Savior Self
Whoa. Dantooine part four already.
Rated PG13
Disclaimer: I wonder if I could ever pull off a climax. I don't think I can.
Savior Self
Cortessa led the group over a bridge and started onto the plains, but was again stopped, this time by a willowy woman with a gaunt face. Cortessa flinched, irritated with the amount of attention she was getting, and the woman spoke in spread Twi'lek-talk.
"Greetings, young Jedi. I wonder if you could assist me. I seem to have lost my… companion, you see," she said, looking nervous.
Cortessa was fascinated, wondering where this woman had learned to speak like a Twi'lek. Mission, too, stared with interest. "Hmm? Who are you?"
"Oh, right." The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, master Jedi. I did not give you a proper introduction. I am Elise Montagne. I own the farm to the north of here." He took a deep breath. "But I really need your assistance. Time may be critical with so many kath hounds about. Oh, and those Mandalorians! Please, will you help me find him?"
Cortessa nodded, thinking that this woman had obviously lost her boyfriend, or something like. "Tell me what happened."
Elise sighed with relief. "Okay. We were working on my farm to the north of here. I was working in the garden outside, and he was working inside. I heard the door open, but not close. I went to see, and found it wide open. I searched everywhere, and could not find him! I worry so much. I need him back badly. I wonder if he… could he have been kidnapped?"
Cortessa looked her over. "It's possible," she said. "Does anyone hold a grudge against him?"
Elise bit her lip. "Not that I know of… Er…" She cleared her throat uncertainly. "None of my neighbors really know he's there."
Cortessa cocked an eyebrow. To cover her embarrassment, Elise thought aloud.
"Maybe it was the Mandalorians… or maybe kath hounds. But… no… Kath hounds aren't intelligent enough to open doors. Although, they have been more vicious lately…. No… It must have been someone who could open the door by himself. Come to think of it, the door was locked!"
Cortessa thought for a moment. "Could someone have bypassed the lock?" she asked.
Elise shook her head. "No, the door was undamaged and showed no signs of tampering…" She frowned.
Cortessa folded her arms. "Could it have been opened from the inside?"
Elise nodded reluctantly. "Well… Yes, it could have. But he had no reason to run away! His programming…" She gasped, clasping her hands to her mouth, her eyes going wide.
Cortessa stared. "A droid?" She coughed. "You're sending me after a droid?"
Elise flushed embarrassedly, shifting uneasily. "Well… yes," she muttered. "He is a droid."
Mission howled with laugher, falling backwards onto her bottom. Carth hid his grin behind his hand and Canderous stared with unmasked horror. Zaalbar was impassive. Cortessa figured he wasn't grasping the situation, and that was okay.
Elise struggled to regain Cortessa's attention. "But he is very valuable to me all the same! He is the last piece of my poor, passed-away husband I have left!" Her voice grew quiet and fond. "He is very dear to me, my precious is. I don't know what I'd do without him!"
"Sleep with yourself?" Canderous suggested.
She glared at him. "He is the only companionship I have on all of Dantooine!" she cried.
"I wonder why," said Mission, and began to laugh again.
Cortessa said slowly, hesitantly, "What did you use him for again?"
Mission laughed so hard her voice echoed off of the surrounding rock faces and a few people stared.
Elise flushed a deep crimson. "He is a personal assistance droid," she said determinedly. "My husband was a genius at constructing droids. He made this one capable of taking care of me for the rest of my life."
Canderous fell silent as he pictured a droid with hundreds of… well. Never mind. Canderous was Canderous.
Cortessa sighed. Elise shook her head.
"As the last legacy of my husband, for my own personal ease of mind, I need him back! His absence gnaws at me like a gaping wound!"
Carth hissed in Cortessa's ear. "Wow, she really misses her droid, doesn't she?"
"Carth, not you too," she groaned.
Carth stepped away.
Elise gripped Cortessa's sleeve. "Please, I beg of you, return my droid to me!"
Cortessa studied her for a moment and relented. "Very well. If I happen to see him, I will send him back to you."
Elise nearly sobbed with joy. "Thank you! Thank you, master Jedi! If you find him, please send him back home to me. I need him so much!"
Mission was breathless. Zaalbar picked her up and carried her over his shoulder as they continued to the plains. Almost instantly they were attacked by a large pack of kath hounds. Frustrated with all of the interruptions that day, Cortessa charged forward and gutted them all, screaming like a banshee. There were too many, however, and they overwhelmed her.
Carth swore and blasted away with prejudice. Canderous kept his head and picked most of them off, and Zaalbar rushed forward, roaring, and tore the head from the nearest kath hound. Cortessa lay still on the blood-soaked grass, eyes shut.
"Dammit," said Carth. "Cortessa?"
She groaned and sat up. "That was awesome," she said, grinning at them. Her hair was a wild mess; small stems of bloody grass stuck out randomly.
"You're… you're untouched!" Zaalbar gasped.
"I used the Force to make a shield," said Cortessa, getting to her feet. "That was cool. It was like, they couldn't touch me!"
Carth fell into an uncomfortable silence. Canderous smiled at her. Mission fell silent, staring at the ground.
"Mission?"
She looked up, blinking. "Huh? Oh… sorry." She smiled weakly. "I was just thinking about Taris. I still can't believe it's gone. I mean, I grew up there and now it's… it's… i-it's just gone!" She shook her head.
Cortessa wondered what had triggered her memory, but didn't ask. Mission always connected things that should have no relation at all. "I'm sorry," she said unhappily. "I don't know what to say." Really, it was Cortessa and Bastila's fault. Bastila was this huge icon that Malak was hunting, and Cortessa had taken her sweet time getting her out. An entire planet was wasted because they hadn't lit their tails fast enough. The fact haunted her every day. But Cortessa would never admit it aloud. Never. It was her pain that she would carry on her own and never show.
Mission didn't seem to think so, however, as she smiled at her friend. "I don't really think there's anything you can say," she said quietly. "I just have to find some way to deal with it. I guess it'll take some time." She took a deep breath. "Look, I'm not saying I can't go on or anything like that. It's just… it's a shock, you know? I mean, I knew the Sith were evil and all, but the reality of it kind of slaps you in the face. But I suppose that's why we need to stop Malak, right? The more time I spend dwelling on Taris the more chance some other planet will get wiped out. I guess that's what it comes down to. So don't worry about me, I'll be okay. And if you need my help against Malak or the Sith, I'll be there for you."
"That's very mature, Mission," said Carth, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know what it's like to lose a home-world. I think a lot of us do."
Mission smiled at him and he hugged her tightly. After a moment she backed up into Zaalbar, who hugged her, too. Finally, Cortessa embraced her warmly, and they set out again. Everyone felt a little bit better after that, even as they ran through endless stretches of plains.
Occasionally they ran into kath hounds, but they weren't a problem at first. But then they came across a large pack. The kath hounds were easy to kill, but they kept on coming, and soon everyone was exhausted. Some kath hounds ran and doubled back; some left for good. When the battle was over, Cortessa was breathless and knee-deep in bloody corpses. She sank to the ground, moaning.
"I love this place," she breathed.
"You're nuts," said Carth. "Look at you."
She gazed up at him, blood-soaked and ruffled. She laughed. "You aren't so bad yourself, doll," she said, getting to her feet. "We have to keep moving. The day is fading. Let's go."
They wandered for a good hour before they arrived at the grove. As they rounded the bend, Cortessa spotted the figure of a kneeling woman.
"Stay here, you guys," she said. "I want to check this out." She turned on her stealth generator and slunk forward, bracing herself. This woman was a Jedi. Cortessa could feel the power flowing from her. She crept closer.
The woman was not human. She was Cathar. Her entire body was covered with fine, soft, tawny fur, lined with ginger stripes. Her topknot was braided and pulled back tight, with beads wound inside. Her robes were clean and crisp and her lightsaber lay between her knees. The wind teased her hair; the beads in her topknot clinked together softly. The woman herself was still, at peace. This woman, this Cathar, was so peaceful and still… motionless… collected…
Suddenly, without any prior warning, she sprang. Cortessa's stealth generator mysteriously went down with a crackle and she barely had enough time to throw herself out of the way. The Cathar screamed, reeling backwards and twirling her lightsaber in a flash of red.
"RISE!" she shrieked in heavily-accented Basic. "I WILL BE YOUR DOOM! FACE YOUR DOOM! FACE ME!"
Cortessa rolled to her feet and crouched there with her lightsaber and vibroblade drawn, her feet poised to pounce. She gasped for breath, staring up at the Cathar, who glared her through yellow eyes. The unknown Jedi bared her fangs, her eyes gleaming.
"Who are you?" Cortessa asked.
The Cathar struck down and missed. Cortessa Force pushed her away and jumped back a few steps. The Cathar stumbled to her feet, hissing and spitting. They lunged for each other and vanished in a flurry of lightsaber strikes. Sparks lit the sky, setting small clumps of grass ablaze, and nothing could be seen of the women between the flashing of their weapons. Their battle cries couldn't be heard over the buzz and screeches of lightsabers. The sky turned gold and red.
Cortessa kicked her in the stomach. The Cathar lunged at her anyway, clawing for her face, and Cortessa reflexively grabbed her wrist. The force of the Cathar's lunge drove them against a pillar. Cortessa gasped as the wind was knocked from her and the Cathar was quick to straddle her and pin her against the pillar, still standing. Her body was warm and powerful; Cortessa could feel muscles heaving beneath the thick robes and soft fur. The Cathar snarled down at her, eyes flashing.
"Who are you?" Cortessa screamed, lurching forward to detach herself. The Cathar held firm. The two staggered and stumbled and finally fell to the ground, a tangled heap. The Cathar rolled and pinned Cortessa beneath her. She glared down at Cortessa and grinned evilly.
"I am Juhani," she hissed. "And this I my grove. This is the place of my dark power. This is the place you have invaded. For that, you must die."
Cortessa swung a leg up and unsaddled Juhani. She moved to pin the Jedi beneath her and stared into her eyes. "Why did you come here?"
Juhani screamed and writhed beneath her. "When I embraced the dark side, this was where I sought my solace!" she shrieked, gasping for breath and searching for her lightsaber. "It is MINE!" She bucked and Cortessa was knocked off of her.
They scrambled to their feet, drawing their weapons and staring each other down. Cortessa felt her chest burn as she gasped for breath. She looked around and licked her lips to gather the blood from them. She drew a sleeve over her mouth to get rid of any residue. Suddenly the pitch hit and she came to. Everything slowed down except for her; everything smelled stronger, tasted better, felt more sensual. She drove forward, and Juhani could only sluggishly raise her weapon. Cortessa dropped down with a thump and kicked out at Juhani's shins. The Cathar crumpled with a guttural roar of fury and pain.
The battle was over. Cortessa lay there, gasping for breath, her chest heaving and her muscles burning with battle passion. Juhani lay beside her, struggling for air as well. Her fur was matted down with sweat and blood as she turned her milky yellow eyes to Cortessa.
"You…" Juhani gasped, "You are strong. Stronger than me, even in my darkness."
Cortessa struggled to her knees and gazed down at her, twisting her face with the effort it took to breathe. "Have you been corrupting the kath hounds?"
A nasty grin snapped over Juhani's face. "Yes, aren't they pretty? My pets. They like the smell of power I exude. They know their master. I harnessed true power when I struck down my master, Quatra. Power enough to crush the life from someone such as you… or so I thought…" Her expression faltered and she looked away with a sigh.
Cortessa frowned. "The dark side is never powerful enough," she said softly.
Juhani lay there silently for a moment before she asked, "What is it you want? Why do you bother me?"
Cortessa knelt at her side, overcome with sympathy for the poor creature. "I just want to talk," she said.
Juhani stared. "Talk?" she hissed. "You who have beaten me so easily just want to talk? I do not believe it! Kill me now, while you still have the power!"
"Do you want to die, Juhani?"
"Yes! Yes! Kill me!"
"I don't want to kill you, Juhani."
Juhani blinked, shocked. "You… you do not?" she breathed. Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked away again. "I am pathetic. I sit here and think myself great by embracing the dark side, but I am nothing. There is no way I could be turned back." She sighed remorsefully. "I always thought they held me back, were jealous of my power. But it is only because I was not good enough to meet their standards… I never have been."
Cortessa rested a warm hand on her shoulder. "Come now, Juhani," she said gently. "You don't mean that. You're a beautiful young woman who has much talent."
Juhani gazed at her with appreciation. "I think you for your kind words, Jedi," she murmured. "You seem to know just what affects me… I seem to still have much to learn… Both about being a Jedi, and about myself." She wiped a tear from her eye. "But I wish the cost of my ignorance had not been so high. I wish that my Master had not suffered because of me."
"It wasn't your fault, Juhani."
Juhani gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It is! IT IS! It was I who hurt her, I who killed her! Her suffering is my fault alone! Leave me to my pain!" She turned away, but Cortessa gripped her wrist.
"No, now," she said gently. "It's not your fault."
Juhani shuddered, firmly wiping away her tears with her sleeve. "I only wish things could have been different," she said weakly. "If she were alive now, there would be so much I would say to her… so much I would apologize for. I think, in my own way, I truly loved her…"
Cortessa blinked. This was getting a little awkward. She kept her mouth shut, however.
Juhani moaned with grief. "Oh, how can the Council ever take me back after what I have done? Striking my Master down in anger is unforgivable!"
Cortessa worked up the courage to say more. "Do not worry, Juhani. They will surely take you back."
Juhani's eyes brightened at the prospect. "I should convince them that I am truly repentant, that I am willing to forsake the dark side. Maybe, just maybe, they would accept me back. Do you think they would? Could it be possible after what I have done?"
Cortessa smiled encouragingly. "Of course it would," she said gently. "They would always accept you back."
Juhani's eyes brimmed with tears. "Thank you, master Jedi," she murmured. "I will return to the Council, then. I shall submit myself to their judgment, and hope that they will forgive me. If only there was some way I could make this up to you…"
"Your thanks is thanks enough."
"So, again, I thank you. I am sure I will hear great things about you in the future." She rose to her feet and brushed herself off before she scampered off, leaving her lightsaber among the ruins. Cortessa was left standing alone in the grove. Slowly, like bad blood seeping from a wound, the dark, trampled grass around her turned golden.
Her test was complete.
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Author's Notes: I like this one a little. I like how Canderous and Cortessa are clicking as friends. It's a father/daughter, teacher/student kind of relationship. I promise nothing will get out of hand unless I feel the need for a plot twist, which right now doesn't seem to be needed so badly. The whole Mission thing bugs me and I don't feel it was in-depth enough, but I just don't have enough room otherwise. Sorry, Mish. :(
FaintlyAlarming – The kill kill kill thing was supposed to disturb you. So that's good.
Amme Moto – I'm sorry my updates are taking so long. I've been really busy and now I'm sick again.
Dante-Revan – Oh, the ideas. XD You're evil, you are. But I do love suggestions, suppositions, or ideas – they're fun to mess around with.
SilverSentinal21 – She wasn't a scoundrel, she was a scout. But I can see how you'd make the mistake. XD She'll get used to the Force later on. Right now, she's still adjusting. Thanks for the comment on the war stories and Jon. And the comment on my birthday, too.
Ilea Dreike – Yes, we'll have to wait and see. XD The clearness of her alignment, however, will be hard to see until the very end.
Queenofinsanity – Thank you for the comment on my birthday. c",)
Dark Lord Daishi – I wonder vaguely what an aneurysm is.
Child-of-the-Dawn – Thanks for the comment on my birthday. Happy happy happy!
DarthNexus9000 – Of course it messes up the plot. That's why I deleted it.
JadeFalcon3 – Hello there. It's nice to see a new face.
THANK YOU ALL FOR 100 COMMENTS!
