Chapter 11 – Citadel Station
"Left?" repeated Atton, bewildered. "What do you mean, left?"
"I mean she left. She's gone. She went to face Atris."
Had he really stayed in the cockpit for that long? Hadn't they just landed? "But who… who went with her?"
"No one," replied Mical grimly, walking away toward the main hold. "She went alone."
"Alone?" cried Atton, running after him. "You let her go alone? What were you thinking?"
"Well, I couldn't exactly stop her," protested Mical. "I begged her not to go alone, but she did."
Atton stared. Alone? What if… what if they gang up on her? What if… He shook his head. There was no point in worrying now… She left – alone – and there was nothing to do now but wait. He couldn't possibly just go after her; she might resent him, or worse, he might endanger her somehow by distracting her. No… there was nothing he could do but wait now. Besides, she was a Jedi; she'd gotten out of worse situations… He hoped. He shook his head in disbelief. How was he supposed to keep her safe, to save her, if she kept running off alone like that?
He looked around, feeling somewhat self-conscious, like a thousand eyes were on him. There may not have been a thousand, but there were indeed eight, as Mical, Mira, Bao-Dur and Mandalore, all standing in the main hold, were studying him closely, as though they were waiting to see what he would do. I bet they're expecting me to run off after her. Well, I'm not giving them that satisfaction again. I'm through making an ass of myself in front of these people. I'm just going to wait patiently right here. His eyes met theirs. With a smug look, he asked, "Are you guys going to just stand around like caged banthas waiting for her? She's a big girl. She'll be fine." As Mical and Atton watched the other three shrug and walk away, Atton wished he could believe his own words. The two men glanced at each other, and when their eyes locked, realized for the first time that they were both thinking the same thing. Atton was the first to turn away.
"So… guess we wait," he said nonchalantly.
"I suppose so," replied Mical every bit as nonchalantly.
There was an uncomfortable silence, as both stood silently for a moment. Why are we pretending that this doesn't bother us, when we both know what the other is thinking? Mical finally turned and sat down in a corner of the main hold, staring at the floor. Atton didn't move. Well, this is awkward… why doesn't one of us leave? He glared at Mical, frowning. The young man had started polishing the hilt of his lightsaber with his robe. Well, I'm not leaving. Why doesn't he leave? Atton started pacing a little… He suddenly stopped and sat down in the middle of the main hold floor, pulling out his pazaak deck. This'll keep my mind off things. He had started to lay cards out in front of him one at a time, when suddenly he got the impression he was being watched. He raised his head. Mical was staring at him. The latter, realizing he had been caught, hesitantly stammered, "Would you mind… would you mind teaching me how to play?"
"Teaching… Wait, you don't know how to play pazaak?"
"No." Why does that not surprise me?
Atton silently picked his cards up off the floor, and Mical, taking his gesture as a yes, got up and sat back down across from him. Well, if nothing else, this'll be an easy way to score some credits. Atton taught Mical the basics, and they played a few hands, all won by Atton. Atton, who had time and time again let Jena win when they had played together, was quite merciless with Mical. Yet Mical was not giving up. Probably because he's got nothing better to do. Like me. Atton chuckled to himself and let his mind wander. If only Jena would see us now… I think she'd still have problems believing it even if she saw it. Hell, even I'm finding it hard to believe. I can't imagine how this kid had never learned how to play pazaak before. My grandmother knew how to play pazaak. Just what do they teach these people in those Jedi academies? Just what… just what… He frowned. Just what was she thinking going off alone like this?
Atton suddenly realized he hadn't been paying close attention to the game and glanced down to the floor in front of him. He was out of cards, and his side added up to twenty-seven.
"Did I… Wait, did you just win?" he asked Mical incredulously, his jaw dropping.
Mical glanced down at the cards and smiled proudly. "Yes, I suppose I did." Thinking things not lawful to be uttered, Atton shut his mouth with a snap, and without a word, picked up the cards and dealt again.
This woman is going to be the death of you, Rand, I swear.
By the time Jena finally came back, Mical had defeated Atton at pazaak a total of four times, and Atton had progressed from cursing inwardly to outright telling him off with words Mical wasn't completely sure he understood. Atton had just put his pazaak deck away in sheer disgust when Jena stepped onto the ship – or rather ran onto the ship. She didn't bother giving anyone any details of what had transpired. She came bursting into the main hold, and spotting Atton across the room, ordered, "We need to go to Citadel Station. Now."
"Whoa, whoa… hold on a second," objected Atton. "What happened in there?"
"Atton, there's no time! The Sith are coming! I… I brought them here. They're going to attack. We have to go! Now!"
Atton got up immediately. Whatever you were going to tell her before, it'll have to wait… She's in no condition to hear you out right now anyway. Hell, she's looking as though she wouldn't be above ripping off one of your limbs and beating you with it if you don't do what she says right now. He raced to the cockpit and the Ebon Hawk lifted off. A few minutes after takeoff, as he was steering the ship, he vaguely sensed a fleeting presence behind him. He quickly peered over his shoulder, and Jena stood behind him. Wow, that's a first… She usually sneaks right up on me. "You shouldn't have gone alone," he said reproachfully, returning his attention to the control panel.
"Yes, that's what Mical told me," she responded curtly.
"Oh yeah? Well, Mical was right," he said, frowning.
A peal of unexpected laughter exploded from behind him.
"What?" he demanded, genuinely confused. Damn crazy women… yelling, ordering me around, then laughing…I should just give up trying to figure them out. I really should.
"I'm sorry, I just hallucinated," she said, laughing still. "Did I just hear you agree with Mical?"
"Hey," protested Atton. "It's not like it's the first time!"
Jena said nothing, but he could feel her mocking eyes burning the back of his head. He smiled a little.
"Well, okay," he admitted. "It was the second time. And you weren't around for the first. But still – the mere fact that we actually agree on this should tell you that maybe you shouldn't have gone alone."
She walked up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry if I worried you," she said simply.
Atton suddenly became very aware that he had shoulders. The simple physical contact caused Atton's heart to start racing in his chest. Thoughts flashed through his mind… thoughts he probably shouldn't have been focusing on when trying to fly a ship. He expected her to take her hands away, but she simply left them there. He held his breath. This was a good time… with all that was going on, he would probably never get a better occasion to tell her… to tell her…
He opened his mouth…
Citadel Station came into view.
"Oh good, we're here!" exclaimed Jena, letting go of his shoulders. He cursed inwardly. "As soon as we land, Lieutenant Grenn will want to speak to us, I'm sure…" She peered out the window in apprehension. "The Sith have already arrived…" she added drearily.
As Jena had predicted, Lieutenant Grenn greeted them immediately upon landing at Citadel Station. Mandalore made some comment to Jena about rounding up his troops and disappeared. Jena immediately got pulled into a meeting, and Atton, still cursing at himself, followed her, not about to let her go off alone again. A fleet of warships had dropped out of hyperspace and attacked Telos; Sith troops had arrived and were threatening to sabotage Citadel Station's fuel system. There were some reinforcements on the way, sent by Queen Talia of Onderon, but it would be a while before they arrived. Atton started reflecting that if any more information got thrown at him, he wouldn't be able to remember it all.
"So… let me get this straight," he summarized. "You want us to fight our way through a bunch of Sith to the Entertainment module…"
"And then we'll have to make our way to the docking shuttle so we can get to the Ravager," interrupted Jena. She then added strangely and suddenly, "There is someone there I have yet to meet…"
Atton, unperturbed by her cryptic Jedi talk, turned to Grenn and asked sarcastically, "Does that mean you're not going to put us in force cages again?"
Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Jena grabbed Atton by the sleeve and pulled him away.
Jena and Atton ran into a lot of Sith on the way, but they had no serious problem getting through them. I'm getting the hang of this lightsaber thing… I mean, it's no heavy blaster, but… he threw his lightsaber at a Sith standing a few meters away from him, and it destroyed the Sith's rifle before returning to his hand. Atton grinned. Well, even I have to admit that's pretty cool.
When they finally arrived at the docking shuttle, Mandalore was waiting for them along with two Mandalorians. Atton frowned. How did they get there so fast? Mandalore immediately informed Jena that he and his Mandalorians would join her, as he felt that the Republic soldiers would do her no good on the Ravager. Atton opened his mouth, but was interrupted before he had a chance to speak.
Visas had arrived at the scene, seemingly out of nowhere. Oh sure… where were you earlier when we were slaughtering Sith and we could have used your help? Pretty easy to come running now that the path is clear. "You will not face this alone," she told Jena. "I will go with you and fight by your side."
Jena looked pleased. "Yes, I expected you might say that, considering… well, the circumstances. Very well. Just stay close to me."
Mandalore turned to Atton. "There won't be any room for you on the shuttle. You'll have to wait here for us to return from the Ravager."
"What? No!" objected Atton. "I'm going with you, and that's final!"
"Atton, there's… there's not enough room for all… I'll be fine… Visas and Mandalore will help me." Jena smiled. "They'll protect me. I'll be right back. Don't you worry; you're not getting rid of me that easy."
But I'm the one who's supposed to protect you. To save you.
Mandalore and Visas had turned and started walking to the shuttle. "If either one of you returns without her," he threatened, "you'll have to answer to me."
"I will either return with her, or not at all," vowed Mandalore.
Atton turned to Jena and pleaded with her. "Listen, Jena, I'm just… I don't have a very good feeling about this."
She smiled. "Are you sure you're not just saying that in an effort to make me decide to bring you with me?"
"I'm not!" he protested. She raised an eyebrow; his gaze dropped. "Well, okay, maybe a little… but I do really have a bad feeling."
She smiled again at Atton, and quickly peered over her shoulder. Visas and the Mandalorians were making their way into the shuttle and seemed to all have their backs to them. She stepped toward him and stood on the tip of her toes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I'll be careful. I promise," she said earnestly, clasping his hand briefly. Letting go, she quickly turned around and walked toward the shuttle – as Atton watched her, still in shock. Mandalore was staring at her in a way that could probably have been described as curious had there not been a helmet concealing his eyes.
"What?" she asked bluntly.
"Nothing. I was just wondering what it was about female Jedi and their pilots."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and Atton, and Rev—well, never mind."
"Me and Atton? There's nothing going on with—"
"Save it. You may not be able to see my eyes behind this helmet, but that doesn't mean I'm blind. I've seen it before. They also denied it for a very long time, but it was so obvious. Honestly, their flirting was getting a little sickening at times." He snorted. "A Republic soldier… a flyboy… she could have done so much better than him. As could you, for that matter. This pilot of yours…" He shook his head in disbelief. It was quite clear what he thought of that pilot of hers.
"Who are the other people you're talking about, Mandalore?" asked Jena curiously, ignoring his last comment.
"What? Oh. No one of importance…"
They then entered the shuttle together and Atton watched it disappear. He slowly lifted his hand up to his cheek, and with the tip of his fingers lightly touched the spot where her lips had been. He frowned slightly, then lowered his hand again, turned, and walked away.