Revelations
"Bastila you are back." Carth said looking up from his reading. He stowed the datapad and looked at Bastila. Wow she looks gorgeous and she bought real food.
"Yes, I will fill you in on our progress in a moment, first I there is something I wish to discuss with you." Bastila said carefully. Her dark blue eyes were wide and the truth in them shone like a beacon to her beauty. "Is Mission around?"
Hoo boy, this is unexpected. She wants to 'talk'. "Uh yeah, she's sulking in the bunkroom still upset over her spat with Zaalbar as far as I can tell."
"Could you put this in the galley, I will call Mission to dinner." Bastila handed the food to Carth and left the common room.
Wishful thinking bantha brain, of course she doesn't want to 'talk' to you alone. Carth set the bench for three and waited for Mission and Bastila to return. He didn't have to wait long. Mission's blue pixie profile emerged form the hall and Bastila followed. They sat and Carth raised the question again. "So what's this about?"
"I would rather we ate first. It may ruin your appetite." The Jedi said.
"Oh no don't tell me Zaalbar has been loafing juma farts again!" Mission squealed. Carth and Mission laughed, as long as they couldn't smell it, it was funny.
"I have no idea what that means. And I do not wish to know. Mission, elbows off the table please." Bastila instructed. How do I tell them their dear friend is/was the most hated woman in the galaxy? And how do I tell Mission Zaalbar is in trouble.
When they had finished the meal Bastila took them to the common room to talk. "It's about Revan." she began.
Carth asked. "Did you find the Star Map? Where are the others?"
"No not yet, the others are still looking for it. Please don't interrupt this is difficult enough as it is Carth." Bastila took a deep breath. She had rehearsed the speech on her way back from Jolee Bindo's between fights and it had seemed sufficient but now facing Mission and Carth she seemed less certain. "I did not kill Revan, physically." She said. There that's a good start.
"But it's what you are famous for." Carth said looking confused. "That and battle meditation."
"I didn't kill Revan, I lead the Jedi who captured her. She was bought before the Order and her mind was wiped. All that was Revan was destroyed."
Carth spoke angrily, "But not her legacy."
"No not that. Carth you do know that Malak was responsible for the attacks on Telos and Taris don't you?"
"Yeah and Saul Karath how could I forget," Carth answered gravely. Mission nodded sadly.
"What's this about Bastila?" Mission asked quietly concerned Bastila looks so sad. I hope everyone is ok.
"I am getting to that. When Revan's mind was wiped it was replaced with fictitious memories of a life as a scout." Bastila wept openly. Mission inched closer and put her arm about the forlorn Jedi. Carth looked on feeling sick, at once aware where it was going and in denial of the destination.
"Bastila are you ok?" Carth asked fending off the nausea that erupted form what he sensed was to be a mighty upheaval of their lives.
"Let me finish. You have to hear this." She said between sobs. "She became a Republic soldier, her name is Pol Valor."
Mission's arm fell from Bastila's shoulders. She shrugged into herself balling up on the couch, her eyes were like thunderstorms and tears paraded down her face. "No. Pol was Revan?"
"Yes, she was." Bastila confirmed.
"This cant be true." Carth stated in disbelief.
"It is true Carth." Bastila said.
"Can she be trusted, can YOU be trusted after you lied to us?" Carth raged, stomping off to the far corner of the room. He leaned hard up against the wall, arms folded face smoldering darkly from beneath the hair that fell in his eyes.
Mission spoke quietly. "Does she know?" She asked timidly her blue face wet with tears.
"Yes. She knows now, she can be trusted Carth. She wants to redeem herself."
"It's too late for that Bastila." I can't believe how you have lied to us Bastila. No wonder the Mandalorian is obsessed with Pol-Revan.
"But is it really? Juhani was saved by Pol no less, and she's lovely! I can't believe Pol could be evil, not after how kind she has been to us all." Mission asked through a fresh watering of tears.
"Mission, Pol isn't evil. If she fell to the darkside I would know instantly." Because I would fall too, she thought. "Carth if you can not deal with this Pol will understand, we will return you to your fleet and find a new pilot."
"No way someone needs to keep an eye on you two. I'm staying I've come this far I want to see this thing through to the end."
"As you wish Carth, what about you Mission?"
"She really wants to make up for it?" Mission wiped her face.
"Yes she really does."
"Is there any of Revan left in her?"
"No Mission, just nightmares of what she did as a Sith. That they are nightmares to her speaks volumes about her alignment now." Bastila was sure to catch Carth's eye as she said this. He nodded, still frowning. He is as the Mandalorian would say a loose canon; I am going to have to watch Carth very carefully around Pol. Bastila decided.
"Is there anything else you wish to tell us Bastila?" Carth asked superciliously.
"Yes, Zaalbar will be staying with his brother during our stay on Kashyyyk." There, a white lie, for a good reason. Oh Pol you had better get him back.
Jolee's Backyard
Canderous and Pol went outside to talk in private. They had unfinished business as Canderous put it, but it was Pol that started the fight.
"What in space was that about today?" Pol stabbed angrily.
"What?" This again?
"You going nova on Juhani!"
"Pol, we have been though this. How many people do you think would like to kill you if they knew who you were?" Canderous's argument heated as Pol's cooled. That's it; if anyone messes with her head again I AM going to butcher them in cold blood Pol is crazy enough as is.
"Plenty," Pol admitted backing down. Uh oh, he's doing the angry eyes.
"And how much to you think I am going to give to keep you alive?"
"Plenty?" Pol cringed. He's really riled… I've never seen the Chief so mad.
"DAMN STRAIGHT." After his last outburst he slumped against the wall of the cottage. The fight seemed to go out of him when he saw Pol had taken his point to heart.
Pol trod eggshells trying not to upset Canderous again but unwilling to give up on her side of the argument. "But Bastila and Juhani care too, they're also trying to keep me alive."
Canderous sighed heavily. "They want you alive for some sappy do-gooder ulterior motive - saving the galaxy. I have no such motive. Pol, do you ever wonder what is going to happen to you when your task is complete?"
"Frack, I don't know, I see your point. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Oh, and remind me to hang a sign on your door, a big one that says 'don't poke the Zakkeg'. You're scary when you're mad Chief." Pol smiled warily.
"Sorry." He said after a long silence.
Pol grinned like a fiend. "Lemme adjust my holocorder, I don't think I got that the first time."
"Well too bad cuz I'm not saying it again. I was right, you were wrong. I only apologized because I lost my temper." Canderous rationalized.
Pol extended a finger and poked him in the arm mischievously with it. "More than usual."
"Oh shut up Pol." He said taking her by the arm. Pol wound herself about him, looking up into his eyes.
"You know you really narked me off today." Pol said trying not to smile and failing miserably.
"Likewise you narked me off when you went overboard with that healing." Canderous kissed Pol's forehead and ran his hands down her back soothingly.
"Ah but you feel better for it don't you?" Pol asked resting her head against his chest. She listened to his reply each word echoing though his steady heartbeat.
"Excessively good, dangerous almost…Wanna find out how much better I feel?"
Canderous ran his hands about her midriff. It was getting cold out and no one had thought to bring Pol a change of clothing. She shivered under his touch. "You never give up do you?" Pol laughed kissing his neck.
"No, and even when you are as old and grey as me I still won't quit." He lifted her chin with his hand and kissed her fervently. They embraced awkwardly as they kissed, precariously balanced but too intoxicated by the clinch to care.
"You know," Pol said dizzily, "If we both lean that way, we will fall over." They leaned, and staggered, proving Pol's theory. "We should probably go in, and get some sleep." She said shyly.
"Don't worry Pol, just because we're sharing a bed doesn't mean I am going to pull a sly one on you." Canderous drawled.
"You are a gentle-Mandalorian and a scholar Ordo."
"Yeah, just don't tell anyone ok?"
"They wouldn't believe me if I did." Pol breathed as she stepped inside the hovel.
Morning on Kashyyyk
"Good morning." Pol's voice croaked as she choked on her early morning whisper. Canderous lay beside her, and from the looks of things he had been staring at her, willing her to wake for quite a while. Through the window of Jolee's shack Pol could see it was marginally lighter outside. I could almost get used to mornings. She thought admiring the view.
"Good morning." Canderous murmured. Leaning forward he kissed her cheek and rested back on one elbow. He lay on top of the blankets, half dressed, his pants were on but he was shirtless and bootless; Pol looked him over from head to toe and smiled.
"Where are the others?" Pol asked realizing Canderous was being more 'obvious' in his affections for her than usual.
Canderous grinned. "Out," He said, brushing the hair from her face. He undid the first few buttons on her blouse and kissed a trail across her shoulders. "Getting breakfast," His stubble scuffed her skin slightly as he kissed the base of her throat.
"Why is it that the only time of day you are not grumpy is the one time normal people are? You are a sick man." Pol complained halfheartedly and ruffled his hair.
"So cure me." Canderous suggested, pulling her body close to his. They were interrupted seconds later. Oh for frack's sake! Great timing, they were supposed to be out foraging for breakfast. Juhani and Jolee returned bearing armloads of vegetables from Jolee's garden. They looked at the couple on the floor. Pol had rolled away from Canderous quickly and was wearing crimson her face and the bed sheets to her chin.
Pol died. "Oh good one Canderous! So much for your hyper-vigilance," She groaned softly in Mando'a.
Canderous made a point of not facing the intruders as he dragged his shirt on. "I hate to break it to you Champ, but there is a point where all that goes out of the window. The roof could cave in and I wouldn't notice." He schooled his face back to its usual scowl and thought lackluster and tedious thoughts about undesirable things.
Pol grinned trying not to stare at Canderous. "I'm afraid your Consultation with Dr Valor will have to be postponed, my amorous thug." She cooed, forgetting herself momentarily she sad it in basic and Jolee laughed aloud at the comment. Oops. Pol died again.
"There's no curing what he's got. I should know I've been there myself." Jolee cackled.
"You were in love Jolee?" Juhani asked as she prepared the breakfast of forest fodder they had gathered from Jolee's garden. Canderous rolled his eyes. In love? Bah. Cured of his ardor Canderous grabbed his weapons belt and boots. Pol adjusted her blouse where it had been Canderous-ed and threw back the covers. They faced the interrupters with strained composure.
"Ah Nayama, terrible woman, wouldn't make the bed, but she could make a good sandwich." Jolee sang.
"Was she a Jedi?" Juhani purred as she chopped the greens into precise slithers.
"Not exactly, she was a Sith. But that's a long story I'll tell you some time if we ever get stuck in a turbolift. For now there is breakfast to be had, a Star Map to found, a rebellion to incite, and a wookiee to rescue. I think that's enough for one day, don't you kids?"
"Absolutely," Pol agreed as she helped Canderous roll away the bedding and replace the table.
Czerka - Monkey Bothering
"Nine men up ahead." Pol said.
"That will be the Czerka tach hunters." Jolee explained.
"They hunt these little simians?" Juhani asked, with a sad look for the little furry imps that capered innocuous by their feet.
Canderous frowned in distaste. "Brave men I see. Trembling behind their sonic emitters, hunting the tiny simians, and cowering from the challenging predators," His voice dripped with sarcasm.
"You feel sorry for the little tach?" Juhani asked with surprise.
"No, I feel sorry for the mothers that bore such wretched cowards." Canderous said.
Pol whispered to Juhani. "The Chief doesn't like 'cute' things." She ginned conspiratorially.
"Pol you speak Cathar?" Juhani exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.
"A little," Pol admitted. "I'm not much chop but I can make myself understood."
"Ahem, girls, is there something you wish to share with the other Padawans?" Jolee asked in an authoritarian tone, his bushy eyebrows rose in query; they stood out as white smudges against his dark skin, even in the dimness. "No? Well quit your covert caterwauling and let's get back to the task." He pointed to the Czerka hunters. "I have been meaning to do something about them for some time now. But there are so many of them that I need some support to my 'persuasive' ability, if you get my drift."
"I could persuade them." Canderous said looking about as nasty and crooked as a Mandalorian can, without raising his fist.
"I know you could, but leave it to the Jedi this time. I'll go and talk to them." Pol smiled exultantly, her eyes gleaming with self confidence as she stalked over to her prey. Canderous watched her approach as he followed her staying an even ten paces behind.
The guard captain introduced himself. He looked at Pol's ragged attire with bête-noir, though his eyes appreciated what lay beneath more than Canderous liked. The Mandalorian dropped his ten pace rule and made himself known coming out of the shadows to stand behind Pol with typical heavy-handed intent. The captain adopted a more businesslike demeanor under the larger mans watch. "So why are you hunting the tach?" Pol asked affably as Jolee and Juhani joined the gathering.
"They posses a gland that, when powdered, is the key ingredient in Tarisian ale, we hunt them for that." The captain eyeballed Jolee mistrustfully. He had met the old Jedi before, and still got headaches over the encounter. Jolee smiled a hello to his nemesis the points of his white goatee beard tweaking mischievously.
"That's it! I am never drinking beer again." Canderous promised with a scowl.
"You sure you don't feel sorry for the little scamps Chief?" Pol teased. The tach were undeniably cute.
"No. I just don't like the idea of drinking something some critter has peed through." He drawled.
"I do not think it is that gland Canderous." Juhani said, her mouth curving subtly with mirth. Every word she said with that accent sounded flirtatious and Pol laughed at the reaction Juhani won from their male companions. Juhani is too cool. Pol chuckled inwardly.
"Ok children enough with the droll repartee, let's ask nicely." Jolee announced miming a Force gesture.
Pol lead the charge, combining her persuasive ability with the other Jedi, she borrowed small reserves of the Force from them and made her request in dulcet tones.
"You know captain," she asked, sealing the deal by tracing his lapel with her finger enticingly. "Taris is trashed. Without Taris there is no stable market for this operation. You are wasting valuable time and credits out here, you really should leave and not come back."
"You know," the captain repeated as Pol let go of his jacket. "There really isn't a market for Tarisian ale now that Taris is dust. Men let's move out and never come back."
Pol wiped her hands in disgust on her borrowed trousers as she watched the tach hunters flee. That's it nark off and don't come back you filthy tach worrier.
Canderous missed Pol's decontamination rite, as he was to busy scowling after the captain jealously. "I didn't think he was your type, Pol." He accused darkly.
"He's not, I swear it. Unfortunately for me 'Force Persuade' has always worked best with physical contact." It was just one of those things she had remembered from her former life as Revan.
"Could you persuade me to do something?" He asked in Mandalorian. Canderous looked partly concerned, but halfway intrigued by the prospect of having Pol using her persuasive Force powers on him. I wonder what she would have me do…Hmm probably something nasty…Like petting the tach.
"Could you raise arms against me?" Pol pointed at the heavy repeater that slung over Canderous's shoulder. He was heavily armed, blade, dagger, grenades, and rifle, he wore the black short sleeved shirt he had left the Hawk with the day before. His arms were bare the clan tattoos were peeking out from below the sleeve. The humidity had been hard on the three newcomers to the shadow lands. She noticed that perspiration left damp trails of darker black on his shirt starting between his pectoral muscles and falling to his navel.
He shook his head. "No you know I couldn't, but a favor from a lady is a little different than an eyeful of firearm from a heavy." I know what kind of urging I would prefer to be on the receiving end of.
"Which is why I have my artful methods, and you prescribe to the ruffian school of persuasion." Pol answered seriously. Jolee was disabling the force field that spanned the gap between them and their destination. Juhani lingered at a polite distance from Jolee, observing his work.
"I was wondering about those two, does it strike you as an unusual match Jolee? Revan defeated his people, and yet she has his friendship."
"Not really unusual, knowing what I know of Mandalorian culture it was almost inevitable. The upper echelon of Mandalorian social order is dominated by the warrior. The highest rank in Mandalorian society is Mandalore, their leader who is (or was) their best warrior. Revan defeated Mandalore, proving herself the superior warrior, and claiming a reverence that borders on royalty in doing so. No doubt that is one of many things Canderous finds irresistible in young Pol. The other things, he admires…Aside from her martial prowess aren't too hard to guess at." Jolee concluded with a chuckle.
Juhani smiled knowingly. Pol stood by Canderous. His head was bowed a little, an attempt to negate the height difference between them. They spoke quietly, not touching physically, but Juhani's view through the Force told a different story.
The Mandalorian's aura leaned towards Pol's like a protective embrace, very unusual. Juhani read. Pol's aura - like her clothing - hung invitingly from her curves; it starred a little at the edges, drawing the loyalty of the Jedi around her. It tugged most noticeably on the Force Sensitive but her affect on Canderous's aura was different, she was not drawing him in, his spirit shared space with hers autonomously and willingly. Though he curved to her there was a clean differentiation. She can be sure of him, but not of us as he is dead to the Force. He follows her of his own volition.
Juhani looked at Jolee's aura; it trailed off in Pol's direction - as did her own - stopping short of any actual connection. They were not bound the way that Bastila's aura was. Bastila's Force bond was like a thin spidery web that had attached itself to Pol like a leash. The further they were apart, the more stretched and transparent the line. When they were in close proximity, they merged together and Pol's aura overshadowed Bastila's domineeringly.
Letting go of her view though the Force; Juhani continued to discreetly study the pair. Every so often Pol's laugher would tinkle through the air and Canderous seemed to thrive on the sound of it. Juhani grazed her eyes over Pol admiringly while she waited for Jolee to deactivate the barrier.
"There, it's open!" Jolee cheered.