Carth leaned back in the pilot's seat, watching as the planet drew closer. Checking the panels he estimated another forty minutes before they would be able to meet with the next contact on their list. He hoped this one would be more useful, if not, it would be days before they could reach their next destination. And that was time he was getting tired of wasting. Each day that passed left him more worried about the children, more worried about Revan.
His last exchange with her, on Triatean'k, left a knot in Carth's stomach that refused to go away. As they had silently made their way back to the ship, the regret over his last words to her had left him wanting to grab her back and erase them all. He was trying desperately to avoid loving this woman, but yet he couldn't help himself.
Force, he only wanted her, her real self, and his kids. He wanted that family but all of this was pushing him from that. HE was pushing him from that. That's what you get for loving a former, and perhaps upcoming, Dark Lord, Onasi. Deal with it or drop it. You can't do both.
But both is what he wanted, he wanted to keep the Revan he knew and drop the Dark Lord Revan. Unfortunately it didn't work that way. And he knew, now he knew, that she was exhibiting too many signs to be ignored. He couldn't love a Dark Lord, could not let himself, and despite the moments when she was her true self, it was just simply not enough. Force Onasi, what have you gotten yourself into! He clung to the hope that once they found the children, everything would be fine.
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Revan waited impatiently for Carth to emerge from the ship. Now that she had a definitive time to meet with their new contact, Treg Unic, she wanted to get moving as soon as possible. She had already scouted the area and even obtained some information about him.
Treg was a smuggler, recently stranded on the planet after his last flight had gone sour. His ship was being held by the local authorities, pending further investigation. It appeared he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.
"Finally!" she cried in an exasperated tone as Carth finished locking down the ship. Not waiting for him to reply, she turned, moving towards the location marked on her datapad.
"Treg Unic?" she inquired as she approached the blonde haired human standing by hangar 18.
Treg acknowledged her with a nod and she reached out to shake his outstretched hand. "I'm Revan, this is Carth." She turned her head toward Carth, who was glowering at her, obviously upset that she had given out their names so easily.
"Pleased to meet you, Revan" his voice held an unfamiliar accent, seeming polite enough but otherwise gave no indication if he meant the words. He brought Revan's hand to his lips before turning towards Carth. "Please forgive me if I don't greet you in the same manner." He smiled apologetically.
Carth grumbled something incoherent in reply. He knew immediately that he disliked Treg. The guy had an arrogance about him that was all too familiar. Someone who enjoyed using his good looks and charm to get whatever he wanted. Or perhaps you are just upset because he kissed Revan's hand. A gesture that had come so easily to this stranger but would be so agonizingly hard for me, despite the past we share.
Revan blushed at the kiss Treg had placed on her hand and she smiled at him before pulling her hand back to her side. "It's nice to be greeted in such a polite manner."
"Ah, but it is the only way to greet a Lady."
"So, you greet everyone that way?" she inquired.
"Well, only the ladies, if they are male, well, they do not seem to appreciate the gesture as much so I usually just shake their hand." His soft smile gave her every indication that he was trying to ease some of the awkwardness of the meeting.
"Great, a smuggler with manners and a bad sense of humor." Carth grumbled.
"Don't mind him, he's just upset because you didn't kiss his hand." Revan shot back, smirking at Carth.
"To be honest, I wasn't always a smuggler. And I'm afraid I'll never be able to abandon my proper upbringing. Tis a gift and a curse, depending on the situation."
Revan beamed at Treg, "I think in this case it is a gift."
"Does it come with a return policy?" Carth muttered under his breath but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
"See, what did I tell you? Should have kissed his hand." The two of them broke into laughter at his expense.
Carth remained silent but continued to watch as Revan turned on her charm. The banter between them, as they talked and laughed like old friends, grinding on his nerves until he could not stand it any longer.
"We need information. We were told you could provide that. Or were we misinformed?" he broke in, not disguising his irritation.
Revan appeared more than a bit annoyed, "Relax Carth, we're getting to that. Don't be so gruff."
"Excuse us." Carth barely acknowledged Treg as he grabbed her arm, pulling her far enough away so they wouldn't be overheard. "We are here for information, period! We do not have time for pleasantries."
Revan appeared amused, "Oh, now you want me to be pushy? Back on Triatean'k I recall you getting a bit upset when I challenged the merchant over his evasiveness."
Carth's eyes narrowed, "That was different!"
She smiled playfully at him, "Why, because he wasn't handsome and charming like Treg?" Revan knew she was baiting him, playing on the jealousy that she hoped was there. I shouldn't be enjoying this so much. She looked at Carth, innocence breezing through her eyes.
His eyes flared and she knew she had hit the right note. "No, because you were threatening him with some pretty damn bad things. That's why it's different! I just want answers, if we can't get them here, fine, we'll leave. I don't know if I trust him anyway."
"Back to that are we?" she asked, giving him a smug look. "And just how do you think I should get these answers? Obviously not with threats, now it's not with charm either. There is just no pleasing you Onasi! What exactly do you want me to do?" Annoyance entered her tone as she continued, never giving him a chance to speak, "Nevermind, we are going to head to the cantina. You can go back to the ship if you like."
"Not a chance." Came the gruff reply.
Before their conversation went any further, Treg interrupted, obviously concerned about their raised voices, "Is there a problem here?"
"Nope" came the upbeat reply, using the opportunity to avoid any further remarks from Carth, "Just a paranoid pilot. Let's go."
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A somewhat uncomfortable silence fell over the trio as they gathered at a corner table and ordered dinner and drinks. While they waited for their food to be delivered Carth shifted his gaze between the entrance and his tablemates. His uptight appearance contrasted sharply with the relaxed postures of Revan and Treg.
The arrival of their dinner did nothing to change the atmosphere, only the occasionally small talk between Revan and Treg seemed to prevent the encounter from becoming a total disaster.
"Do you come to the cantina often?"
"More often than I would prefer but I need to eat and I am afraid that I am a terrible cook. I have also never developed a taste for synthesized food."
Must have starved on your ship then, Carth thought to himself.
"Well, this is certainly the nicest cantina I have ever been in." Revan looked around, noticing there were no bouncers and the absence of loud unruly customers that usually hung out at cantinas. No real, or even holovids, of Twi'lek dancers. Nor the familiar gambling games in some backroom that usually defined a cantina. Instead, everyone seemed to just be enjoying the nice, quiet ambience.
"I agree. Some of the ones my friends took me to when I first arrived, well, they were not to my liking."
"Your proper upbringing?" she teased.
"Actually, that is probably true," came the embarrassed reply, followed by an eye roll from Carth. "Anyway, you are not here to discuss my past. All I can really tell you is a bit of a personal opinion though. Nothing more I'm afraid."
"That's fine, I'm still interested." The words rolling smoothly from Revan's mouth.
"What I believe is that someone is trying to set up a secret lab. The specifics of the type of droids and the people that were being recruited, I cannot think of any other reason to be hiring them."
"So, what else do you know about this lab and the recruits?" Revan inquired after the waiter had removed their dinner plates and brought them a fresh round of drinks.
Treg took a sip of his drink and waited to speak until he had set it down on the table, "Just that it was a few weeks ago, less than a month." A flush of embarrassment crossed his face, "Hard to remember time actually, being stuck around here with the same things going on day after day." He reached for his drink again, but never brought it to his lips, "At least ten days ago though for sure. I only remember that because it is when I realized I would never have my ship returned to me." He finally brought the drink to his lips, almost finishing it before he placed it back down on the table.
He looked directly at Revan before continuing, "At the time I remember wishing I had taken the offer. But I had been sure things would be cleared up and I would get my ship back." He seemed apologetic, "Because of that I had not been too interested in what was going on. A few friends of mine, that I had been staying with until this mess was finished, were though."
A gentle eyebrow raise from Revan encouraged him to continue. "The rent is paid up until the end of the month, so when they left I was allowed to continue staying there. I have it for a few more days." A brightness entered his face, "Hey, If you two need a place to stay –"
Carth's gaze returned to the table immediately as he cut in, "No thanks."
Treg was apologetic, "Right, sorry, I was just offering. I know how awful ship bunks can be after awhile." He raised his hand to gesture to the waiter, setting his empty glass on the table. "Anyway, they did not tell me much. Just that it was a highly secretive appointment, paid very well and would take them off plant for quite a long time. None of them have any family or place to call home. I can see why they took the offer."
"And you?" Revan inquired.
"Like I said, I thought I would get my ship back…" his voice trailed off when the waiter approached with another round of drinks.
They all watched in silence as a new drink was placed before each of them, their empty glasses being gathered up by the waiter before he moved off to another table.
Revan turned her attention back to Treg, "I meant family." She felt disapproval radiating from Carth, landing on her backside as her body turned towards Treg. "Do you have any family?" her eyes emphasizing interest in the answer.
She honestly didn't know why she had asked the question. Maybe because he's a nice enough guy and he seems sad, lonely. Or maybe I'm just making simple conversation?
Treg seemed to shift uncomfortably and he once again turned his attention to his drink when he replied, "Ah, well, I used to. But it just was not in the stars for us. Things did not work out." His eyes drifted, as if lost in memories and Revan could sense the sorrow in him.
"I know what you mean" she thought aloud, chancing a look at Carth, who met her gaze. An unspoken understanding seemed to hover around the table.
Treg brought the drink that had held so much of his attention to his lips, taking a slow swallow before speaking. "I am sorry that one as beautiful and charming as you would ever suffer such pain. He must be a fool."
"So, what will you do now?" Revan asked in a dreamy voice, her eyes remaining locked with Carth's. He seemed about to say something but their gaze was broken when Treg began to speak again and she turned her attention towards him.
"I am, ah, not sure actually. I won't have a place to stay soon and I am shy enough credits for a shuttle off of here. No idea where I would go anyway." He placed the drink back on the table. "Well, that is not true actually. I have some contacts who could probably set me up with some jobs until I could get enough credits for another ship, but for now I do not really know." He was ready to raise the glass to his lips again when he suddenly seemed to become aware of something. "Hey, actually, I know someone who might have the information you are looking for. An old buddy of mine, works for Anthricete Labs. He has connections all over the place. If there was some rival lab being established he would be the first to know. I can tell him to expect you."
"Then it's settled then!" Revan exclaimed triumphantly. "You'll come with us. We'll see how this fits into our route and head there as soon as we can." She smiled, ignoring the shock on the two faces in front of her.
Treg stared down at his drink, unsure how to continue, "Listen, I really appreciate the offer and all, but I'm not sure that is such a good idea."
"Me either" Carth scowled.
Letting her body display the exasperation she was feeling, "Relax flyboy, and Treg, you even said yourself you will soon be without a place to say, with no way off the planet. It's perfect. I'll even give you a few credits for a shuttle if your friend can't set you up with a job."
She barely registered the expression on Carth's face as Treg finally relented. "Well, how can I refuse such an offer? But only if you are sure, I do not want to impose."
"Nonsense, I'm offering."
Gratitude and relief washed over his face, "Listen, are you sure you don't want to spend the night at the apartment? Least I could do in return."
"I said, No thanks!"
Revan interjected, "I think what Carth means is that we have to prepare for our departure." She shot a glance towards Carth. More like I have to get in a fight with him about this and convince him to mind his manners. "We're on the east side, bay three. We have the spot until tomorrow at nine, so you should come at least an hour before then."