Boot Camp
Pol found the training to be an enjoyable experience. She excelled in every area, though it was physically and mentally taxing. She had little time to spare for Mission and Zaalbar and less for Canderous. Some evenings she sought him out for company and the war stories that he shared as he cleaned his weapons and mended armor. He had claimed the lives of all but one group of Mandalorian raiders on the plains, and had earned the heartfelt gratitude of the Dantooine farming community.
The appreciation of the farmers was so great that Canderous felt abashed. They had been sending gifts of food and fresh produce as thanks. "It is misplaced. I've been called a lot of things Pol, but hero is not one I have heard before, not like this anyway. I don't think I am comfortable with it."
"Scared you'll feel obliged to help more people in need?" Pol had a way of breaking down Canderous's gruff façade with her easy humor.
"That's not why I took this job. Those Mandalorians put shame to our people. If I help some farmers along the way then so be it. That was not my real intent though."
"Meh, you're a big softie you know that?" She teased.
"Whatever." Canderous replied crustily, though he smiled vaguely when he said it.
As her training progressed relations with Bastila seemed less of a strain, but they were hardly best friends. Pol's competitive streak and their Force bond caused some tension, when they dueled. Canderous had taken to watching the sparring matches when he had time, a detail that troubled Bastila sorely.
"He's always here, when you train." Bastila complained one afternoon.
"He gives me pointers afterwards. If there is a law against it maybe you should tell him Padawan Bastila? Master Zhar doesn't seem to mind." Pol chimed merrily.
"I may speak to him about it. I don't like the idea of him watching when we begin work with the lightsaber. It could distract you." Both women knew there was no distraction for Pol in a fight, but the acolyte was obliged to defer to her superiors.
"As you wish." Pol resumed her preparations, it had only been a week, but she had already chosen her area of specialization and was on the path to becoming a Jedi Guardian. Her next task was building her lightsaber and she wanted it to be perfect.
The progression of her training had been more rapid than she had expected, and there had been whispers of her completing her training with the month, something that had never been done before. While she was eager to leave Dantooine, she felt unprepared for life as a Jedi. I still don't know what they expect of me.
………………………
"Canderous, could you spare a moment?" Bastila asked politely.
"I suppose," he replied looking sidelong at the Jedi. "What's this about?" He asked.
"Your presence at Pol's training sessions." Bastila stated blankly.
"Ok." Canderous put down his cup of caffa and gave Bastila his attention.
"Do you have to come to every bout?" Bastila dropped her Jedi calm and had a good old fashioned grizzle.
"No, but I like to. It's fun watching her kick your ass." Canderous smirked and the words slid out about his smile.
"She doesn't always beat me." Bastila argued.
"No she didn't always beat you, not in the beginning… But now she does. She's learns real fast." I could watch her fight all day, he admitted to himself.
"Yes. I had noticed that." Bastila frowned, how do I put this to him? Pol had made Bastila promise to be more civil to the Hawk's crew, and she loathed to admit it but she felt better for it. "Canderous, there is no rule against you watching her, but I would prefer it if you didn't. When she begins work with the lightsaber it will demand her full attention. I fear you may distract her."
"I haven't so far. I was looking forward to seeing her wield a lightsaber." Pol had also asked Canderous and Mission to ease up on Bastila. "But ok. I wouldn't want to hurt her development. Anything else?"
"Well, it's probably not good for you to tell her war stories till all hours of the morning, but I will let that slide providing it doesn't impede her performance."
"You couldn't impede her performance if you cut her head off!" Barked Canderous defensively, "I think your jealous." He accused with a laugh.
"Jedi don't get jealous."
"Or use the refresher! We're pure don't ya know." Pol sang out as she entered the room, "Thin walls I couldn't help over hear that last comment Bastila." She said thumping a panel for proof. "Mmm that caffa looks good. Any one else want a cup?"
"No thank you Pol I just had one." Canderous said graciously. He demonstrated the courtesy; he was capable of to Pol. In doing so the Mandalorian stressed Bastila's, unworthiness. He placed his empty cup in the washer. "I have some work to do. I'll see you later?"
"Sure, same time same place." Pol agreed to Bastila's dismay.
"Do you have to flaunt it?" She asked when Canderous was out of earshot.
Pol gave a girlish wiggle, "It's what nature gave me…" She said.
Bastila rolled her eyes. "Don't be childish."
"Well then I don't understand. You told me to watch my attachments and I have! I have gotten no closer to Canderous than a foot AND for the last time we are just friends." Pol poured her cup and took a seat beside Bastila.
"It is your choice of friends though."
"Which ones?" Pol asked.
"Well obviously Canderous comes to mind first."
"The hero of Dantooine, Huzzah!" Pol raised her cup in a toast.
"Mandalorian mercenary and former enemy of the Republic." Bastila reminded her.
"Former, Bastila, former. The war is over and he gave you his ship without fuss. So who's next? Not Carth surely?"
"No he's fine. Zaalbar."
"Life debt!" Pol said holding her hands up in surrender. "Who are we to demean his custom?"
"Mission?" Bastila said with a sigh.
"Dependent charge of life debt." Pol nodded once decisively. "And absolutely the best hacker/slicer I have ever met. She's better than T3!"
"T3 is a machine." Bastila said with a look of disbelief.
"Exactly! Unlike Mission T3 can't improve, without upgrades, yet all on her own she just gets better and better! The Republic needs more people like Mission."
"Ok you've made your point; perhaps I am too harsh on them." Bastila conceded.
"Face it Bastila you will lose our first lightsaber duel, not because I am better than you but, because you don't have a leg to stand on!" Pol teased.
"Does your confidence know no bounds?" Bastila laughed, she was starting to get the hang of the woman's humor. She will probably best me with a lightsaber because she has more experience with one than I do Bastila thought.
…………………………
Pol slunk into the garage.
"So she done saving you from me?" Canderous asked blandly.
"Daaaamn!" Pol cursed. Since they had arrived on Dantooine, Canderous had been giving her pointers on her dueling style and coaching her in stealth practices. For weeks she underwent rigorous lessons under the former Mandalorian General.
When he decided she was ready at last; he set her a challenge. Her goal was to sneak up on Canderous and disarm him. So each evening she had tried to sneak up on the warrior, and each time he had known she was there before she got within 5 feet, stealth shield or no.
"I got this much closer tonight." Pol said holding her fingers a hairs breadth apart. "What did I do this time?"
"Look under your feet." Canderous directed without looking up from his work.
"Sand. You put sand on the floor, that's so unfair."
"Take it as a compliment, you are actually getting better. Plus you need to be able to walk any surface, in any condition quietly. Expect the unexpected and be alert."
"You're a lert." Pol said cheekily.
"Don't call me a lert, you cheap floozy."
"Ugh I'm wounded." Pol gave in to theatrics holding her chest as though she had caught a blaster shot. "Cheap am I?" She dramatized.
"Yeah, you smile for war stories."
"My smile?" Pol grinned luminously at his misguided flattery, "Is that all you want?" The banter flowed with ease between them.
"If it's all I can have then it will have to do." Canderous quipped putting the finishing touches to his labors.
"All you can have? Is this the Jedi thing again?" Pol plunked down on his bed.
"Yeah, and get your boots off my bed." Canderous complained as he set aside his work.
"Poor Canderous, here you can have my boots too Chief." She joked as she removed them and threw them to Canderous. "Nice catch."
"Huh. Thanks a bunch doll." Canderous stashed the boots out of Pol's reach, high in an overhead cabinet.
Her face fell. "Uh you know I was joking right? I'm a need those back tomorrow morning…" Pol pointed a long finger in the direction of the locker. Canderous ignored her. "Uh Chief? Canderous? Ordo!" Pol protested.
Canderous leaned against the work bench which was still littered with remnants from his work. He stared at Pol. Pol stared back. "It will cost you." He said at last.
"How much?"
"A conversation."
"About?" Please not that, not now Canderous.
"About you." Canderous looked deadly calm and unshakably focused. It reminded Pol of the look that very small dogs get when they see an ankle they plan to maul.
"But I don't have much to say." Ok so it's bad, but not as bad as the 'other' talk we need to have…
"Then tell me about it anyways. How are these dreams going?"
"Still happening, but more focused now… I think." Pol went quiet, unsure of what else to say.
"This is going to be like pulling teeth isn't it?"
"Not if you ask the right questions." Pol reminded him as she smoothed the creases from his pillow.
"Ok then, what do you think about?"
"A tree. There's a tree near the academy and I swear I know it from somewhere, but I have never been here before. It feels familiar. Also I am scared." Pol admitted.
"What about?"
"Wait you're not teasing me about that?" Pol asked looking a bit confused. Canderous had a way of catching her off guard by warping from a belligerent tease to Mr. deadly serious.
"Hell no; tell me more." Canderous leaned forward.
And now he looks like a hungry Firaxa, Pol observed. "You're really interested. Is that cuz I don't say much?"
"No it's because I care, now tell me what's buggin you before I lose my patience."
"Is that a challenge Chief?" Pol asked, raising one eyebrow. She was eager for Canderous to warp back to tease; it had been a long day.
"Don't change the subject Pol." Canderous grumped.
"Ok. So I'm not really scared, more freaked out. All those memories I had of my 'scouting days' have been falling out of my head."
"Falling?" A single silvery eyebrow shot up in surprise.
"I'm loosing them, but the more I work with Bastila the more memories I have of other …Stuff. First I thought I was just channeling her that some how she was messing with my mind wiping my memories and replacing them with hers but now I'm not so sure."
"Can she do that?"
"No not Bastila personally, that's not her strength, and I don't think she would…But other Jedi can." Pol caught the look of concern on his face like an armful of roses. He's really worried about me! I probably shouldn't be telling him this then.
"Could that have happened already?" The alarm was clear on Canderous's face. If they have done anything to her I will kill them. No I'll maim them, torture them till they apologize and then butcher them.
"I think I would remember that …Ha-ha I'm kidding. Hell I don't know. I'm trying not to think about it too much that's why most times I'd rather listen than talk or think, so tell me a story?"
"Ok but before I do, Bastila asked me to stay away from your training sessions. I'm going to respect her wishes…This time."
"I thought she might." Sighed Pol. "You still going to teach me stuff?"
"Only until you can take my boot knife without out me noticing."
"What happens after that?"
"By then I believe I will be the one asking you for pointers." Canderous smiled proudly and rolled into story telling mode.
Raiders
After the council was informed of a recent vision shared between Bastila and Pol, they met in seclusion to evaluate its significance.
"Through their vision, they have located a Star Map here on Dantooine, within the old ruins. Their vision places Revan and Malak at the site, at the beginning of their fall to the darkside." Said Master Vandar surmising what he had been told. Stepping back the tiny wizened alien gave the floor to Master Dorak, who held the position of chronicler for the academy.
"These ruins have been long known to us. They were sealed because of the dark taint upon them. That some kind of Star Map lies within comes as no surprise. I propose we send Nemo to investigate further. There is a chance by examining the path walked by Revan and Malak that we may discover a means to overcome the Sith threat."
"A risky proposal, but if Nemo is the one to go then it has my support." Master Vrook granted.
"Should we not consider sending Pol and Bastila? They are the ones who had the vision; it would be an opportunity for us to observe their work together, and for them to begin their partnership." Zhar was eager for his best pupil to begin her final trials.
"Certainly not, what if her return to the place triggers something?" Vrook protested.
"Pol has not strayed from the lightside, whilst bound to Bastila her memories could be used to our advantage." Said Master Zhar.
"And if they can not?" Vrook asked urgently. "What then?"
"At present her heart is pure, and Bastila will not let her lose her way again." Assured Master Zhar soothingly.
"We must tread carefully. Perhaps it is best for an experienced Jedi to investigate the ruins first, if the taint of the darkside is still strong in the location." Master Vandar suggested. "We will speak of this again after Nemo has made his report."
Canderous leaned out from the window, landed silently on the grass and made his way back to the space port stealthily. He slunk quietly aboard the Hawk and made for the refresher. Canderous had no intention of powering his stealth unit down until he was hidden from all view.
"Canderous? Damn where is the guy when you need him?" Carth grumbled, in frustration.
"I'm here," said Canderous stepping out of the cubicle. "What do you want?"
"I have a message for you from 'Jon'. Apparently the last troop of Mandalorians has been seen east of the Sandral estate. I could go with you." Carth offered.
"I could use the back up this time round, these guys have been elusive," he admitted fairly. "If we move quickly we may still catch them there." The biggest problem Canderous had encountered was tracking the Mandalorian rogues over the vast plains of Dantooine without a land speeder.
Carth and Canderous were preparing to leave the Hawk when Pol arrived. It was still early in the day a time where Pol would usually be at the enclave immersed in her studies "Where are you off two in such a hurry?" She asked curiously. The former enemies rarely spent time in each others company willingly, and now they looked like good friends off on a fishing trip.
"Why aren't you in school missy?" Carth asked in a brotherly tone.
"I have some one to find out on the plains little brother. I think its part of my final assessment." Pol smiled; rubbing her hands together excitedly, ready for action.
Canderous noticed that a lightsaber hung at her side in place of the vibrosword. "Nice piece. They letting you wield that thing in public now?" He asked with a crooked eyebrow.
"Yep." Pol said proudly.
"Wow, you look at you all grown up like a… like a real Jedi…Uh, we have this thing to uh do on the um plains." Carth smiled and stumbled on his words, he was honestly taken aback by Pol's appearance. His voice was edged with pride.
Canderous frowned jealously at Carth. He touched Pol's arm and interrupted the younger man's rambling. "Wanna come kill some raiders?" He asked Pol flirtatiously.
"Why Canderous, I thought you'd never ask." Pol bowed as though accepting the offer of a dance and the three soldiers left the space port, heading east.
Jon's information was sound and the company came upon the Mandalorian raider's camp just two miles east of the Sandral estate. Carth scanned the horizon while Canderous counted the men.
"Six, Duros and three Mandalorians. Carth, give us some cover fire, take out the Duros, Pol and I will engage the leaders." Canderous gave his orders in a hushed voice, but it was clear from the movement in the camp beyond that they had already been spotted.
"Now this is what I live for!" Canderous yelled charging the enemy. Carth fired on the Duros, killing three in quick succession before they could return fire.
Not to be out done Pol drew her light saber and summoning the Force hurled herself 20 meters through the air; landing neatly in front of the commander. The enemies locked in a fierce battle.
"I have killed many Jedi before, and your saber will be a fine trophy for my collection" The Captain threatened her menacingly. Unperturbed by the threat Pol took the large mans feet out from under him with her leg and stood over him with her light saber aimed at his heart.
Before she could make the killing stroke the spare Mandalorian tackled her beating her to the ground. Pol Force shoved her attacker out of range with a burst of Jedi magic. In the time it took her to shake off the spare Mandalorian the commander had regained his ground. His broad sword bit through her armor slicing her arm from elbow to shoulder as she ducked away form the brunt of the blow. The wound was not deep and while the Mandalorian reeled from the effort of his mislaid stroke Canderous (who had already finished the second Mandalorian raider) took off his head with a clean swipe of his scimitar.
Pol looked back to the spare Mandalorian who had ditched his vibroblade in favor of a Bothan designed blaster. Carth was in his firing line, still occupied with the last Duros.
"Hold it right there." He demanded aiming at Carth's head. "Or I'll shoot."
"Carth get down!" Pol yelled and leapt between the blaster fire and her pilot. She neatly deflected the shots with her lightsaber bouncing them back at the Mandalorian. With his shield disabled he was struck dead instantly with his own ricocheted blaster fire.
"What a mess." Exclaimed Pol as she surveyed the ex battle scene.
"I am so glad that's over. And thanks Pol." Carth shook his head at the carnage.
"That was barely a challenge." Canderous growled grumpily. He lifted the body of the commander and began to build a corpse pile. "If this feeble excuse for a Mandalorian killed any Jedi they can't have been much chop."
"Not like our Pol here. That was amazing." Carth gloated.
"No that was rubbish." Pol whined wrapping her injury in a kolto soaked bandage. Her wound would be healed by the time she removed it. I shouldn't have been hurt at all
"It sure wasn't great. Why so stiff? Is it the new weapon or the Force that's got you all:" Canderous made a rigid grimace to show Pol what he thought of her performance.
"Hah, I wasn't all:" Pol returned the rigid grimace to Canderous. "I was just unfocused."
Carth answered the bleeping of his personal communicator. It was Mission.
"You guys some one needs to get back to the Hawk, we have a stowaway problem. Big Z found a kid hiding in the stores."
"You got it Mission, I'll be right there." Carth responded quickly. Carth was the only parent in the crew, and while he occasionally got the wrong side of Mission, he was generally regarded as the expert on kids. "I better go see what this is about. I'll see you guys back at the Hawk." Carth said his farewell and marched off towards the enclave and spaceport.
"I found a lightsaber, well three actually. You want one Canderous?" Pol joked.
"I'll pass." He said loading the last of the bodies grimly onto the pile and lighting it. Pol kept the lightsabers certain that, Master Dorak would want to see them at least to identify their owners.
"Ahh I love a good bonfire." Laughed Pol, She had always been detached when it came to the dead. "I know its lunchtime and we have no squishmallows to toast, but you could tell me a story while we eat our rations by this here campfire."
Canderous laughed, dodging the smoke. "Let's go. The fire has no where to spread to, we can leave it to run its course."
"Great I can go find my missing Jedi." Pol enthused as she dusted herself off.
"A missing Jedi?"
"A Jedi who lost her way. Master Zhar was pretty cryptic so I am guessing he means that she lost her way in both senses of the phrase." She scanned the horizon for any stragglers they had missed. If there were any scouts or outriders they would have been drawn to the blaze by now. She could barely make out Carth's form to the far west with her eyes, but using the Force he rang clear and true.
Suddenly an idea occurred to her. "I need to sit for a moment; I think I can seek her out with the Force." Pol crossed her legs and sat down.
"Well if I had known that I would have been able to find this last group a lot sooner." Canderous complained.
"I didn't think of it till now. I guess this will be second nature to me when I am more experienced." Pol fell quiet and threw out her senses in all directions. She felt the active hub of the enclave, as a concentration of Force sensitive souls to the west.
She could sense Kath hounds, Iriaz and other native fauna all about her but she was drawn by a corruption in the Force. The ruins from my vision, she acknowledged.
South of the ruins she located a solitary Force sensitive soul, not completely malign but bursting with anger, uncertainty, fear and self hatred.
"Found her." Pol said. She took a swig of water from her canteen and offered it to Canderous. He took it, drank and returned it wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Is she far off?" He asked.
"Yeah, maybe half a day walking, if I seek her out now there's no way I will be back by nightfall."
"Need company?" Canderous was hoping Pol would accept; he'd had time to think about the morning's reconnaissance and seeing Pol with her lightsaber had struck a chord he couldn't identify. We need to talk.
Pol winced, guiltily, she didn't really need company, but his was always welcome. "If you're gonna walk me home I guess you better stick around." Pol said with a grin. She reached for her comlink and sent a message to Bastila. The signal was of a poor quality and static marred the transmission.
"Pol, how is your task going?" Bastila asked kindly when the reception cleared.
"Not too bad, we ran into the last of the Mandalorian raiders, but I have located the missing Jedi. She seems to be a great distance from here. I won't be back till after nightfall." Pol communicated through the static patiently.
"It is important you find her as soon as possible Pol, do not underestimate the gravity of the task you have been assigned. Is Carth still with you?" She asked.
"No he left a while ago he should be back at the Hawk soon, but I have Canderous with me." Even through the static Pol could tell that Bastila had turned her eyes heavenward.
"Then don't forget what we spoke about. Come see me you as soon as you return." Bastila cut the connection and blipped out of view.
"We need to talk." Canderous said when Pol put her comlink away.
"Uh oh." Pol laughed nervously.
"I overheard something when the council met this morning."
Pol choked. "You spied on the Jedi Council?" She was mortified by the thought. "What possessed you to do that?"
"A lot of things, do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" Canderous asked gruffly.
"Does this concern me?"
"Yes, it does. They said that you had been to Dantooine and implied that you had fallen to the darkside before. They mentioned using your memories to help defeat the Sith."
"I knew that tree looked familiar." Pol said. "If I fell to the darkside I must have at least trained here. What do you think?" How did I fall?
"I know, they have plans to use you and I know that Bastila is in on it. Zhar's words suggested she was responsible for keeping you 'lightside'. By your experience as a fighter I would say you were not just trained, but a fully fledged Jedi knight."
"That could explain why I breezed through the early training." Pol was staggered by the information. She felt under attack, not by Canderous, just by the whole Jedi council, Bastila and the Republic.
"Or why they are in such a hurry to get you through it again. While we're usurping Carth's position as head conspiracy theorists, what's the real reason you like to hear my war stories?"
"You tell a good tale, and I find it interesting." Pol replied honestly.
"Why are you so interested? It isn't to hear an old man relive his glory days." Canderous drawled.
"Yeah it is! Well in part. I guess they ring true for me. Some of them have even related to my visions, but from a different viewpoint."
"If you had visions or memories, about the Mandalorian wars, I'd say that's because you served in them. They said you had been here on Dantooine before. Don't you remember anything about it?"
"Not really, every time I try to think about my past it I get a roaring headache for my troubles. Perhaps I was one of the Jedi who followed Revan and Malak to the outer rim after the war?"
"If they wiped your memory, it would explain your visions and flashbacks, but not your supposed "link" to Bastila. I think they intended to bring you here and let you loose on the trail of your old comrades."
"You're probably right. I wish you weren't though. I need time to let this sink in, we should get moving again." Pol stood and pointed in the direction of the lost Jedi. "She's that way, oh and no more spying ok? It's not polite and probably safest they don't suspect I know anything."
"You got it."