Chapter Sixteen- A Mandalorians Worry
The Mandalorian warrior crept quietly down the steps that led to the large plateau. He raised his head, and taking a furtive glance to either side of him, he stepped out. He walked across the dusty floor, noting the large winged corpse that lay sprawled haphazardly across the floor. He poked at the creature's wing with the tip of his blaster, lifting it up so he could examine it further. He let it drop, where it feel to the ground with a thud.
Further along the ground, he saw two sets of tracks, which led off across the great room. He gripped his blaster in a gloved hand, and with his head bent in the deepening gloom, he followed the trail of footsteps.
He heard the heavy tread of someone approaching, and he hid himself in the shadows. Mandalore appeared out of the gloom, his bare head bowed, the Jedi woman held limply in his arms. He watched as Mandalore placed her carefully on the ground, and turn to reach into the large pack that he placed on the ground next to her.
Canderous Ordo, Kex seethed. So that is the Mandalore. He was right to have his doubts. Canderous was known among certain Mandalorians as having turned his back on them, and had gone traitor…. following the Jedi…that Jedi, Revan…
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Canderous placed Revan gently on the hard ground, noticing with worry how pale and fevered she looked. The wounds from the Terentatek were taking a heavy toll; her brow was hot and damp, and her eyes rolled from behind closed lids.
"Revan…" he whispered to her, "You can heal yourself through your magic's." He sighed irritably, she would not awake.
He reached into the pack at his side, and pulled out some kolto wraps, noting with dismay that only a further five lay within the pack. He thought to use them sparingly, but looking at across at Revan, he decided against frugality; his only concern was to get her well again.
He ripped the Jedi robe tunic from her neck, and tore it across its seams along the shoulder. The material hung in a loose flap. He peeled open a kolto wrap, and plugged the bite in her shoulder. He glanced down at her broken arm. He had helped and splinted many broken limbs before in the past, but the thought of doing it to the Jedi woman filled him with some sort of supernatural dread. Bah, she can always fix it herself later, he said to himself, as he gingerly lifted the fractured limb, and splinted it. He wrapped some more kolto around her arm, and sat back against the cold stone wall of the temple, with her head resting in his lap. He closed his eyes, and prayed for the healing balm to do its magic quickly. He did not like the thought of being alone with the incapacitated woman, weapon less.
He leant down, and brushed the damp hair from her face, "Dammit, Revan, wake up will you!" he grimaced at her largely.
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Night crept stealthily upon the Mandalorian camp, bringing with it the harshness of the ice cold nights. Kelborn patrolled the camp, in the Mandalore's absence. He was honoured to have taken the role that the Mandalore had placed on him, and he only hoped that he would prove his worth. Kelborn wished to be Mandalore's second in command-he greatly admired and liked the leader that had brought the scattered remnants of the clans together. That he had proved himself in battle and leadership again, and again left no doubt in his mind, that the man that had assumed the role of the Mandalore, after Mandalore the Ultimate's defeat at the hands of the Jedi Revan, was the right choice as leader.
He checked over their rations, idly speculating that they were fast running out. Perishable food had died a long time previously, and there was not sufficient animal life on the planet for their stocks. Not that what was there would be deemed edible. We have our pride after all, he thought ruefully.
He motioned to Zuka, watching with a smile as the warrior turned canteen chef sauntered over to him. "Our rations are dwindling, Zuka, is there anything that we can do…"
Zuka snorted, "Ha, Kelborn. There is no life here that is edible, and we have not had the fortune to come across any more downed ships!"
Kelborn grimaced within his helmet, the last ship that they had found; they had been able to salvage tinned edibles that had lasted them several months. But even that was dwindling. "We will have to have survive on meagre rations from now on," his belly growled at the thought, "We have done so before, and we will have to do so now."
"Aye, Kelborn, but what warrior will march on an empty stomach?"
Kelborn sighed, "Just leave the matter to me," and I just hope that we do find another wrecked ship soon, Sith or otherwise, he thought concernedly.
Zuka went to walk off, but Kelborn stopped him with a hand, "Are all patrols back?"
Zuka nodded heavily, "Aye, they are all back, except the few scouts that we have posted as watchers…" he stopped, "but…"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Come to think of it, Kex has not been seen in a while. We assumed that he was patrolling the outer perimeter…"
"Never assume, Zuka!" Kelborn hissed between his teeth, damn that stubborn quartermaster.
"Is there anything else, Kelborn?" Zuka implored deeply.
He shook his head, "Get some rest, while you can, Zuka," he replied kindly, "I fear that we are due some trouble shortly." He glanced across at the yawning mouth of the temple, and wondered.
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Revan opened her eyes, and stared weakly up at the dominating silhouette of the Mandalore above her. One of his hands was entwined in her hair, the other laying loosely by his side. She gazed up at his profile, and knew with a sinking heart that she loved him. They had been thrown together by circumstances beyond their control, and he had been a constant presence by her side. That he had followed her, before, and after the battle at the Star Forge proved to her his depth of feeling-even if the stubborn Mandalorian would not admit it.
She moved her head, and he stirred quickly, removing his hand from her hair, and sitting up with an embarrassed air.
"Revan, I see you are awake," he shook his head, "You sleep too long, is that what they teach you at the Jedi academy? Too sleep in the face of danger?"
She pushed herself up into a sitting position next to him, "You know nothing, Mandalorian. You do not know what it is to be a Jedi…the responsibility…"
"Bah, Revan," he said, dismissing her.
She smiled at his cheek, "How long was I unconscious?"
He smiled gently at her, "Not that long," he lied, sparing her feelings.
She laughed at him, "You are a bad liar, Mandalore!"
"How do you feel Revan? I…you gave me a scare back there," he frowned at her in concern, ignoring her laughter.
She leant across and kissed him, "I am better thanks to your concern, and your rudimentary first aid," she replied flexing her arm.
"You ungrateful wench! That's my thanks? You Jedi leave a hell of a lot to be desired in the 'thanks for saving me' ratings."
She struggled to get to her feet, cursing herself for the momentary weakness that she felt.
Canderous placed a hand on her arm, and pulled her gently back down to him, "Hey, not so quickly," he said slipping his arm about her shoulders, "you have been injured, quite severely at that. I do not care that you are Jedi…you need to take it a little easy."
She shoved herself away from him, and rose to her feet on shaking limbs, "I am fine, Canderous, you have no worries with me."
He sighed deeply at her arrogance, "Sit back down, Revan. You have nothing to prove to me by your stubbornness! Give yourself a little time to recover your strength."
"Ha, Mandalorian, that is where you are wrong…"
"Look, I don't want to see you weakened prematurely. I also don't wish to see you suffer any more hurt. Give yourself a break, Revan. Sit by me?" he pleaded gruffly.
She looked down at him, and smiled, "Alright. But only for a minute, got it?" She rested heavily against him, her head swimming with the effort of standing.
Canderous slipped his arm around her, and pulled her towards him. He gazed into her hazel eyes, "You had me worried back there," he said softly.
Revan rested her head against his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean too. We should not tie ourselves with the emotions that we are feeling."
Canderous glanced at her sadly, "I cannot deny myself my feelings for you, Revan. I have tried to in the past. …bah, why am I telling you this? You will decide what is to be done for the both of us," he replied angrily. "It is the Jedi way, isn't it? Well, in case you have forgotten, I am not one of your damned Jedi, and I will not be treated so!"
She glared at him, "I did not say that, Canderous. Choose your words carefully!" Unexpectedly, she felt the dull weariness creep upon her again, and she leant against him heavily. She felt his arm sneak across her, holding her against his broad chest.
"You are one of the most frustrating women that I have ever had the misfortune to meet," Canderous sighed into her hair, "I fear you will be the death of me, Revan."
She turned to face him, "Do not joke about such things."
He leant towards her, his grey eyes narrowed, "I never joke," he replied seriously, as he kissed her.
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Kex watched them, all the while the anger and disappointment growing inside of him.
"Look how they treat you, Mandalorian! They mock you…see how they are flaunt their love for each other…he is a Jedi lover, has always been. Revan…she has taken your leader, beguiled him with her magic. He will betray you, all because of the Jedi. Revan is as bad as the Exile…and must pay the price of taking your leader; your Mandalore is nothing without her."
Kex stood back from the wall, and deactivated his stealth field generator. He saw the surprise on the Mandalore's face, echoed by the look on the Jedi's face, as they stumbled to their feet.
"Canderous Ordo…I know you!" Kex spat viciously, "You have betrayed us, and you will pay for that, you and your accursed Jedi," he roared, raising his blaster rifle at them.