Rand, Atton Rand

Chapter 8. I'll try not to spend too long with the training; I know you all want the exile back

Just to say…well I actually have nothing else. ENJOY!

Chapter 8- Demons

"Alright, ready?" asked the dark haired Jedi

"Whenever you're ready, Atton"

The rouge leapt forwards with a wild swing, but it was such a wide miss he may as well not have brought out the blade from the hilt. He quickly regained his balance and thrust the green blade forwards, narrowly missing his mentors arm.

That's when she struck back. Bastila twirled around Attons side and aimed a blow at his side. He only just got his blade in to defence in time. Bastila stood back and put away her sabre.

"Enough for today" she told him "You've improved"

"Not enough, apparently" he sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He didn't get it. Not even a minutes duelling and he could have filled a pool. Well a paddling pool anyway, Atton didn't like to exaggerate.

"Nevertheless, I believe you'll be ready when we land"

Atton put his sabre into his belt and frowned "We could train for another year, I wouldn't feel ready"

Tomorrow they would land on Dantooine. THE Sojurn had received a distress call from the administration centre in Koonda, the only town left. Apparently a large regiment of mercenaries were attacking Koonda. The planet was a war zone.

And Guess whose scraping in some pocket change down there?

Reports were of a Jedi hunting woman on the surface, who HAPPENED to have a light sabre. Were it not for Jedi Master Vrooks battle meditation, the mercs would have won long ago. But he could only keep it up so long.

Atton sighed "You coming with me tomorrow?"

"Naturally" Bastila told him "So's Mira"

"What about Zez-Kai-Ell?"

"Not him" she said seriously "It's too dangerous, but Admiral Onassi will"

Atton was glad. He had grown to like Carth.

"Listen" Bastila told him "I have to consult him, I'll be back okay?"

"Okay" he nodded

0o0o0o0o0

Mira, the best and most beautiful bounty hunter on Nar Shadda, hated travelling. She liked the busy, noisy environment that was Nar Shadda, so interplanetary travel didn't suit her. They would, at least, be landing on Dantooine tomorrow.

Suddenly, she caught Bastila turning the corner "HEY"

Bastila looked around and smiled "Mira, how are you?"

Mira beamed "Fine" she lied "Can I talk to you?"

Bastila nodded "Come on, we'll go to my room.

5 minutes later Bastila had locked the door and was working on a Blaster rifle at the workbench "So?" she asked

Mira bit her lip "I need to ask you about Atton" she said calmly

"What about him?" she asked with a noticeable edge to her voice

"You're training him, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately"

"Why?"

Bastila sighed "Because we need Jedi, we NEED them. It's not like putting in an application; you need to be force sensitive. We're lucky we found him"

"I realise that"

"Then what's the problem?"

Mira looked down. That was the great thing about he floor. It was always there to look at "He's going after her, isn't he?"

"Yes" Bastila smiled "I'm Sorry Mira, but I really have to go. Can we talk later?"

"Of course"

On the way out Bastila handed the rifle to Mira

0o0o0o0o0

"Come in"

Bastila entered the captain's quarters, a worried expression on her face. Carth wanted to laugh every time he saw that expression. Bastila had a tendency to exaggerate.

"Hey"

She saluted "Admiral"

I've told her to cal me Carth, like, a hundred times?

"And I've told you no, like, a hundred times" Bastila said sternly

Carth laughed "Some people might find you sneaking into someone's mind uninvited rude"

"Well" she considered "I consider it nessercery"

"Ouch" he sat down "You really mistrust people that much?"

She paused "Only as much as Reven did"

Carth didn't reply. Inside he was burning up.

"Admiral?"

"I thought we…Agreed" Carth said quietly

"Admiral-"

"I don't want to talk about her" Carth said firmly

"YOU HAVE NO CHOICE" Bastila insisted "This may well turn into the deciding battle between Jedi and Sith on Dantooine! You know that!"

He almost choked "The Sith are there?"

"I didn't phrase that right" the Jedi admitted "The battle between the light side and the Dark"

Carth waved away that comment "And how will talking about her help at all?"

Bastila shook her head and walked to the door "Sooner or later, Carth, a man's got to face his demons"

Carth hung his head "What about you? What do you have to face?"

"I faced the Dark Side, and I won. I would not be here, however, if not for Reven. I consider it an injustice...a dishonour to leave her memory to rot"

Carth turned back to the controls

"Atton will probably take his demons on tomorrow" she added referring to the exile "Mira faced that Wookie, yet she's still alive. What of you, Admiral?"

Carth remained silent

Bastila sighed and opened the door

"Bastila" he called

"Yes?" she replied curtly

Maybe you're right

Instead he said "Tomorrow we'll land at 12:47 Pm" he told her "Have the men assembled. We needn't set up a base. Either we win and move right on after getting Vrook-"

"Or we die, and won't need a forward base" she finished for him. She left the room

Carth smiled and opened his Log

Reven? Where are you?