The city stretched forward down an endless valley between the mountains. Buildings rose in an effort to compete with nature on either side of her. People were everywhere.
There were still far more humans than aliens. Whether it was prejudice or mere coincidence, she didn't know.
The markings of the Republic were nowhere to be found. In their places were advertisements, public notices, and petitions of every kind. They flashed on viewscreens and panels on each corner.
Well. That must be the nearest government office, she thought sarcastically to herself. The building was obtrusive and gaudy. It stood on a corner built into the side of the rock. What looked like half the planet's population stood in clumps of varying size and thickness around it.
"What exactly are we planning to ask them, Bastila? I'm not standing in line if it's just to locate the nearest cantina." Bastila smirked at her.
"I doubt they will volunteer such information readily, but we should inquire about your past in relation to the planet."
"You mean Revan's past." The Jedi stared at her, looking as though she had a great many things she wanted to say.
"Yes, Revan's past," she finally repeated.
Jedi values were often on her side when it came to facing the harsh truths of her identity.
They approached the crowd and began to move through it. Most stepped aside respectfully, eying the lightsabers on their belts. The few that didn't, Katrina eyed with her most hypnotic gaze. She heard Bastila's sigh of lecture-preparation behind her.
"The Force is not a toy, Revan," the Jedi said, watching her warily as if she actually thought Katrina might begin to hold her hand out, knocking down the crowds around them.
They reached a tall podium near the entrance to the building. It was taller than Katrina herself, and if she stood on her tiptoes she could barely see over the top of it.
The official behind it glanced down at her, a datapad in hand. Katrina felt like a child in front of a disciplining teacher.
"I'm sorry, were you next?"
"My name is Katrina and this is Bastila. We are Jedi investigating an attack that we believe to have originated here." The woman behind the podium raised an eyebrow, her attention moving back to her datapad.
"Do you have a suspect or immediate evidence?" Her tone was one of absolute indifference either way.
"No, but I do have a wrecked ship and a comatose Republic officer," she replied brusquely. The official eyed the long pinkish scar going across Katrina's forehead. She instinctively pulled a strand of hair down to cover it.
"The preliminary evidence on the weapon was-"
"I'm sorry," the woman continued, talking right over a perturbed Bastila, "But unless you have a specific name and some legitimate data to support your claim, I cannot waste the Committee's time with this."
"You want to let us meet with them. Our evidence is enough." The woman frowned severely at Katrina.
"I don't 'want' to do anything. Come back with something substantial and perhaps you'll be moved to the front of the list. And I'd advise you not to try that again, Master Jedi. We don't take very kindly to people thinking they can strong-arm their way through things."
She and Bastila worked their way back out of the crowd.
"Of all the foolish-"
"Don't start, Bastila."
"Do you try to antagonize every governing body we run into, or is it just coincidence?"
"I thought it would work!"
"We are on a serious mission. The Force is-"
"-Not a toy, I know, I know,"Katrina muttered. Force Persuasion didn't work, and status as a Jedi didn't seem to mean a thing. It appeared that these people respected facts and a well presented argument above anything else.
"Suggestion: Master, seeing as how we have attempted the diplomatic approach, and it has inevitably failed, might I suggest a more aggressive route? Perhaps one involving blasters?"
"No, HK. I think there's a few more options left for us to consider." The droid dropped his blaster and looked around impatiently, as if the options would only take a few moments to be considered and rejected in favor of his plan.
"Maybe if we can get a look at these weapons they're so famous for. Maybe we can find some kind of concrete proof that the device used for the attack came from this planet." Bastila nodded, her dark look lightening up a bit.
"That's more like it. We should seek out the facilities where they create them."
"HK, can you detect any mass quantities of baradium near us?"
"Answer: The entire planet is made up of baradium, Master, but there is an exceptionally large mass of it to the north." Katrina nodded.
They continued on in the direction HK had indicated. The city seemed to be a direct path leading to it, the odd trails that detoured leading to dead ends and buildings.
'It' was in fact a terrifyingly large structure built into the cavernous mountain that the city ended at. Smoke coiled up from unknown exhausts within, creating a sort of ominous maroon cloud above it.
"Charming little factory," Katrina commented.
"I suggest we conceal the fact that we are Jedi." She glanced at Bastila.
"I thought the Force wasn't a toy, that we have been charged with a serious mission and we must respect that." Bastila narrowed her eyes at her sarcastic reply.
"I only meant that our inquiries may be misinterpreted to imply that we are trying to gather weapons for the Republic."
"Rich industrialists, then," Katrina replied, tucking her lightsaber safely within the folds of her clothing.
"Rich industrialist Jedi," Bastila added, as if trying to remind herself of the latter.
A protocol droid stood outside the large doors.
"Why are there no guards?" she whispered.
"The entire operation is a giant weapon. Guards would be a little redundant," Bastila whispered back.
"Greetings, sentient," the protocol droid began somewhat haltingly, eying HK-47 as though he were a dysfunctional family member.
"Please state your business with Fornia Demolitions, a subsidiary of Anellian Mining Corporations, the galaxy's leading manufacturers of hand- held and planted explosive devices."
"Lady Trina and Lady Bastila Ordo-" Bastila gasped in outrage. "Here for their tour as scheduled."
"Certainly, sentients," the droid said, looking quite uncertain. He stood there staring at them for a few minutes.
"Well?" Katrina murmured, putting her hand on her hip and trying to look put-out.
"Forgive me, sentient, but I am unable to find any record of your tour appointment within the records of Fornia Demolitions, a subsidiary of Anellian Mining Corporations, the galaxy's-"
"This is absurd! We are planning on investing a great deal in this company, but should our reception continue in this fashion, I am afraid we will be quite unable to do so." She was surprised at how easily she could become a commanding battle-ax without a lightsaber or Revan's past at her disposal. The protocol droid seemed to muster up its courage.
"I apologize, human, but I simply cannot allow you within the building."
"HK?" The droid stepped forward, his blaster pointed at the protocol droid's head.
"Query: Shall I fry his circuits or dismantle him slowly, Master? I can assure you that either would be a satisfactory route." Katrina raised an eyebrow towards the protocol droid, as if asking him to decide on his own demise.
In reality she was holding her breath, wondering if she had just made another galactic blunder and the security systems of the factory might kick in, blaster turrets taking them all out in seconds.
"One moment!" the droid hurriedly exclaimed. "I believe I have located your scheduled appointment, sentients, which was mistakenly filed within a baradium-quality report log. If you will just follow me, I will direct you to an official who will conduct your tour."
"HK, I do believe your eyes twinkled with enjoyment," she murmured to the droid.
"Answer: Though that is quite impossible Master, it was, nonetheless,a pleasure."
"Ordo?" Bastila hissed into her ear.
"Relax. I didn't imply you were married to Canderous or anything. I'll be sure to tell him of your feelings on the subject in any case."
Besides, Ordo was a hell of a lot easier to say than Onasi.
The droid led them through a set of smaller doors built into the massive set outlining them. As she had suspected, security was set to deceive anyone attempting a violent takeover of the weapons plant. A single protocol droid would greet them.
Should they manage to open the doors, numerous blaster turrets, security fields, cameras, and sentient guards would welcome them further.
The droid scurried over to a room in the corner. Katrina spotted him murmuring to a man standing behind a desk.
"The question is whether he's telling him that we threatened him with our assault droid or what eager investors we might be?" Bastila whispered.
"Maybe our luck will hold out."
"There is no luck; there is only the Force."
The man, a solid sort losing most of his red hair, walked out with a hand extended, a simpering smile she had seen all too often plastered on his face.
"Ladies...allow me to welcome you to our facilities. I apologize for the discrepancy in your appointment time."
Still, the Force can be pretty damn lucky sometimes.
"As you can imagine, we are besieged with requests for touring of our facilities from officials, politicians, investors..." he trailed off, noticing HK.
"An assault droid?" he added, less enthusiastically.
"Surely you don't expect two wealthy and attractive women to travel without protection?" Bastila purred. Katrina glanced back at her, amazed.
There's another talent our bond never revealed.
The man chuckled, the suspicion in his eyes completely gone. He reached for Bastila's hand.
"Two very attractive women, ma'm." He kissed the Jedi's hand. Katrina bit her lip, trying not to laugh as Bastila's upper lip twitched in revulsion.
"As your droid may have informed you, we are interested in possibly helping to fund your work here in Fornia."
"Of course, of course. May I say that it is a welcome change from the sort that usually wish to see our facilities."
"Such as?"The manchuckled again. It was a tinny kind of sound, one a computer might have made.
"Republic military officials, Sith military officials, mercenaries of every kind, pirates, smugglers- you name a crime, someone who committed it has probably shown up here."
"But of course, I digress. I am Turk, head of consumer affairs here at Fornia Demolitions, and I will conduct your tour and answer any questions you might have." He turned on his heel, raising his chin and putting a hand behind his back. It was obvious that he took great pride in showing off the factory. He glanced at Bastila, smirking as though his words would impress and dazzle her.
"We'll begin in our main production chambers..."
Katrina motioned for Bastila to go ahead, giggling quietly behind her.
"Not one word," the Jedi muttered.