Thank you everyone for your lovely comments and encouragement. Any constructive criticism you all have would be most welcome.
Xenxen – It took me a couple of tries, but I finally figured out how to upload while keeping my italics. You're right, it reads much better that way!
Chapter 3: An Uneasy Truce
Carth wasn't sure how long they sat together before Min regained her senses; he was just relieved that she did. She had sobbed for a long while, eventually falling silent and just shaking, finally becoming still. Reluctant to disturb her, he sat there, cradling her in his lap with her head tucked under his chin until the fatigue that he had been fighting took over and he fell asleep himself.
He woke to the not unpleasant sensation of Min stirring against him. With great effort, she sat up. Taking her face in both hands, he brushed back her hair and was glad to see that her eyes were open and mostly lucid.
"Hey beautiful," he murmured softly, "how are you feeling?"
She steadied herself by putting her hands on his chest and croaked a response. "Like I just got trampled by a herd of drunken bantha." She was still having a hard time getting her head clear, some of which had to do with the fact that Carth was still holding her face in his hands and caressing her cheek with his thumb.
They sat there in silence on the cold metal floor, eyes locked, far too aware of each other's nearness but unwilling to move, until they were interrupted by Mission entering the cockpit.
"You're up! I was so worried about you!"
Min quickly struggled to stand up. Her knees buckled, but Mission steadied her and guided her quietly towards her bunk.
Min slept for over a day, and thanks to some sleep inducers Mission had found it was a dreamless sleep. She rose from the bed, tying to be quiet since Mission and Bastila were still sleeping. After cleaning up in the 'fresher, she pulled on the clothing Carth had bought for her on Taris and made her way to the common room kitchen.
Poking around in the cabinets uncovered caffa grounds. She brewed a pot, poured herself a cup and sat down staring at the bowl of gruel that had come out of the synthesizer. Pulling a face, she began to eat.
At least it's tasteless.
She had just polished off her second bowl when Canderous lumbered in, lured by the smell of a fresh pot of caffa. Pouring himself a cup, he silently observed Min sitting at the table. The first time they'd met, she'd shocked him by speaking in Mandalorian. But now she spoke to him in basic.
"Do you know where were headed?"
His reply was in Mandalorian. It had been a long time since he had someone to speak it to, and it felt strangely good to use it again. [Dantooine, I think. The brown haired Jedi and the Republic pilot were arguing about it while you slept.] He did not bother trying to hide his contempt. [He should have put that useless female in her place.]
Bastila's already making friends, I see. She tried to be generous. [I don't know if she is really useless, more like inexperienced, I think. Besides, she's a Jedi. She can't be all that useless.]
He grunted his disagreement.
Min was intensely curious about this big Mandalorian. [What clan do you belong to?]
Canderous, caught unaware by her question, actually answered. [Ordo.]
[And how long has the galaxy trembled before your name's honor?] Min asked according to Mandalorian custom.
Canderous' eyebrows shot up. He lit up a cigarra and joined her at the table.
[40 of your years.]
[Impressive.]
[For my people it's the honor and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes.]
[Right. Honor in battle. Cheating death. Comrades in arms. The code of the Mandalore.]
[Yes. Win or lose, as long as the fight is worthy, then honor is gained. The glory at having triumphed over impossible odds is what drives us. If there's nothing at stake: your possessions, your life, your world, then the battle's meaningless. We Mandalore take everything we are and throw it into battle. It's the true test of yourself, the battle against death, against oblivion. But you know this already, don't you?]
[Yes. My business requires me to work with a lot of different cultures. Besides, I find it fascinating.] She sipped her drink and continued. [What do you plan on doing once we get to Dantooine?]
[I am…unsure. The days of combat and glory and cheating death at every turn seem to be over now. I take what I can. But now I have no real challenges. Crushing Davik's enemies and the pathetic gangs in the lower city of Taris could not be considered the most glorious of tasks. When I think of the battles I've fought, the thousands I've killed, the worlds I've burned, I weep for my past.] Canderous frowned, he hadn't intended on revealing so much about himself.
[How would you like a job?]
He scoffed at her. [What? Working for you?]
[Why not? I've been hired by the Jedi to investigate some ancient ruins. Given the way this job has gone so far, I figured someone with your talents might come in handy. Besides, it's got to be better than working for Davik.]
Canderous was intrigued despite himself. [Tell me more about your business.]
Carth watched them talk from the doorway. As he listened to them speaking he was reminded once again how much he didn't know about Min Avery. This was the fourth non-basic language he had heard her speak fluently. Listening to her chatting up Canderous in Mandalorian made him downright nervous.
His thoughts were interrupted by Min switching to basic.
"Do we have a deal?"
Canderous sat back in his chair and considered for a moment. Hell why not, it's not like I have anything better to do.
"Yes." They shook hands across the table.
Min smiled. "Good. Have you slept at all since Taris?"
"No. Someone had to keep watch."
"Go get some sleep."
Canderous nodded and headed to the crew quarters. Min stood and placed her dirty dishes in the sink, before she noticed Carth watching her from the doorway.
"What was that about?"
"I hired Canderous to work for my company." She braced herself for the angry outburst she thought was coming.
Carth blinked. That hadn't been the answer that he had expected, but it made perfect sense. This could work to everyone's advantage.
He had been wondering what to do with the Mandalorian once they reached Dantooine. The idea of a Mandalorian mercenary running loose with information about where Bastila was and what she was doing was simply unacceptable. But now, it seemed that that problem had been solved quite effectively by Min.
"Oh. Okay." He poured a cup for himself and headed to the cockpit.
"Carth, wait."
He paused in the doorway.
She struggled, trying to express her gratitude to him. Lost, she finally resorted to a simple, "Thank you."
But she didn't need the words. She could see it in his eyes that he already knew.
He gave her a slight nod. "Any time."
A couple of hours later, Mission poked her head shyly into the cockpit interrupting Carth's brooding. "Uh, hey Carth. Can I talk to you for a second?"
His voice came out sharper than he intended. "Are you ready to have a civil chat? Or is this going to be another childish tantrum?"
"Tantrum? I'm trying to apologize, you nerf-herder!" She took a deep breath and tried again. "I mean I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you. It's just that I'm sick of everyone treating me like I'm a helpless kid."
He spun the pilot's chair around to face her. "Yeah, I know. And I'm sorry about what I said, too. I'm just a little on edge lately. Not surprising considering all we've been through. But I shouldn't take it out on you. Mission, you have to know that we don't think you're helpless. Look where we are, look at what we're doing. You're not just along for the ride. We need you."
Mission was pleased and a little awed that a man who was a Republic Captain would say something like that to her. "You really mean it, don't you? Nobody's ever said anything like that to me before, not even Big Z. He might think it, but he's not really one for words, you know. Thanks, Carth."
"Ah, it's no big deal. I know how it is. Sometimes you just need to hear a few words of encouragement." He couldn't help himself. He added grinning, "Kids are like that."
"Kids are like that? Listen you... oh, I get it. Okay, you got me. You're pretty funny, Carth. For an old guy." She looked over at the door. "Um…I was wondering if I could hide out in here."
Carth gestured towards the co-pilots seat. "From who?"
Mission flopped down in the chair. "From Bastila. Her and Min are having a big argument."
"About what?"
"Me, Zalbaar and Canderous. Bastila told her that once we reach Dantooine the Jedi Council would arrange for us to be sent off world. Min told her not to bother, that we all worked for her now!" Mission's face lit up at that.
"Really?" Privately he was taken aback by Min's generosity, but he managed to hide it from Mission. "See, I told you we don't think you're helpless."
"Yeah! I was worried that she might try to dump me off somewhere. Anyway, normally I would love to watch her take on Bastila, but right now…I just don't feel like it." Her face fell.
"You're thinking about Taris."
"I still can't believe it's gone! I mean, I grew up there and now it's... it's... it's just gone!" She struggled to explain. "Even though Taris was a hole, it was still home."
It was awhile before he spoke. "I know how you feel. The Sith destroyed my home world."
"Wow." She added after a minute, "Do you ever feel better?"
Carth decided to be at least partially honest, she deserved at that. "The pain lessens over time." To a dull ache, that burns a hole in your heart and eats at you from within, he added silently. No need to dump his baggage on her. He continued, "I have to believe that eventually, Malak and the Sith will pay for their crimes."
"I know. The Jedi got rid of Revan, so I figure Malak's days are numbered, too."
Amen to that, kid.
They arrived at dusk, and were treated to a glorious sunset over the vast golden planes. Bastila asked Min to remain with the ship until she reported to the council. Min stood in the courtyard and watched the sun slip under the horizon. The cool breeze washed over her skin. It felt good after what happened at Taris.
Mission was silent, but soaking everything up. This was only the third world she had ever been on, and she was itching to explore. But anticipating this, Min told her to stay put, promising that eventually she'd get her chance.
A Twi'lek Jedi approached them, indicating that he would show them to the guest quarters where a meal would be provided. Shortly after dinner, Bastila appeared.
"I have spoken briefly with the Council; they request an audience with you. We should go at once."
Both Min and Carth stood up. "Not you Carth, just her."
Typical. "Can't you at least tell me what this is about?"
"I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you. All I ask is that you trust in the force and the wisdom of the Council."
Not in this lifetime, lady. "Well, I don't like being left out of the loop, but I'm not looking to get you in any trouble with the Jedi Masters. We'll do things your way for a while."
Bastila gestured to Min. "Come, they are expecting us."
They were in the council's chambers for only twenty minutes. Carth had refused to retire to the guest suite, choosing instead to wait outside in the reception hall. He had given up on sitting and was currently pacing the marble corridor when the doors opened.
Min walked out, followed closely by a scowling Bastila who waited for the council doors to close before she blasted Min in a very unjedi like manner.
"I cannot believe you said that to the Jedi Council!"
Min was remarkably calm for a change. "Bastila, it may come as a shock to you, but not everyone wants to become a Jedi."
Bastila stepped in front of Min, forcing her to stop and talk. "Do you realize what a special case you are? The Jedi almost never accept adults for training. I can count the number of exceptions they have made in the history of the entire order on one hand! How can you turn them down?"
Min sighed, not really wanting to get into a fight right now. She had a raging headache, and all she wanted to do was sleep. "Bastila, I like my life the way it is. I run my own company. I get to do as I please and go where I want, when I want. I'm too old to be bossed around by a bunch of old men spouting platitudes. I came here to do a job, not become a Jedi. I don't mean any disrespect to the Jedi Order, I just don't want any part of this. Either they tell me the specifics of the job that they hired me to do, or I leave tomorrow."
"You cannot run away from your destiny!"
"I make my own destiny, Bastila. It's called free will."
Min stepped past Bastila and saw Carth staring at her. As he was about to speak, she put her hand up to prevent him. "Not now, Carth." Carth shot a puzzled look at Bastila and followed Min anyway.
Bastila watched her walk away with a mixture of frustration, anger and…admiration? Admit it, no one has ever stood up to the Council that way!
Min hadn't actually been rude to the Council, just insistent that she did not want to be a Jedi. It never occurred to Bastila, or the Council itself, that someone would not want to join the order.
But why would she want to? She's right, the Council is asking her to give up her entire life for absolutely no other reason than the honor of being a Jedi.
Asking a child to join the order was one thing. Asking a grown woman who already had a life was another. The fact that they just assumed that she would jump at the chance showed a good deal of arrogance on their part. They have asked too much of her, without letting her know what the stakes really are.
Perhaps they should try a different tactic. Minuet was not the type of person who would be bowled over by the greatness of the Jedi Order. However, if they could provide her with compelling, logical reasons for why she should join them coupled with some well placed guilt, they might have a chance. Bastila squared her shoulders and re-entered the Council chambers.
It was a bright summer day and Revan and Malak stood before an ancient stone door, the smaller hooded figure dwarfed by the taller tattooed one. The dark blackness of the Jedi's robes stood in surreal contrast to the golden beauty of the grassy planes, like some kind of horrible black cancer on the pristine landscape. Malak began to pace while Revan ran a hand over the intricate stonework. Both could feel the dark power pulsating from the ancient ruins.
"Is this wise? The ancient Jedi masters sealed this temple for a reason. Once we go in there is no turning back…"
Ignoring Malak, Revan found the catch, releasing the locking mechanism for the doorway. The stone doors slowly dragged open with the ominous sound of stone scraping on stone.
"Are the secrets of the Star Forge so valuable, Revan? Can its power truly be worth the risk?"
Revan did not answer, but walked silently into the gaping darkness and Malak, as always, followed….
Min was not having a good morning. She was still reeling from last night's dream when Bastila cornered her. Busy packing up her gear, Min started to protest when Bastila interrupted her.
"The Council wishes to speak with you."
Min was stonily silent.
"You had another dream last night did you not? About Malak and Revan visiting ancient ruins?" Bastila forged ahead. "Please, come and speak with them. If after speaking with the Council you still decide to leave, no one will stop you. You will be allowed to keep the ship and the deposit that the Council gave you." She paused, then added, "You have come all this way, what is one more hour?"
"Fine, you have one hour."
It was amazing how one hour could turn a person's entire life upside down. Min was currently in the middle of her first meditation lesson, but she couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the meeting she had with the Council.
Master Vrook, the tall older human Jedi with the perpetual scowl on his face, spoke first. He was clearly still peeved that Min had already turned them down once. "The Force flows through you like no student we have ever seen. But you are willful and headstrong, a dangerous combination. With such power comes great responsibility and danger. You may wish to deny what you are, but the Council cannot turn a blind eye."
It was disturbing to be informed by the Council that she and Bastila, of all people, shared some type of force bond. They had no explanation for it and when she asked if it could be broken, they told her that it was not possible. Min did not believe them, but her attention was soon taken by greater concerns.
Seeing that she was not responding well to Vrook, the diminutive green alien, Master Vandar, continued.
"Bastila has described this shared dream to the Council in great detail. We feel it is more than a dream. It is a vision."
"These ruins have long been known to us, but we believed them to be merely burial mounds. We now believe they are more than we first suspected, and that Revan and Malak found something there. That was why we wanted to hire you."
"The Council asks that you and Bastila investigate the ancient ruins you dreamed of...once the Council deems you ready. It is our hope that you will find some clue, some explanation, of how Revan and Malak were corrupted. And perhaps there you shall find a way to stop them."
"The ruins are a place of dark corruption. If you were not force sensitive this would be of no concern, but because of your unexpected force sensitivity we must train you in the ways of the Jedi, before we send you to investigate, so that you can resist the darkness within yourself... within all of us. Otherwise you are doomed to fail."
His next words chilled her because she knew that they were true.
"If Malak is not stopped the Republic will fall, and the Jedi will be hunted to extinction. The galaxy will enter a time of darkness and tyranny not seen for a thousand generations."
That was, in the end, why she could not refuse the Council. After feeling the destruction of an entire world, she couldn't in all conscience sit by and do nothing, as much as she wanted to. It was hard to believe that she could find a way to stop Malak, but the Council seemed to think so. And she had to admit, the archeologist in her was curious as hell as to whatever lay in those ruins.
The problem is, I'm going to be a terrible Jedi.
Min knew that Master Vrook was right when he called her "willful and headstrong." She had no inherent respect for authority figures or chains of command. Rules were alright, unless she considered them stupid, and then they were to be bent or broken. People who failed to earn her respect she tended to dismiss. In her mind, life was too short to waste on idiots.
And, on top of all of this, she disagreed with many of the Order's practices ranging from the removal of force sensitive children from their parents to the discouragement of personal relationships.
She knew all of this about herself, and she wasn't sure she could, or even wanted to change.
Min told all of this to the council, she thought that she should at least be honest with them. It didn't seem to faze them at all.
She had to find some way to make it work. The stakes were just to damn high to mess this up. So now she was sitting on a woven mat with Bastila and Master Zhar in the middle of her first meditation lesson.
Square peg, meet round hole.
As Min's training progressed, life fell into a routine for the crew of the Ebon Hawk.
Carth, who was anxious to return to the battle front, was awaiting orders from Admiral Dodonna. Realizing that he was going to go crazy from boredom if he didn't find something to do with his time, he decided to give Mission flying lessons, much to the little blue twi'lek's delight. Her enthusiasm was somewhat diminished when she realized that he wasn't even going to let her turn the ship on for the first week. Instead, he expected her to read manuals, memorize terms, and learn practically every part of the ship.
"It's so unfair!" Mission complained to Min before going to bed one night. "The old geezer won't even let me fire it up! How's all this," she gestured to the flight manuals open in front of her, "supposed to teach me how to fly?"
Min was completely unsympathetic. "Mission, you're getting free lessons from one of the best pilots in the Republic." Min remembered their escape from Taris, she had never seen anyone who could fly like that. "Do you realize how lucky you are? He must really think you're smart if he's taking the time to train you."
"Or bored," Mission moped.
"Maybe a little bored." The farm planet was pretty, but its docility was getting on everyone's nerves. "But I don't think he would waste his time teaching someone he thought was stupid. And as for me, I think you're too smart to throw a chance like this away."
"You think I'm smart?"
Min nodded in response.
After that, Mission worked twice as hard. Carth, for his part enjoyed giving the lessons more than he expected. He was a natural teacher and Mission was a bright kid. There was something very satisfying about passing down his skills to another.
Once Min was able to access her accounts, she paid Canderous, Zalbaar and Mission their salaries.
Canderous kept to himself and spent most of his time working out, hunting the local kath hounds and tinkering with his weapons. While he wasn't happy about the current situation, he was willing to stay put since Min had paid him his salary.
Mission was delighted about being paid, until she realized that there was really nowhere to spend her money on the farm planet. When she wasn't in one of her lessons, she and Zalbaar explored the enclave, and then the countryside keeping to the north were the kath hounds weren't as bad.
Other than Mission, none of them saw much of Min or Bastila except for meal times. Min found herself actually enjoying her training. The Council had put her under the tutelage of Master Zhar, a twi'lek male who was neither slow nor a fool. Unlike some of the other Jedi Masters in the enclave, Master Zhar treated her as an adult and kept the requisite Jedi lectures to a bare minimum. As her training progressed, her regard for Master Zhar increased. It was, she reflected, much easier to learn from someone you respected.
Her only complaint was that the Council would not allow her free access to their records. She wanted to find out more about Revan and Malak. While the Jedi masters delighted in using the Dark Jedi as focal points for lectures concerning the dangers of succumbing to the dark side, they wouldn't go into any detail about the pair. It was frustrating. She felt that if she could get inside their heads then it would be much easier to figure out what they were looking for. The Council was unpersuaded by this argument.
Carth received his orders two weeks later. Standing just outside the Jedi enclave in the fading sunlight, he waited for Min. The Council kept her busy; he hadn't been able to catch her alone since her training started. But now that he had his orders, he decided it was time to track her down and talk to her. He learned from Mission that the only free time the Council allowed her was before dinner, and that Min usually spent that time running alone on the plains.
She approached the enclave in long even strides, with her lungs burning, a stitch in her side and sweat rolling down her back. This was Min's favorite part of the day and she was reluctant to go in. Ever since Taris, she had been besieged by constant companionship and barely given a minute to herself. So she had asked Master Zhar for this time each day, which allowed her to gather her thoughts and stretch her legs. She loved running, it gave her a sense of freedom, even if it was an illusion. It was her one indulgence since she came to the enclave…well that and her new clothing. She'd managed to scrounge up some decent stuff, nothing special, but she promised herself that once she got to a less backwater world, she was going to find something truly decent to wear.
But as she approached the enclave she could see a silhouette, waiting by the entrance.
Carth.
Although Min could feel his unmistakable presence through the force, she didn't need to. She could tell by the way he was standing that it was him, legs planted apart in a partial military stance, shoulders square. She had to admit that she liked it, it was so undeniably male.
She slowed to a trot and eventually a walk, so that by the time she reached him she had gotten her breath back.
Min realized that he must have gotten his orders. He's come to say goodbye. She didn't want to think about why that was so depressing.
He confirmed her suspicions. "I got my orders."
With effort, she kept her tone light. "When do you leave?"
"I don't." He paused. "I've been ordered to stay here at the request of the Jedi Council."
"Sorry Carth, you must be frustrated. I know you'd rather be out there hunting Saul, not babysitting a bunch of Jedi."
"I thought you might know why they want to keep me here."
"No. Sorry."
"What happened with the Jedi Council, Min? Why'd you stay?"
Although she was sure that the Council would not approve, she gave him the quick and dirty version. Min figured she owed him that, but she could tell that he was not satisfied with her answers.
Of course he's still suspicious, why would anything change? "Look Carth, that's all I know. If I find out anything else, I'll let you know." She changed the subject before the inevitable fight began. "How are Mission's lessons going?"
He question was rewarded by the first truly genuine smile she had seen from him. The effect was astonishing. Ten years dropped off of him as his brown eyes glowed.
Min was grateful that a sun visor was shielding her eyes; otherwise he would have caught her staring. Oh…my. Breathe Min, breathe.
"Great. She's a good kid and a fast learner. Tomorrow I'm going to take her up and let her fly. If you're brave enough, you're welcome to come with."
His smile was contagious, and she favored him with one of her own. "I wouldn't miss it."
Upon reflection, Min wished she had missed Mission's first flight. Not that it wasn't nice to see Mission so happy, the girl was glowing with excitement. But when they came within twenty meters of a space freighter, Min had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Carth was handling it remarkably well, and if he was scared he didn't let it show. He calmly and quickly gave Mission direction, correcting her mistakes and giving her praise when she did something right. Min had to admit that the man was good, even if he seemed inordinately amused by her own discomfort.
It was another two weeks before the Jedi Council decreed that her training was almost over. Min knew that the Council wanted to continue training her, but time was running short. She was proud of herself, her hard work had paid off and she had progressed amazingly. Master Zhar himself was impressed, telling her that she had accomplished in weeks what took most students years.
But in the back of her mind, that was what worried her. It didn't feel like she was learning new skills, it felt like she was remembering old ones.
The same thing had happened during the swoop race on Taris. Min had never been on a swoop bike in her life, but when she got on that bike, she just knew how to race.
When she had told Master Zhar about this, she could have sworn he turned a slightly less pink than he normally was. He assured her that it must be the force working through her. But now that Min knew what using the force felt like she was even more certain that she hadn't used it to win that race.
It was like I'd done it before. But that's impossible.
Min dismissed the thought, Master Zhar must be right, and she must be mistaken. But as she put together her new lightsaber, she had that same feeling, and her nagging doubts rose again to the surface.
The Council didn't give her much time to reflect on it because she was sent to face her final test. Master Zhar had been unusually cryptic about it.
Returning to her room to gather her gear, she found both Carth and Canderous in the guest wing common room. They had laid their impressive arsenal of weapons on the dining table and were busy cleaning and tinkering with them. Wonder of wonders, they were actually speaking to each other. Granted it was conversation about weapons, but still. Min was shocked. Even though the two shared a room, Min was sure that they had barely spoken to one another since they had joined up on Taris. Carth had a barely disguised contempt for the Mandalorian, something that Canderous completely ignored.
Wow, if they're talking to each other they must really be bored.
Mission and Zalbaar were gone on what Zalbaar referred to as a walkabout. Min figured that it was some kind of glorified camping trip. Mission, ever the city girl, had whined about going, but when she saw how excited Zalbaar was about the trip, she relented. Min sympathized, not being a big fan of camping herself. Strangely, Mission insisted that T3 accompany them. Min suspected the teenager had hooked up some kind of receiver so that she could watch her favorite holovid shows on T3's holo emitter.
The men looked up from their weapons as she entered the room.
"Aren't you supposed to be in training?" Canderous asked.
"The Council wants me to find out why the kath hounds are going so crazy. They think it has something to do with a nearby grove. It's the last test before I am graced with the title of Padawan." Inspiration struck. "Want to come?"
"If it's a test, shouldn't you be doing this on your own?" Carth asked.
"Hey, nobody told me how I was supposed to do it and nobody told me that I have to do it alone. If that's their intention, they should have been more specific. I thought you guys might want something to do, but if you want to stay here...."
"I'm in." Canderous barked before she could change her mind. This planet was driving him crazy, and he was not about to turn down any chance at action.
"Good, I'll meet you outside in ten minutes." Min stopped to scan the weapons on the table.
"Anything in particular you want to take?" asked Canderous.
She looked up. "Not unless you have a spare lightsaber in there. Master Zhar said that they only had one left. I'm trying to decide whether I should use my lightsaber or go with my old vibroblades."
Canderous dug briefly in a pack next to his feet. "Here." He tossed Min a lightsaber which she caught deftly in one hand.
"Where did you get this?" She asked warily, afraid of the answer.
"I ran into a group of Mandalorian thugs when I was out hunting." Canderous said, with distaste filling his voice. "I picked it off their leader's body."
Min had heard that Mandalorians had been looting their way across the country side. "You took out the entire gang, by yourself?" She asked, igniting the lightsaber and checking its balance. She grimaced, noting that the crystal color was blue. That wasn't going to go very well with her yellow lightsaber and her red gold armor.
"Yeah. Me and a couple of thermal detonators." It had actually been more complicated than that. He had recognized the clan insignia on the raider's armor and he knew that they were deserters from the last Mandalorian war. For him it was a matter of honor to wipe them out.
"Huh." Min extinguished the lightsaber. "Make that thirty minutes."
Carth rose from the table to gather his gear. There's no way I'm going to let her go alone with that Mandalorian thug. He chose to ignore the obvious fact that since Canderous now worked for Min, there were going to be plenty of times when she would be alone with him.
So when she appeared at the gates thirty minutes later, she was amused to find both men standing there in full armor. Her lips quirked as she looked at Carth, but she said nothing as they set out across the plains.
It was another beautiful summer day, and the sun shone high in the sky as the wind swept across the wheat fields.
It didn't take long for them to be attacked by a pack of a kath hounds. It was obvious that something was wrong with them. The herd thundered across the plains toward them, eyes rolling and mouths frothing. They looked rabid, but Min could feel that they were being manipulated by a dark presence.
Carth and Canderous opened fire as soon as the animals came within range. While they managed to drop several of the hounds, there were just too many of them. In a minute, they would have to resort to melee weapons.
When they were within ten meters, Min raised one hand towards the oncoming hounds and pushed with her mind.
The hounds let out startled yelps as they flew back in the air, many landing to the sound of bones snapping. Carth looked over at Min as he heard the familiar snap/hiss of lightsabers igniting.
Startled, Carth realized that Min must have done that. It was a shock, he had never seen Min use her newfound Jedi powers before. It was unnerving to see someone he knew use the force. Idiot, what do you think they were teaching her all these weeks!
She charged, moving faster than he had ever seen her move, taking out the two closest animals in one clean stroke. As another slice took out a third, Carth realized that the stunned animals were starting to recover. But it didn't matter. The three of them quickly took out the rest.
Carth was still getting over the shock of Min using her Jedi powers when Min closed her eyes and reached out with her newfound senses.
"There, to the south east. Not far."
They had to fight off several more packs of kath hounds before they reached the grove. The closer Min got the more powerful the taint became. It was a strange mixture of anger, fear, sorrow and desperation. The atmosphere was so thick that even Carth and Canderous could feel the dark oppression. Min saw the source of those raging emotions, a solitary figure kneeling in meditation beneath a cluster of trees.
She turned to Carth and Canderous. "Stay here. No matter what happens."
Canderous nodded silently, but Carth protested. He was quickly cut off by Min. "You were the one who pointed out that I should be doing this by myself."
She said something in Mandelorian to Canderous as she walked away. Defeated by his own logic, Carth watched silently as she approached the trees.
It all happened quickly. One second the figure was kneeling, head bowed in meditation, the next she sprang though the air, lightsaber drawn. Min got the impression of fangs and fur, barely having enough time to ignite her own lightsabers to block the ferocious attack. Min pushed at the other woman with her mind. The effect was underwhelming, her opponent blocking the push with the force, but she did stumble back a few steps giving Min the chance to recover.
Damn it!
Lightsabers met, and for what seemed like an eternity both women held their own. But Min was in trouble, she was tiring quickly and it was becoming harder to keep up with her opponent's ferocious attacks even while using her force powers to keep up.
She's a better fighter than me.
Min knew that if she didn't come up with something quick, she would die. But before she could think of something, her foot landed in a small hole and she went down hard, twisting her ankle. Her adversary lifted her lightsaber in a finishing blow. Min rolled, a second too slow. She felt the lightsaber sear through her armor and burn her skin.
Carth raised his blaster pistol and fired as Canderous grabbed the barrel, pulling it aside. He rounded on Canderous ready to attack, but was stopped by the Mandalorian's words.
"Would you dishonor her by interfering?" Belatedly, he realized that Min must have known that he would try to help and had told Canderous to stop him.
Min acted on pure survival instinct. She dropped her lightsaber, grabbed a clod of dirt and threw it into the other woman's face. Her opponent fell back screeching in pain as the dirt hit her squarely in the eyes. Min could feel the break in the other woman's concentration and took full advantage of it. She pushed out again with the force, this time with the desired effect. Her adversary flew backwards through the air right into the trunk of a tree with a loud thunk. She slumped foreword, senseless.
Carth pushed angrily past Canderous as Min extinguished her lightsabers and rose gingerly from the ground. Sensing that she should show no weakness, she used the force to help support her weight as she strode over to the woman slumped against the tree trunk. Using the last bit of force energy she had, she yanked the lightsaber from her attacker's limp hand.
She studied her opponent, getting a good look for the first time. The woman was a Cathar, tall, muscular and feline. Her Jedi robes were tattered and stained with blood. Min had the sinking feeling that the hard part of her trial had just begun.
When the cathar regained her senses, she sized Min up. She spoke in heavily accented basic; her voice was a low alto combination of growling and purring. "You are strong. Stronger than me, even in my darkness."
Not really, I beat you by fighting dirty.
"Who are you?"
"I am Juhani, and this is my grove." The Cathar spat. "This is the place of my dark power. This is the place you have invaded. When I embraced the dark side, this was where I sought my solace. It is mine!"
"You've been corrupting the kath hounds?"
She glared defiantly at Min. "Yes. Aren't they pretty? My pets. They like the smell of power I exude. They know their master."
"Why are you doing this?"
"When I slew my Master, Quatra, I knew I could never go back. And now I revel in my dark power. Power enough to crush the life from someone such as you., or so I had thought..." She paused, and then sneered "Why are you here, human?"
"The Council sent me to cleanse the taint from this grove."
"The Council has sent you here to kill me? Why, then, when you bested me so easily, did you not simply finish your task? Is it not apparent that I can never be saved?" The Cathar taunted Min. "Why are you even talking to me? Kill me now, while you still have the power."
Min let out a weary sigh. "I don't want to kill you, Juhani."
Defiance turned into bewilderment which turned into grief. "You do not? I am pathetic. I sit here and think myself to be great by embracing the dark side, but I am nothing!"
Once she started talking the words came tumbling out. "I always thought they held me back, were jealous of my power. But it is only because I was not good enough to meet their standards... I never have been. I seem to still have much to learn. Both about being a Jedi, and about myself. But I wish the cost of my ignorance had not been so high. I wish that my Master had not suffered because of me."
"Your master knew the risks."
Juhani's made an anguished growl. "But it was I who hurt her, I who killed her! Her suffering is my fault alone! She knew I would be headstrong, but she also thought I would adhere to the light! Instead, I betrayed her trust and fell prey to my own inner darkness. If she were alive now, there would be so much I would say to her, so much I would apologize for. How can the Council ever take me back with what I have done? Striking my Master down in anger is unforgivable. The Council may forgive a lot... but not this. I am lost! Even though I would repent, there is nowhere left for me to go!"
The words came out of Min's mouth before she could stop them. "It sounds like you don't want the Council to forgive you."
"What?" she roared.
"It's easier for you if they don't, isn't it? Then you can sit here in your grove, wallowing in self pity and guilt, telling yourself that you deserve it without actually changing at all. You don't want to ask for forgiveness because you're afraid they will give it to you and if they forgive you, you would have to work to make things right. Worse still, you may have to forgive yourself!"
"You have no idea what you are talking about human!" Juhani's fangs flashed in the sunlight, but Min stood her ground.
"Really? Redemption is the harder path to take Juhani. It takes true courage to face what you have done acknowledging, your mistakes and learning from them."
Juhani and Min locked eyes and stood in silence for a long time. The Cathar finally looked away. "You have shamed me. You are right. I will return to the Council, then. I shall submit myself to their judgment, and hope that they will forgive me. Thank you."
Min held out her hand to help Juhani up and Juhani accepted it. She handed back the Cathar's lightsaber.
"May the force be with you, Juhani." Min surprised herself by actually meaning it.
She waited until Juhani trotted out of sight before she slumped against the tree. Carth helped her hobble over to a nearby rock and examined the burn on her side. Pulling out a medpac, he realized how close she had been to a fatal injury. "You don't pull any punches, do you?"
Min knew he wasn't referring to her fighting style. "For a minute there I thought I had made a mistake and she was going to attack me again."
Canderous said, "I've seen prettier fights."
"Yeah, I feel bad that I had to resort to a cheap shot." She hissed in pain as Carth applied the kolto pack.
"Crude, but effective." Canderous observed, with something that sounded suspiciously like approval.
Carth examined her ankle. "It's swollen, but not broken. Do you think you can stand?"
As Carth helped her hobble back to the enclave, it hit him. "Did you change your lightsaber colors so they would match?"
She looked at him sheepishly.
Laughter pealed from his lips. "Woman, you are unbelievable."
The usually serene enclave was buzzing with the news of Juhani's return. Jedi that Min had never seen before came up and congratulated her on a job well done. And while Master Vrook still looked at her with disapproval, he was at least silent. Once Min had visited the healers, Bastila escorted her into the main hall where, following a simple ceremony, Min was officially inducted into the Jedi order. Bastila, Carth, Canderous and surprisingly Juhani were all in attendance.
Min tried to put her misgivings out of her mind, but they were still gnawing at the back of her brain.
After the ceremony, Juhani approached with the "good news;" she hadn't actually killed her master. The whole incident had been a test of the cathar's character. Min didn't trust herself to speak, she just stared at the Juhani, stupefied by the gall of the Jedi Council. She could tell by Carth's wry expression that he agreed. The Cathar, too happy to notice, thanked her again and went off to find Master Vandar.
The next morning the Council deemed her ready to check out the ancient temple. Min, Bastila, Canderous and Carth loaded into the speeder. Carth drove and Bastila insisted on shotgun, which left Min and Canderous in the back. Min enjoyed the ride in silence, until Bastila ruined it by speaking. She'd taken every opportunity to lecture Min over the last month and Min was getting sick of hearing it.
Bastila twisted to face Min over the back of her seat. "I'd like to ask you some questions, now that we are to be working together."
It took Minuet a minute to realize that Bastila was speaking to her. "Oh. Um, okay." She sent up a prayer of thanks that she wasn't going to get another lecture.
"Good. First, what sort of background do you have?"
"I'm an archaeologist with a degree from The University on Alderaan. I own my own company, which specializes in acquiring rare items for very wealthy buyers. It's based on Courscant." She frowned, lips thinning in suspicion. "All of which you know, because it was your people who hired me."
"Good. On which planet were you born?"
"Deralia."
"I've never heard of it." Canderous said.
"You wouldn't. It's a farm planet, in a remote system." she paused. "A lot like this planet actually. My parents were farmers."
"Somehow, I find it hard to believe that you are the offspring of farmers." Carth agreed silently.
Min was amused. "And why is that?"
"Because you're a city girl." Carth thought that maybe the Mandalorian was more perceptive than he had given him credit for.
"What does that mean?"
"Not only that, you come from money. Old money." Carth realized that Canderous had hit the nail right on the head. It was the little unconscious things, like the way she carried herself, her table manners, the way she spent money, her taste in clothing.
"And how would you know that?" Min demanded.
Before he could answer, Bastila interrupted their good natured arguing. "Please, back to my questions. Your current age is?"
"3,012. Healthy living, you know." Min remarked dryly. Canderous snickered.
Bastila became prissy. "I see you intend to be childish about this."
"Let me ask you a question Bastila. I gave all of this information the Jedi when they hired me, and I know they passed it on to you. So why are you asking me questions that you already know the answers to?"
"Yes, well...the truth is I was studying how you responded to my questions. Your reactions help me judge you; this was a test for me to learn more about your character."
Min wanted to reach over the seat and smack her. "A test!" she sputtered in outrage. "Another god damn test!" She let loose with an impressive string of profanity that covered, as far as Carth could tell, at least seven different languages.
It didn't take them long to reach the ruins. Min's anger with Bastila was forgotten because for the first time she could actually feel Bastila's emotions through their bond. Stepping out of the speeder Min felt a ripple of fear surge through the bond. Until that moment Min had doubted that there actually was one. Min looked at Bastila and tried to send her reassuring thoughts, which was difficult since Min was scared herself. She could feel the dark power of the place throbbing just below the surface.
I really don't want to go in there.
She approached the door and began to work. Pulling out a visor and a pair of gloves, she began to trace the intricate stonework on the front of the temple. In all her studies and travels, she had never seen anything like it. She knew from the dream that there was some kind of hidden catch, she just had to find it.
"You guys might want to sit down. This may take a while."
It took her over an hour to figure it out. She searched every cranny of the door by hand and scanned it with her equipment, neither of which resulted in the answer. She was chewing on her lip and ignoring Canderous's snide comments when the answer came to her.
"I'm such an idiot."
"What?" Carth asked, giving Canderous a dirty look that said: back off.
"My problem is that I'm thinking like an archaeologist, not a Jedi. This is a place of dark side power, probably built by people who could use the force." She placed her hand on the cold stone and reached out with her mind. It was right in front of her, a simple sliding mechanism, embedded in the thick stone door. The stone door scraped open. Igniting her lighsabers, Min stepped into the darkness.
When they emerged from the temple, it was almost sunset. They had found an incomplete star map which should have shown the location of something called the Star Forge. Piecing together all the information they had received from the map and an ancient guardian droid, Bastila and Min formed a theory. They believed that the coordinates pointed to star maps left on other planets, probably the ones that Malak and Revan were spotted on when they went missing after the Mandalorian wars. Hopefully, they would be able to use the other star maps to find the Star Forge, whatever that was. Min theorized that the Star Forge must be some kind of massive weapons factory, which would explain where Malak's seemingly endless fleet came from. Bastila thought it might be more than that, some kind of tool for the dark side.
Both women were visibly relieved to leave the temple. The pull of the dark side was strong, and the constant exposure to it tired them out. Min had to admit that she and Bastila worked well together. The young Jedi had a quick mind which was useful to bounce ideas off of. Too bad she's so uptight.
They presented their findings to the Council as soon as they returned. Much to Carth's aggravation he was politely, but firmly denied admittance. Fuming, he watched the door close behind the two Jedi.
The Council reviewed their progress, deciding that the best course of action was to send Min and Bastila out to look for the other star maps. Hopefully, they would be able to piece together the location of the Star Forge.
Min was unsettled with their decision. "Don't you want to send some Jedi Masters with us?"
"If we sent a company of Jedi Knights with you we would surely draw the full attention of Malak and the Sith, dooming your efforts to failure." Master Vandar interjected smoothly.
She persisted. "I understand why you're sending me, but what about Bastila? Isn't her battle meditation needed at the front lines?"
"We Jedi know victory over the Sith will not come through martial might. Bastila will accompany you, for there is a powerful connection between you two, a connection that might be the key to unraveling the mysteries uncovered by Revan."
Min was still unconvinced with this line of reasoning, but it was clear that she wasn't going to get any more answers from the Council.
"Juhani will accompany you as will Captain Onasi. As for you other…employees, that is up to you."
"We will leave at once." Bastila said.
It took them over a day to get ready. Min sent Canderous to find Mission, Zalbaar and T3 while she and Juhani worked to supply the ship. They had decided to head to Kashyyyk first, solely because it was the closest, only seventy four hours away. Min had tried to get more information about the planet from Zalbaar but the wookiee was close lipped about his home world. Even Mission couldn't get him to open up about it.
When they did leave Carth allowed Mission to take the pilot's seat. This time Min declined Mission's invitation to observe from the cockpit. But the girl did well, and while it wasn't the most graceful takeoff the Twi'lek was definitely improving.
Carth took one last look at the planet below as he entered the hyperspace coordinates into the computer. He was glad to leave the Jedi Council behind.
One way or another, I'm going to get some answers.