Chapter 7
Bold Promises
Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.
Note: I wanted very badly to avoid naming the Exile in this story, but to my annoyance, this chapter made that impossible. While Visas and Bao-Dur might refer to the Exile without using her name, there is no way anyone else would do so. So from here on out, the Exile has a name.
The General was gone in Iziz for three days.
They were the happiest three days of Bao-Dur's life.
He spent most of the hours with Visas. There was so much to talk about, they hardly knew where to begin.
He told her about Iridonia, about his childhood. He told her how he had watched the Mandalorians come, conquering and enslaving, how his young heart had been exposed to rage.
She talked about Katarr, its meadows and rivers. She told him about the soaring Miraluka cities that had reached into the sky, and the beauty of their towers.
He told her about the war, about being a soldier, and the first time he had ever known battle. He told her about seeing the General from afar, how having the Jedi on their side had given them all the strength to carry on long after most of them had wanted to lay down and die simply from sheer exhaustion.
She talked about her former master, a cruel man named Darth Nihilus whom she still feared. She talked about learning the Dark Side, and giving in to her anger over the destruction of her world.
He told her he had thought she was beautiful from the moment he first saw her.
She told him that she had trusted him, when she had feared everyone else on board the ship.
They did not speak of love, but that was all right. For now, Bao-Dur was content to wait.
She taught him about the Force, about being a Jedi. She showed him to see through the Force, and he was filled with awe. "This is how you see," he breathed.
She smiled. "The galaxy is a very beautiful place when you see it through the Force."
The leader of the Mandalorians had given them a lightsaber, and Atton let them borrow his, and so they were able to practice combat in the cargo room. After wielding this new weapon in battle, Bao-Dur gained a new respect for the General. He had come close to chopping his own foot off; he was amazed now to think how gracefully she wielded her sabers.
Visas showed him how to change the crystals set in the hilt, so he could customize the saber to his own liking. He watched her carefully, but let her choose the crystals. He felt strongly that this new saber should belong to her. He was not ready for one of his own yet. Besides, he was not sure he wanted to wield a weapon that had once belonged to a Mandalorian.
In the evenings they joined the rest of the crew – minus Kreia – for supper. Mira had plenty of stories to share from her days as a bounty hunter, and she kept them laughing. Even Atton stopped scowling long enough to share some ribald jokes, and Bao-Dur usually left the table with his sides aching from laughter.
It felt good to laugh. Even sweeter was hearing Visas laugh. She felt more comfortable among the others now, and Bao-Dur was pleased to see this. During the first night, Mira had seemed a bit wary of her, but after an hour her natural exuberance had banished the last of the barriers, and now the bounty hunter included Visas in her generous conversation.
"You're a lucky man," Atton said to him one evening. They were in the Ebon Hawk's tiny galley; it was their turn to clean up from supper.
"I know," Bao-Dur said. "I think maybe I was too hard on myself, all those years. I never let myself be happy."
"Well, you're making up for it now," Atton said. "I just wish…" He made a disgusted sound. "I think I lost my chance," he said. "After Nar Shaddaa, I really thought we had something. But now, I don't know anymore."
Bao-Dur remembered what Visas had said, how the General was reluctant to choose between the two men who loved her. Visas had said it was because she did not want to hurt either of them. Bao-Dur was not so sure that was right anymore. He thought the truth was more likely that the General simply could not choose between them, because she did not know which one she loved in return.
"This is not a very good time for love," Bao-Dur said. It was strange that he could say that word out loud here, but not to Visas. "I am lucky. I am not the one called upon to save the galaxy. The General has duties and responsibilities that must come first."
"I know," Atton sighed. The cleaning-up finished for the night, they walked from the galley, back toward the main hold. "I just hate having to wait," he said.
Bao-Dur chuckled in sympathy. "I know what you mean," he said.
"Oh?" Atton gave him a smirk. "So you and Visas still haven't…?"
"No," Bao-Dur said, somewhat curtly. He had no intention of discussing such private things. "Like I said, now is not the time."
He stepped into the main hold, and drew up short. Kreia was standing there, the empty sleeve of her robe dangling like a mute accusation. As always, the sight of her made Bao-Dur's shoulders tense. He could not say why, but he had never liked the old woman.
"What's going on?" Atton said, pushing past him. "Oh." He gave Kreia a stony stare. "What do you want?"
"Fools," Kreia said scornfully. She looked about the room, fixing each of them with her white gaze. "Your leader is away, and you sit around playing like children."
Bao-Dur glanced at Visas. She was sitting on the couch beside Mira. Her head was lowered deferentially, making herself less of a target for the old Jedi.
"What do you want us to do?" Mira said with a toss of her head. She had not known Kreia as long as the rest of them, and she had not yet come to fear her.
Kreia snorted. "What I want is of no concern. It is what she wants. Do you really think she would pleased to know you are sitting here, wasting your time and your potential?" She looked at Bao-Dur. "Only the alien has bothered to do anything worthwhile with his time."
Bao-Dur clenched his hand into a fist. He hated it when she called him the alien, speaking the word with such contempt.
"Yeah? I suppose repairing the ship was a waste of time, too," Atton said. He folded his arms. "Why don't you go back to your room, old woman?"
Kreia sniffed. "When I want your opinion, fool, I will ask it. Until then, be silent."
Atton's jaw clenched. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of being called a fool."
"The truth can sometimes be difficult to hear," Kreia agreed.
Atton's expression went flat. His hand dropped to his lightsaber. Looking at him in that moment, Bao-Dur was uncomfortably reminded of the fact that Kreia had once called him a murderer.
Kreia was unconcerned by this overt threat. "Do you truly wish to try me, fool?"
"Stop it!" Mira said loudly. She stood up, wincing a little as she did, afraid to call attention to herself. "What are you, crazy?"
Atton stared at Kreia for a long moment, then slowly he let go of his lightsaber. "I was wrong earlier," he said, speaking only to Kreia. He pointed at the old woman. "You and me, we're not done. Not by far."
Kreia chuckled. "Good. Then there is hope for you yet."
With that cryptic remark hanging in the air, she glided out of the room, presumably to return to her quarters.
The instant she was gone, Bao-Dur felt the tension in the room lift. He sighed. "That was not a wise move," he said.
"I don't care," Atton said. "I'm sick of her bullying everyone. Someone's got to do something about her."
"That is for the Exile to decide," Visas said quietly.
"She is right," Bao-Dur said, defending her. He watched as Visas began to walk back to her room. "We shouldn't be talking like this."
There seemed nothing more to say. Kreia had killed the light-hearted mood in the ship, and now he just wanted to be alone with Visas. He followed her through the curving hall until they reached her room. She shook her head. "I do not like this. Thoughts like this will only lead us into danger."
He had no right to make her any promises, but he could not remain silent. "You don't have to be afraid of her," he said. "I will never let her hurt you." He took her in his arms, closing his eyes as he felt the faint tremors working through her. "She will never harm you. I swear it."
Visas sighed. "I believe you mean that," she said.
Bao-Dur put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. "I mean it," he vowed.
They sat for a time in quiet meditation. Bao-Dur had found meditating difficult at first, but he was getting better at it. It was hard for him to clear his mind. When he sat still, he remembered all the things he was supposed to be doing around the ship, or the droid upgrades he should be working on. He wondered how the General was faring in Iziz, and if she was regretting her choice of companions. He worried about the Sith threat, and what the Jedi Masters would say once they were all gathered at Dantooine. Most worrying of all, whenever he tried to imagine his future, and how Visas would fit into it, he simply could not do it.
Visas had tolerated his restlessness for two days, before losing her patience. "You must stop yourself from having these thoughts," she had scolded. "Empty your mind of them. Do not devote any more time to them. Concentrate on the Force."
"I'm trying," he had said, somewhat peevishly. "I don't know how."
She had taken his hands in her own. "Then let me show you."
With her guidance, he was doing better at clearing his mind. Every time they meditated now, he felt closer to the Force, and more at peace with himself.
So it was rather annoying when, not quite an hour later, their meditation was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.
Bao-Dur looked up. "What is it?"
Mira and Atton walked in, appearing none too apologetic about interrupting, either. "We have to talk," Atton said.
Slowly, Bao-Dur got to his feet. Visas came to stand beside him, her arm just touching his. He found himself wanting to lean into that touch, and had to remind himself firmly to stand still.
"This is serious," Mira said. She looked slightly nervous, but determined for all that. Obviously Atton had talked to her first, getting her on his side for whatever plan he had in mind.
Unlike Mira, however, Atton was not nervous. He was very calm as he said, "We have to do something about Kreia."
Bao-Dur pursed his lips and resisted the urge to push both of them out of the room. It wasn't fair. He had finally found happiness, and now it was about to be ruined.
"I believe this should be the Exile's decision," Visas said, repeating her words from earlier. "We are here to support her, not undermine her."
"Undermine her? Kreia is the only one doing that," Atton said. He looked at each of them. "You all know where this is going. She won't stop until she gets what she wants. And by then it will be too late. Alia will be her puppet."
"You have little faith in her if you believe that," Visas said. "She will not let Kreia manipulate her so."
"She already does," Bao-Dur said sadly. As little as he wanted to admit it, his General listened to Kreia too much. He had seen it himself on Telos, and ever since then. No, as frightening as this was, Atton was right. They needed to intervene.
"We can't do anything just yet, though," Mira said. "She'll know it if we plan something. And then she might hurt Alia."
"She knows our thoughts. She can look into our minds," Atton said with a grimace.
"Then what do you propose?" Bao-Dur asked.
"We wait," Atton said. "For now. We watch, and we listen. And when the time is right, we act."
"How will we know when that is?" Bao-Dur asked. He was relieved he was not expected to raise arms against Kreia this very night.
"We'll know," Mira said confidently. "I figure once we meet with the Jedi Council on Dantooine, a lot of things will be clearer."
"I am not sure this is a good idea," Visas said. "I do not like this."
"No one does," Atton said flatly. "But it has to be done. We have to protect Alia. That's the reason we're all here, right?"
Bao-Dur nodded. He would do anything for his General. For her sake, he would even confront Kreia.
But when it happened, he would not just act to protect the General. He had made a promise, and he meant to uphold it. He would do everything in his power to prevent Kreia from hurting Visas. He would never be able to live with himself if she was hurt, and he did nothing to stop it.
"Give your word," Mira said. "That when the time comes, we'll do whatever is necessary."
"I swear it," Atton said without hesitation.
"You have my word," Bao-Dur said.
Visas spoke last, with uncertainty. "I promise," she whispered.
"We're all in this together now," Atton said. "Mira will talk with the Disciple when he gets back. If the Mandalorian insists on staying with us, I'll talk to him."
"What about the droids?" Bao-Dur asked. He was not at all sure he wanted HK-47 to know their plan, but he had to admit the droid's firearm skills might come in handy.
"No way," Mira said. "No droids. This is just us."
"All right." Bao-Dur nodded.
But in the back of his mind, he began to wonder if it was maybe time for some new programming for his remote.
Just in case.
Note: If you are familiar with the cut material for the game, you probably have some idea where this is all headed. If not, I highly recommend you check out this website to learn more. http/