Savior Self
Supastaaah…
Taris part eight
Rated PG13
Disclaimer: Hahaha. If I owned Star Wars, I actually think I still might be writing fanfiction. XD
Savior Self
"So," Carth said, folding his jacket neatly and setting it on a seat. It was still wet from being washed to get the stink of the Undercity off of it, but it would be dry by morning.
Cortessa stepped out of the bathroom, mussing her hair vigorously before she stood there in her underwear, arms folded as she studied him. "So, what?"
"You never told me about your nightmare."
She drew a finger over her teeth. "I don't know. I keep having these weird dreams… it's no big deal." She sat down on her bed, clutching her ankles and letting her knees jut out like wings.
"I guess that smack to your head did some real damage," Carth said thoughtfully. She glowered.
"I am not injured," she growled. "You just want an excuse to badger me."
"So what if I do?"
She didn't reply. She had curled up under her sheets. Her dark hair spread out in beautiful black swirls over the pillow, and there was nothing else of her that he could see. As the sun faded she was cast in a strange russet glow, and he was reminded of the sun gods in Iridorian mythology.
Black serpents abroad tongues of flame roared down from the sky, gracing women with children and men with the hot fury to bring down their opponents. The serpents taught the villages fear… the burn of fire and the taste of blood upon one's tongue. And while the gods were things of horror and malicious, cunning evil, they were things of inexplicable and inescapable beauty.
But though she was enchanting and had effectively ended the conversation, he wouldn't be outdone. He got up and pressed his hands on the bed, rolling her over and forcing her to face him. She gazed up at him with earnest blue eyes, her face expressionless.
"You're going to see the local doctor in the morning," he told her. "No excuses."
She wrinkled her nose. "But we have to find Mission in the Undercity," she argued, even as he turned off the lights and shut her out like she herself had done moments ago.
The sun vanished beneath the horizon, and the two were left in silence.
------
The next morning it was all too clear that Cortessa intended to make Carth's day miserable. She started by vanishing mysteriously once again, only to return with hot caffa and 'accidentally' dump it all over him. To make up for it, she gave him something round and spongy, and when he bit it, it exploded into millions of tiny, colored balls.
Next she stole the 'fresher from him for a full hour, and nearly let her towel drop in front of him, before she stole his jacket and insisted on visiting him while he was still in the 'fresher.
He couldn't find his pants. She had lost them. After thoroughly searching the apartment, he found them hanging on a hook in the hallway while an Ithorian studied them curiously. In the time it took to find his pants, she had set his only other shirt up in flames, and had beat it out with his jacket, which she still wore afterwards.
She tripped him as they left that morning, sending him sprawling into a Twi'lek woman, who shrieked and slapped him, and ran off crying. Her husband kicked Carth in the stomach and took off after her. Cortessa didn't bother to help him up as she sashayed up the elevator and left him there swearing.
She closed the door before he could reach her, and apparently held the button down, because in the end he had to take the stairs, which took a half an hour, by which time she had already harassed a Sith guard, who planned on breaking her skinny neck. It only took some powerful persuasion on Carth's part to pardon her, and then she slipped the Sith's shocker stick in Carth's pocket.
The Sith found it was missing, and pummeled Carth into a pulp, before he was satisfied.
Carth, bruised, beaten, and weary, walked sulkily behind Cortessa, and sincerely considered grasping her fancy little braid and pulling it with all his might.
------
Zelka Forn's facility was homely and small, and the walls were covered from top to bottom with calendars, papers, and shelves loaded with medicines. The place smelled stuffy and quiet, as if there hadn't been much movement for a while, and a weary-looking old man leaned against the wall, lost in one of his books.
His assistants – a quiet, off-line droid and a cocky middle-aged man – were silent, though the latter watched the newcomers with intensity. He kept his hands in his pockets, but his face was twisted with a coyote-like smile.
Carth didn't like him. Cortessa could see him grip his blasters once for comfort before he calmed down and looked away, docile and calm for the time being. She patted him on the shoulder and approached the man, wondering if this was Zelka Forn, or just another assistant.
The man looked up, his brown face questioning but polite. He looked Carth and Cortessa up and down and nodded in approval before he tucked a datapad marker behind his ear.
"I see from your appearance that you are an off-worlder," he said matter-of-factly, his eyes piercing Cortessa's. Though he seemed to be a little too tame, she liked him. This was definitely Zelka. Zelka sighed. "Still, you are welcome here. I'll not have it said that Zelka Forn refused to help somebody just because they weren't a citizen of Taris." He shook his head. "Do you require healing or medical supplies? I can treat almost any injury or ailment right here in the medical facility, except the rakghoul disease, of course."
Cortessa's eyes grew bright. Carth groaned behind her. She could tell he knew that she was skipping around their real business, but she ignored him. He needed to loosen up before she would speak to him again. "I heard about the rakghoul disease. Is there no cure?"
Zelka made a discontented noise. "There is no antidote for the disease," he said unhappily, "though I heard the Republic scientists at the military base here on Taris were close to perfecting a cure. Then the Sith arrived." His voice grew angry, and Cortessa was fascinated. "They overran the military base and now they refuse to allow anyone access into the laboratories inside! The Sith are keeping all the serum for the patrols they send into the Undercity!" He thrust his fist for emphasis. "If I could just get my hands on a sample of that serum, the rakghoul disease could be wiped from the face of Taris forever!" Suddenly he was sobered and bowed his head. "But I don't see how that's going to happen."
Cortessa was interested. They were going into the Undercity anyway… why not help a good cause? "Maybe I could find a way to get my hands on that serum for you," she offered. She heard Carth grunt with astonished approval. She cracked a smile. Good.
Zelka looked at her earnestly, his eyes soft and pleading. "I don't see how anyone could get their hands on that serum. The military base is crawling with Sith guards. Breaking in there would be a suicide mission." He bit his lip and his voice grew quiet, as if he didn't want anyone to hear, even though nobody was around. "I suppose the Sith patrols in the Undercity might have a sample of the serum on them, if they hadn't already used it because of a rakghoul infection. But I doubt a patrol would just hand the serum over." He caught the thoughtful glint in her eye and interrupted her. "And nobody's stupid enough to attack one of the Sith patrols, even in the Undercity."
Cortessa smiled. I'm nobody. She bowed swiftly and Carth suddenly intervened.
"She needs some healing," Carth said. "She got smacked in the head and… well… she hasn't been quite right."
Cortessa glowered at him, imagining wrapping her fingers around his throat. Carth stared back blankly, and with a frustrated twitch she looked back to Zelka.
"It will just take me a moment while I examine your injuries, and then I'll administer the proper treatment," Zelka said, laying her down on the table and taking her head in his hands. The touch was so intimate in a way, but at the same time strictly formal, and she felt herself blush as he studied her, tilting her jaw this way and that before he requested she roll over. She glanced in Carth's direction. The soldier's face was twisted with something or other.
Constipation, was it? She doubted it. She considered it for a moment but decided to forget it. Whatever his problem was, it wasn't her concern.
Something wet and cool pressed against the back of her neck.
"What happened to you?" Zelka murmured.
"She doesn't remember," Carth said quickly. "And I wasn't there."
Zelka glanced at him. "I see," he said. "Do you two travel together often?"
Cortessa squirmed with embarrassment. She understood the suspiciousness of a man and a woman traveling together, but why must everyone draw such an awful conclusion? To her utter horror, Carth replied smoothly, "Yes."
She would kick his sorry can all the way down to the Undercity for this. He seemed to sense this and said nothing more.
------
The checkup was quick but Cortessa had to admit she felt better once it was over. Zelka allowed her to explore the facility as much as she pleased. He didn't even say a word when she studied the various medicinal bottles that rested on nearby shelves. However, as she approached the only door in the facility and opened it, he cried out in alarm.
"What are you doing? Don't go in there! That door is for employees only!"
But it was too late. Cortessa stood, stunned, her arms hanging limply at her sides. It was the first time in a while that she had been so horribly shocked that she actually was mute and dumb. The room was lined wall-to-wall with kolto tanks, and each held one or two men, floating silently, their heads bowed and shut tight as they slept. Their faces were pale and marred, and they were stripped down to nothing to reveal their bloody, torn, wounded bodies. Carth was breathless beside her.
"These men…" he gasped at last. "They're… they're Republic soldiers!"
Zelka seemed to be so frightened that he was stunned. "You… you recognize these soldiers? But how? Unless… unless you're a friend of the Republic." His eyes grew wide with relief and hope.
Cortessa smiled warmly. "I'm a friend of the Republic," she said gently. "You can trust me."
Carth's eyes snapped to her face again. Suspicion flickered behind his expression and Cortessa pursed her lips, irritated.
Zelka was shaking with relief. "I guess… I guess I better tell you what's going on. I only hope the Sith don't find out what I've done." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat before he spoke clearly and calmly. "Since the space battle overhead, people have been secretly bringing in these Republic soldiers who crashed landed on the planet. I had to take them in. What choice did I have?" He shook his head sadly. "Their injuries are terrible… most won't survive. But at least I can make their last days more comfortable. And at least they are hidden away from the Sith."
Carth seemed to have recovered. He looked to be truly moved. "Well, for that you have my thanks. It's a good thing to know that at least some of these men ended up in compassionate hands." Cortessa glanced at him. Was that a jibe to how she had been treating him?
Zelka looked blanched and upset. "I hate to imagine what the Sith would do if they discovered these soldiers here. But since their initial questioning the Sith have not returned, so it may be that my fears are unfounded."
Cortessa was touched. She glanced back at the men, her heart softening. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.
Zelka shook his head unhappily. Cortessa noted with relief that he lacked the normal native Tarisian habits of cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. "I'm afraid there is nothing more anyone can do for these soldiers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should return to the front in case anyone comes in needing medical attention."
As Cortessa gazed back forlornly at the men in the kolto tanks, Zelka reached past her and silently closed the door.
------
Again, Carth and Cortessa made their way into the Undercity. The guard recognized Cortessa and, with a somewhat foggy visor, quickly granted them entrance. As Carth bodily shoved Cortessa inside the elevator, she blew the guard a kiss.
"I think you've scared the poor man out of his wits," Carth informed her.
She glared at him and looked away.
"Hey, you can't stay mad at me forever," Carth murmured, but she didn't look at him again, so he fell silent.
The Undercity stunk as worse the second time around, but at least they were prepared, and weren't stunned like they were the last time. Carth urged his companion ahead, avoiding the gazes of the Outcasts, who all studied them as if they were something odd and frightening.
One sneaky-looking man reached out and grabbed Carth's hand, speaking in a sloppy, slimy voice. "Hey, you ain't from the village! You're from the up-world, ain't you? Yes, you've got credits, I bet!"
As Carth pulled his hand free he hissed in Cortessa's ear. "Watch yourself. There's something slimy about this guy. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him."
Cortessa snarled at him. "That's because you don't trust anybody," she growled, and Carth, wounded, said nothing more. She looked back to the man and asked, "Who are you?"
The man grinned a large grin, and his teeth were a sickly black. "My name's Igear," he drawled. "I run a little salvage shop here. You want to buy something from my store? I got some good deals."
Cortessa raised an eyebrow. "How do you manage to run a store in the Undercity?"
Igear rolled his shoulders. "If a villager comes across any useful salvage in the Undercity, they bring it to me. Every so often members from the Lower City gangs come down to trade for salvage. They'll exchange food and medicine for engine parts, old blasters, and the like. Sometimes, they even give me credits if I have some really good stuff."
Cortessa seemed to be holding her breath. Her voice grew faint and her breath became shallow. Carth was amused. "I want to ask you some questions," she croaked.
Igear's eyes grew wide with fright. "Oh, you better ask Gendar – he's the spokesman for the village. I just run the store! I don't want to make him mad by answering any questions!" His voice grew soft. "Gendar already doesn't like me."
Cortessa seemed to scrounge up some sympathy. "Why doesn't Gendar like you?" she asked.
Igear looked away, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He mumbled as he spoke. "Gendar seems to think I should share the profits of my store with the whole village," he muttered. "He figures we're all in this together so it should be share and share alike." His voice grew loud in his protest. "But I'm the one who runs the store! I'm the one that makes the deals! The others just bring me salvage to trade with the up-worlders – why should they get anything?"
Cortessa frowned, wrinkling her nose. "That's a pretty selfish attitude, you whelp."
Igear looked like he had been whipped. "Hey, you don't know what it's like down here!" he cried. "I have to claw and scrape to survive! Nobody else looks out for me! But Gendar doesn't agree with my philosophy. He caught me hoarding supplies a while back. I figured I'd wait until food was scarce and then I could offer it to people who'd follow me instead of Gendar. Then I'd be the leader!" Cortessa gaped. How could a man act like a selfish child? She recoiled. Igear rambled on in a heated way. "But Gendar made me share my hoard! Ever since then he hasn't trusted me. He keeps me around because of my store, though. Without it, this village wouldn't stand a chance!"
Cortessa's lips puckered. "I'll be going now."
Igear eyed her uncertainly. "Yeah, okay. You come back and see me if you want to deal."
Cortessa hurried off, pulling Carth behind her. They came to the gate that led into unsettled territory, where a woman desperately pleaded with a sad-looking man. Cortessa slowed, listening, and Carth followed suit.
"Help him, please!" The woman cried, and turned to scream through the gate. "Hurry, Hendar! Hurry! I can hear it coming!"
The guard looked grim and anxious. "He'll never make it. He's doomed." He growled with frustration. "I told him he was a fool to leave the village!"
The woman glared at him. "He WILL make it." She turned to yell through the gate again. "Run, Hendar! RUN!"
Carth gasped as a man slammed against the gate and began beating it with his fists, his eyes wild with terror. "Open the gate!" the man shouted. "Quickly! There isn't much time!"
The guard shifted unhappily. "I… I can't. The rakghouls are too close!"
The woman looked to the guard, her eyes brimming with tears. "The mutants will kill him if you don't open the gate!" she shrieked.
The guard looked reluctant, but remained firm. "And if I open the gate, they will kill us all!"
The woman beat the guard's chest with her scrawny fists. "No! You can't do this! It isn't fair!" She looked up and spotted Cortessa standing awkwardly to the side. "Please, make him open the gate! Hendar will die if he doesn't! You would understand, wouldn't you? Can you imagine what it would be like to lose him?" She pointed at Carth and Cortessa's mouth screwed up for a moment as she battled between amusement and disgust.
The guard grabbed Cortessa by the shoulders. "No," he told her. "I can't open the gate. Not while the rakghouls are so near."
Cortessa's face was set and determined. "Open the gate. I'll kill the rakghouls for you."
The woman cried out jubilantly, her face shining with her tears. The guard looked stunned. "You would risk your life for a stranger? You are brave, up-worlder." He shook his head. "I'll open the gate for you, but you've got to be quick. In a few seconds I must close and lock it again."
Cortessa rushed through the gate the moment it was open, her vibroblades humming. Carth hesitated for a moment, but the woman shoved him in, her eyes wide with her frenzied panic. The man, Hendar, stood behind Carth, cowering, as Cortessa ran, screeching, towards the nearest rakghoul.
Carth paused to take the monster in. It had clearly been a person – the remains of hair made a small tuft on its slimy and otherwise bald head, and it struck with human-like hands, but a single, large, white claw jutted out from the forefinger. Its face was round and pulled back, as if the person's face had been blurred and bleached, and a pair of huge, black eyes stared unblinkingly. It opened its mouth to roar, and two rows of jagged teeth glinted at them.
Cortessa ducked as a huge claw struck at her head. She skipped to the right and swung downwards, through its left forearm. Green blood burst forth and the mutant screamed, flinging its other arm frantically at her. It sprung with its powerful legs and drove her onto the ground, thrusting its slimy face against her forehead.
Cortessa screamed and Carth fired without hesitation. The monster shrieked and began flopping on the ground, a gaping blaster wound in its side. Cortessa jumped up, wiping green sludge from her cheek, before she drove her blade into its belly.
The mutant screamed once and lay still. Hendar deflated with relief. The gate opened again and Carth sauntered out with a gasping Cortessa in tow. The gate closed behind the three of them, and the woman embraced Hendar tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Hendar grasped Cortessa's hand and shook it. "I can't thank you enough for saving me, up-worlder. If I had anything but these rags on my back, it would be yours. But we have nothing." Cortessa shook her head, smiling.
The woman took Hendar's hand. "I have you, Hendar. That's all I need. Let's go back to the village." The two wandered off together, leaving Cortessa with a grim gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper smiled at her weakly. "Thank you for saving Hendar. You are braver than I, up-worlder." He laughed sadly. "Maybe we Outcasts have lived too long in selfish fear. Perhaps we can learn a lesson from your brave actions." He gave a sad grunt. "But enough of my ramblings. Is there something you need, up-worlder?"
"What's your name?" Cortessa asked.
"I'm Trewin, from the Outcast village. It's my job to guard the gates and see they are locked to protect us from the rakghouls."
"I want to ask you some questions."
Trewin gave a nervous laugh. "I just guard the gates. Gendar is the leader of the village, up-worlder. You should speak to him if you have any questions."
"Okay, then," Cortessa said resignedly. "Goodbye."
Trewin waved. "Goodbye, up-worlder." He opened the gate for her and they stepped through.
Cortessa crouched down and studied the rakghoul's corpse. "Fascinating," she muttered.
Carth looked around. "What?"
"It still looks so human," she muttered, tracing the rakghoul's face. "It's… depressing."
Carth rested a hand on her shoulder. "We should get going."
Reluctantly, she got to her feet, but quickly fell over when there was a distinct crackling before them, and a certain blue-skinned Twi'lek stepped out of the air with a pop.
------
Author's Notes: It's a nerda-balooza today on the plooza, and that's about it, loozaz.
SilverSentinal21 - Hahaha. Her old self is just starting to kick in, aroused by her nightmares.
