed her hand into the bag and slathered the crap onto her cheeks.

I tried...oh how I tried...not to burst out laughing…

Focus, Wes, we have a krayt dragon to kill.

Next, cutting a hole into the cave to get us inside. Bastila and I positioned ourselves so that we were a meter apart before we took out our lightsabers. We placed the metal of the ignition point of the saber to the rock then flipped the switch. The rocks glowed bright orange and the molten rock trailed as we roughly cut a meter wide section from the rubble.

We finished our slice and kicked the rocks into the cavern floor below. Grabbing the bag of mines, I then waved to Bastila.

"Ladies first."

Bastila glared at me as she prepared for her descent. I would have been lying if I said I wasn't worried for her. Because, even though I said she was faster than me, I couldn't help but feel as if I should have sacrificed myself as bait anyway.

Too late for regrets now.

The krayt rumbled in distaste after we all crawled through the hole we carved into the rubble. Darkness...all around us. And a familiar sensation. The dark side. This energy rose with another roar and a shiver coursed through my spine at the sound. We all began to carefully descend the rubble wall as the roars became more fierce. More deadly. Komad trailed the three of us as we planted our feet onto the rocky cavern ground.

I could barely see an inch in front of my face, yet I could still tell that Bastila gave me that look. The look of "how is this going to work, Wes?" Thanks, bondy. And in all honesty, I was starting to doubt this plan. What if the krayt knew what Bastila was covered in wasn't actually a bantha? Just shit? Because the creature seemed intelligent before…

Another roar. The rocks began to shift. Komad jumped and I started to regret bringing the Twi'lek along.

"Now!"

Canderous, Komad, and I made a dash for the cave's walls while Bastila ignited her lightsaber. Using the scarce light from her blade we followed the edge of the cave while keeping an eye on where our "bait" was going.

Using the Force, Bastila sprinted next to the dragon. Due to its poor eyesight and strong sense of smell, the beast used it's gigantic tail to swipe at the Jedi. Fortunately, she was able to predict this attack and used the Force to speed past where the tail would have collided. Unfortunately, more rocks collapsed from the ceiling as we all ran and placed as many mines as we could.

Bastila had been cornered near the back of the cave. The dragon turned to face her—its saliva filled maw must have stunk more than the bantha excrement on her face. But, more importantly, there was nowhere for her to run due to the rocks blocking her path. Canderous and Komad were already climbing their way out of the cave, yet I turned to face the krayt dragon.

"Bastila!"

Then, it was as if we were only feet apart even though in reality an entire krayt dragon separated us.

This is my fault...

I narrowed my eyes.

My lightsaber ignited a cold blue—reflecting the forms of the corpses that had been beneath us. With a yell, I pierced the back leg of the dragon. I barely heard Komad and Canderous shouting for me to run over the pained cries of the beast.

Before I could move onto the next leg to distract it, someone grabbed my shoulder. I brought the saber to their neck, fortunately I pulled back when I realized I faced Komad.

"No, you cannot kill it. I have waited years for this moment!"

I tried to pull back at the Twi'lek, yet his grip was tighter than I thought.

"Run, you idiot!"

"How would you feel, human, if you spent years tracking down your father's murderer only for another to take the glory in killing them? Would you not feel anger that your chance at revenge was taken from you?"

The krayt dragon roared as it turned away from me as if I had been a flea to face its prize once more. Bastila held her yellow lightsaber high and ignited the second blade. She was going to die if I didn't do something.

So, I turned to face the Twi'lek—

"It doesn't matter because your father's murderer is already dead!"

This caused Komad to pause.

"What are you saying, human?"

"Revan killed your father!"

Komad froze. And him freezing gave me enough time to run out of his grasp and slice at the dragon's leg.

The beast roared then collapsed—it wouldn't be enough to kill it, but it would be enough to cease its mobility.

Bastila took this chance to climb over the rocks towards safety. Using the Force, she sped along the edge of the cavern until she had finally caught up to us. I turned to face Komad to try and get his crazy ass out of there.

The Twi'lek hadn't listened to me.

If he had, he would have run once I had started hitting the dragon. Instead, rocks had fallen onto his legs. If Bastila and I had time to use the Force he may have survived.

"What is taking you guys so long? You gotta get out of there before the whole place comes down!" Canderous shouted.

Komad hissed in pain as he reached to grab a device from within his pockets.

"Go..."

The beast hit the side of the cave again causing the walls to shudder. I shook my head. "We'll come back. We need the pearl—"

"I don't care if it killed my father, human." He spat blood. "It has already taken most of my crew." He lifted the device which I now saw was the remote detonator. "And for that I will count to thirty then take this son of a bantha with me."

I didn't bother to look back. I used the Force to increase my strength in order to climb faster up the rock pile to the safety of the desert outside. Bastila followed close behind, and I helped to pull her out.

"Take cover!" I shouted as we half-fell down the side of the debris mountain.

The rest of Komad's crew hid behind the rocks a few meters away from their camp.

Bastila, Canderous, and I barely had enough time to join them when—

Boom!

Smoke, rubble, and debris shot out of the cave and into the clouds. Shocked, I knelt and used the Force in order to avoid some of the rocks that had flown back at us. Some hunters were unfortunate enough to be crushed by the resulting explosion. Shutta. I was sure that could have been seen from Anchorhead…

Bastila gasped. "What type of explosion was that?"

I coughed. "One that could be seen for miles…"

Before Bastila could respond, there was a flash.

One of the hunters closest to us fell to the ground with a shout. His stomach burnt from a blaster pistol.

Bastila, Canderous, and I along with the rest of Komad's crew had no time to turn before being faced with a barrage of blaster fire. I took out my lightsaber and began to deflect the oncoming onslaught back to our mysterious attackers.

The mando went to the ground and took cover behind the debris. Bastila followed my lead and began to deflect as well. The rest of Komad's crew weren't as fortunate...

I could see some of our attackers. Rodians, mercenaries, and a white turban. Of course.

Calo Nord.

Ugh, does he ever give up?

There was a ceasefire.

I peered up above the rocks and supplies we hid behind and saw that Calo had approached along with two of his gang mates. They dragged along three figures with bags over their heads.

One was obviously Mission. She kicked back at the Rodian and cursed as she was forced onto her knees.

The other two were silent, but based on her white clothes, one must have been the Echani, Verena.

Which left the last figure. A small boy. Liam.

Calo laughed as he placed his blaster onto Liam's head. "I have to give you credit… you've led me on quite a chase. But nobody gets away from Calo Nord in the end!"

Beside him, I noticed another figure who was strangely familiar. A blue Twi'lek who looked like a male version of Mission. This must have been her brother Griff who Mission had tried to rescue from the Sand People...

Strangely, he wasn't tied up along with the others...

Canderous called out. "I see you brought some back up after running away the first time, Calo. Realized we were a bit much to handle on your own?"

I kicked the mando before he could egg him on further.

"How did you find us?" I shouted in response. Mostly as a distraction as I tried to think of a plan...

Calo snorted. "Besides that explosion? After bribing the little Jawa you kicked to the curb, I learned that your little team decided to pay the Sand People a visit. After we destroyed those savages—mostly to get this old Gaffi stick here—my new pal." Calo bumped into Griff with the Gaffi stick. The Twi'lek grimaced. "Informed me that you had gone to visit a krayt dragon without your little friends."

Mission sniffed. "How could you do this to us, big brother!"

Griff didn't even bother to give his sister an answer and instead kicked the sand with his boot. How could Mission's brother be such a weasel? Surely, they weren't actually related? I glanced over at Mission's deflated form. She hadn't taken this betrayal well...

"How much are the Sith paying you, Calo?" Canderous shouted once again against better judgement.

Calo let out another small laugh. "Sorry, I'm not in this for the credits. You're the only ones who've ever gotten away from me – I've got a rep to protect!" I could hear him charging his blasters. "Now, I believe you are calling yourself...Wesley Gale. You and the Jedi, Bastila, will come out with your hands above your head or the kid gets it."

Bastila didn't hesitate. She got to her feet. But, I grabbed her wrist and forced her back.

She tried to pull out of my grasp, but I kept my hold firm.

"Let go," she whispered. "I will not let others be sacrificed for me again. I cannot—"

"Where's the droid?"

She sank back after making the same realization that I did. HK-47—the assassin droid—was nowhere to be seen. I doubted a droid like that would have allowed itself to be captured during the ensuing battle with the Sand People. Which meant it escaped and…

Calo shoved the blaster harder onto the boy's head. I flinched.

"I will count to three, and if you do not show yourselves, the boy dies."

I held my breath as I hoped—no prayed—that for once the Force would have good timing. Bastila glanced worriedly at me as if both asking whether we should wait for a homicidal droid to come through for us or to start using the Force and put our friends in danger.

"One."

Calo raised a finger. The desert heat remained still within the horizon.

"Two."

Calo raised another finger. I looked out again - hoping to see a red figure in the distance.

I held my lightsaber close.

"Thr—"

A flash.

Before he could finish uttering the word "Three", Calo Nord fell, dead, to the sands below with a single blaster burn between his eyes.

The infamous bounty hunter had been outsmarted by a droid.

Not just any droid. HK-47 marched up from behind Calo's crew—sniper rifle blazing.

Bastila and I were quick to use a Force push on the two holding down Verena and Mission. As they flew back, they received unintentional blaster fire from their allies.

I ignited my lightsaber then began to deflect the oncoming fire back to the crew. Canderous charged his Mandolorian heavy repeater onto the remaining mercenaries while Verena defended the little Liam with Calo's dropped blaster. Mission scurried back towards us in order to be defended from the blaster fire.

Eventually, there were only a few of the bastards left. They all began to run into the desert.

Mission's brother, Griff, ran from the fight with a scream. Coward. In response, HK trained his red sights onto the blue Twi'lek.

"No!" Mission shouted. "Don't kill him, please!"

The droid paused only to charge his rifle anyway.

Fortunately, I was close enough to deflect the droid's blast into the sky.

"HK, stop, that's an order!"

If the droid had been human, it would have pouted, I swear.

"Supplication: Oh, but master, he's getting away! Please let me kill the stinky blue meatbag!"

I grabbed the sniper rifle from the droid's metallic grip as soon as the last of the mercs had been dealt with.

"That's enough. We're safe. No more shooting."

A mechanical sigh. "As you desire, master. Signing off."

And the red light in his eyes dimmed.

Bastila sighed as she extinguished her blade. Verena helped Liam up from the ground and took the bag off the poor boy's head. He somehow looked worse than when I last saw him on Dantooine. I smiled in his direction with relief, yet the boy responded with a tight frown. He buried his face into the Echani's shoulder as if to hide.

A deep rot of regret began to sink into my chest.

Verena either didn't notice or care. She picked up the boy then went over to one of the dead mercs. Her blade—Yusanis' Blade—had been in the hands of one of the Rodians. She spat at the merc before she picked it up and sheathed it once more.

I decided to ignore them and helped Mission onto her feet.

"Are you alright?"

She sighed. "I'm happy Griff's alive...but everything Lena said about him was true. He just left me alone at Taris." A few tears began to trail down her face. "And...and when those slime attacked the Sand People enclave...he…he didn't even mention that we were related! He just...just..."

Mission grabbed me into a hug and began to cry into my chest. Not used to teenagers letting out there emotions, I awkwardly returned her hug. Don't get me wrong, I was angry at her brother for making her cry like this. I'd thought, after Taris, I'd never have to see the Twi'lek's tears again…

Next time I saw Griff's ugly face, he would be getting a boot in the face.

As if sensing my dark thoughts, Bastila sidled up beside me. "Sorry to interrupt...but I really think we should get to the Star Map before the cave collapses further."

I glared. Couldn't the stupid mission wait five minutes? At least long enough to let a teenager cry about her deadbeat brother? Fortunately, Mission hadn't been offended. She wiped her eyes and her face became as determined as it always looked.

"You should go, Wessy. I'll be fine…" She smiled. "After all, who needs 'em. I've got you guys."

And so, I listened for once and followed Bastila towards the smoking ruins of the krayt dragon's cave. Verena stayed behind with the younger of our group to make sure none of the mercs came back for round two. I ordered HK to keep an eye on the place as well. Who knows if the Sith also caught wind that we were here. Meanwhile, Canderous, Bastila, and I weaved around the rubble and climbed the debris that was left.

The cave still radiated the dark energy from before. Strange...I had thought that darkness came from the krayt itself.

All of us gracelessly climbed to the cavern floor. More light poured into the cave due to the hole in the ceiling. That ceiling was now crushing the krayt dragon's torso. This gave us a chance to take a closer look at the beast.

Pearls glimmered on its tail like a necklace yet embedded within the skin.

Taking the pearls now wouldn't make a difference. The Sand People were dead and our friends were with us. Yet, might as well—we needed the credits. Canderous nor Bastila commented on me taking a knife from my boot and cutting a pearl from the dragon.

Eventually, we climbed over the rock fall that blocked Bastila in before. The cave had gotten dark once again. This time I used my lightsaber to light the way.

After we climbed over the debris, we were engulfed in a dark and powerful wave that only felt too familiar. It was the same feeling I had when we discovered the first Star Map. Ancient. Echoing. Death. Chaos.

When my feet touched the cave floor once again, a brilliant light erupted from a mechanical construct.

The Star Map.

I was quick to sheath my lightsaber as the light pooled around us.

Canderous was the last to climb into the small enclosure at the back of the cave.

He hummed. "Anybody else get the feeling that finding this thing in the back of this krayt dragon's cave is more than just a coincidence?"

As I began to load the Star Map data, I heard Bastila kick a rock. "The Star Map is an artifact of the dark side. The krayt dragon may have been drawn here by its dark power, only to be enslaved by it."

The Mandalorian was silent for a moment. Then, he spoke. "And there are how many more that we need to find?"

Bastila sighed. "Three. Were you even paying attention when we briefed the crew?"

"Didn't realize we were searching the galaxy for magical Jedi artifacts. Now I'm interested."

"This is anything but Jedi in nature, Mandalorian."

"Jedi, Sith...is there a difference?"

"There are plenty of differences, you ignorant buffoon."

Ping. The Star Map finished uploading. I grabbed my datapad out of the map and smiled at them.

"Alright, alright, settle down you two."

Before I could then suggest to Bastila to begin searching for her father's holocron...it was like she could sense I was about to bring it up.

"Come. We should leave this place. There is nothing else for us here."

Nothing else?

What?

The Ebon Hawk landed onto the flat part of the eastern desert both far away enough from the crags and the debris. I grabbed the Gaffi stick despite the blood drenched journey it had been on. After all, we had promised to give it to Czerka for the licenses and I really didn't want them on our asses. Again. Carth was quick to exit the ship and a happy T3 rolled down the ramp alongside him. Zaalbar hugged Mission tight and Juhani was Juhani—emotionless yet with a hidden humor.

We were about to board the ship and take off.

"Bastila?"

The Jedi turned to face me with a frown. She sighed. "What? I need to wash this dung off my face."

Right...that. But she didn't continue up the ramp after the rest of the crew anyway. As if she knew what I was about to ask.

"You don't think we should look for the holocron?"

Bastila shook her head yet I could feel within her bond a yearning.

"We have more important things to do."

"But you said you would go and find it. Why have you changed your mind? Do you care?"

A familiar huff and a flare of anger.

"It's not that I don't care. Father recorded all his personal thoughts in that holocron even when I knew him. Having it would be like having him with you. But...I don't see why she deserves it. She drove him to his death. I loved him...and I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye."

I crossed my arms. "Then why not just get it just to keep it for yourself?"

There was then more silence, and a familiar feeling within our bond.

Guilt.

"I don't know. Part of me would keep it just so she didn't get it. But I would have thought my Jedi training would have put me past this kind of pettiness. I wish...I really don't want to think about this. We have to carry on."

I tried to keep the anger in control yet it was getting difficult…

"Oh, how nice. You don't have to think about your dead and dying parents. I wish I had a handy dandy holocron lying around in a krayt dragon cave that had my mother's image, voice, and thoughts. But no, that was destroyed long ago along with my home. Oh well. Let's get on the Ebon Hawk and fly off into the sunset because there is no emotion, there is peace, right?"

I didn't even see Bastila's face. Nor feel her emotion. Heat rose into my ears as I stormed into the cockpit of the Ebon Hawk, leaving Bastila behind. I didn't care. I didn't care anymore about her sanctimonious bullshit.

Honestly, it would be easier to ignore this drama and focus on the mission. Just follow the path the Jedi and the Force intended like a good little Padawan.

Not like caring about anyone got me anywhere.

Bastila returned ten minutes later—muttering something about having to take a walk.

I didn't respond.

No, I wasn't acting like a hormonal teenager who was giving his parents the silent treatment. In fact, Bastila deserved my silence. After all, she insisted I should stop caring.

So, there.

Stopped caring.

As Carth piloted the Hawk into Tatooine's atmosphere, I sat at the holoprojector again. For now, we were waiting for the princess to finish showering so that we could discuss our next move. I poured another glass of Tarisian ale and traced the edge of a metal seam. I was getting used to the taste of this terrible stuff—not like there was much else to drink around here. That will have to change…

An orange form stood beside me. Carth grabbed the bottle, shook it once, then frowned.

"This much already?"

I snorted as I downed the rest of the glass I poured myself. "Of course not, Orangy. Drank some of it before with Canderous."

Carth slammed the bottle down. "Here you are, drinking away your problems. Do you realize I almost died out there? Juhani helped shoot the Sith out of the sky. But if she hadn't been there, the Ebon Hawk would have been smoked." Carth's face looked like a burning sun. "Before you get any bright ideas, maybe you should consider whether or not they could get people killed."

I grabbed the bottle again—much to the pilot's dismay—and poured the last of it into my now empty glass.

"You're alive though, aren't you?"

Before I could drink, Carth lifted the glass from my hand then placed it on near a control panel.

"Hey!"

How did I not sense that?

"What happened between you and Bastila?"

I grinned and raised my brow. "Thinking dirty thoughts about us, Onasi? Tisk, tisk." I went to reach for the glass again, yet somehow my reflexes weren't as good and Carth moved the glass further away. And I thought alcohol didn't affect me anymore...must have misjudged that one time...

"No...not that, you drunk. You didn't say anything to Bastila when she came back. Not even a quip when she mentioned going for a shower."

"Bastila's going for a shower. Ha, dung face. Happy?"

Finally, I was able to wrestle the glass from Carth and downed it quick before he could try to take it back. Smacking my lips, I rubbed my face as a burning sensation began to fill my cheeks.

"Whew, that stuff really hits fast, doesn't it?"

"Whatever spat you guys got into, you should resolve it. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"Oh, so she's the scorned one?"

Carth now raised his own eyebrows up at me with a slight grin on his face. "If she's anything like my wife...then yes."

"Wait, you're married too? Orangy?" I smirked. "Impossible! The guy with a stick up his ass?"

A darkness suddenly crowded his eyes. The smile died on my lips.

"I don't want to talk about it." He sniffed. "Just...please go and talk to her. Before she explodes." Carth lifted the bottle again. "Preferably sober."

"Awhlright, alrighty, Mom." I waved him away. "You know, you're a good guy, Orangy. When you aren't lecturing me like I'm a child."

Around thirty minutes later (or maybe an hour?) and mildly less drunk, I stumbled towards the ladies' dorm room intent on catching Bastila before she could run away.

And no I wasn't going to peek—I am a gentleman, after all.

I leaned on the edge of one of the many generators in the hall in order to provide a little bit of balance. Blinking a few times, I laughed to myself.

Heh...probably still drunk.

There I would stand like a sentinel until the Jedi finally stopped her hour long shower.

Really, she hadn't had that much bantha dung on her...did she?

After ten more minutes of waiting, I grew impatient. If I announced myself, then it wouldn't be too bad to come in and see what the problem was, right?

Before I comm-ed into the room, a low, muffled voice began to speak. Curious, I moved my head so that I could press my ear against the metal. Using the Force, I amplified the sound so that I could hear the voice in the other room.

It was the sound of a hologram. An older man.

The man had been in the middle of speaking…

"...has taken five days to track down the lair of the krayt dragon. The local Sand People don't even dare to come near this area. Helena would tell me to come back if she were here now...but if I listened to her, well, there would have been no point to this excursion, would there?"

Silence. I held my breath. Fortunately, Bastila was too distracted by the hologram to notice my presence.

"I think it's been...fifteen years since they took our little Bastila. She would be twenty now. I used to yell at Helena every day for taking our child to the Jedi enclave. But...after a few years, I've come to realize that she was right. Where Bastila is now—she is doing greater things than sifting through the desert for a stupid pearl with her failure of a father…" Another, pause. "I worry about this war. I hope my daughter is still alive and well. All of our attempts to contact the Jedi have been in vain. Wherever you are now, sweetheart, whatever you are doing in this great galaxy, I will always love you. Always."

Sniffling.

Sadness leaked through the bond like a poison.

I didn't hesitate after sensing that.

I pushed the switch and the door opened with a hiss. Sitting in the middle of the room, Bastila watched a cube. The blue highlights of an older man faded—the last recorded message of a man killed by the krayt dragon. An ignoble death for a great man.

Bastila didn't look up as I entered. She buried her face in her hands as if to stop the tears from showing. But it was too late. She couldn't hide her pain from me. Due to the bond, I could feel her sorrow—feel it as if it were my own.

I walked over to her shaking form and knelt—saying nothing. What could I say? Stupid, arrogant, Wesley Gale?

Nothing.

Nothing important, anyway.

So, with a gentle hand, I pulled her into an embrace. For some reason, she didn't flinch away as she normally would if hugged by anyone. Instead, the pain within our bond eased into a dulled, yearning sorrow. She continued to shake as I held her.

I could never let go of her. Never. If I did, the pain would return, I knew it.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

She tried to insist this over our bond.

No.

I gripped her tighter.

Emotion, yet Peace.

Perhaps that had been the beginning...