The 'Every-Five' Disclaimer: No, I do NOT own this stuff. Not even in my dreams. Hm… maybe I should start dreaming of owning this stuff. That'd be fun. Yay. Dreams. But, anyways, back on topic, I own none of this. Not even the plot. Wah. I usually own the plot.
Chapter Nine: Onto Dantooine"Alaanis?" A frantic voice was calling her name. She tried to open her eyes but it was hard once the pain in her body returned, making her cringe. But somehow, Alaanis Pi managed to open her eyes to see a very worried Carth Onasi leaning over her.
Trying to sit up, her body protested. Alaanis lay back down on some bed that must've been in the Ebon Hawk. "Well, I'm in pain," Alaanis whispered, that being all she could do. Carth smiled and Alaanis could hear Canderous' familiar grunt of laughter. Even though she hadn't known the Mandalorian very long, his laughter was quite distinguishable.
"Where's everyone else?" Alaanis asked the two men.
"Bastila's piloting the ship," Carth explained. "She and I have been taking turns. It's fairly late so she decided to take the night shift. Zaalbar is around somewhere on the ship, probably tinkering with T3 a little bit. He's been a nervous wreck since Mission locked herself in the starboard dormitory, asleep by the time Bastila goes to sleep, and staying there moping when she's awake. She's still bummed about the destruction of Taris."
"Destruction of Taris!" Alaanis half-shouted. She sat up, but as she did, her body sent her signals of extreme pain. Taris was destroyed? When? "When did this happen? How long have I been unconscious?"
Carth looked slightly taken aback by Alaanis' surprise. He guessed that she knew about all of this already. Canderous interrupted though. "You seem to be in better condition, so I guess I don't have to work on making anything else for you do I?"
"You've been making stuff for me while I was unconscious?" Alaanis questioned confusedly.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good with injuries," Canderous told her shrugging. He gathered up a small bag of his things and walked out of the small room.
"So this is…?" Alaanis asked Carth to break the silence.
"This is the medical bay of the Ebon Hawk," Carth told her. "I'd give you the grand tour and everything but you're sort of incapacitated."
"I had no idea," Alaanis said sarcastically. She smirked. "But back to business, how long have I been unconscious?"
Carth mumbled something unintelligible. Alaanis arched an eyebrow. "Alright, alright," Carth grumbled. "You've been out of it for a good five days now."
"Five days!" Alaanis exclaimed. "So what happened during those five days?"
"First of all, Bastila dragged you into the medical bay while Canderous fired the gun turrets at some sith ships that followed us once we got past the quarantine," Carth began. "I piloted the ship, swerving and diving and all that fancy stuff so that we wouldn't get too blasted by the sith. We got a few choice hits on us, but T3 held the ship together enough to keep us floating in space. It took us about three days to get all the repairs done. But we've been arguing on where to go, so we decided to wait until you woke up to see what we'd do.
"And about the destruction of Taris, you remember those bolts that were shooting down onto the planet? They basically demolished all civilization on Taris. Not a single story above two floors was left standing." Alaanis felt her heart grow heavy with this news. All those people on the planet... the Beks whom she had given the winning of the Swoop Gang War to, Matrix and Dia whose bounty's she had removed, the outcasts who she sent to The Promised Land. She only hoped that, being on the lowest level of the planet, the outcasts had lived.
"Mission must be feeling horrible," Alaanis murmured, finally registering what Carth had said about Alaanis locking herself in the dormitory. "Her home was destroyed."
"She'll get over it," Carth muttered half-heartedly. "She's young. She'll bounce back."
"Carth," Alaanis stopped him. "You of all people should know that it's not that easy to forget something as devastating as that. Have you ever gotten over the destruction of Telos? I don't think you have. And I don't think Mission will either." Alaanis yawned. "I'm rather tired Carth. I'll talk with everyone after I get some sleep." And with that she rolled over in the medical bay bed and went to sleep.
Carth stared at Alaanis for a few minutes, thinking about what she had said. She was right; he never had gotten over Telos' destruction. It was a scar he would carry with himself forever, he felt. And Mission would feel the same way.
Leaving Alaanis to sleep alone, Carth walked around the Ebon Hawk. He always felt more at home on a ship since Telos had been destroyed. And the Ebon Hawk was one nice ship. Two mid-sized dormitories, its own swoop hangar (and swoop included), a small medical bay, a comfortable common room, a nice security system, a cockpit Carth felt comfortable in, and it was one hell of a fast ship. Davik hadn't been exaggerating when he bragged about his little ship being so fast and maneuverable, Carth had experienced that firsthand.
Carth found himself soon enough in front of the closed girls dormitory. He wondered if the door was still locked. Mission usually was courteous enough to unlock the door before she fell asleep for Bastila to get in to sleep. Carth tried opening the door, and it opened up revealing Mission sitting on a bunk, staring down at a picture.
"What's up Mission?" Carth asked the young Twi'lek. Mission looked up at him with tears in her eyes and a fierce look.
"What are you doing in here?" she yelled. She didn't want Carth in there. Mission stood up and ran at Carth as though trying to shove him out of the room. But him being an experienced soldier and Mission just being a teenage scoundrel, she couldn't even get him to move. Instead, she backed off and fell back onto her bunk, crying harder.
"Mission, I understand what you're going through," Carth said lightly.
"No you don't! Nobody here does!" Mission screamed. "Bastila was raised at the Jedi temple, Big Z's home is still accessible to him if he wanted to go back to Kashyyyk, Alaanis could go back to her home if she wanted to, and Canderous doesn't need a home. And you have a home too Carth! I don't know where it is, but you can go back there. I can't!"
She began sobbing again. Carth stepped forward and leaned down on one knee to be at her height sitting on the bunk. "I don't have a home either Mission," he said slowly. Damn, he was going to spill to Mission what he had already told Alaanis wasn't he? "Mine was Telos. Malak destroyed mine too. The evil bastard."
"Yeah," Mission hiccoughed. "He is an evil bastard. I wish I could be back on Taris. I miss it there. Like, when my brother and me both used to be there. Even after my brother left, I could still find this one spot where there was a fun memory and remember the good times with him."
"You have a brother Mission?" came a voice from the doorway.
Carth was shocked to see Alaanis standing in the doorway, her left arm in a makeshift sling. Alaanis was leaning against the doorway, smiling at the two of them.
"Yeah," Mission told Alaanis, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. "His name's Griff. He and I were close as anything. After our parents died, I forget where we lived because I was really little, only four or something; he brought me with him to Taris. We were stowaways, but it didn't matter to me. I was glad to be somewhere else. Griff basically brought me up. He taught me how to hack into computers, how to play Pazaak the right way, and how to sneak through vents, sewers, and everything else.
"I mean, he wasn't perfect, he got drunk all the time and he was always in debt to someone. He lied too much and spent most of his time stealing, but when he was with me, he treated me right, like big brothers should." Mission smiled proudly. Then her smile faltered. "Then this cantina rat Leena came along and sucked him dry of all the little credits we had. So, to make sure he got more credits, she made him leave me and dragged him off-planet! They didn't even tell me where they'd gone! I mean, I was twelve and I could look for myself, but it sucked to see Griff go like that. I miss him."
Alaanis sat down beside Mission and squeezed her shoulders. "Siblings are things we always miss. You've heard me talk of my three brothers right? They never taught me everything Griff taught you, but they taught me some important stuff too. Especially Kale, who taught me how to use a sword. But I miss them everyday since I left Deralia."
"Yeah, brothers are just something you miss," Mission sighed and leaned onto Alaanis' shoulder.
"Is that what's in the picture you're holding?" Carth asked her. "Your brother?" Mission nodded and held the picture up. It showed her at what looked like eleven or so and what must've been Griff, a lanky yellow Twi'lek with a goofy smile on his face. He had one arm around Mission.
"This was around the beginning of the Swoop Gang War," Mission informed them. "Gadon was known widely as the best swoop leader. He was a great man. I really hope he didn't die... he's too good really. Good people can't die. Or, at least they shouldn't. But Griff wasn't really liked by the Beks, but they happened to love me. So they took our picture, for me."
Silence reigned for a few minutes. Then Carth cut into the silence. "Mission," he started. "I'm sorry Taris was destroyed. And I'm sorry about your brother. But you see, life is all about just going through these tough times. Getting over them all."
"Thanks Carth," Mission yawned and smiled. She had stopped crying a few minutes ago. She tucked the picture under her pillow. "I appreciate everything you said. You too Al." She smiled again, closed her eyes, and fell asleep on Alaanis' shoulder.
Alaanis smiled as she moved slowly, setting Mission's head onto her pillow. Carth stood up and stepped out of her way and watched Alaanis. She was so sweet with Mission when she needed it. It was kind of amusing, seeing this strong woman who could destroy the entire sith armada if she was given the chance tuck in a teenage Twi'lek.
"Good to hear that you can talk about Telos Carth," Alaanis smiled at him as they left the dormitory.
"I think I have you to thank," Carth grinned back. They ended up in the common room and sat down on a small couch in the room. "And I'm sorry for being hypocritical."
"You don't have to keep apologizing Carth," she told him, looking him in the eye. "I'm just glad to know that you're starting to open up your shell a bit more." Alaanis felt extra sleepy now. Canderous had probably shot with her some sort of thing that made her sleepy. She started leaning on Carth since he was so close to her.
"Tired much?" he asked her. Alaanis blushed and giggled a bit.
"What gave it away?" she asked him sarcastically.
"Perhaps the way your head is leaning on my shoulder."
"It's a comfy shoulder."
"Glad to hear it."
There was a short pause.
"Hey Alaanis?"
"What Carth?"
"I'm glad that you didn't die on the Endar Spire." Alaanis almost burst out laughing. That had to be one of the most amusing things she had ever heard.
"Happy to hear you don't want me dead," Alaanis said, barely restraining laughter. Carth started laughing too, realizing what a stupid thing he had said.
"What I should say," Carth explained after their laughter subsided. "Is that I'm glad to have you as part of this crew, wherever we're going."
"Yay."
And with that last sentiment, Alaanis fell asleep. Carth, feeling sleepy himself, decided he didn't want another reenactment of when they had both been too tired to move before. He picked Alaanis up and placed her back in the medical bay bed, making sure to be gentle with her left arm.
Observing Alaanis, Carth wasn't sure why but for some reason Alaanis looked more peaceful than usual. No that I watch her much, Carth scolded himself.
Stop lying to yourself Onasi. You know you watch her all the time. You like her don'tcha?
Carth couldn't shut up the blunt voice in his head. It was telling him the truth. He had never opened up to anyone but Alaanis really. Even when he was talking to Mission, he couldn't help but feel like he couldn't tell her everything.
Alaanis was something nice to watch though. Her short blonde hair was beginning to grow down a bit past her ears. The roots were darker than the rest; he wondered if her hair was dyed or not. Real normal thoughts Onasi. Real normal. He shook his head. Her skin looked as pale as always. It was almost as though she had been in the dark confines of space all her life.
But coming back to his other thoughts, he couldn't deny that he was indeed falling for Alaanis. It might've been nothing, but he couldn't help but admire the woman. He knew she was fairly young, only around twenty-seven (though sometimes she enjoyed acting even younger), and he himself was thirty-four. But... why was he even thinking about this?
Must've been the sleepiness, Carth thought to himself as he yawned. He walked towards the port dormitory where he heard Canderous' snore. Falling down onto the bunk closest to the door, Carth fell asleep.
XxXxX
"We need to find refuge and Dantooine can provide that!" Bastila exclaimed for the zillionth time. The crew was debating on where to go next. "There is a jedi enclave on the planet where we can take refuge, and I myself need to report back there anyways."
"But if we stay anywhere too long we'll surely get attacked by the sith," Carth sighed exasperatedly. Mission rolled her eyes and leaned back onto Big Z's furry exterior. The entire crew was crowded into the common room. Mission and Zaalbar were sitting on the couch Alaanis and Carth had been on last night, Carth and Bastila were standing and debating with each other. Canderous was standing halfway in the background, amused at the situation. Alaanis was shaking her head, leaning on a chair.
"Let's just go to Dantooine," Alaanis finally said. "I don't think Malak is stupid enough to attack there. Plus, we've been off their track for days, they won't find us anytime soon."
Carth pouted slightly. "Come on Carth, it's not like we're going to be living there for a decade or something. Just a few weeks probably. Bastila made some good points on this destination. Sitting around in space isn't going to do a thing. So let's just go to Dantooine."
"Whatever the princess wants," Canderous chuckled in the background. Carth and Alaanis walked into the cockpit and Mission challenged Zaalbar to another round of Pazaak. Zaalbar, being so bored, actually accepted. Mission was one hell of a Pazaak player and most of the crew had learned in the past three weeks to never play with her, unless they played Republic Senate rules, where no credits were bid.
Bastila, instead of following Alaanis and Carth into the cockpit, followed Canderous into the swoop hangar where she found him tinkering with his Mandalorian repeater. Quite a powerful weapon the jedi admitted, but the lightsaber was probably the top weapon of them all if you asked her.
"'Princess'?" Bastila asked the Mandalorian.
"Well, considering how spoiled you seem, and how you act all high and mighty and superior to everyone on here, it seemed fitting," Canderous spat without even turning around from the workbench as Bastila approached him.
"I know I am not perfect," Bastila told him with pursed lips. "I don't think you Mandalorians know the same thing about yourselves. All too busy about earning your sacred 'honor'. Selfish is what I call it."
"I could say the same thing to you, only switching the word Mandalorian with Jedi," Canderous chuckled. He then turned around and smirked at Bastila. "You're so prissy and proper, thinking you're better than me. I consider you a good warrior, but your ego's too big."
"MY EGO IS TOO BIG?" Bastila shouted. Then she remembered the jedi code. There is no emotion, there is serenity. "Stop baiting me," she growled.
"Nah," Canderous smiled at her, but to her it looked like a sneer.
XxXxX
All the way in the cockpit, Alaanis and Carth were smiling, laughing and sighing, listening to the shouts of Bastila and the growls of Canderous.
"Think they'll ever get along?" Alaanis asked the pilot.
"I don't think Canderous makes friends that easily. Same with Bastila," Carth decided.
"I'd consider them my friends," Alaanis shrugged.
"Well, if you look around our crew, you'd know you have some weird friends," Carth chuckled.
"So?"
XxXxX
"You jedi are so ignorant!" Canderous exclaimed. "Revan had the right idea when she went off to fight in the Mandalorian Wars. I have more respect for that woman, dead as she may be, than any other woman in history or existence!"
"The jedi counsel had its reasons!" Bastila shouted back, her brown eyes blazing. Canderous had stopped chuckling and now the two were screaming across the swoop hangar like there were fifty Wookies performing loud ancient rituals between them.
"What reason eh?" asked Canderous in a low growl of his grizzly voice. "I bet if you were old enough yourself and didn't act like you had a blaster up your ass you would've joined them!"
"How dare you!" Bastila yelled. Her porcelain face was turning red with fury. "The jedi counsel saw the real threat, and wise as they are, decided not to join in the war!"
"Well, if it hadn't been for Revan, the entire galaxy would be speaking Mandalorian about now," Canderous pointed out. His grey eyes were narrowed at Bastila and though he towered over her, he could find this woman to be his equal, not only in battle, but in this argument as well. But he wasn't thinking about that right about now.
"You Mandalorians are so insufferable!" Bastila huffed. Canderous almost rolled his eyes.
"What a hypocrite," he mumbled. Bastila glared at him for a minute before leaving the swoop hangar. "You're not worth my time," he heard her mutter as she left. Still high and mighty eh Princess?
Bastila ended up sitting on the floor of the starboard dormitory, meditating all day long while Canderous kept himself in the swoop hangar, working on his repeater at the workbench. Both were still simmering from their argument.
"Those two won't ever get along will they Big Z?" Mission asked with a sigh as she flipped over a ten card in her and the Wookie's Pazaak game in the common room.
":The oddest pair can be fit together from two that do nothing but fight:" Zaalbar said wisely. ":Maybe in time they'll forget their differences and finally get along.:" He flipped over a five card.
"I don't know Zaalbar," Mission shook her head. She flipped over a second ten card and beamed. "Glad we're playing Republic Senate rules aren't you? Otherwise you'd be broke by now." Zaalbar growled a response. Mission laughed.
XxXxX
Alaanis had left Carth to relax in the pilot's seat of the cockpit long ago. The ship was on route to Dantooine in hyperspace, so Alaanis was left with nothing in particular to do.
Mission and Zaalbar had finished up their game of Pazaak and so now both were in the swoop hangar with Canderous. Peeking her head in, Alaanis saw that the three of them were each upgrading their weapons with some special modifications Canderous had. Mission was chatting quickly as usual while Canderous nodded and shook his head.
Alaanis felt like resting a little. Maybe a nap would do me some good, she thought to herself, retreating to the starboard dormitory. As soon as she entered the dormitory though, she saw Bastila sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor meditating. She opened her eyes and lifted her head to see Alaanis. "Hello."
"I'm sorry," Alaanis apologized. "I didn't mean to interrupt you." She began to walk out.
"No it's quite alright," Bastila commented. The brunette smiled at the blonde and the older woman sat down on her bunk and relaxed back onto it.
"I have a question for you Bastila," Alaanis said suddenly after a short pause, her eyes still closed.
"Yes?" Bastila asked, uncrossing her legs and facing towards Alaanis' still figure lying on the bed. Alaanis hesitated for a second. But not for much longer than a second.
"Carth said you specially requested for me to join the Endar Spire," Alaanis mentioned. "And I wanted to know why that was exactly."
"We needed someone like you in the Republic," Bastila began. "I had heard about you when you joined the Republic. Caught by us smuggling spice or whatever it was that you were carrying. And somehow, whenever you were mentioned, you were named as loyal. It was odd though to see someone who had done such illegal things become such an asset, and such a well… good person."
"But why did you think I was a good person?" Alaanis asked, sitting up and facing Bastila. "You had never met me."
"Exactly," Bastila replied. "I wanted to meet you. I had heard so much about Alaanis Pi, quite the smuggler. I also heard tales of when you lived on your home planet and scouted through all those wilds. I knew it must've been tough, and I admired that. And we needed loyal soldiers on the Endar Spire. Good people. You were a good and loyal person. Still are as far as I can tell."
"Thanks Bastila," Alaanis smiled at the younger woman.
"It's the truth," Bastila nodded her head in respect. "And I think the force had this arranged for us. For us to meet. Because it appears you are a force-wielder. And could be a jedi. If the council agrees that is."
The two women sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until another unanswered question popped into Alaanis' mind. "How did you talk to me inside my mind in Davik's estate?" Alaanis blurted out.
Bastila looked up at Alaanis on the bed. "Since it seems that you indeed are a force-sensitive individual, we may have formed a force bond that sometimes allows certain close individuals to communicate using the force and without speech."
"But, no offense Bastila, we haven't really known each other that long," Alaanis pointed out.
"True," Bastila decided. "But perhaps the rush of the recent events sped up the formation of the bond. I do not truly know. Perhaps the council will know more."
The answer didn't satisfy Alaanis, but she accepted it all the same. Perhaps this all-mighty jedi council would have the answers she wanted.
XxXxX
"Dantooine," Bastila sighed dreamily. Alaanis understood why though. This place was her home.
"It seems so boring," Mission declared, staring through the cockpit view at all the grasslands on the planet with occasional dots indicating homes. The crew of the Ebon Hawk was about to land on the grassy planet of Dantooine.
"Never would've imagined a jedi enclave here," Canderous grunted. Bastila tensed. She was still angry with Canderous from the other day.
"Let's take her down captain," Alaanis mock saluted Carth. He rolled his eyes a bit. Everyone on the ship was amazed at how the twenty-seven year old woman could possibly act so immaturely… and yet everyone found it funny.
":With a gigantic forest covering her surface, this planet could be my homeworld:" Zaalbar growled.
"Do you really miss Kashyyyk?" Mission asked her Wookie pal.
":A bit:" he replied.
With a smooth landing, Carth landed the ship in the jedi enclave hangar. He gave a huge yawn. Alaanis noticed how late it was by checking her chromo. Next thing she knew she was yawning too.
"I think," Alaanis said before yawning again, "That we should get some rest before checking this place out."
"Sounds good to me," Mission said, her eyes growing droopy. Everyone retreated back into the dormitories. Unexpectedly, the port dormitory had become the place for the Zaalbar, Carth and Canderous, or rather the guys to sleep in. And the starboard dormitory had become the place where Mission, Bastila and Alaanis, a.k.a. the girls, to sleep in.
Alaanis followed Bastila and Mission, all dead on their feet (how did we get tired so quickly? Alaanis asked herself), back to the starboard dormitory. Alaanis felt like she was asleep before her head hit the softness of her pillow.
"Is this wise?"
Alaanis was standing in a stone room, pacing, looking through the dark confines of a black mask at a tall, pale man standing in front of her. The man looked vaguely familiar, but from where she didn't know. He was wearing a red spacesuit with patches of black on it, but no helmet. His bald head was covered in tattoos. Sith tattoos.
Of course it's wise, Alaanis thought to herself. This is the most important thing in existence!
"I can feel the power of the dark side in this place," the man said, balling his hands into fists as though grasping three-dimensional power. "But is this really wise? The ancient jedi sealed this place. Did they seal it for a reason?"
Yes, Alaanis continued her inner thoughts. For us to be the first to find it again.
Alaanis held her right hand out in front of her, and felt an ancient archway, sealed with a stone door. All around her were stone walls, carved and shattered here and there as though they had been standing there for millennia. Which they probably were.
The door opened before her as Alaanis waved her hand. "Are the secrets of the Star Forge more important than remaining in the jedi order?" the man asked. "We will surely be exiled."
XxXxX
Alaanis awoke abruptly the next morning, her mind rattled. What was that dream about? Alaanis had absolutely no clue. But maybe someone else would…
Glancing over at the bunk below Mission, Alaanis immediately ripped off her blanket and stood up. Bastila wasn't in the bunk anymore. Mission was still peacefully asleep, unaware of whatever dream Alaanis had experienced and where Bastila had gone.
Alaanis strapped on her rather comfortable armor. It was thin yet durable beyond expectance. It was more than the eye would normally see. It was also light, made by the Echani, and a greenish tan. Putting on the armor over her regular clothes, Alaanis placed her vibroswords in her belt, grabbed her oversized bag, and left the dormitory.
Alaanis went into the port dormitory, expecting to find someone awake, Canderous and Zaalbar were still asleep and Carth was nowhere to be seen. This was really weird…
Searching all over the Ebon Hawk, Alaanis saw neither hide nor hair of Carth or Bastila. Where are they? she asked herself. Finally, she simply left the ship, at least to explore the enclave if she couldn't analyze the dream.
"Are you alright?" a familiar voice questioned as Alaanis stepped out into the blinding sunlight. Covering her eyes, Alaanis saw Carth lifting himself from a bench and walking towards her. The bench was near a large doorframe leading into the enclave. All around her, Alaanis saw multiple settlers jedi wandering around, conversing with each other, heading into the enclave, and out of the enclave hangar.
"Yeah," Alaanis said, shaking herself again. The dream was still bothering her subconsciously. "Just a rough night."
"Well, you're not the only one," Carth told her. "Bastila came out of the ship about an hour ago looking the same as you do now: like you've just seen a ghost. I've been up for awhile, looking around in the enclave."
"Where did she go?" Alaanis asked him. Carth jerked his head behind him.
"Into the enclave," he replied. "I think she went to go talk to the council or something."
"Thanks," Alaanis shot him a forced smile (she was still wondering about the dream) and walked quickly into the enclave, speeding up once she was out of Carth's view. The halls of the jedi enclave were a deep beige stone color; moss grew over some of it coloring it partially green. Vines hung against the walls randomly, making the enclave look overrun with them. Alaanis liked the style. It reminded her of Deralia.
Alaanis stopped and realized she had no idea where she was going. She arrived in a larger room where a tree stood in the middle where there were walks surrounding it, leading three other places. One, she noticed, was the exit from the enclave. The other two she was uncertain about.
She spotted a female jedi staring at the tree with a passive look on her face. Feeling slightly rude to interrupt her, Alaanis cleared her throat. The woman looked at Alaanis up and down before declaring, "Where are your jedi robes?"
"Um… sorry?" Alaanis said surprised.
"Your jedi robes Padawan," the woman jedi repeated. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her face seemed slightly pointed. She towered over Alaanis. "Why aren't you wearing them? Do you mock us?"
"I'm sorry," Alaanis apologized politely. "But I'm not a jedi. I am visiting Dantooine with Padawan Bastila Shan."
"Ah, yes, Bastila," the jedi nodded her head in understanding. "I am sorry to have judged you so quickly. My name is Belaya."
"Alaanis." Alaanis smiled at Belaya. "Do you need assistance?" Belaya asked the older woman. Belaya seemed to only be a couple years older than Bastila, perhaps in her early twenties.
"Yes," Alaanis told her. "I wanted to know where I would go to see the council? And if you had seen Bastila pass by here about an hour ago?"
"I have not seen her," the woman shrugged. "I've only been in this area for about twenty minutes. But the jedi council is down the hallway to your left, just go to the left again and the council is in there. Good day." And with that the jedi walked away.
Alaanis followed the woman's directions and found herself in front of a locked door. She knew she could pick it easily or perhaps knock it down, but that would be most disrespectful. Alaanis knocked.
The door opened in front of her, revealing a circular room that dipped down to the center where five people stood. One was Bastila, clothed now in brown jedi robes instead of in her 'training' clothes. Four masters stood in a row, all wearing blue jedi robes. One was very short, and yellowish green. He had large ears and pointy fingers and toes. Next to him was a green Twi'lek male. To his left was a bald, black human male, his large brows furrowed. And last of the masters was a white human male, almost bald, with a large scowl on his face. For a second, Alaanis felt like she remembered him. But only for a second.
"Alaanis," Bastila greeted her companion, motioning for Alaanis to join the five of them. Alaanis cautiously walked down the dip of the stone room and stood in front of the five of them. Bastila was the only one with a light smile on her face. The Twi'lek, black human and short master were all wearing passive looks, and the white human continued wearing his large scowl, possibly deepening it.
"Hello Miss Pi," said the short master, speaking in a slightly croaking voice. "Bastila has told us all about you. Come. We have much to talk about."
XxXxX
Aha! Finished the chapter! Took me some time, but I got it done. Now for the reviews, I thank you completely. I wanted to write more of Dantooine for now, but I felt like that was a good chapter ending. Not too long a chapter, only thirteen pages, but the next one should be longer. Also, for you Carthaholics, there might not be too much between them in the next chapter. Might. Not sure yet.
I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be called Barriers. It'll be about the 'out-of-the-loop' feeling Carth is feeling (and how he builds up a barrier against Alaanis and Bastila) and it'll have all the jedi training in it. Or at least a bunch of it. Now for the reviews, mucho mucho thanks. I love reviews. So, to specifically address them…
Resident roach code metallica – Glad to hear you like the in-between bits! They're just random things that I think would be awesome in the story, but wouldn't fit anywhere else.
Wild's Daughter – Heehee… I felt like doing some foreshadowing. XD It's just too fun. And the Revan Malak romance? It's a bit complicated, but you will see… Patience, Padawan. ;)
Anyways, until the next chapter, which might take some time because I'm so busy lately with finals coming up, multiple papers to write, and a semi-existent social life to live, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW… and send me good vegan food. I'm dying over here!
By the by: Happy Friday the 13th!
5-13-05