Hearts Eye View – Chapter 5
All For the Wookies
Disclaimer: George Lucas and Bioware own everything. I'm merely having some fun in their playground. Besides which, I'm just a poor, unemployed college graduate (woohoo!!!!) so suing me will get you nothing but the rights to my student loan payments.
Author's Note: Astute readers will notice early on that what Veran is doing would be called "katas" here in our distant galaxy. I had no idea what the Jedi term for it would be, so I tried to describe as best I could.
The journey through hyperspace was even more peaceful than our stay on Dantooine. In some ways it felt good to be away from the Council. I would never have admitted this to anyone, but the responsibility my Battle Meditation has placed upon my shoulders was sometimes a heavy burden to shoulder. I was never left a moment of peace anymore, except to meditate, and even then I could not shake the feeling of the masters always watching me.
In contrast, the trip to Kashyyyk was both chaotic and soothing. These people were far from the quiet, disciplined Jedi I was used to. Mission was always getting into things. At one point she was even badgering me to let her give me a new hair style! At first, I tried to keep myself separate from the others, but Veran would have none of that. I no longer found myself excluded from their company as he seemed to make a concerted effort to get me involved in their meals and debates. And by debates, I mean the heated and sometimes silly arguments he, Carth, and Canderous would get into on various topics from history to battle strategy to piloting. Often times I would try to mediate their worst disputes, only to be drawn in myself, a fact with seemed to give Veran no end of mirth.
Unlike myself, Juhani did not seem bothered by this. She seemed to enjoy talking with Mission about the young girl's life on Taris. I noticed she seemed rather uncomfortable around Canderous. Not surprising, considering her people's history with the Mandalorians. All in all, she seemed to just fit in so easily. I guess it was because she was not raised by the order like I was. She had lived her life among a crushing throng of humanity on Taris. Veran didn't know yet, and I felt I should not be the one to tell him. This was Juhani's secret to tell.
On the ship, I kept up my meditation, sometimes with Veran, and other times with Juhani. Unlike myself, for him, it came with great difficulty. I had heard that some Jedi require a "moving meditation" of repair work. Veran was different still; he meditated practicing saber technique. It wasn't the usual combat drills and reflex tunings that Jedi commonly practice, but a kind of… poetry in motion. He would move his lightsaber in slow fluid motions, eyes shut, just letting the Force pass through him.
The first time I witnessed him meditate in this fashion, back on Dantooine, it made me uneasy. I perceived at as focusing too much on the combative areas of a Jedi's life. But as I watched him, I realized there was no violence or malice anywhere in his form. The blade moved with a gentle grace that had none of the characteristics of any combat style I had seen while studying at the academy. I soon found myself mesmerized by his motion and fell into my own meditative state watching his body move as he and his lightsaber danced across the training room floor. Instinctively, our bond widened and we found ourselves in a shared meditative state.
For a few brief moments, our minds touched and I felt the serenity he had wrapped himself in, and I knew he was strangely content, and yet anticipating what was to come. I pulled back and put the wall I had built to shield the bond back in place. I decided since that night he talked me into sneaking out of the enclave that it was better to keep it dampened until I learned how to better control this link we shared. It was not unusual for a master and apprentice to share such an experience, but I was not expecting it to happen with him. Despite the Council's warnings, it seemed I was unwilling to acknowledge the bond on a conscious level, and as a result these little surprises kept happening. I realized then that this bond was going to be deeper and more long-term than I wanted, and the sooner I accepted and adjusted my routine to account for this, the more surprises lay in store for me.
Veran had tried to meditate in the standard fashion, but he found it difficult to remain in one place for so long. I chided him for his inability to focus and his response was that the whole reason he became a scout for the Republic Exploratory Corps was because he found peace in the journey, not just the destination. It was easier for him to focus his energies while doing something than it was while just sitting still. It was Master Zhar who suggested that he try some form of moving meditation, and Veran decided he'd combine it with saber exercises. In just a few days, he had worked out the routine I had witnessed that day. The master was pleased and even commented he might recommend it for other students who had difficulty mastering the sitting meditations.
In fact, Juhani had come to him, our third night out from Dantooine and asked him to show her how to meditate as he did. Of course, I was invited to join in, but I refused, stating I preferred more traditional methods. I did stop to watch once, as I passed through the ship, on my way elsewhere, I don't recall why. I watched as she stood next to him, and they moved in tandem, paralleling each other. I felt envious for a moment that she should so easily join with him in meditation. Watching them move in sync together, I felt something stir in me that I had not felt since I had lived with my parents: jealousy. I made a silent vow to not refuse the next invitation.
Veran spent the rest of his time with the others, and had started dragging me to what he called "sabacc time." Pazaak was the preferred card game for gamblers, but was only good for two players at any one time. Sabacc was a new game that was just coming into popularity. It allowed for more players and did not rely on collecting and building a side deck. "Jedi do not indulge in games of chance," I protested, but Veran, as always, had a counterpoint.
"Jedi must keep their mind sharp. Games of chance, sabacc in particular, teach us how to read our opponents and to calculate odds. They can also teach us when to engage in a bit of calculated deception and when to flee. Can you honestly tell me these aren't skills we should hone every bit as much our ability to use the Force?" I could see the impish gleam in his eye as he knew I could not easily refute such an argument. He held out his hand to invite me to sit. I ignored it, but sat at the table anyway.
Carth was smiling as he said, "C'mon, Bastila. I know you Jedi need to meditate and practice all the time, but it's good to spend some down time with your comrades too. Besides, we don't play for real credits, just rations. It's just our way of bonding. Why else would an organization that relies on military discipline permit it on-ship?"
"Yeah, Bastila! Besides, you can watch me take these old geezers for all their worth in ration packs. There hasn't been a card game invented that I didn't master."
"Bah, youth and skill is no match for age and treachery, girl. Just because the stakes aren't real, don't expect me to go easy on any of you. The tactics of the gaming table are little different from the tactics of the battlefield: bluff, deception, feint, luck. Only the details differ."
"Uh, thanks for that rousing speech, Canderous. But why don't you put your rations where your mouth is? Or are your glory days behind you?" Mission couldn't resist provoking the Mandalorian mercenary. It seemed to grow worse, the more time she spent around Veran, and vice versa. The two would often fire insults back and forth at each other as they went about their chores during the long hyperspace journey, and both were becoming too good at it.
Canderous swore a few choice oaths at the young girl. It seemed like a fight was near to breaking out, but Veran and Carth looked unconcerned and in fact seemed to be laughing at the whole exchange. I needn't have worried, for as soon as Canderous stood up, Zaalbar's shadow fell across him, and his growls said what would happen if Canderous laid a hand on the Twi'lek youth. For a moment, the Mandalorian and Wookie sized each other up, and then Canderous sat back down and told Carth to deal the cards.
I am loathing admitting this, but I learned to enjoy these sessions. While I lost much more often than I won, I began to feel somewhat at home with this eclectic group. Somehow, Veran was becoming the adhesive that kept everyone together. Carth and Canderous were both older and more experienced, but they deferred to his judgment, though I doubt either really realized they were doing it on any conscious level. Revan had always been said to have a gift for inspiration and leadership, and this obviously held true for his reincarnation. Our feisty Mission looked upon him as a replacement for the brother that she lost years ago.
Zaalbar kept to himself, but honored his life debt without hesitation. He had become even more withdrawn during the trip to his homeworld. When we finally touched down at the spaceport, he seemed positively furtive, for a Wookie, at least. Mission had mentioned that he had been exiled from his homeworld, but any attempt to inquire only elicited a bark of annoyance that told the questioner to be silent. Whatever demons haunted our large companion, we were about to deal with them, whether he liked it or not.
As we approached the arboreal planet, I had a dream of standing at the bottom of a great forest, with trees so large as to defy belief. I could hear the calls of strange avian creatures in the night air, and before me another inverted tripod like the one on Dantooine opened in front of me. I could not, of course, make out any important features of the map it displayed. I woke up with a start, and quickly moved to the main passenger area. There I found Veran coming from the opposite direction. "Did you see it too," he asked, as he tried to brush the sleep from his eyes.
"Yes. The Star Map was obviously deep inside the forest, on the surface of Kashyyyk, where not even the Wookies travel regularly. We may learn more after we land." I stood there for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts when I noticed Veran staring at me for a moment. It took an instant for me to realize that I was so caught up in the importance of the vision that I hadn't bothered to pull on a robe, and I was standing there only in my undergarments. Another heartbeat and I realized he had done the same thing. We both stood there in a moment of awkward silence.
While Veran's were more of a short-limbed bodysuit, I had always been fond of more elegant and flattering designs. It was one of the few frivolities I could indulge in as a Jedi, as personal effects were largely discouraged. We were allowed to choose our own clothing, within certain parameters, and none of the Jedi Council had even laid down stricture as to what undergarments were acceptable and which weren't. Perhaps it was a conceit to wear ones that showed more skin than they covered, intended for form over function, but something about them made me feel feminine, and surely the Force would allow me one small private indulgence, as no one else would ever know, since intimacy was forbidden.
I was the first to turn away. "Such looks are not becoming of a Jedi, Veran. Control your emotions." I chastised myself for appearing embarrassed. A Jedi should not be concerned by such petty things as modesty, so I stood straight and placed a hand on my hip, trying to show that the situation had no erotic overtones, hoping to defuse the situation.
He stammered for a moment, and then he seemed to collect himself. A crooked smile appeared on his face as he responded, "Forgive me for saying so, Bastila, but such a look is very becoming on you." He bowed once, turned and walked back to the stateroom. I stood there, looking indignant, watching him walk away for a moment, before I noticed Carth, with another look like he had during Veran's duel with Bendak Starkiller, and looking back from the pilot's chair. He had the decency to spin back around when I noticed him. Men… I stalked back to my bunk, dressed and joined Carth back on the bridge. He wisely said nothing.
How to discuss the events of Kashyyyk? I honestly am not sure, even now. I accompanied Veran on his search for the Star Map, this time with Mission and Zaalbar, and the events still seem a bit of a blur. Shortly after we touched down, we were approached by the head of the Czerka Corporation enclave. In short order, we learned that Czerka had a deal with the local chieftain to take Wookies as slaves. The chieftain turned out to be none other than Zaalbar's brother, Chuundar. It seems Zaalbar had uncovered his dealings with Czerka years before, and attacked him with claws, an unspeakable crime to his kind. He was branded a "madclaw" and cast out by his own father, who refused to believe his youngest son. Later, it seems Chuundar managed to get Freyr ousted as well as senile, and became leader of his tribe.
Our shared vision indicated that the Star Map was on the forest floor, and the only way down the kilometer high wroshyr trees was with Wookie permission. Upon trying to enter the village, Zaalbar was taken before Chuundar, and we of course followed. There, surrounded by Czerka Security, the treacherous Wookie confirmed everything we had gleaned in the Czerka settlement. In fact, the only way we could access to the area known as the Shadowlands was with his permission. He ordered us to kill an insane Wookie who had taken refuge on the planet's surface. Chuundar held Zaalbar as a hostage to ensure our good behavior. Veran agreed to his terms, and we set out for the surface.
After we left the village, I turned to Veran. "Surely we are not going to act as assassins for this Wookie. While we need to find the Star Map, we should not allow ourselves to be used like this."
"She's right! We can't just let that overgrown carpet do this! We gotta help Big Z, Veran!" It was all I could do to keep Mission from staring a fight in the middle of the chieftain's hut, and she had obviously had enough of holding her tongue.
"Don't worry, either of you. I have no intention of leaving Zaalbar in the hands of his sithspawn of a brother, nor will I do his dirty work. We'll find a way out of this. Trust me. Mission, go back to the Hawk and tell Carth we need him."
"Oh no, you don't! You're not leaving me on the ship while you guys go down there, not this time!"
Veran took the upset girl gently by the shoulder. "This isn't Taris, Mission. There are no doors to slice. Do you know the first thing about surviving in a forest environment? Honestly?"
"Well… maybe I don't, but I can handle myself!"
"I'm not saying you can't, but we need to stick with our specialties. We're about to head down to into an exceedingly nasty place, and we need the right people for the right job. We couldn't have gotten off Taris without you, but right now, I need someone who knows his way around a hostile outdoor environment. Tell you what, why don't you head back to the village and keep an eye on Chuundar. He may try something underhanded now that we're gone. You're the only one they'll let stay there. They only see a small alien girl. They don't know you the way we do."
"Frell! You're right! That scum-sucking core-slime may try to knife Big Z without someone to keep an eye on him. You send Carth or Canderous and they'll just toss 'em right back out." She looked up annoyed at him. "How can you be so obviously connin' me, and still make sense?"
"It's a gift," he said with a slight smirk. "Go on. We'll wait at the Y-junction of the Great Walkway."
I watched as Mission moved swiftly off down the walkway back to the landing pad. While we waited for Carth, I started talking with Veran about the dangers of the Dark Side. It was imperative, that he of all people be wary of slipping into darkness. I could not tell him the real reason for my concern; instead I portrayed it as a response to being trained for so brief a period. I tried to recall many of the lessons of my own master, Vrook, and tried to impart them with the same detached view, though I tried to be a bit more empathetic about it.
Veran seemed to take my sudden lecture all in stride. At first I suspect him of humoring me, but he seemed to genuinely pay attention. I wished I was merely being overwrought, but I had my orders as to what I should do, should the Dark Lord threaten to return, and I found myself hoping that I would never have to follow through on those orders. Like Carth and the others, I had begun to grow fond of this man. His new personality had all the charisma of his old. I knew who he was and what he used to be, and yet I still felt drawn to him. It wasn't just the bond. While it was far from gone, I had managed a level of control over my end of it. No, it was the way he seemed at ease anywhere, no matter how alien the setting. It was how he seemed to find something humorous in everything, even when it irritated me. There was just, inexplicably, something about him.
I heard the sound of someone approaching from the Czerka camp and we turned, expecting Carth. Instead, a yellow-skinned Twi'lek was approaching. I was about to resume my conversation with Veran when she spoke.
"Bastila?! Excuse me, miss, but are you Helena's daughter?"
I was shocked. I had not heard the name of my mother in many years, nor was I pleased to hear it now. "Yes, I am Bastila. How do you know my mother or me for that matter? I came off as a bit terser than I should have, but hearing that name set me immediately on edge.
"Oh forgive me, I am Silya and I worked with your parents on some of their expeditions. Your father kept showing off holos of you. You're much older now, of course, but I thought it was you. Has there been any word on your mother's condition?"
"Condition? What condition? What's wrong with her? Has anything happened to my father?" A note of concern began to creep into my voice.
"I'm sorry but I have not seen your parents for some time. When last I spoke to Helena, she was trying to contact you. I see she has had little luck."
The concern began to evaporate, and a note of suspicion took its place. "No, I'm afraid I haven't spoken to my parents since I left home. Where did you last hear from her?"
"The last transmission I had from her originated from Tatooine. She didn't give details, but she implied she was very ill. I can't tell you anything more."
"Thank you for this information. It was a pleasure meeting you." I turned my attention inward as I tried to puzzle out the possibilities of what I had just been told.
The woman bowed slightly once. "I'm just glad I found you in time. Helena seemed quite distressed, but please, don't let me keep you, master Jedi. You are obviously on business on some import to be out on this rim world." And with that, she hurried away.
Veran just stood there, his eyes downcast. "Well that was one of the most unusual encounters I've had since waking up on Taris. What are the odds that we'd not only meet a friend of your parents, but that your mother is waiting on one of the worlds on our list?"
"Her illness is probably nothing more than a small virus that she's milking as an excuse to get me to find her. While I have little desire to see her, I would like to learn of my father, and as you pointed out, it is not out of our way. If we could, I'd like to try and find her on Tatooine."
"Of course, it's not a problem. We'll simply head to Tatooine next as soon as we're done here. I'm sure everything is fine," he added, the concern on his face matching the tone of his voice.
I just nodded once, avoiding his gaze. It would not do for him to see me overly concerned for parents I had not seen in years. This was the reason why Jedi are taken as young children, to avoid these kinds of situations. How could I be an example to him if I could not keep my own emotions at arm's length?
"You're lucky, you know."
"What?" I turned to look at him, brushing a strand of hair back into place.
"I never knew my parents. They died when I was very young. The state on Derallia took care of me. I was raised in a private school, not too dissimilar from the enclave in some ways. It was a lonely life. I never really had many friends until I went to university. It's one of the reasons why I don't approve of their recruiting techniques. Yes, a child may be easier to mold into the perfect Jedi, but it's also why we're so alienated from the rest of the galaxy. We should be a part of those we protect, not separate and aloof. In many ways, I envy you. You got a few years with your parents and with friends. Its more than many of even your fellow Jedi had."
My face softened a tad. "Perhaps you're right. But it's that streak of emotion that has been one of those things that Master Vrook has tried to get me to overcome. I know that I am headstrong and rash. I try not to be, but it's difficult. He says I was right on the edge of acceptable age for training, and that the Order took a chance in taking me. It is my obligation to show them they were right to do so."
"Have you ever stopped to consider that the Council might be wrong? Yes, they are wise, but they are still mortal, and everyone makes mistakes."
"No, I haven't, and neither should you. The last Jedi to question the will of the Masters were Revan and Malak, and we have them to thank for this senseless slaughter that's been perpetrated against Taris, Telos, and a dozen other worlds!"
Revan shook his head. "I don't mean outright defiance of the council, and you won't get any arguments from me about Revan and Malak, but Carth made an excellent point when you two were arguing about the Council's inaction on the way here. Without them, we'd have lost the war. We have no way of knowing what would have been if Revan had listened to the Council; maybe better, maybe worse. I can't be certain. My point is that blind obedience is never the right answer. Sometimes, you have to shut up and do what you're told, but there are other times when you need to question what you're told. The Jedi and the military prefer it one way. Smugglers and pirates prefer it the other. What I'm saying is that there needs to be a balance between the two."
"Perhaps, but I am not so arrogant as to turn a blind eye to the centuries of wisdom accumulated by the Order. They can see a larger picture we cannot, and it would be wise of us to trust in that vision." That sense of dread I had come to know so well since I first this man was upon me again. These were some of the same arguments Revan made to the Council back on Coruscant. Please, don't let him start down that path. I don't want to have to hurt him… I found myself pleading to the Force, flashes of the black-robed figure I confronted a year ago playing in my minds eye.
"Bastila? What's wrong?" I returned to reality in time to see him standing closer to me, looking concerned. I realized I had turned away and moved to the railing of the walkway, trying to gather my thoughts. Earlier, he had accused me of "scrunching up like a kath pup" when upset, which I vehemently denied, only to be proving him right again. As a Jedi, my control over my "tells" should have been better, and normally were. It wasn't just the bond, as I had hoped. I was losing control of my emotions, the longer I stayed with him. I needed to redouble my efforts. I tried to find a way to explain away my reaction when Carth walked up.
"Sorry I took so long, people. You won't believe this. On her way back to the Hawk, Mission bumped into Lena, her brother's old girlfriend. She claimed Grif left her on Taris, intentionally, and is now stuck on Tatooine. Needless to say, Mission is being rather vocal about going to Tatooine A.S.A.P." He then seemed to take stock of what he just walked in on, but instead of the baffled look he had worn on previous occasions, he seemed to be trying to suppress… a smile? It was if he was in on a joke that was meant only for him.
Revan pulled away from me and walked over to the fleet officer. "Tatooine, is it? Apparently that's where Bastila's mother is too. I'm not one to tout the usual clichés, but two long absent family members showing up on a world we happen to be going to anyway, it can't be a coincidence."
Carth ran his hand over the perpetual stubble he seemed to maintain. "That's funny. I didn't think the Force got involved in domestic disputes."
Veran lapsed back into that crooked smirk he seemed to love when he thought he was being humorous. "Never underestimate the power of the Force." I let out a sigh as I reached up to touch my temple. The trek into the Shadowlands was going to be trying for more reasons than just the native wildlife.
Despite having to put up with some rather painful attempts at levity, the trip proved more interesting than any of us had anticipated. Deep below the forest canopy, we found an outcast old man, fending off a herd of wild katarn with a lightsaber! He was a man of dark complexion, bald, with a short beard. He introduced himself to us as Jolee Bindo. I did not recognize the name, but it was obvious that he could feel the Force. He was a bit… cranky, I believe is the word, and he would tell us little about himself. He had us drive off some local poachers in return for acting as a guide into the dark heart of the Shadowlands. It seems he had found the Star Map while stranded on Kashyyyk and could lead us right there. The Force was with us.
With only a few hours journey, we found a large computer that seemed to control access to the Star Map. It utilized a holographic interface that utilized the form of an unknown alien race, with a cone-shaped head and two eye stalks that extended out on either side. Much to the surprise of everyone but me, it recognized Veran's brainwave patterns, even altered as they were, and put him through a test to confirm his identity. The questions were standard behavioral types, but the answers being sought were better suited to a Dark Lord of the Sith.
The first one he passed admirably, choosing to place his trust in friendship. The second one, which involved around a choice between making crushing an enemy and protecting a friendly city, did not go as well as I hoped. He seemed to agonize over the decision, and tried to divide his forces for both goals, but the computer would not permit such a response. His answer was to permit the destruction of the city to end the war more swiftly, resulting in fewer losses of life in the long-term. This was a standard tactic of Revan; during the Mandalorian War, he would often abandon Republic systems of little strategic value to reinforce his position elsewhere, leaving them to the tender mercies of the Mandalorians. Despite the death toll on those worlds, the Senate heaped medal after medal on the Knight-Errant for his "brilliant strategies."
The third question was similar to the second, except that it revolved around a peacetime scenario. This time Veran responded as a proper Jedi, which resulted in a failure on the part of the computer, which triggered a pair of droids to try and kills us. These were shielded in the same manner as the ones in the ruins on Dantooine, but were better equipped. It seemed that we might be overwhelmed this time, but Jolee had a knack for using the Force to disrupt droid systems, and with his assistance we vanquished them handily. The computer then reactivated and allowed Veran access to the Star Map, stating that analysis during the battle had shown him to be a valid user. Veran and Carth seemed confused, though I remained conspicuously silent. Strangely, Jolee didn't seem very surprised either. I made a mental note to talk to him when privacy permitted, about many things.
The Star Map activated, and we were able to fill in a few holes in the navigational data provided from the one on Dantooine, but it was still not enough: key sections were still missing. Nonetheless, we had proven that a culture much older than anything on record once walked the stars, and seemed to even be responsible for the wroshyr trees and perhaps even the terraforming of the entire planet and its biosphere.
Yet, one problem still remained. We had the Wookie situation to deal with. We agreed we could not play assassins, but we needed to get Zaalbar back without having to slaughter the entire Wookie village in the process. Jolee again guided us to our goal, which turned out to be Zaalbar's father, Freyr. He attacked us on sight, thinking us Czerka slavers, but Veran managed to best him without permanent injury. He told us the story of Chuundar's usurpation, and his regret at ignoring his youngest son's attempts to warn him. Veran persuaded him to return to his village and overthrow his son, but the Wookie elder claimed he would need the blade of an ancient weapon to make his case. I would never have admitted this to the others, but I was beginning to wonder why we seemed to be the only ones capable of performing some of these tasks. I know the Force has a destiny in mind for us all, but it seemed like an unusual number of items required retrieval and that those that wanted them seem to lay in wait for our arrival. I know it's a very petty stance for a Jedi, but as my tale continues, you'll soon see what I mean.
To make this story shorter, we retrieved the blade for Freyr who said he'd meet us in the village. He had to go his own road, to find what allies he might have left among the tribe. We made our way back to the lift back to the Great Walkway. As we approached the lift, we found Calo Nord and a group of bounty hunters laying in wait for us.
The diminutive little toad drew his blasters, grinning like a firaxan shark. "You've led me on quite a chase, but you're mine now. I owe you for Taris, and Malak is willing to pay any price to have you all alive, but not unharmed. I only regret that Canderous isn't here for this little reunion, but I'm sure I'll find him with your ship. Maybe I'll say hello to that little Twi'lek you're carting around. Tell me something, boy, is she as tight as she looks?"
Carth was the one who shot back first. "I knew you were scum, Nord, but trash-talking about a girl? I heard better snappy banter back when I was in diapers." Carth drew his two blasters, as Jolee and I pulled out own blades.
Veran just scowled as he drew his lightsaber. "Jedi aren't supposed to give into hate, but forgive if I say I'll feel a small surge of satisfaction when this is over, Calo." He did take a moment to glance back at me and wink. "I will feel bad about your henchman though." Insufferable male. I knew attempts at humor were a standard response by soldiers to keep morale, but Veran seemed to take a little too much joy in treating this like a cheap holovid.
"Heh, hope you still talk that way when I deliver you to Lord Malak. Take 'em down, boys!" Arrogance is always the failing of those who believe themselves the best. If he and his men had surprised us, he might have won, but by taking the time for this little display of machismo had given us all time to prepare. I knew we'd make short work of them, as my golden blade extended to life.
Carth laid down a swath of suppressive fire, driving Calo's Rodian companions diving for cover. Jolee unleashed a Force Whirlwind on one of the others. I was making ready to throw my lightstaff at Calo, much as I had Davik on Taris, when I felt Veran send me an image down our shared bond of us flanking the bounty hunter. I had been assuming that Veran had little knowledge of how to use our bond; something else I would have to re-evaluate.
Veran charged Calo with me right behind him. His blade deflected the barrage of blaster fire, until he did a back flip over the bounty hunter, landing behind him, in a dueling stance. Calo spun to face him, dropping his blasters for a pair of vibrodaggers. However, he neglected to remember me, and left his back exposed. I cut him down just as he realized his mistake, and was turning his head to put me back in his peripheral vision. Veran brought his single golden blade up in a salute and a wink, and then turned to help Jolee deal with his Rodians, as I moved to assist Carth. The battle itself took less time than the banter that preceded it.
Jolee looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. "Normally this is where'd I'd tell you to be on your guard, but if this is the caliber of bounty hunters in the galaxy these days, then I'd just be wasting my breath. It's not like you kids would listen to my warnings anyway. Pah. That's the problem with young people. You think you're invincible."
"And the problem with you old people is that you think you're always right." Veran always had to be quick with a retort, but to my surprise Jolee only laughed. "Good, kid. Never take anyone seriously. Not me, not her, and especially not yourself. Now go on, scoot. Don't you have some Wookies to liberate?"
"Ah, thanks for reminding me. I must be getting senile. You coming, old man, or would you rather stay down here and admire the flora for a few more decades?" Jolee only huffed grumpily, but the slight smile on his face as he clipped his lightsaber back on his belt showed he may not be as cantankerous as he liked to act. We climbed into the lift and slowly raised ourselves out of the Shadowlands
Upon returning to the Great Walkway, we learned that civil war had broken out among the local Wookies. Freyr was confronting his son over leadership of the clan. One of his supporters met us a short ways from the lift and escorted us to the chieftain's hut via a series of treacherous climbs across the wroshyr branches to avoid harassment from Chuundar's loyalists and Czerka security. We arrived in time to see Zaalbar and Freyr rise up against him. Mission was being restrained by one of the corporate lackeys. We immediately leapt to their aid, attacking the Czerka security that guarded Chuundar, while Veran cleaved the head off the guard holding Mission. Then, he shouted an order not to interfere with the central duel, but to concentrate on the other "unbalancing influence" as he called it.
We did as he directed, and within moments, Czerka and Wookie guards littered the floor. We stood in silent observance, as Chuundar dueled with Freyr and Zaalbar. None of us seemed worried, and for good reason. The re-united father and son soon dispatched their traitorous relation, though not before offering him several chances to surrender, all refused. In the end, Freyr reclaimed his position as chieftain, and welcomed his son home.
Zaalbar informed his father that it was important to honor his life debt to Veran, now more than ever. All he asked in return was for Bacca's Blade, the sword we had helped his father reclaim. It was the symbol of chieftains and it would mean Zaalbar would one day take his father's place. I knew little of Wookie culture, nor was I in much of a mood to learn. All this emphasis on family had me thinking about what, and who, was waiting for me on Tatooine.