This will be a series of unconnected interludes during and in between KOTOR I and KOTOR II. These all provide a nice brain break while I'm plotting out "What Dreams May Come". They're my interpretations of the different characters, so they may seem OOC to you... Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!
Oh yeah, insert standard disclaimer here... not mine, never will be, thanks for bursting that fantasy.
The fire that poured off the remains of the ship burned brighter than the neon signs at the Jekk'Jekk Tar Cantina. The group that had accidentally set off the explosion grimaced in unison and exchanged looks.
"Well, guess that's that. Whoever's living on this rock is sure to realize that we're here. With our luck, they're not going to be friendly. I can't believe you didn't throw that grenade right." Atton Rand threw a disparaging look at Mira. "What kind of bounty hunter are you? You can't even toss a grenade."
"I'm plenty good enough with a blaster, though, Atton. Don't start on me; I'm not in the mood." Mira threateningly waved her blaster towards Atton.
"Can we all stop behaving like children? We need to find a way to fix the Hawk and get the hell out of this jungle while we still have a semi-working ship." The Exile spoke up. Her voice betrayed her exasperation with her crew.
"He started it." The Exile only rolled her eyes and walked away from the remains of the bounty hunter vessel in front of her. She was tired, bone deep tired, of being hunted as the last of the Jedi. Realistically, the Exile knew that there were other Jedi out there in the galaxy. How she got the misnomer of being the last of the Jedi, she'd never know. She had barely gotten a connection back to the Force and she'd found two Master Jedi.
As the Ebon Hawk traveled from Nar Shadaa to Onderon, the ship was attacked by Onderonian security forces. They were forced to crash land on the jungle moon, Dxun. The Hawk ended up sustaining major damage. Atton said the freighter could be fixed but it needed a few parts that the crew didn't have on hand. The ship that they had just blown up could've been scavenged for parts, but Mira's misguided grenade had just happened to hit the fuel deposit and the rest, as they say, was history, literally.
The blazing fire before the Exile warmed her up and dried her off but didn't do much for her mood. The crew was constantly battling each other. Kreia was her normal cryptic self, baiting the rest of the crew with her holier-than-thou attitude. Mira, the newest addition to the crew, was moody. Atton was pouting, a normal occurrence. Visas wasn't talking to anyone and no one trusted her anyway. Bao Dur was the only one with whom she could have a civil conversation. The Exile didn't really want to talk to Bao Dur as she was tired of discussing the Mandalorian War.
"If we had some marshmallows, we could be eating s'mores." Atton spoke up.
"Just shut up, Atton. I'm sure you're so perfect. After all, that was a wonderful landing we had. You do such a good job piloting this ship. I also hear that this isn't the first time or even the second time you've crashed a ship with this crew. That's a great track record!" Mira's voice sounded petulant and grated on the Exile's ears.
"Stop it, just stop it right now. I'm tired of this constant bickering and baiting of each other. We are a crew. Does anyone know what a crew is supposed to be? It's supposed to be a team of adults working for a common goal. Instead, what we have here is a crew of petulant children fighting with each other. You want to bicker, do it without me. I'm getting away from here before we attract too much of the local carnivorous fauna." The Exile walked off. Bao Dur shot the remaining crew a glare and followed. Kreia just smiled and made her way up the hill. Mira and Atton glared at each other.
"If you're coming, then I suggest you start walking." The Exile's voice floated down from her vantage point. Atton and Mira started up the hill.
The crew followed the path up the hill for a few kilometers. There was a clearing ahead of them. Bao Dur sent his remote to investigate and reported that there was an encampment of Mandalorians ahead. There was a scouting party mobilizing. What else can go wrong? The Exile thought to herself.
She was soon to find out as the Mandalorians looked in their direction and grabbed weapons.
"We know you're there. Come on out, hands away from blasters." A mechanical voice came through the mask of one of the Mandalorians. Of course, this is just the way my life's been since I woke up on Peragus. The Exile rolled her eyes. The crew shared a quick glance and stepped out of their cover.
"Well, what do we have here? Mandalore will be very interested in this, boys." The mechanical voice came again. The Exile wasn't sure if the voice was the same one or not. "Come with us. You get the honor of meeting Mandalore."
The meeting with Mandalore went quickly and the crew fulfilled the status gaining objectives. Bao Dur fixed their computer based systems. Kreia, Visas and the Exile saved the hapless Mandalorian and finished off a few of the Onderonian security forces that were wandering around. The local fauna didn't stand a chance against Mira's blaster, as she had boasted earlier.
For the Exile, though, the most amusing part was the dueling rings. The muscular Mandalorians scoffed at the idea of dueling with such a slight woman. The Exile was small, even for a woman; her muscles were hidden in the voluminous Jedi robes she wore, only making her seem smaller and weaker. The first opponent was dispensed with in a matter of seconds. Clearly thinking this was a fluke, the next two opponents only took a few minutes. The Mandalorians finally took her prowess seriously and the next battle was grueling for the Exile. She was tired from the back to back fighting. Her opponent didn't pull any punches.
While the Exile was battling with through her opponents, Mira wandered the encampment. As she went past one building, she heard Kreia speaking with Mandalore. They were discussing a "she" and orders that "she" never followed up on. "She" disappeared. Mira had no idea who this she was, but figured it was bound to be useful in the future. As the conversation died, she made her way away from Kreia as quickly as possible. The old woman gave Mira the creeps. Kreia played her cards close to her chest, a trait that Mira admired. What creeped Mira out, however, was Kreia's blatant manipulation of the Exile. Mira was no innocent when it came to manipulating the Exile, after all, she did drug, kidnap and impersonate the Exile. At least, or so Mira thought, Mira didn't manipulate the Exile into feeling things towards the galaxy, the Force or her companions that she didn't want to feel. Mira let the Exile be herself.
Mira flinched as she stepped on a random twig on the ground. The snap of the twig seemed to ricochet through the entire camp. With a quick glance around, Mira sped up her retreat. She screamed as a hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Going somewhere?" The mechanical voice came out of the red helmet that signified the Mandalorian now named Mandalore.
"Uh, yeah, I was just going to check on the Hawk." Mira's voice sounded wobbly but then she remembered the first rule of bounty hunting, act strong even if you're not. "What business is it of yours?"
"So, the little bounty hunter discovers her spine. I'm quite happy for you." Mandalore's voice was taunting.
"I've got more than enough spine to take you on." Mira mentally slapped her forehead, where the heck had those words come from? Mira had just delivered the invitation to a butt trouncing to Mandalore, the man who fought his way through the warring race of Mandalorians. How stupid and cocky could she have been?
"I'll remember that, little one. However, I don't beat up on children. When you're older, perhaps." Mandalore's barking laughter followed his derisive comment. Mira was insulted at the implication but relieved that she wouldn't have to be beaten on, either. "If you wanted to know what was being discussed, you were more than welcome to join the conversation."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I was simply wandering around the camp, looking for something to do." Mira fibbed in what she thought was an assured voice.
"I thought you were on your way to the Ebon Hawk. Now, though, you say you're wandering the camp? Come, little bounty hunter, I have plenty for you to do. Someday, I may teach you how to lie successfully. It's a necessary skill in the job you've chosen." Mandalore pulled Mira along with him as he wound through the bunker he'd just exited. Eventually they made their way into a small medlab. "I hear you're quite good drugging people. I want you to mix up some sleep aids for your Exile and I to use when we go to Onderon. We're going to need them."
"Hey, I only drugged her so I could…"
"So you could collect the bounty on her head yourself. You were hoping for a raise in the amount, weren't you? Keep in mind, as much as the galaxy claims she's the last of the Jedi, she isn't. There are many others out there. Your Exile needs friends and crewmates that support her. She doesn't need someone that will sell her to the highest bidder. Get the knock out drugs ready and I'll let you out of here." Mandalore walked through the door and locked it behind him.
Oh, you are so kidding me. Mira thought to herself. He'll be back. He's got to come back. This is just one big joke. Mandalore'll be back, whether he wants to be or not. The Exile or Atton or even Kreia will make him come back and let me out.
However, the time passed and Mira was still locked in the room. She'd already tried to pick the lock to get out of the room. She'd attempted to blast the lock by setting off some small explosives. However, as Atton had teased the other day, she didn't possess the skill of demolitions. All she succeeded in doing was getting herself cut up with the debris flying out of the jury-rigged explosives. Mira tried to open the air vent so that she could slip through there. The vent was tightly attached to the wall. There weren't any windows as the room where she was a prisoner was underground.
After a few hours of being trapped in the room, her confidence started waning. Face it; she thought to herself, the Exile thinks you're a spoiled brat. Atton thinks you're completely incompetent and a waste of resources. Bao Dur doesn't think about you at all. Kreia, well, who knows what that old witch thought. I'm stuck.
"Ok, Mandalore, I'll make your damn drugs, but I'm only doing it because I'm sick of this room. You win! Get it, you win!" The screaming may not have helped her out of the room, but it did make Mira feel better.
Mandalore watched Mira through the security system installed in the bunkers. He was impressed at her creativity in ways to escape the room. When she shouted at him, he chuckled. The girl, and to Mandalore at his advanced age, ha, advanced, she was a girl,had a spine and gumption, he'd give her that.
She reminded him of one of the children of his tribe when he had just been awarded his first command mission. The young girl had turned her nose up at the galaxy and basically spit in its hypothetical eye. He couldn't remember her name, but the man now known as Mandalore remembered her quivering chin when she fell out of a tree onto him. She'd climbed a good fifty feet into the air in an old tree and missed a branch. She tumbled down and literally took his breath away.
"Just what do you think you were doing, little one?" The large square jawed man roared calmly at the young girl.
"I'm training. Someday, I'm going to lead missions and be a brave soldier. If I'm lucky, my mama says, I'll get to conquer my own planet." The little girl's eyes stared challengingly up at the young man. "Then, when I conquer my own planet, I'll get to pick who I want to marry instead of some man picking me. If you're lucky, maybe I'll pick you to marry me." The young man laughed.
"I'll await the day. Until then, watch your footing and make sure you have a firm grasp before you move. It's important to do prep work before committing your troops." The young man put a hand out and, when the little girl clasped her hand in his, lifted her off the ground.
"I'll do that. Thanks! But, when I pick you to marry me, you aren't allowed any other wives!" With that, she scampered off and the man now known as Mandalore didn't see her again.
He'd thought her dead and lost when Revan had conquered the Mandalorian people. It seemed to Mandalore that he was still playing the Force's fool. Damn Revan anyway, what the hell was she thinking when she ordered me to wait here and gather the Mandalorians? She needs backup, no matter what she says. It can't be good that no one, not even Republic, had heard from her in almost two years. If she wasn't communicating with her lover, then she's got to be dead. So, what the hell am I doing, sitting here waiting around for her to come back and tell me what her grandiose plan is?
Mandalore's reverie was broken by the sound of Mira crowing to herself. He couldn't help but laugh at the mess she'd made of the medlab. The mess didn't upset him as much as it should have. After all, the Mandalorians on Dxun had limited supplies and limited cash flow. The medical supplies were expensive and in high demand, even with the implants most of the Mandalorian warriors had. Mandalore noticed that Mira had done as instructed and made up the concoctions he'd requested.
He quickly made his way back down to the medlab and opened the door. The door didn't open as smoothly as earlier, probably due to the explosives, lock picking and items hurled at it. Mira didn't hear the door open; she was too busy ransacking the rest of the room.
Mandalore picked the drugs off the counter and started towards the exit. With one arm, he stopped Mira's sudden lunge for the door.
"You can clean this up. When you're done, you'll find the door is open. It will not be open until this room is spotless." He negligently thrust her back into the room and sealed the door again.
"Why me!" came her response as she kicked a canister. Mira misjudged the weight of the canister and ended up stubbing her toe.