Sorry for the late update. Computer problems, hectic life, and a sick beta. Sorry.

Disclaimer: Again don't own Star Wars. Only the OC's and planet I've come up with. Dialogue taken from the game, even if modified by me, doesn't belong to me.

Enjoy

Wham

The black furred, four legged alien jumped at the sound. She glanced over to the corner of the room and was relieved that her mate was still asleep. She knew that if he had woken up he would want to why she was still awake and she did not want him to know that she was worried about them not getting back home. Like many on Taris, she had seen the fight in space and knew that whatever was going on up there would affect the lives of the beings planetside. She had wanted to leave that day but they could not find anyone to transport them. Now, they were stuck.

Blinking, she looked out the window of the dingy, dirty room to see what had made that loud noise. She was surprised to see a ship's escape pod on the platform outside. As she watched, the hatch slowly opened to reveal a human male trying to get a human female out. The female looked to be dead and the alien whimpered in sympathy for the male. She hesitated only a second before hurrying out the door to see if she could help.

She glanced around upon exiting the elevator and saw no one walking the streets. Breathing a sigh of relief, she hurried over to the male as he wrestled the female out – almost dropping her in the process.

"Need some help?" she asked in a whisper only to have the male's blaster pointed straight at her. "I mean you and your mate no harm," she hurriedly explained, her voice low. "I saw you crash and thought I'd offer you my apartment as refuge."

"How do I know I can trust you, Daktin?" the male asked, eyes narrowed in what she had come to find was the human way of showing suspicion.

The Daktin female rose to her full height of 1.07 meters and stared into the male's eyes. "How do you know you can't?" she asked. "Can you see into my mind, my soul?"

"No," the male answered.

"Them maybe you need to take a step of faith," the female answered, softly. "If for no other reason than to help your mate."

"Mate?" the male asked confusion evident on his face and in his voice.

"Come," the female said. "No time. Others will be here soon."

The male though still, confused nodded. "Alright," he said.

The female nodded her horned head and led the male back to her apartment. Once inside the female watched as the male gently laid his burden down on one of the two bunks next to the refresher door.

The female glanced in the opposite corner by the door leading out of the apartment and saw that her mate was awake and watching everything, a quizzical look on his cream-furred face. She padded over and lay down next to him on the sand-wolf pelts they had brought from home.

"Shashi," her mate whispered never moving his golden eyes from the human's movements. "What is going on?"

"His mate's hurt. They crashed. I offered them shelter."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because I didn't want to disturb you."

Shashi's mate grunted. Shashi snickered softly. They watched the human gently tend to the various wounds on his mate's body. Presently the male stood and made his way over to them.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Navon'bjon," Shashi's mate whisper. "She is my mate Shashi'bjon."

"I am Carth Onasi," the male whispered. He gestured to the female asleep on the bunk behind him. "She's Kaori Vahan."

"Human females don't take the clan name of their mates?" Shashi asked confused. It was an honored tradition on her homeworld for the females to adopt the clan name of their mates. Humans are weird, she thought.

"Kaori's not my mate," Carth quickly tried to explain. "She and I just worked on the same ship. We were the last to escape before it blew."

"Oh," Shashi said, chastised. "I did not know you weren't mated. It was just that you arrived together and you were so tender and protective of her," she added.

"That's okay," Carth said, seemingly dismissing Shashi's apology. "I can understand how easily one can think we were mates. Especially given the fact I was carrying her."

Shashi nodded her furry head. "She'll be okay, right?" she asked worriedly.

Carth glanced over his right shoulder. "I really hope so," he said.

"In the morning you can comm Zelka," Navon said.

"Who?" Carth asked, turning back to face Shashi's mate.

"Zelka Forn," Navon said. "He is the doctor here in the Upper City."

Carth nodded. Shashi watched him turn back to watch the sleeping female. She exchanged a glance with her mate. He was frowning at her and shaking his head.

He knows me to well, she thought and raised an eyebrow at him. Navon's furry brow furrowed and a resigned sigh escaped him. Yep, Shashi thought grinning. He does know me well. "Sir," she said out loud. Carth spun to face her. "Go lie down and get some sleep," she ordered him.

"But the Sith-" Carth began.

Shashi held up a paw. "We'll keep watch," she said, firmly – her tone indicating she would not budge. She gestured to the other bunk that was at the foot of the female's. "Now go."

Carth nodded, sleepily, and slowly made his way back to the bunk. Shashi watched him gingerly lie down and knew the male would be sore come daylight.

"There are no fatal injuries as far as I can tell," Zelka Forn said after checking Kaori over. "She should pull through just fine."

Carth thanked the kind man and showed him to the door. He walked to the workbench and tinkered with his blaster. It always seemed to clear his mind when he worked on something. A moan from the bunk had him whirling around. Kaori was thrashing and whimpering. He glanced over at the Daktin couple who had lent them their apartment. They were watching the red haired woman with concern.

A scream from Kaori had Carth on his feet and by her side before he even knew what he was doing. He held her jerking and shaking body and gently wiped her forehead with a wet cloth.

"Don't you dare die on me before I have a shot at reprimanding you for not taking my advice," he ordered her. Painful memories rushed through his mind and he had to push them aside, knowing that dwelling on them would not help him.

Slowly the shaking reduced to trembling and finally the trembling stopped altogether. Carth stood and stepped to the door. "I'm going to scout around a bit," he informed the Daktins. "Keep an eye on her, okay?"

"Sure," Shashi answered.

Carth nodded and left the room. He saw a brown haired woman hurrying into an apartment just down from the one he was staying in. The woman looked scared to death and kept glancing over her shoulder. At any other time Carth would have asked her what was wrong but right now his first concern was finding Bastila, keeping Kaori safe until she recovered, and finding a way off the planet.

Carth trudged onto the elevator and rode it down to the street level. He left and caught sight of some utility droids going over the pod. He looked away and headed for the cantina. The best place to find out things.

He entered the hazy, smoke filled room and headed straight for the bar. Forgoing the local Tarisian ale he ordered a Corellian whiskey as he scanned the area. He noticed a couple of drunken young guys sitting at a far table. He paid for his whiskey and by a circuitous route made his way to a nearby table. He sat down, back to the wall, and listened. Presently his patience was rewarded. He overheard one tell the other of some escape pods that had crashed into the Undercity. The other commented that the Sith, swoop gangs, and Davik, a local crime lord it would seem, were all mighty interested in the pods. Soon the conversation turned to bets on who would get to the pods first. Carth tuned the two out. He had gotten what he wanted.

"Hey there," a soft, husky voice purred from his right.

Carth glanced over to find an attractive young woman in less clothing than was considered descent standing there.

"What's a handsome guy like you doing here alone?" the woman asked, sultry, running her fingers up the side of his arm.

Carth scooted his arm away and stared at the woman. "Not interested," he said, softly but firmly.

"Your loss," the woman said walking off to find an easier mark.

Carth just took another sip of his whiskey.

The darkness closed in. The thud of footfalls echoed in the silence.

He's coming for me. Where do I go? Where can I go? No! I'll be good. I promise, please don't hurt me.

Bright light blinded her. She stood, watching through a smokey haze as a slender, brown haired woman fought with someone in a dark cloak upon what looked like the bridge of a ship.

Who is that? I've never see her before. She wasn't there or was she? Wait, is she fighting for me? No that's not right.

The light ran, the dark overpowering it again. The thudding footfalls sounded louder, harsher, deadlier.

He's back, no. I'll be good. No, not the whip. I'll be good, I promise. I promise. I'll obey.

She cowered as the hand that held the low-powered energy whip rose and a malicious chuckle escaped his wickedly twisted lips.

Kaori awoke with a jerk, confused and in pain. Her head felt like a herd of bantha had being stampeding from one side to the next. She groaned and promptly winced as pain raced across her senses. And this is what all those who drink have to look forward to, she thought, groggily. I'm so glad I never started.

She looked around the dim, dingy, depressing apartment. Where am I? she asked herself. This is not the Endar Spire and it's most certainly not my apartment. Did I miss the shuttle to return or something?

"Good to see you up and about," a male voice to her right said, causing Kaori to jerk her head in that direction and wince as a new wave of pain washed over her.

A man in an orange jacket stood there. Kaori shrunk back, not know if this was someone who worked for that man in her dreams. Suddenly it all came back to her. The attack, watching Dilon die, Trask giving his life for her. Kaori groaned and placed her head in her hands.

"You must have been have some nightmare," the man – Carth Onasi – continued.

You don't know that half of it, Kaori thought grimly. She could vividly remember the dream she had had. A brown-haired Jedi woman in reddish-tan clothing was fighting a Dark Jedi on what looked to be the bridge of a ship. She could also remember the nightmare of being locked in that dark cell, again.

"I'm Carth. One of the Republic soldiers from the Endar Spire. I was with you in the escape pod. Do... do you remember?"

Kaori noticed that the commander sounded concerned but she really did not care. All that was going through her mind was images of Dilon whispering "bye," and of that man coming for her. She leaned back against the wall behind her and drew her knees up and hugged them to her. She felt the bunk shift as someone sat down on it. She glanced over and saw that Carth was regarding her with trepidation and concern.

"Right," she whispered, pushing the memories aside. "How did we get here? And where is here?

She looked around, noticing the layers of dust that covered every surface. She saw the trails left by Carth and the two Daktins in the corner, the clean parts sticking out from the rest on the dirty, gray floor.

"We're on Taris," Carth replied. Kaori winced. She had heard of this place from scouting buddies and none had given glowing reviews of the planet. "We were lucky to have escaped the Spire," he continued. "It blew not long after we left. When the pods crashed you hit your head on a dislodged panel. I wasn't hurt that much and I was able to get you out. Shashi over there," he said, pointing at the black female, "offered her apartment. You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a couple of days so I can imagine you are pretty confused about things."

This guy's a master of the obvious, Kaori thought, sarcastically. First that dream or nightmare and now this. She took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts aside. The commander had saved her life and she at least owed him respect. "I guess I owe you my life. Thanks," she said, smiling up at him.

Kaori noticed an odd expression creep across Carth's face. "Don't thank me," he said softly. "I've never left a man behind and I won't start now. Besides I'm gonna need your help to find Bastila."

"Bastila?" Kaori asked, brow furrowed. She remembered Dilon speaking of Bastila and remembered Trask telling her that the Jedi woman was the one in charge.

Carth frowned. "That smack to you head must have done more damage than I thought. Bastila's a Jedi and the only hope for the galaxy. Malak knows that and will stop at nothing to get her. Try not to worry. We're safe here. None of the Sith saw us when we crashed and none have been by."

Kaori nodded, grateful. She felt something sticking into her side and reached into a pocket of her trousers. She encountered something hard and pulled it out. It was the holoalbum that Dilon had given her. She turned it over and over in her hand, remembering. "I saw him die," she whispered to no one in particular.

She jerked slightly when she felt Carth's calloused hands wrap around hers. She looked up and then just buried her face into the soft materiel of his jacket. She felt one hand release hers and snake around her shoulders. She did not have the will to jerk away as she normally would.

"Shhh," she heard Carth murmur into her ear. "I'll be alright."

"How would you know?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Because I've lived through many a comrade's deaths. The pain will lessen over time. You will be fine. It just takes time."

Kaori felt the tears stinging her eyes. Slowly she released them and was sobbing into Carth's jacket. The man just sat there and held her, whispering soft words of encouragement and rubbing her back gently.

Presently Kaori pulled away and dried the last tears remaining on her cheeks. She noticed that there was no blood or grime on either her hand or her face. She glanced at Carth, a quizzical look on her face.

"I cleaned your face and washed you hands," he answered, sounding a little sheepish.

Kaori paused, not quite sure how to react to that. Slowly she nodded, figuring that he had done so only because of some combat medical training. "I think I'll go clean the rest of me," she said.

Carth agreed and helped her to her feet. He handed her her travel bag and helped her to the refresher door.

Later the four sat around the sole table in the middle of the square room, with the humans sitting in chairs and the Daktins sitting on the floor. Kaori slightly shivered. The room resembled that man from her dream's place too much for her taste and the only reason she did not get up and leave was because Carth had asked her for help. She figured that since he had saved her life, she owed him that much.

"Taris is under Sith control," Carth said, causing Kaori to push away painful memories and focus on the matter at hand. "Their fleet is in orbit and they have declared martial law. The planet is now under quarantine." He shrugged giving Kaori the impression that he was little fazed by the fact they could not get off the planet. "I've been in worse spots," he finished, calmly.

"Humph," Navon grunted. "If this isn't the worst you've seen I'd hate to know what that was."

Carth nodded, stiffly. Kaori caught it as a look of intense pain briefly flashed in his brown eyes.

"Anyway," he continued after a second of silence and turned to Kaori. "I saw on your service records that you understand a remarkable number of languages. That's pretty rare."

He paused, and Kaori got the feeling he wanted her to explain. She shrugged. "I've always been fascinated by alien languages. I've been learning to understand and speak many since I could talk it seems. My father helped teach me." As she told him this, she slowly spun the jade ring round and round around her finger. "It came in handy when I became a scout."

"Why?" Carth asked.

Kaori blinked. "Why what?"

"Why did you become a scout?"

"Mostly because of my father. He was one and I idolized him," Kaori replied, sadly.

Carth's brow drew together and Kaori prayed he would not ask. That was something she wanted no one to know. Shashi must have read her mind because she began talking, preventing Carth from doing so.

"Most aliens that you will find here," Shashi began, "are Twi'lek, Ithorian, Rodian, Aqualish, Duro, and Nikto. There's one Quarren but he doesn't talk much. Oh, there are also two Hutts."

Kaori nodded. She understood most of the listed aliens' home languages and only a few of the languages were unknown to her, but most aliens used Huttese when away from their homeworlds, especially when off their homeworld. She was fairly confident that she could communicate with the beings on this planet.

"You forget," Navon said, drawing everyone's gaze. "The Wookiee."

"Wookiee?" Kaori asked, eyebrow raised. Most Wookiees did not leave their homeworld of Kashyyyk, willingly. However Kaori had heard a rumor from a scouting buddy that Czerka had started collecting the Wookiees and selling them as slaves. That made Kaori's blood crawl. She had once been a slave until her father could rescue her and the knowledge that a proud alien race was subject to that injustice made her furious.

"Yes," Shashi said. "I did forget him. Tall, quiet fellow. Hangs out with a young, talkative, blue, female Twi'lek. Very outgoing, that cub."

"You can handle the translating, Kaori?" Carth asked, sounding desperate to get the conversation back on track.

"Yes," Kaori answered.

Carth raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think Wookiees could speak Huttese."

"They can't," Kaori said. "But I know Shyriiwook."

A weird grin, that Kaori later found meant that Carth was about to pull some kind of mischief, spread across the commander's face. "Prove it," he challenged.

"Huh? Prove what?" Kaori asked, confused for a second.

"Prove that you can speak Wookiee," Carth said, slowly pronouncing each word. "Just say one thing in Wookiee-speak."

Kaori glanced at the Daktin couple to find them nodding in agreement. "Traitors," she mumbled. She took a deep breath. Speaking in Shyriiwook hurt her throat so she chose a small saying she had picked up. "Uwana goya uhama," she grunted softly.

Carth raised an eyebrow as she finished. "And what does that mean?" he asked.

Kaori took a sip of water before answering, her throat a little scratchy from making the words. "Wookiee for 'It's so hard to find good help these days.'"

Kaori heard Shashi snicker softly. Carth just grinned and shook his head.

"No!"

Shashi jerked awake from her later day nap at the sound of Carth's deep voice. She blinked and turned in the direction the yell had come from. Carth and Kaori were walking in the door, having spent another day looking for leads to finding Bastila. Shashi sighed, deeply, wondering if this was another of Carth's attempts to tip-paw around the fact he did not trust anyone, including Kaori. Shashi winced, remembering [i]that[/i] argument.

"Do you really think that, dear?" Shashi asked.

"She has a lot of Fulvia's traits," Navon replied shrugging his furry shoulders. "She reminds me of her."

"Navon," Shashi began slowly, "this......isn't because Fulvia died?"

"You think I'm trying to replace Fulvia?" Navon asked, testily.

"Well, this is a little sudden, dear."

"I'm not. I know Fulvia's dead. I know Kaori can't replace her but I still feel this way."

"Well, dear, if you feel this way then I won't say anything," Shashi replied. "In fact, in a way, I wish Kaori could be ours."

"She can," Navon replied. "Dad just has to decree it official."

"But only if she consents," Shashi reminded him.

Navon was about to say something else when the door opened and in stomped a very angry Kaori. Shashi believed that if the female had a tail, it would be lashing at the air furiously. Right behind Kaori was a hard faced Carth. Shashi glanced at Navon, who shrugged.

"Look," Carth said, seemingly forgetting that Shashi and Navon were in the room. "I'm not trying to insult you."

Shashi sent another glance to her mate, wondering what had brought that up. Navon just shrugged again but Shashi noticed his eyes were guarded. Not a good sign for Carth. Shashi prayed the male would choose his next words carefully.

"This is just the way I am," Carth continued. "No need to take it personally."

Kaori whirled from where she was standing, reminding Shashi of the windtwists that plague her planet during the skywater season. Kaori's face was contorted in outrage. "Don't tell me to not take it personally," she ground out, "you hairless Wookiee!"

Shashi watched as Carth's face released its hard edge and adopted an amused expression. "Hairless Wookiee?" he asked. "All right sister, just......just......calm down before you head explodes."

Kaori's eyes narrowed. "We'll see whose head explodes, you ungrateful monkey-lizard."

To Shashi's surprise, Carth began to laugh. "Is that your idea of an insult?" he asked.

Shashi turned to see that Kaori did not appear amused. The female Daktin groaned inwardly. These two would be the death of her.

"Come on sister," Carth taunted, a mischievous grin on his face. "Take your best shot."

"Gamorrean pig-man!" Kaori cried.

Shashi's ears perked up as a smirk crossed her lips. She glanced at her mate and saw that he was trying hard not to laugh. Shashi found herself in the same predicament. It did not help them when Carth spoke next.

"Ouch," he began, holding his right hand over his heart with a faux look of hurt on his face. Only the glint in his eyes and the slight twitch at the corners of his mouth as it struggled to smirk gave away his true feelings. "I think you hurt my man feelings with that one."

"Well you had it coming," Kaori muttered weakly. To Shashi, it seemed the female looked as though she too was trying not to laugh.

Shashi realized in an instant that this disagreement was completely different than that fight. For one thing, Carth did not look like a sand-wolf ready to pounce on and exploit any weakness he saw in the dibit before him. Now he looked like a male Daktin bound and determined to protect his mate from something he deemed dangerous.

"Look, Carth," Kaori said. "It's the best lead we've got. I am going."

"No you are not," Carth said. "It is too dangerous."

Shashi watched as Kaori drew herself up to her full height, which was not that tall. To Shashi it would seem Kaori was offended by Carth's order. The look on the female's face was a study of righteous indignation.

"Do not presume to tell me what to do," Kaori ground out, slowly enunciating each word. "You are not my commanding officer, nor are you Eunan."

"Eunan?" Carth asked, sounding confused. Shashi found herself confused as well. Kaori seemed to ignore the question as she shook herself. Shashi saw a look of realization sweep over Kaori's face. Carth must have seen it as well because his brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to say something but Kaori held her up her hand, interrupting him.

"Don't. I'll see you after the party."

Before Carth could reply Kaori spun on her heel and angrily headed for the refresher door. Carth was left sputtering. Shashi exchanged a glance with her mate, who just shrugged.

"Carth?" Navon asked as the male human began to pace and mutter to himself. Carth stopped and faced the Daktin couple but Shashi noticed that his eyes were glazed over and she knew he was not entirely focused on them. "What was that all about?" Navon asked.

Carth threw a disgusted look at the 'fresher door before facing Navon again. "Kaori has been invited to a Sith party. I told her that we shouldn't go, that we could come up with another way to get down to the Undercity."

Shashi felt Navon jerk in surprise and found that she was just as surprised. Normally no one willingly went into down to the Undercity of Taris. At least no one sober, and who had a lick of sense.

"Why do you not wish her to go to this party?" Navon asked, calmly.

Carth flung his arms out in exasperation. "It's too dangerous," he answered as if that was evident.

"Dangerous for whom?" Navon asked.

Shashi sat back and watched. Both, over the two weeks they had known the humans, had come to see the female as their own cub and Daktin males got very testy when their cub's honor was questioned – especially when questioned wrongly. Carth had been treading a blade's edge with his thinly veiled accusations and it would seem that male had finally driven Shashi's mate to action.

"For Kaori," Carth answered, giving Navon a look of disbelief. Shashi got the impression that Carth could not believe Navon had to ask.

Navon raised a cream-furred eyebrow even as he rose to his paws. Shashi sat up but did not say anything. "Are you sure?" Navon asked slowly.

Carth looked like he could not believe what Navon was asking and Shashi got the impression the male thought Navon was losing it.

"Yes," Carth sputtered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I do not know," Navon answered truthfully. "At first you seemed to think her capable of doing everything wrong and sabotaging your mission."

"What are you talking about?" Carth demanded, the indignation in his voice and on his face showing Shashi that Navon had hit a nerve.

"Listen," Navon said, slowly advancing on Carth, making the male human step back. "Honor is something my people hold dear, and respect is earned in my culture, not given. Right now you have not shown me that you are worth my respect or even know anything about honor." Carth opened his mouth to reply but Navon cut him off. "Don't."

Navon gestured with his left horn to the refresher door. "She has all but bent over backwards to help you out even though she is not required to do so. Nowhere and at no time has she given you valid reason to call her honor into question. Now I want you to listen because this is your first and last warning. Don't do it again or I'll answer the challenge in your words and trust me, I will remove the taint from her honor."

Carth, whose back was now against the wall by the bunks, eyes narrowed. "Why do you care?" he asked, curiously.

"Because she is my cub and I'll defend her to my dying breath," Navon replied, his deep voice sounding like an animal's growl.

Carth seemed to pause for a moment at that declaration and then the male human slowly nodded. "Yes, I understand," he finally answered.

"See that you remember it," Navon said, before turning around and heading back to the pelts.

"Navon," Carth said. Navon stopped not far from the pelts and craned his neck so he could look at the pilot. "I don't want to see Kaori hurt, or worse," Carth stated.

Navon dipped his head once. Shashi knew that meant he appreciated the words and as long as that was Carth's concern Navon would not press the issue.