Chapter 4

The Dune Sea

The Czerka gate guard handed them a mining map to the Dune Sea outside Anchorhead when they showed their licenses, and opened the gate with a cynical shrug. With luck, HK-47's translation abilities could prevent a fight. They were still armed - Carth with blasters, Kairi with her saber, and HK-47 with a vile-looking rifle they had taken from a weapons cache aboard the ship. Their light armor wasn't the most comfortable choice, but the desert's dangers overrode those considerations. In case they ran into complications, Bastila would stay behind and take the others after them if they didn't return in twelve hours.

Even more worrying was the fact that they couldn't seem to get through to Canderous or Juhani for the past eight hours. Zaalbar had seen them leave together, and while they were an unlikely pair for the buddy system, they were the stoutest fighters of the party. They'd give the pair until morning to return, since it was just as likely they had also stumbled on a good lead. Besides, Bastila and Kairi could sense Juhani through the Force and there was no sign yet the Cathar was in danger.

Three kilometers out was a large sandcrawler - a massive machine used for storing heavy mining equipment and the people who used it. It was like a gigantic metal box in the midst of the desert, with Anchorhead barely in the distance. The machine had stopped dead. Three miners were stranded, and Kairi could sense they were not alone.

Kairi could sense them - malice, anger, rage, and intent for blood. She lit her saber. "Carth, your blaster! HK-47, protect!"

A cry, almost animal, swooped down at them from the dunes. A party of nine Sand People charged down the dunes, and the fight was on! The miners went for blaster rifles as their captain huddled them behind a junk pile.

"Here we go, boys. We make our stand here!" He grabbed his rifle, and the others did the same.

Carth started in with the blasters, ducking behind a pile of broken junk near the sandcrawler and sniping at the incoming warriors. HK-47 blasted away with the nasty rifle, or retrieved the frag grenades they loaded into his compartments. The droid had been delighted to get them, and let out a tinny laugh as he pitched them at their attackers. Even the miners took out one or two.

The Sand People were vicious, but their crude gaffi sticks were no match for a lightsaber. Kairi chopped the gaffi stick of one warrior in half, then struck him down as he tried to slash her neck with the broken metal on the top half. A second was killed when he left his torso open during an attack.

The Sand People started another wave, and centered on her as their target. The gaffi sticks sliced several holes through the covering of her armor, but did not penetrate the armorweave. When they had her surrounded, and in such tight quarters she could hardly move, Kairi vaulted up and did a mid air somersault, landing several meters away from her surprised attackers.

"HK, now!"

Faster than a human could, HK-47 vended two grenades into his hand, tossing them with deadly precision. The explosion and shrapnel did the rest.

Two waves of Sand People disposed of, a total of twenty bodies at their feet. Kairi and Carth began the grim work of pulling the robes from the dead raiders.

"What are you doing with those?" the mining captain asked. "Company wants the gaffi sticks."

"We're…here for our own reasons," Carth said, pulling the robes on over his combat suit. "Rescue. What do you know of the attack three days ago - the one where some of the miners got captured?"

"We recovered most of the bodies, man," the captain said. "All human, though. Still a Twi'lek missing. Damned if I know what the Sand People do with them. Eat them for all I bloody know."

Kairi grimaced. "Which way to their enclave?"

"Southwest, past the warning barriers. Though I can't believe Czerka would actually…"

"We're not with Czerka," Kairi pointed out, gesturing to the lightsaber on her belt.

One of the miners looked Kairi over, impressed. "Ain't seen a Jedi wearing armor since the Mandalorian Wars. The good ones put on the same gear as their men."

"You served?" Kairi asked.

"Heck, yes. Under Li-Bek no less! Say what you will about the guy. He never lacked guts. But..." The miner shook his head. "I got injured at a skirmish just prior to Malachor. By then, I was glad to trade my blaster for a fusioncutter. Came here to try and make an honest living. Damn Sand People – they're worse animals than the Mandalorians."

The captain nodded to Kairi. "Well, Lady Jedi, with your droid and your man, you can certainly hold your own. We activated the distress call, so a Czerka caravan should be by to retrieve the equipment at least. We'll fortify in the sandcrawler until then. Thank you!"

Carth and Kairi could barely see through the thick layers of robes and tattered bindings that covered all of a Sand Person's flesh. Fortunately, so long as no one got close, they might do all right. The enclave was little more than a pavilion made of bantha hides, held together by poles made of scavenged metal. The door was made from petrified wood. Indeed, this planet had been lush at one point if such an element existed. Hopefully, their disguise would get them close enough…

"Urrak! Ourkak!" Oh, oh. Their disguises were rather flimsy when met up-close. Kairi could sense astonishment from the guard. Well, at least these people registered empathically. It would do little good unless Yuka Laka's sales pitch proved accurate.

"Interjection: One moment, Master, I believe I understood that. It may not have been his intention, but I believe he did actually communicate something."

"Quickly!" Kairi said. "Tell them we come in peace!"

"Translation: Ru rah ru rah!"

The guard seemed puzzled, lowering his gaffi slightly. Kairi's hand left her belt, and she held them upright, gesturing for Carth to do the same. Open hands was a near-universal sign of peaceful intent, and Kairi could only hope that the gesture would be received that way here.

HK-47 turned to her. "Result: I believe we have succeeded in confusing him, master. We have shown interest not common among outsiders."

"Apologize for the intrusion. We mean them no harm."

"Resignation: I will do as you ask, master, but I have a bad feeling about this course of action." He turned back to the guard. "Translation: Gu rah hurak ip ip. Eyaak urk urk." HK-47 said.

The Sand Person responded, and HK-47 gave a short answer before turning to Kairi. "Translation: He is expressing disbelief…as am I…but his duty requires that we report to the Chieftain. Extrapolation: It would seem that we are at least worthy of curiosity, for the moment. I would much rather this get bloody, Master, but it is your call."

Hidden behind the dunes on his swoop, Calo Nord watched as Carth and Kairi entered the Enclave at gaffi-point. He scowled. Maybe those savages would do the work for him. Still, he had underestimated them before in the Lower City, and underestimated the woman on Davik's estate. If they ended up food for the local carrion-eaters, it wasn't going to be his problem. If those two continued their lucky streak…

They would use up that luck soon enough.

His comlink chattered. Calo Nord pressed it. "Yes, Jagi."

"Got Candy-man to talk. He says that those two lunatics are hunting for krayt."

"You got him to talk that quickly, huh?"

"Not hardly. I know Canderous. He's lying, but he never bluffs without putting enough truth in it to cloud the issue."

"Get the rest of the hired help. We'll set up near the krayt cave. Maybe there's more truth to it than he thinks."

The cantina was closed for a few hours in the early morning so that Junix could calculate the proceeds and wash the glasses. A couple patrons were snoring on the floor where they had passed out the night before.

He rubbed the new credit vouchers over in his hand. Mandalorians were never good for brains, he figured. They'd drink whatever was in front of them. The new guy in town was hardly an exception. Pocketing the credits, he walked over the far corner. Draped in heavy black robes, a shape was huddled in the corner. He walked over and kicked it.

"Bar closed. Get up!"

What he thought was a groggy patron threw off the robes and leaped to her feet. He reached in his apron for his hold-out blaster only to have the woman wave her hand and knock him to the floor. Pulling an object from her belt, he heard himself whimper in terror as the scarlet lightsaber blade appeared.

What he awoke was a very grim looking Cathar. Her gold eyes narrowed. "I saw you talking with him – right before he vanished. I also saw the vial you tried to hide in your vest."

"S…saw…?"

"Canderous Ordo - a Mandalorian. He was here. I am looking for him." The harshness of her thickly accented Basic added more intimidation to her already lethal-looking presence.

"Underground…the tunnels…they'll…they'll kill me if…"

"Would you rather take your chances with me?" She lowered the blade, and it was dangerously close to his neck.

"Keycard is behind the bar…d…don't hurt me…"

Juhani powered off the saber and marched behind the bar, snatching the keycard. She glowered at Junix. "Go, get out of here before I do what I will regret."

He did so - quickly.

Stripped of their stolen robes, and relieved of their weapons, Kairi and Carth were marched into the Enclave's center. The Chieftain was dressed in slightly fancier robes, bits of metal salvaged from the desert (or the corpses of unlucky intruders) fashioned into talismans or sewn into his headscarves. Though she could not understand his words, his tone and his contempt were obvious - they were outsiders, invaders, and while he was curious as to their intent, he also despised their mere presence.

"Translation," HK-47 began. "He is demanding to know why he should let us survive this encounter, master."

"Tell him we wish a peaceful solution to the attacks on his people."

HK-47 made a series of noises that sounded more like broken gears and growls than actual language. The noises were familiar. The ancient droid in the Dantooine ruins had spoken this dialect.

"Translation: He claims he has no reason to believe you, master. Your kind taint this land with machines and your uncaring, ignorant feet. He requires proof of your good faith. We must make a contribution to his people to show we are not a threat." HK-47's head did a jerky pivot. "Query: May I blast him now, master?"

"We're outnumbered and outgunned at the moment, so not yet. Ask him what he would like as an offering."

HK-47 translated this, and the chieftain gave his answer.

"Translation: He wants to move his people far from Anchorhead, but they have not built up sufficient stores of water. He says you must aid him. He wants moisture vaporators from the Czerka. If you deliver them, he will reduce his attacks on the miners and will leave this area soon."

It sounded simple enough. Moisture evaporators, basic ones, could be purchased with three rounds of Pazaak. "HK-47, tell the chief he has a deal. We will get him the vaporators."

Again, HK-47 spoke Kairi's wishes, the Chieftain responded, but Kairi felt almost comic dismissal in the chieftain.

"Translation: He does not believe you, but we have amused him. He will return our weapons and escort us from the enclave. If we bring the vaporators with us, we will be allowed to return. He will wait, but he does not believe we will return."

Their escort out could have been worse. They left at gaffi-point, and their weapons were bundled into an old robe and hurled out into the desert. The guards took position, and the humans (and droid) claimed the equipment.

"Guess it's back to Anchorhead," Carth said, inspecting and holstering his blaster. "And I seriously doubt Czerka's stuffed-shirts will want to hear this. Any clue as to where to get the vaporators?"

Kairi smiled. "As a matter of fact…"

****

Cathar eyes were more light-sensitive than human ones, and so the Underground City was easy to navigate for her. She also had a natural gift to cloak herself in the Force. It had helped her more often than not to avoid the worst of the Tarisian gangs, the ability to not be seen. She somewhat disliked it now, as it reminded her of why she developed that gift, even untrained.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to picture Canderous, tried to sense where that arrogant fool was. There was a part of her, the part of her that burned with ill-treatment and those many injustices through her years, that questioned why she pursued at all. After all, he would not do the same for her.

There is no passion…there is serenity…there is no conflict, there is harmony…

If she would turn her back on someone in danger, could she truly call herself a Jedi? No, she would help him. There would be no other choice. This crumbling slum reminded her dangerously of the sunless place her parents had fled to when they could run no further. Living on scraps and digging in darkness, doing backbreaking work for the lowest pay while the human nobility lorded their wealth over them or spat on them for being "lesser creatures."

There is no emotion…there is peace…

If she let herself be distracted, there would be no way to find him. She turned a corner when she noticed some light coming from the edge of a short tunnel. She looked in the doorway and saw an unsteady Canderous being shoved into the back of a landspeeder. It was obvious, even from here, that he had been drugged, his movements shuffling. His legs and arms were in chains and he was blindfolded. There were four Mandalorians other than Canderous. Their apparent leader was a Mandalorian with long, scraggly gray hair and an eyepatch. Six Rodians, obviously bounty hunters, were also present.

"I'll take care of him," said the gray-haired man, hopping onto a swoop. "Torragar, follow in the speeder. The rest of you – meet me at the krayt cave. Calo Nord wants one of those Jedi captured if possible – the others we kill. Got it?"

While the others were listening to their leader's plans, Juhani sneaked past them, climbing in the cargo hatch of the speeder holding Canderous undetected. The hunters split up among their four landspeeders and made for the Eastern Dune Sea.

****

They found the vaporators at Bracon's shop. The Duros had laughed when he heard of their plan, a grinding hum that echoed off the stucco walls. "Just the kind of appeasement Czerka would never agree to. I like you, Jedi. I have a set here. Czerka threw them out rather than bother with repairs. They've been waiting for a buyer." Bracon sold the vaporators to them at cost – 200 credits.

Re-approaching the Sand Person Enclave, the guard greeted them with disgust and a barrage of what could have been questions or threats - maybe both. HK-47 swiveled his metal head. "Extrapolation: This guard doesn't appear honored to have the job of greeting us."

"Tell him we bring the moisture converters as an offering to his chief."

HK-47 translated in turn, and the guard's reaction turned to surprise. When Kairi and Carth held up the devices, Kairi could feel puzzlement from the guard as he spoke once more to HK-47.

"Translation: He is stunned by this, but his duty does require him to take us to his chieftain."

If Kairi was able to read the Chieftain correctly, she detected surprise from him. Obviously, he had not expected them to return. When Kairi and Carth held out the vaporators, she sensed astonished pleasure from him. His advisers gasped, and started muttering among themselves in their guttural tongue.

"Translation: He had left you alive as an amusement, master. He had not expected you to keep your word. He says outsiders are incapable of such. But since you have proven honorable, he shall keep his word and stop the attacks, giving you his gaffi as peace offering to your kind."

"You may tell him I am honored."

HK-47 translated once more and turned to Kairi. "Statement: I would much rather this become bloody, master, but it is your call."

"I'd like to ask him some questions, if I may?"

"Protocol: If you want this sadly peaceful arrangement to continue, be careful what you ask."

"Ask him about the relics in the desert."

A barrage of grunting and growling followed. HK-47 swiveled his red metal head to her. "Statement: They know of what you speak, and have given me directions to it. They say that a strange piece of outsider technology is being guarded by a krayt dragon and has been for several years."

"So much for this being easy," Carth said.

Kairi shrugged. "Well, my only other question - ask them about the captive Jawas and an outsider named Griff."

Another exchange of growls and grunts followed. "Translation: The Jawas have outlived their usefulness and are free to go. As for this 'Griff,' he says that his mere presence is an insult, a defilement of their home and land. The other two Czerka prisoners died of heat exhaustion, but he survives despite his uselessness. Extrapolation: It is doubtful they would waste the effort to kill him. Shall we do it ourselves, master?"

Kairi sighed. "That would be Mission's call, not mine. Tell him farewell and we will leave peacefully."

Two warriors escorted them to the holding pens. The first holding pen held six captive Jawas. They freed the Jawas first, instructing them to go to Anchorhead and find Iziz.

In the second, a blue-skinned Twi'lek in worker's coveralls looked up at them as they walked in. "Uh…I'm a bigshot with Czerka. A very high-ranking executive. You'll be rewarded greatly if you free me!"

Yup, this one had to be Griff Vao. Kairi tried not to laugh with contempt. Carth folded his arms and shook his head in disgust.

"Griff Vao, I presume," Kairi said. "Your sister travels with me. She has questions for you, I'm certain."

"She's…she's alive? When I heard about Taris, I thought the worst. Come on, humans, please get me out of here!"

Carth strode forward and grabbed his arm. "Come on. The Sand People can't be bothered killing you, so I guess you're free to go. You can find your way to Anchorhead from here?"

"What? No speeder escort?"

Kairi could have sworn HK-47 was smiling. "Mission's call, HK…"