Chapter 4: Pax

Alpheridies

Jazal and Oc'nel had departed less than two hours ago, but Pax already felt much more lucid. Earlier in the day, he had walked with a bit of help from the nurses.

He was now alone watching the news by himself with a tray on his bed, eating some black soup with black vegetables in it and some wheat crackers. The chunks tasted like starchy tubers.

Count Dooku was making a speech at Dennon University. Dooku had begun his speech with the words "there are two thousand Senators on Coruscant. Some of you live on worlds represented democratically in the Senate. Others live on worlds where a more populous world gets to appoint a Senator to represent you and your interests. Either way, at this point in Galactic History, the distinction is moot. There are two thousand Senators on Coruscant, and not a single one cares about you."

Pax chuckled. "There is one Senator who cares about me. Kriffing Yarua," he muttered bitterly under his breath. If only I could be so lucky to not have one Senator that cares about me.

Count Dooku was now speaking out against the creation of a Republic Navy calling it a "dangerous provocation."

He's right, Pax thought. There is nothing in the Republic Constitution that says leaving the Republic is a crime.

Count Dooku added in a grave voice, "in response to this act of aggression, the Separatist Senate has proposed a collective defence bill. I am confident it will pass by the end of the week. If the Republic Senate votes to pass the rest of the Military Creation Act, we will have no choice but to create our own dedicated Separatist Navy."

Well, now half of the Galaxy looks like it is going to declare war on the other half if a single member is attacked by the Republic, great.

"Watch out Pax, Dooku might make a Separatist out of you," Carver's voice suddenly came from the doorway.

"AAHHH!" Pax jumped.

Carver started laughing.

"Everyone keeps doing that to me!" Pax yelled in frustration.

"Sorry Pax, you should consider closing your door. Jazal and Oc'nel sent me to check on you."

"I don't blame them," Pax sighed. "The doc put me on an insane dosage of painkillers. I was so loopy that I told a random Wookiee ugh… Never mind." The Duros ate another bite of soup at that.

"Did you hear about Awerl and Averross?" Carver asked.

"Nope," Pax said truthfully. I know it is not going to be good though. Kriffing Yarua.

"Strangest thing," Carver said with a chuckle, "some Wookiee hit squad beat the shab out of them up on Alpheridies Station."

Pax sighed. "Carver, there are many power plays going on that you really do not want to get involved with. It is all way above your pay grade. That is all I am going to say. If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't laugh at that type of stuff. After this mission, I am resigning unless they keep some sort of Judicial unit active. There is no way I am going to join the kriffing Republic Navy."

Carver sighed and sat down in the plastic chair next to Pax. "Honestly, I've been thinking the same thing. What about your retirement though?"

"I'm not that old," Pax laughed. "I am sure I got some new wrinkles forming under these bandages, but I can definitely find a new career somewhere and I have quite a bit saved up."

"Well, if you need a partner I—"

"—Hold one for one second," Pax said. Suddenly, his datapad was receiving a video transmission. It was from a 918-sector code. Alpheridies. It must be Jazal and Oc'nel calling.

Pax opened the message and screamed in horror. It was a Koorivar face.

"Hello Agent Pax, I wanted to—"

Pax quickly terminated the call. I disguised my voice and used a medical droid with doctor-patient confidentiality! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!

Carver's mouth was agape, his eyes were wide. "Kriff… Kriff Pax did you?" Carver put his hands into his long black greasy hair and started tugging on it. "HOLY SHAB!"

"Must have been a wrong number," Pax said with a weary sigh.

"WRONG NUMBER! Wrong number my ass Pax. How kriffing stupid do you think I am? How kriffing stupid are you?! You could have gotten us killed on Felucia or Rhen Var! Do you care about that?"

"Truthfully," Pax admitted, "I did not have any correspondences with the Separatists in my entire life before yesterday, and I actually had those correspondences at the behest of a Republic Senator."

"Ahhh bullshab!"

"No, it's true," Pax sighed. "Believe it. Here? You want proof? In two days, Senator Yarua will move to try and solve the Wookiee blockade crisis over Kashyyyk. He is going to give the Trandoshans prefabricated structures, food, and other relief items."

"What the kriff does that have to do with anything?" Carver demanded.

"Ahh…" Pax croaked cynically. "Remember how I said you shouldn't worry about this stuff and it's way above your paygrade? My position? Senator Yarua got me my promotion and has using me for insider knowledge for years—"

"—Kriff, still—" Carver gasped.

"—Two days ago, a Wookiee engineer by the name of Wirarlu attacked the Trandoshans using intel from? Guess where?" Pax said dramatically.

"I don't know," Carver said angrily, clearly not sure where this conversation was going.

"PASSEL ARGENTE'S KRIFFING HAT!" Pax yelled.

Carver gasped.

"Close the damn door!" Pax snapped once he realised it was open.

Carver closed the door and looked at Pax.

"The kriffing Wookiees. This kriffing Wookiee compromised our intel. He destroyed our entire mission and abused it. Guess what he used it for?" Pax said impatiently.

Carver looked frustrated. "Why do you expect me to know—"

"To assassinate three diplomats!" Pax snapped. "Kriffing Senator Yarua, the Senator who owns my ass Carver—Yarua called and told me to leak the information to the Trandoshans. He also explained what his plan is, so everything going on right now? It's tied to what happens in the kriffing Kashyyyk system. That kriffing Wookiee. After Awerl and Averross put me in the hospital, I had to beg that Senator not to kill them for hurting me."

"That's why… Holy shab…" Carver said as he sat back down. "HOLY SHAB PAX!"

"Yeah! Holy SHAB! I agree," Pax snapped. "Do you have anything smarter to say?"

Carver took a deep breath through his nose. "Is that why you always seem… Well why you always seem to be able to afford nice things?"

Pax laughed. My career is over anyways. Carver is going to tell Jazal and then I am going straight to prison. I deserve it anyways. This is kriffing—

"—I want in," Carver said suddenly, interrupting Pax's thoughts.

"Uh, no you kriffing don't," Pax said. "Do you know how in over my head I am? I don't even know what IN means right now. For all I know it means being Yarua's butler."

"Kriff Yarua," Carver snapped, then began guffawing at Pax. "I wouldn't want in on being a Wookiee's little pet human haha."

Pax exhaled angrily and balled his fists.

"No Pax, I want in with the Separatists. Those guys are loaded," Carver said in a scheming voice.

Pax sighed. Carver is such a moron. "Didn't you just get angry at me a second ago because you thought I was working for the Separatists? Do you not realise that I am actually NOTworking for the Separatists? Not. At. All."

"Context is king as they say," Carver explained. "I thought that you had betrayed us, as in, you had gotten us attacked, and risked our lives. If I find out that you have," he gave Pax a dark look, "I will kill you Pax, no hard feelings."

Pax gulped. "I didn't—"

"I know you didn't. What I am a getting at though is… Kriff the Republic. I don't want to hurt anyone on our team but, if we could do something with the Separatists that gave us money but did not kill Oc'nel, Fojo, or Driffu I would be totally fine with it. Especially if it gave me enough money to not have to fight the Senate's stupid war. Now Pax, what I want you to do, is stay here and when Passel Argente or another Separatist calls back, take the call."

Pax started getting angry at Carver's tone. "Carver, I am still the team leader. You are still my subordinate. You can't just order—"

"—Pax, fine. Whatever. In that case, consider it a strong suggestion, sir," Carver hissed.

"If the Separatists want me to shoot Jazal or something, I won't do it," Pax said sternly.

"Obviously not. I wouldn't either, but if they have a good deal for us, I want to hear about it. I'll be watching the news in the meantime, Pax." Carver shut the door behind him as he stepped out.

What an opportunistic scumbag. His respect for the human had fallen faster than a shooting star. Kriff that Koorivar! What are the odds he would call right now? Why would he call? How did he know it was me?