The smell hit her before anything else. Meranda knew what poverty and neglected people smelled like, not that she could remember from where. But she didn't have time to recoil from the stink before two grungy-looking men approached her and Carth.
"You there, up-worlder! Anyone using this elevator has to pay the toll!"
"Ya, this is our elevator! If you wanna use it, you gotta pay us something!" The second Undercity resident said to emphasize his comrade's previous statement.
"I don't believe this planet! Even the beggars are trying to shake us down!"
"Don't be rude, Carth." Meranda scolded, she made it a rule not to judge people for doing what they had to do for survival, and the men before her were no different. "What are you asking for a toll?"
"Five credits! That's what it costs to use our elevator! Five credits!"
"I'll give you twenty if you can tell me where to find the Black Vulker base." The two men looked like they could have dropped dead from shock right then and there. Meranda felt terrible like she was taking advantage of them a little, but she was paying for the information.
"W-We really wouldn't know that... But if you go to the sewers that way out of town, you might find it."
"Thank you, gentlemen. Twenty credits as promised, and an extra five, just because you were willing to help." The two men looked happy if nothing else, the sade kind of happy that people who aren't used to having good things happen to them get.
"Credits, my brother! We have credits! Now we can buy food and medicine!"
"Hush or the others will hear! They'll want our credits! We have to hide them!" Just then, a woman rushed up. The men fled at the sight of her.
"Go on, you two! Get out of here! Sorry about that... Those two give everyone in the village a bad name! We aren't all like that, you know. Most of us are good people."
"I'm sure you are Mis, but I really can't judge them too harshly. I can't imagine surviving down here is very easy. People do what they have to do. I'm Meranda Kull. What is your name?"
"My name is Shaaleena." She took Mernda's hand when offered. It was a firm grip. The woman was stronger than she looked. "You're from the upper-world, aren't you? I've... I've never seen it. I was born here in the Undercity. Is it as nice as they say it is up there?"
"I suppose it's a matter of perspective. To me, it's just another world. To you, it's probably heaven. Sorry if that's rude. I'm an off-worlder."
"You're fine. I've never been to the surface. But sometimes, I think I can see it in my dreams. The sun, the sky, the stars... It all sounds so wonderful. Gendar, the leader of our village, says I should spend more time trying to improve things down here than dream about something I can never have. Maybe he's right. You probably think I'm a fool, having dreams about places I've never even seen. But when I was little, Rukil used to tell me stories of what it was like up there. Rukil is the oldest man in the village. The kids call him Rukil wrinkle-skin, but he's a kind, old man. He used to tell me the greatest stories when I was little. I still like to listen to his stories about the Promise Land, even though I know they're just legends. But it helps to make the Undercity seem less... Dark somehow."
"There are some truths in legends. Never lose hope, Shaaleena. Mind pointing the way to Gendar? I need some help getting around."
"He'll be somewhere in the village. I couldn't say where for sure. He's always busy, doing whatever he can to make the lives of the other villagers easier. If you ever need anything or just want to talk, I'll be here. I hardly ever get a chance to speak to someone from the up-world."
"I might just, farewell."
...
Meranda came to the conclusion that she hates Rakgules. And standing on a mountain of their corpses did very little to make her fonder of the beasts. She made damn sure that she was careful cleaning the blood odd off her armor, something Carth didn't need to worry about. And, as if through some hidden sense, she could tell that Carth was upset again. She set the two battle droids they had with them to keep a lookout while she took care of the problem.
"Hey, Carth, wanna talk? You seemed tense back there."
"Is a monster-infested wasteland really the best place for this. And besides, I don't really want to talk. Especially if it's about what I think it's about."
"You'll feel better letting it out, trust me. Keeping it all inside like that is not healthy."
"Listen, sister... Just because we're working together doesn't mean you get to badger me with questions!"
"No, you listen, fly-boy!" Meranda was a little angry with her companion, putting her hands on her hips as she walked up to him. "Whatever it is, your locking up inside is distracting you. And I would very much prefer if the man covering me wasn't a thousand light-years away when his head should be in the fight!"
"Blast it if your not the most frustrating woman to talk to! Don't you have someone else you can harass for a little while!?"
"Oh, so I'm the frustrating one?" Meranda said in mock shock, h hand to her mouth and everything. "Do tell me what about me frustrates you." Carth lets out a sarcastic laugh as he wags his fingers.
"NO! I'm not falling for that one. I wasn't born yesterday, you know."
"That beard would be a little more impressive if you were. Tell me I'm wrong. But seriously, you can be such a pain."
"Me! What did I do?"
"You mean aside from missing shots you should have made in your sleep? Let me help you, or we are pretty much dead down here." Carth then let out a heavy sigh.
"Ok, fine, you win. I suppose I could use someone to talk to. I'm just not used to it, and I don't know why you're interested. But here it goes. When I think of all the men who betrayed us, the one that stands above them all is the one I respected the most, Saul."
"That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it?"
"Oh, Admiral Saul Careth is just the commander of the entire Sith fleet. He's half the reason Malak has done as well as he has during this war. Saul was my commanding officer back when the Mandalorian Wars first started. He taught me everything about being a soldier... And I looked up to him. Saul approached me before he left. He talked about how the Republic was on the losing side and that I needed to start thinking about my survival. I now know that he was trying to recruit me into joining the Sith, but I couldn't have conceived that back then. I argued with him, he got angry and left, then I never saw him again."
"I'm sorry, Carth, losing a friend like that... I could never imagine a betrayal like that."
"He was my mentor... He led us to so many victories over the Mandalorians, even when things looked their worst." Carth then sat down, and Meranda took a seat next to him. "I just... I couldn't conceive it... He couldn't have been serious. I was wrong, of course... He not only left us for the Sith, he... He gave them the codes to bypass our scanners. I still remember waking up as the first of the Sith bombers snuck past our defenses and started destroying docked ships. I knew what happened then. I... I could have stopped him. I could have stopped it all."
"No, you couldn't have Carth." Meranda moved her hand to his shoulder, her otherwise strong hand taking on a more delicate task. "You can't blame yourself for what he did."
"I blame Saul, not myself. I was... I was stupid, I ignored the danger, and he nearly destroyed us all. I've fought Saul for years now, and if I ever catch up to him... He will regret what he did. He will regret it!"
"I would do the same thing in your place. Anything else You're comfortable sharing?"
Well... The-Hey, what's that?" Meranda looked to where Carth was pointing, and she ordered her droids to stand down when she recognized the Twi'lak girl running up to them.
"Please, you have to help me! Nobody else will help me. Even the Beks won't help me. But I can't just leave him there - He's my friend! You'll help me, won't you!"
"Mission, look at me. Deep breaths, then tell me what happened."
"It's Zaalbar. He's in trouble - big trouble! If we don't help him, they're going to sell him into slavery!"
"Who, Mission, who has him?"
"Me... Me and Big-Z were just wandering around the Undercity. You know, just looking around, just kind of exploring. We do it all the time. Only this time, they were waiting for us, Gamorian slave hunters! We didn't even have time to defend ourselves. Big-Z threw himself at them, and he roared for me to run! I... I just took off; I figured Zaalbar would be right behind me. But there were too many of them! And he couldn't get away! They're going to sell him to a slaver; I just know it!"
"Ok, I'll help you free, Zaalbar. Then after I have a favor to ask, feel free to say no, but I would appreciate it if you said yes."
"Just help me, and I'll do anything you want! Within reason naturally." They then charged into the swears, hoping beyond hope that they were not too late.
...
They hacked, slashed, and blasted their way through Rakguls and Gammorians, Meranda with more so. The galaxy seemed like such a cruel place most of the time, so making it a little safer by butchering slavers and monsters filled her with a disturbing level of glee. She was so engrossed in the euphoria of spilling the blood of unquestionably evil beings that she wasn't even paying attention when Mission spoke. The young woman was going on about non-computer locks or something before just opening the door, finding the very Wookie they were looking for.
"You're a sight for sore eyes, Mission." The big man growled out in a cheerful tone, embracing the comparatively tiny Twi'lak girl when she rushed over to hug him.
"I'm glad to see you too, Big-Z! You didn't think I'd forget about you - Mission and Zaalbar, together forever!"
"Who is with you?"
"We met in the Lower City cantina, Meranda Kull, at your service." She said as she put out her hand, which the Wookie shook. Somehow, she could tell that he was trying to be gentle while shaking her hand. She could feel the restrained might in his soft grip, almost supernaturally.
"You know the language of my people? A rare thing for your species; I'm impressed. You have saved me from a life of servitude and slavery. There is only one way to repay such an act; I will swear a lifedept to you."
"A lifedept? Are you sure about that, Big-Z? Think about it carefully. You better be sure about this?"
"I am sure, Mission. This is an issue of great importance to me. Because of our great physical strength, Wookies are being used as slave labor on our own homeworld. They see us as brutes and animals to be exploited. Over the years, slavers have taken many of my people; we must always be on guard against raids on our villages. When the Gamorrians captured me, I thought I was doomed to a life of servitude. I have been saved from such a fate. The only way I can repay such a thing is through a lifedebt."
"That's really is unnecessary!" Meranda said, holding both her hands up. "It was more of a team effort. Back me up, guys!"
"To be honest, you really do carry the group. We would never have gotten past the slavers without you leading the charge."
"WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON, CARTH!?"
"In the presence of all, I swear my lifedept. Forever after, I will be by your side, Meranda Kull. May my vow be as strong as the roots of the Wroshy trees of Kashyyyk."
"Kriff. Not that I'm not honored, Zaalbar, I just feel like your all giving me way too much credit. Really, I would have done this for anyone!"
"I guess that means you're stuck with me too. Wherever Big-Z goes, I'm going. I almost lost him once - It's not going to happen again."
"Oh, sure, why not. It's not like I'm going into dangerous situations fighting the forces of evil or anything! Having a kid on the front lines is more than morally acceptable!"
"Hey! I know how to use a blaster, you know! I'm not some helpless little brat! Besides, you said you needed me for a job anyway, so what is it?"
"Getting me into the Vulker base, can you do that?"
"In my sleep, we passed it on the way here, actually. I just hope the Rancor monster isn't still there."
"I'm sorry, the what!?"