Kalima blinks twice at the Cathar that was added to their crew. She isn't sure if she liked this idea, she almost killed the girl in the ruins a few days ago, what's to say she wouldn't snap and seek revenge someday? The young Padawan did seem very apologetic, her stance weighs with shame and her walk with uncertainty. Kalima isn't sure if the alien needs a pep talk or a swift boot out the ship.
Speaking of uncertainty, Kalima isn't totally immune to that either. She now feels like her life is no longer hers, which is a huge contrast to the freedom she always had as a smuggler. From an early age she knew she wasn't fit to have a desk job, she loves adventure, action, chaos! This is still adventure except...with the fate of the galaxy on her shoulders?
The most responsibility she's ever had in her whole life was handling packages, and now she has to defeat a Sith Lord?
Still... she thinks she can get used to this leadership role, as if she's done it before. And it wasn't just mentally, even her body seemed built for it. Like how did she get this flexible? The last time she was able to do a split kick was in her old dancer days, almost a decade ago. Don't miss those days...
She stands in front the navigation map staring, but not really looking at anything. She is deep in thought as usual.
"So...where do you think we should head first?" Bastila asks behind her, her voice inquisitive and...cautious?
Kalima raises a brow. This is weird, she expected Bastila choose their next destination, but she's asking her instead like she's waiting for the ex-smuggler's intuition or maybe another Force vision to lead the way. Either way, Kalima knows where she wants to go first.
"We can start with Tatooine, Mission heard from someone that her brother is there."
Bastila blinks, she wants to question the idea of prioritizing Mission's quest but decides to say nothing to avoid confrontation. As long as they focus on the Star map once they land she has no issues with that.
"Good, I'll tell Carth."
"Already on it!" He booms from behind them, striding towards his pilot chair. "20 hours to destination."
That sounds like such a long time...Kalima's face lights up with an idea.
"Everyone join me in the common area once we launch into hyperspace.
When the crew gathers in the common room later, they're surprised to find Kalima setting up the table, plates, cups and all, and right in the middle of it is a big platter of-
"Is that MEAT??!!" Mission exclaims.
Zaalbar makes some sounds of rejoice.
"Now we're talking! About time we ate something other than rations and Jedi veggies!" huffs Canderous, who is clearly missing the luxuries of Davik's estates.
"Doot dorooot dweeet dweet!"
"Hey! You can't even eat that!" Mission shoots back at the utility droid half laughing.
Bastila and Carth both stare with mouths open. "Kalima you never fail to surpri-"
"Where did you get this from?" interrupts the Jedi before the pilot could express his contentment.
"Oh, compliment of the Sandrals!" Kalima beams with a smile.
Carth's face scrunches up, "I don't remember the Sandals giv-"
"You STOLE from the Sandrals?!!" the appalled Jedi interrupts again. What would the Masters think of this?
"Shhhh now now Bastila, we don't use those type of negative words around here," Kalima teases the woman as a few laughs erupt. She picks up a knife and starts slicing the nice, big, juicy slab of smoked ham for her crew.
Bastila huffs furiously. She knew Kalima always carried her bag with her, but had no idea she's been going around helping herself during missions. And how did none of them notice something THAT large in her bag when they left the estates?
"But...but HOW-"
"I found it in one of the pantries when we were looking for Shen, happy?" Kalima explains.
"I think this is nice," Juhani finally talks, she isn't used to this feeling of inclusion from a team and she accepts this welcome.
"Juhani!" Bastila frowns in disapproval. It's bad enough this woman has just been saved from the dark side, now she's condoning theft.
"Mr Sandal did kidnap the Matale boy, his actions aren't so noble either. Also he seems...wealthy. I don't think he will miss a pantry item," the Cathar says calmly with her exotic accent. "Besides, it's been a very long time since I've had...meat." Her slanted eyes widen at the utterance of the last word. The Jedi had restricted her to a plant based diet for too long. She wants this!
"Thank you Juhani! At least someone appreciates the gesture here," Kalima says smugly as she slices the last piece of ham and forks it over to Bastila's plate.
Before the disgruntled Jedi could object again, Kalima breaks into a speech. "Ok everyone, we have a new member on board, and some of you have barely even talked to each other," she shoots Carth and Canderous looks, "but we're all embarking on what's possibly...the most dangerous mission of our lives, so I figured we break the ice and get to know each other a bit. If we don't work as a team we have no shot at winning this."
The last sentence leaves an air of seriousness in the room. Everyone is giving her their full attention, as if they're holding their breath. The Jedi never bothered to get to know any of her companions except for Carth, and that's only because he's a Republic officer. If they're going to tag along, it's only fair they knew what they're getting into.
"The Jedi tasked us..." she commences, waving at herself, Bastilla and Carth, "to find a bunch of star maps scattered around the galaxy to get a lead on Darth Malak's secret weapon. Please don't ask me what the heck that means because I wouldn't even know how to explain it to you. What you should know, is that we're going to become targets- no wait" she huffs at how ridiculous that sounded and rolls her eyes "we already ARE targets of the most dangerous man alive."
She stares around the table, looking for any sign of objections. They are all still fixated on her.
"And...I'm very aware that Jedi problems have nothing to do with you, but if we don't do this, we may never know how to stop Malak, and then he'll be a problem for all of us."
She takes a deep breath before saying her next statement "So of any of you want to get dropped off on Tatooine, I understand. We'll have a good time tonight and say our goodbyes when we land."
She looks directly at Mission while saying this. Zaalbar had sworn his life to her, but that didn't mean Mission had to stay. If she finds her brother on Tatooine, she might want to leave with family. And Canderous...well she has no idea what his real motive to stick around is, she didn't have any credits to pay him, he hated Jedi more than anyone here, and she actually owed him for Davik's ship.
When no one says a word, she continues "But if you choose to stick around...we may be the ones to turn the tides of this war and make history, and most importantly..." a slow smirk turns into a grimace, "we get to kick some Sith ass!"
Her fist pounds the table loud enough to almost censor her last word, rousing up excitement in the whole room.
"YEA!" Mission shouts with a fist in the air "Sith ass we shall kick!"
Zaalbar growls, Juhani hissed a low "yess" and the droid makes sounds that made no sense whatsoever.
Bastila looks on with an ounce of dread. The poor scoundrel has no idea she's already written history...or did she? She's certainly embodying the role of a war leader, despite her brief military experience. She isn't sure whether to be proud of Kalima's growth or terrified of Revan's looming presence, but she manages to force a clap while Carth cheers on behind her.
"Well in that case," Kalima grins as she pulls a bottle from under the table and begins pouring some spirits, "we're going to go around the table and say something- anything- about ourselves, and why we're he-"
"Hey! My bottle!" protests Canderous after recognizing what she had in her hand. How did she even know where he hid it? That little...
"Sorry Canderous, we can't have a 'feast' without drinks now can we?" she says giving him an innocent smile, but he isn't amused.
"Would've been nice to ask..."
"I know, I owe you one."
"You owe me more than one, woman," he sneers, not completely over their last night in Taris.
Kalima gulps at his icy tone. It's probably best to not play with him in front of others.
"Right." She acknowledges guiltily. Any other second of silence would've made the entire room feel their tension so she turns quickly to Mission with the first cup. "Let's start with you Mission! Oh sorry, you can't drink this..." she teases the Twilek pulling the glass back.
"Hey not fair! I'm not some little kid, you know!"
"For THIS whiskey, you are!" she smiles passing down the cup to Zaalbar, who grunts something about their liquor being the equivalent of Wookie sparkling water.
"Well ok," the Twilek's pout disappears to make way for a sly smile. "You know me, I'm not trained in combat or anything, but I can handle a blaster, and if you ever need a lock open or a scout, I'm your best gal!" She turns to Zaalbar, giving his furry arm a hug "Of course Zaalbar is family and I'll follow him wherever he goes, life debts and all. But if we find my brother well...I don't know, maybe we'll have to part. Zaalbar and I already talked about it."
Kalima's brows shoot up, "Leaving us so soon?"
"Well if my brother and I decide to stick together this time, I can't expect him to join us can I?"
The girl has a point, this was no place for a child in the first place. "Well if that happens, you'll be very missed Mission. I don't think we would've managed to get out Taris without your help" she smiles warmly at the teenager.
Zaalbar grunts something about committing to his life debt, but that he needed a larger piece of meat to stay motivated because he's bigger than most species.
"He's gotta a point, I could say the same for us larger sized fighters," agrees Canderous.
Kalima rolls her eyes and slices more pieces for the two. Zaalbar clearly needs more nutrition and Canderous...well she owes him.
"Alright then Mando, your turn." she says sliding him a drink.
"What is there to say?" He half barks as he catches the traveling glass without taking his eyes off her. "I haven't had a real challenge since our wars! You think I'll run away from a Jedi who isn't even half of what Revan was? I'm a Mandalorian, fighting is how we test our true selves. This is going to be child's play!" He sounds equally excited and offended at the same time. The fact anyone would even think he'd go in any direction opposite of danger is absolutely ridiculous to him.
Bastilla looks visibly alarmed by that statement, but says nothing. That doesn't go unnoticed by Canderous.
"And what is your problem jetii? Surprised I have respect for one of your kind?" He asks her with a cocked brow.
Bastilla was totally not expecting that question nor any attention drawn to her. "No I- it's just- yes actually," she stutters. "And the Revan you knew was no Jedi! She fell to the dark side and abandoned the Jedi Code long ago." She adds with self-righteous defiance. If Revan is still somewhere in Kalima, she hopes the Sith Lord hears it.
Canderous grunts at that "Jedi, dark side, Sith, doesn't make a difference. To the rest of the galaxy, you're all the same, a bunch of kids with powers fighting amongst yourselves."
"And these kids defeated you-"
"Revan, defeated us!"
"Hey, heyyy now guys, this is not what I called you in here for," Kalima interjects before the woman could utter another word. "Canderous, I'm sure we're all grateful for your help on Taris, but without Bastilla's powers none of us would've made it out the Sith base alive, I mean that with every fiber of my being" she reminds the Mandalorian, completely ignoring their war topic.
She turns around to the Cathar and extends a filled cup, "Now if we can continue in peace, I'd really appreciate it. Anyway, Juhani, would you like to say something?"
"Yes," the cat woman replies almost instantly, "what you did for me back on Dantooine...I will never forget. And I will do everything in my power to help you with this mission. I will not let you down. Even if..." her tone takes a sour turn as she looks towards Canderous "I have to share a ship with an enemy."
Kalima frowns in confusion, "Wait, when did you two even have time to get into a fight?"
"She's talking about how we conquered and enslaved her home world," Canderous explains proudly.
"Why...you brute! Do you not care about the thousands of lives you've destroyed?!" The Cathar is now raising her voice.
"We are not like the rest of you, we live for battle! If your people had an ounce of fight in them maybe they wouldn't have taken it lying down." The Mandalorian charges back.
"My people are great warriors!" The Cathar snarled seething with venom which makes Canderous laugh out loud.
Kalima closes her eyes pinches the skin between her brows. Canderous is clearly not going to be any help with team work.
"GUYS!" She yells before she could hear another word and waited for some silence. "Juhani, I appreciate that, but Canderous has just as much ownership of this freighter as we do. And you!" She turns to Canderous, scolding him like a mother, "not everyone considers war a joyride like your people do. I don't care about changing your views and I won't try to, but if we're going to be a team I'm going to need you to stop agonizing others."
She surprised herself, who died and made her commander? She can see that surprise in the man's face too, though he seems...pleased? Amused?
Canderous leans back in his chair and looks at the new authority on board up and down, eyes almost squinting. He smiles as if to show her he didn't remotely fear her, but he just gained a whole lot of respect for her standing up to him like that in front of everybody.
"Just make sure you make it worth my time," he grins at her. "Also, I call first dibs on any weapons we pick up along the way. You guys have no money and I'm not cheap hire."
Welp, he made it clear he isn't here for charity work. Kalima can live with that. "Fine!" She waves him off, halfway rolling her eyes at him. It was a fair deal.
Turning around to the couple behind her, "Carth? Bastilla? Any words?"
"I'm fine," the Jedi replies uncomfortably. Kalima finds it amusing how she can be such a mouthful when speaking directly to someone, but seems petrified of public speaking.
Carth clears his throat and raises his cup, "Yes, I think it's fair to say we're all wondering what the Jedi is planning for us, but this is also a mission for the Republic. We've all lost something during this war, now is the time to make sure we didn't lose in vain. We may not all be soldiers, but we all have some fight in us for a common enemy!"
The room is silent for only 2 seconds before-
"Wow that was SO formal, geeze relax grandpa!" Mission blurts out, which makes entire room burst in laughter.
"I didn't ask for a speech, but thank you for that," Kalima laughs while patting Carth's shoulder. That laugh is exactly what they needed to return to their dinner.
"Let's toast, to the Ebon Hawk!" She pours herself the last cup and raises it to her new team.
"TO THE EBON HAWK!"
As the tension diffuses, the scoundrel looks around at her mates that are now busy eating and chattering amongst themselves except for the droid of course. Every one here is so different, some completely out of place, but she feels confident they can work together if push came to shove, and that's all that mattered. They didn't need to be friends, she realizes after her failed attempt at encouraging camaraderie, but they are committed to the mission as far as she could tell.
Her eyes float over to the Mandalorian, feeling it well in her gut that he was going to be a major distraction.
His eyes caught hers as he raises his cup, covering half his face as he takes another swig of his whiskey. And winks at her.
Almost instantly, she bites her lower lip. The man is just incredibly sexy to her, crazy Mando ideals aside.
The crew mates are now squabbling over the last slices of meat, Kalima barely touched hers.
"A distraction indeed..."