Chapter 6

"Wait! Ani is a Jedi?!". Nova exclaimed

Did she think him stupid; she doesn't know that he saw what happen outside his ship at the hanger, so she just decides to lie right to his face? I know she has connections to the Jedi; I saw the interaction between her and Skywalker.

"Don't play stupid, you seem smarter than that. I am not a person you want to lie to Nova"

Nova seemed pale but it was hard to tell if it was due to his question or her injuries. Maybe he should have waited until she healed up a bit... No fuck that, this traitor isn't going to get special treatment. Why does he always seem to fight with himself when she is involved.

Nova had a puzzled look on her face. "How did you get that?" looking at the commlink

"No, you see that's not how this is going to play out. You don't get to ask questions when you don't answer mine".

"Okay, a question for a question?" When did Nova start getting some balls? Bane thought comically. He does not normally entertain this idea, but he had time to kill, so he nods and continues to smoke.

Nova starts to answer Bane's first question to her. "I didn't know they were Jedi, honest. I was thinking of a bounty hunter or something in that profession and was just looking for you" She tried to make her point by holding up her hands in the universal sign of surrender. "They came up to the ship, I didn't know who they were, I just didn't want them to try and enter the ship because I know you don't like anyone in your personal spaces". Bane found it hard to tell if she was being a smart ass or a kiss ass with that last comment but either way, he let her continue her side of the story.

Nova started to lay back into the bed, instead of sitting upright, while continuing to tell her story probably due to the pain of her injuries "I have never met Sir Kenobi, but Ani and I have been friends throughout my childhood, we were very close, he was a slave just like me." She started to smile to herself as if recalling a distant memory. "We used to build Pod Racers together if we had any spare time between tasks that were asked of us. His mother would have me over for supper some nights and we would share our rations…"

"I didn't ask for his life story" Bane found himself becoming impatient. He did not want to know of Nova's childhood crush on Skywalker. It irritated him more than he would like to admit, though there is no reason it should.

Nova's face dropped "We knew each other as kids, one day he was gone, and mother sold off. I just assumed the worse and moved on. That kind of stuff happened all the time on Tatooine. That was the first time I have seen him since we were kids".

"See was that so hard" he sighed exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

Bane was trying to place timelines on her story as she told it but unfortunately, her story matched up with Skywalkers background as far as he could tell. "Surely you heard M'Beg shouting about the Jedi while in the ship, don't tell me you're too stupid to put two and two together"

M'Beg's name sent shivers down her spine but did not flinch at Bane's comment towards her. "I was in and out of consciousness, with a concussion besides I get yelled at all the time by my master, so I did not pay attention to the abuse". Her voice was slowly growing louder with each word but then went down to practically a whisper "it is just easier that way".

Bane stayed quiet but Nova seemed to find her voice again "You never answered my question, and I answered two of yours, so I will ask you again Cad, where did you get the commlink".

Bane put out the last of his death stick on the bottom of his boot and placed the bud in his pocket while answering her question. "I stole it" Nova found herself expecting him to continue but he didn't say anything else.

"That's your answer your stole it?"

"Yes, now that you asked your two questions, I believe it's my turn" He spoke casually

"Wait that's not fair!" Nova said franticly

"You're the one that made up the rules. Now have you always been able to heal fast?"

"No" was her short and sweet answer to his question.

Ah, now she is catching on.

"My turn, where am I," Nova asked again

"A planet" Bane cracked a smile. It was fun to irritate her because he could see her frustration with the wrinkle, she gets between her brow line.

"Do you know how I can open the blue box?"

"I have no idea, I have never seen anything like it before" He expected as much, oh well it was worth a try.

"Why did you save my life?" Nova asked softly

There was a long pause between Nova's question and Bane's answer. "I don't like owing anyone anything, just a favor for a favor. You kept what's mine out of the hands of others and now your free we are even".

Bane flung his feet off the nightstand and was now sitting upright leaning in towards Nova.

"My turn, what planet do you want to get dropped off at?" That question seemed to throw Nova off a bit, so Bane continued "I have no further use for you. You can't help me with information with the Jedi then your just dead weight". Bane was done with this game; he should not have entertained the idea.

"I don't wish to be dropped off; I want to stay with you". Nova started to sit upright again but was struggling to do so.

He did not even hesitate with his answer "No".

"But…"

"Can you use a weapon?" He asked impatiently as if to prove his point

"I never have before" she is useless he thought.

"Can you fight" "No"

"Have you ever been off-world?" "No"

"Have you ever stolen something?" "No"

"Have you ever killed someone?" "No"

"Then you have no business being around me. This is my life if you cant do these things then you will only hinder me and get yourself killed".

"You saved me, Bane! You freed me when M'Beg would have killed me, you gave me your blood to keep me alive that's the only reason I am here now. I don't believe for a second that you did those things for me just because I kept people from touching your things". She started to have tears streaming down her face. "I owe you a life debt, please allow me to repay it".

Bane and Nova stared at each other for a while neither one saying a word. Bane reached up and wiped some tears off her cheek then immediately pulled his hand back as if touch by an open flame. He stood up from his chair and looked down at her.

"No, I will drop you off at a surrounding populated planet as soon as repairs are complete. Do not ask me again" He started to walk out the door and paused when Nova started to speak to him again.

"If the galaxy is as bad as you say then can you teach me not to get myself killed?"

There was a long pause before he spoke as he was thinking of an answer for her question. "Todo will continue to check on you… if you feel better tomorrow maybe I'll show you how to use a blaster". Bane then left without waiting for a response followed by Todo and walked out the door closing and locking it behind them.

"Did you do as I asked Todo?"

"Um, Yes Mister Bane I was scanning her heart rate, just like you told me to, as you asked her your questions and it appears she was telling the truth about all of them". Bane rolled his eyes of course she was, she is never going to make it in the real world with that mindset.

"Mister Bane, you did not ask about her medical history" Bane just grunted at Todo's comment.

"She is a slave with no last name or parents, you think she is going to know about her medical history"?

"From the blood sample, I took from her for her medical treatment her Midi-chlorian counts were linked to potential in the Force count was higher than I have ever seen so there is a chance that could be the cause of the accelerated healing". Bane stopped walking and looked at Todo.

"Show me all you have found".