Chapter Ten: Nar Shadaa
"Hello, beautiful." Carth mused, tugging at Revan's waist playfully. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing in particular, I spent a couple of hours with Masa, and then I've just been wandering around for a while." She answered, leaning against him and pecking at his neck. "What about you? You look still sleepy. Did you even comb your hair?" Revan ran a hand through Carth's spiky hair, coming across a barrage of tangles.
"I don't have to work today, Willow." He retaliated. "I didn't want to get all pretty."
"Well, don't." Revan ordered. "It looks better, and I might decide to take a nap today."
"You want me to take a nap with you?" Carth asked, bemused.
"You didn't complain before," Revan insisted. She kissed him before he could retaliate. He smiled into her lips, chuckling.
"I never said I was complaining." He whispered. "Now come on," He pulled away, leaving a pouting Revan. He wrapped her hand in his and tugged her along wistfully.
"Where are we going? You never told me." She asked, following him grudgingly. Both their arms were stretched out, Carth from behind and Revan in front.
"I told you it was a surprise." Carth winked at her. She sputtered.
"The last surprise I got, I was on a Sith ship over Coruscant." Revan said, grinning.
"This is a good surprise." Carth added. "So come on." He pulled at her arm again, luring her into his own pair of strong arms.
"Well, I suppose," She gave in. His arms draped around her softly, pulling her in front of him. Revan laughed, leaning backwards onto his chest. Carth kissed her hair.
"You're going to love it."
-----
Atton ran through the ship.
"Reese!" He called. "Where are you?"
"I think she went into the Enclave for something…." Masa called from the med bay. "Why? What's the matter?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all…." Atton answered. "Bao-Dur! Let's head for the Enclave."
Masa and Mical stared at each other, their gazes saying the same thing. They both stood and ran after Atton.
Bao-Dur was already on his tail, outside the ship.
"You two stay on the ship with the droid, Visas, and Mira!" Atton ordered. "We'll be back." Masa crossed her arms and pouted.
"Is he always like that?" She asked.
"Always like what?" Mical countered, cocking an eyebrow. He stared at her as she answered in a mocking tone, closing and opening her hands to look like mouths.
"'You two stay on the ship! We've got to go to the Enclave where Reese is! You want to know what's going on? Too bad! We have to hurry; we don't have time to explain it to you.'"
Mical laughed.
"Believe me; you've caught him on a good day."
"So he's always like that? How can Reese stand him?" Masa asked, making her way back to the medical bay.
"Well, to most people he's civil. And he follows around Reese like he's her shadow. But he doesn't seem to like me." Mical crossed his arms, frowning.
"Why wouldn't anyone ever hate you? You're so polite and funny, unlike every other man on this planet." Masa sat on top of the steel bed in the bay, slipping her legs to the side of her.
"Thank you," Mical couldn't help but turn red. "It's just, he thinks I like Reese."
Masa bristled involuntarily, her muscles tensing and her eyes hardening. Mical must have caught it, for he quickly began again.
"I don't, you know. She is an amazing friend, but I just don't see her as anything more than that." Masa sighed.
"Oh," She murmured, turning red.
"Atton just seems to think that since I'm the other man on the ship around her age, I'm competition." Mical kept on.
"Well, why don't you just tell him you don't want her?" Masa asked.
"He wouldn't believe me, or take the time to listen. He's always running about." Mical shook his head. "So I'll just tolerate him."
"I don't think you should." Masa explained. "If you don't like the way he's treating you, you should talk to him about it. Get him away from Reese and explain to him that you have no interest in her."
"You're sure he'd listen?" Mical asked.
"If he doesn't, that's his problem. At least you would've told him. Lay down the line. At least get him to treat you civilly." Masa said. Mical stared at her.
"Maybe I will. I remember him talking about being free sometime tonight, so I'll speak to him then." He beamed. Masa mirrored the action.
"That's great! And he'll accept it, too. Just you wait. I have this feeling; it'll work out." She encouraged. Mical looked away for a moment.
"Are you hungry? It's about time for lunch." He held his hand out to her. "And there is a cantina near the Jedi Enclave. Would you like to go? I'll pay."
Masa stared at the hand, her mind reeling. She could feel all of the blood flee her face and her cheeks heat up. All at once, she grabbed onto the soft, perfectly clean hand.
"I'd love to go."
-----
The Exile sat in the Enclave, looking over some holodiscs. Something wasn't right. Why had the Sith invasion not been recorded? It should have been all over the news, the Enclave, the planet, yet there wasn't even a mention of the day on record. Someone didn't want the battle noted.
But who would want that? Someone who was working for Kai'Sek, of course. Reese might not have wanted to accept it, but the charismatic man had returned—from the dead it seemed—as a Sith Lord. He wanted Revan for something. Not only that, but he seemed to have dragged poor little Masa into the matter, too.
What kind of person would do that? Someone working for the Sith, certainly. Yet, how could the Sith have influenced the records inside the Jedi Enclave, the Republic capital even? Coruscant was a haven for Republic soldiers; how could a Sith have waltzed through unnoticed and messed with records?
Reese didn't like the thought.
Someone was inside. There was somebody in high leagues with the Republic secretly working for the Sith. They broke into the records and wiped the attack clean. Who had the ability to do that? Slicers, hackers, techies, mechs, even very smart demolitionists could have pulled that off. That narrowed the traitor down to….
Everyone on Coruscant over the age of 20.
The tired Jedi sighed, running a hand through her short hair. She gripped onto her scalp and let her head hang, making her arm support her head's weight.
"This is getting me nowhere. I need to know who had access to the battle's records." She said aloud. Who could have that information? She didn't approve of either answer. Both were high wigs in the Republic who could have just as easily gotten into the system and would try to cover up their doings.
"Dadonna and Carth." Reese breathed, standing up from her metallic chair. She turned around and marched out of the room.
Her Force Perceptiveness kicked up in a vision-like manner, hitter her and covering her sight. Two blurs, running at incredible speed, right in her direction. By her vision, they were smash into her in two seconds.
Squealing, the Jedi jumped backward as the whirl of wind buzzed by, stopping in front of the door.
"Bao-Dur?" Reese asked the huffing Zabrak. He placed his hands on his knees and began panting. She eyed the man next to him, who was on the floor, pale as a sheet. "Atton!" She knelt down next to him, placing a hand on his forehead. Ice cold.
"I'm fine…. Just…haven't had to…run that far in a while." He wheezed. Reese huddled up beside him and cradled him gently.
"What did you two run all the way here? What's so important that you had to use your Master Speed—which neither of you have mastered yet—to get here?" She asked, stroking Atton's hair. He loved the attention.
"We received the data from HK-47." Bao chocked.
"Really? What did the malignant piece of scrap say?" Reese asked, the bile in her mouth gone sour.
"Nar Shadaa." Atton panted. "He was on Nar Shadaa."
"What does that mean? What was he even sent out to do; Revan never told me." Reese wrapped an arm around Atton's shoulders, hugging him tightly. Atton, who had gained more strength, returned the gesture, receiving Reese's head on his shoulder.
Bao-Dur and Atton exchanged glances, which Reese noticed without enthusiasm.
"Oh, I'm going to hate this, aren't I?" She asked, her face dropping.
"HK-47 was sent out into the galaxy to track down a Quarren by the name of Quarta." Bao-Dur started.
"Damn it, I hate Quarrens. They're no good." Reese murmured.
"What he found—" The Zabrak went on. "Was an Exchange leader on Nar Shadaa."
"But I thought the Exchange was going to leave the cesspit alone. What happened?" Reese asked.
"Apparently they lied to us. Not only is the Exchange back on the planet, they're planning to take it over." Atton said.
"Don't the bounty hunters control the planet?"
"That's who they're going to battle." Atton answered.
"Well, that's not good."
"You really think so?"
"Rand!" Reese smacked the scoundrel across the back. She looked at Bao-Dur. "How long do we have before the attack?"
"A month as the least, General." Reese cocked an eyebrow. "The Exchange is still small and is trying to recruit mercs and anyone who'll work for pay."
"The Refugees." Reese said. "They're going to make the refugees in the sector battle." Her face paled.
"That's what we thought." Atton stood, wobbling, with Reese at his heels.
"That's not all, though." Bao-Dur held up a hand.
"Right. Why was she looking for Quarta in the first place?" Reese asked, crossing her arms. The Zabrak looked away for a moment.
"He was the one who sent the thugs after Masa. He was going to deliver her to Kai'Sek."
Reese's eyes widened in realization. She gasped and leaned against the wall.
"So the Exchange is in allegiance with the Sith."
That only made things worse. The one who broke into the records could be with the Exchange, too.
"Oh, dear Force!" Reese interjected, slapping her forehead harshly.
"That's what Atton said when he found out, too, General." Bao-Dur replied.
"Revan isn't going to like this." Reese said.
"You think Revan won't like it?" Atton gaped. "Think about poor Carth. He just got her back, and now she's got to leave."
"We can get the ship up and running with supplies and repairs in about five days. Nar Shadaa is eight days away from the Core Worlds. We're looking at almost two weeks to get there." Bao-Dur calculated.
"So that means we'll only have two weeks to try and stop this attack." Reese began walking out of the Enclave, the two men following. "Alright. You two. Tell the crew. Inform them of our situation."
"What about Masa?" Atton inferred.
"What about her?"
"They're after the kid." Atton argued. "Are we going to leave her here?"
"And have the Sith attack the Core again? I don't think so. If the Sith are involved with Nar Shadaa, let them stay on Nar Shadaa." Reese found her way out of the Enclave, heading toward the ship.
"So you're going to take Masa into battle? She's fourteen!" Atton argued.
"Yes, and I'm twenty-eight. What does that have to do with anything?" Atton paused.
"You were eighteen in the Mandalorian Wars?" He gawked.
"So? Revan was twenty." Reese argued. Atton's eyes bulged. "What, all this time and you never knew how old I was?"
"It was on my to-do list," Atton shrugged.
"Well, now it's not. You know my age. Nyah." Reese stuck her tongue out during the "Nyah". "What would you have done if I was forty?"
"I would have said that age doesn't matter." Atton smirked, making Reese beam.
"So how old are you?"
"Age doesn't matter."
"Rand!"
"Uh… General?" Bao-Dur interrupted, holding a crooked finger in the air. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to radio Revan and tell her the situation." Reese said.
"But she's out all day with Carth." Bao-Dur insisted.
"I know that, but I think this is a little more important. Besides," She took this moment to glance at Atton. "I have business with the Admiral, as well."
"Good luck," Bao-Dur bowed and headed into the ship.
"Be back for dinner." Atton ordered. Reese nodded and ran off in another direction.
Sighing the man entered the ship. He cupped his hand together and bellowed throughout the entire place.
"We got trouble! Ship meeting, right now!"
People spilled out of everywhere. Mira and Visas came crawling from either dormitory, sleep still riding with Mira and a tinge of annoyance on Visas. Obviously this meeting had been called at a bad time.
Masa and Mical came in through the Medical Bay entrance, Mical in front of the fourteen year old. T3-M4 filed through the room solemnly and took his spot in front of the main computer.
"Alright people," Atton started out. "We've got five days, then we're heading back to Nar Shadaa."
He immediately received negative feedback.
"Why must you torture us like this?" Mira said. "We just got off of Nar Shadaa, and now you want us back? What's the rush? Do you miss the cantina that bad?"
"If we don't hurry, Mira," Atton shot back, a tinge of annoyance coating his words vainly. "There won't be a cantina left." He turned back to the rest of the motley crew, since most of their comrades we're there, one being killed on Malachor, one being out finding the ex-Sith Lord, and the other out on another planet.
Atton tried not to think of what Mandalore was doing.
"Guys," He sighed. "The Exchange is coming back to Nar Shadaa. They're going to wage war against the bounty hunters." He eyed Mira as she blanched and grabbed the desk behind her. "And they're going to use both the refugees in the Sector and the Sith to do it."
"Does that mean that the Exchange was hiring those thugs to come after me?" Masa asked from behind Mical. She kept her body out of plain sight, and instead poked her head out from behind the disciple's large body. She was still wary of most of the people on the ship, especially the one with the blind-fold over her eyes. Something about that woman, blind as she was yet able to stare into people as if she were a sniping blaster, miffed Masa incredibly. She didn't feel her calmest when in the same room as the strange woman, that was for sure. And it wasn't like Visas, in all her serenity, had no problems with Masa. But Visas understood the uneasiness in the child, and left her to herself.
"Yes, Masa," Atton hesitated before speaking. He didn't want to alarm her. Yet the child merely looked away, as if she understood the whole thing.
"Then I'm going with you." She ordered. She found courage in her stubbornness and took a few steps away from Mical.
This immediately brought up protest, as well.
"No, it's too dangerous, even for a little firecracker like you." Mira smirked. "This is war we're talking about."
"Yes. Thousands of people against each other, and nothing but death around you." Visas nodded. "It feels as if you are slowly being taken apart with each death experienced. It is not a sight a fourteen year old child should want for her future."
Masa's anger flooded into her, and she was about to tell the Miraluka that she had seen plenty of war and battles, yet held her tongue.
"I wouldn't want you to get hurt," Mical agreed with Mira. Masa stared at him, her frustration radiating off of her and jetting toward Mical.
"Actually, Mical," Atton grimaced, as if tasting something sour in his mouth. "Our pretty little captain has ordered that Masa stay with us to Nar Shadaa, and prevent any more attacks on the Core Worlds."
"Yes!" Masa threw a hand in the air, beaming. "I knew that woman was great!"
"I suppose that means the Sith Lord herself is accompanying us?" Mira snarled, the glare on her face more apparent. Atton nodded.
"If it involves the Sith, then Revan is coming with us."
"Great, another mouth to feed." Mira hissed.
"What do you have against Revan, anyway?" Masa asked. "You've been bad-mouthing her since I got here."
"There's bad blood between us. No, scratch that. There's just blood." Mira crossed her arms.
Masa's eyes lit up and her mouth opened as if she were going to say something. She hesitated, as if she thought she was going to say the wrong thing. When she finally found her voice, the language she spoke in was not Galactic Basic.
"Ya t'eper' tvoy vrag, ya ne poproshu proshen'ya." She slurred the words together, as if either she was not used to the language in which she spoke, or she didn't know if she was saying the words correctly.
The words certainly caught Mira's attention. She gasped, staring at Masa as if she suddenly grew four new arms and had a lightsaber in each one. The red head took a step back, so that she was nearly sitting on top of the desk behind her.
"How do you know that?" She spat. Masa started in surprise.
"I heard Revan say it once when I mentioned your name. This morning, I think. We were talking about…. Well, about Mandalorian enslavement." The child shifted in her boots uneasily, wishing she hadn't abandoned her post behind Mical.
"Oh, Force." Mira stormed out of the room. Atton groaned.
"Alright, alright, already. We're to gather supplies and ammunition for the trip. We're expecting a full-blown battle." The man ordered. He pointed at Bao-Dur. "You, fix the ship. We're still carrying some hindrances from the last battle this ship saw. Mical, see to the medical supplies. Get Masa to help you. Visas, can you gather the food? Thanks. I'll tell Mira to gather the best mines, grenades, and the like. You're dismissed." Visas left the ship with a nod, T3-M4 followed Bao-Dur to fix the ship, and Masa returned to the med bay. Mical stayed behind, eyeing Atton.
"Yeah, kid? Anything you need?" Atton snarled. Mical sighed.
"I want to talk with you for a moment." He said nervously.
"Oh, really? And what is it you would like to speak with me about?" Atton chuckled, crossing his arms.
"About Reese, actually." Mical tugged at his collar as Atton bristled. "I mean not to get in your way, Atton." He said immediately. "I do not wish to be with Reese."
Atton stumbled slightly. His eyebrows cocked gently.
"Really?"
"Yes," Mical nodded. "I don't like Reese like that. She is a wonderful friend and a very loyal ally, but I cannot see farther than that."
"So why choose to tell me now?" Atton shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.
"Well, you see," Mical rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just—"
"Come on, kid. Spit it out already." Atton smirked despite himself. Mical took a deep breath, calming himself down tremendously.
"I was just trying to get that out of the way because I might need your help." Mical turned red, staring at the floor.
Now that Atton knew Mical wasn't a threat to his relationship with Reese, the man felt sympathy for the disciple.
"What is it, Mical? It's big, isn't it?" Atton questioned, straightening. He glanced around to room to make sure no one was listening. "If it's within my power, I suppose I'll help you."
If only for my own reassurance, he thought. If he's trying for someone else, he won't be trying for Reese.
Mical inhaled once more, allowing the oxygen to pour through his veins.
"I like Masa."
-----
He took her to the waterfalls. She'd loved the waterfalls, as both Revan and Willow. There was a calming sense about them, though whether it was the loud, hissing sound or the white, fluffy foam at the bottom which initiated the sense of serenity, she never knew.
The woman clutched Carth's hand tighter, gasping as the two stared over the top of the rushing water.
"Oh, Carth!" Breathed Revan, leaning on him. "It's beautiful."
"No, you're beautiful," Carth pulled Revan in front of him and wrapped his arms around her. "This is fascinating."
Revan contented herself with listening to the mixture of Carth's heartbeat and the murmur of the water.
"I love it," She whispered. "I love you."
"I know you do." Carth replied, nibbling her neck.
Revan relaxed in his arms, smelling the cool, fresh, clean air. The grass felt soft and light against her bare feet, and the breeze mixed with mist brushed against her face in bursts which smoothed her hair out behind her.
"We can spend all day here," Carth whispered soothingly into Revan's ear, nipping at it. "No one here but us."
"Hmm…." Revan smiled. "I like the sound of that." She turned and captured his lips in hers.
Carth's arms snaked around the ex-Sith Lord's waist, pulling her closer. Revan draped her arms around Carth's neck, using the new balance to stand higher and deepen the kiss.
After what seemed for ages the two sat under a tree, Carth's back against the trunk and Revan leaning onto his, between his spread-out legs. Carth traced his hands up and down Revan's arms lovingly, shuddering inwardly as he felt the dents in her skin, where obvious scars appeared.
Why hadn't he asked about them yet? Had they been there the night before? He hadn't thought to look. Were they there that morning when he woke each hour to reassure himself she was still there? Still he wasn't positive. The thought had never crossed his mind that Revan's perfect skin could be slightly disfigured by something like a scar.
And what had caused it? Carth did notice he had stopped his assuring rubbing-of-the-arms and was now staring at the appendage in question. What has happened that was so bad, that his Revan, the most powerful Jedi ever, couldn't heal her own wounds.
Revan must have felt his thoughts, for she answered his question without it being said.
"It was a pack of tarentateks." She closed her eyes, remembering the green, scaly, lizard-like creatures. Revan held up her arms, and pulled her robe up slightly; revealing the barrage of marks and scratches, still a pale red, as if they were only made a few months before. Carth frowned at the sight of them. Revan scowled at the memory.
"Want to talk about it?" Carth cooed, brushing his face against the back of her head. She shrugged.
"My shuttle had crashed on a different part of the planet than I had ever been on. As I staggered out, the sack of broken metal behind me exploded, sending me forward and knocking me out. As I woke up, my shuttle was in pieces all around me, and it had attracted… predators. Apparently they don't take kindly to loud noises." Revan explained. "And as soon as I stood up, the Tu'kata and the katarn fled. I thought that they could sense my power, and thought against getting killed." Revan chuckled ruefully at this part. "Only the latter was true.
"I was soon surrounded by five tarentateks—beasts who feed on the Force and Force Sensitives. I was powerless against them. I could only attack physically. So, remembering my training, I backed myself into a corner, where only one of those creatures at a time could get at me. I only used the Force for healing myself, and before I knew it, I had killed four of the monsters. But my wounds were too great to fend off the last one. My battle arm was dislocated and bleeding in too many places to count, and I had been slapped up against the corner which I resided in so much that my robes stuck to my back, dried with blood as the glue. I managed to cut off the thing's left arm right before its enormous right paw came down upon my face. I slammed myself against the corner, grimacing in pain, but saving a fatal blow to my head. I escaped with only a long cut across my face.
"My Force was exhausted, and if I had attempted to use any more my wounds would've only become worse. So, in defeat, I sat down, resheathed my lightsabers, and closed my eyes.
"Just then, blaster sounds were heard from far off. The tarentatek, obviously wary of the newcomers by itself, sulked off, dragging its lost appendage along with it. The people took me to their village and helped me get better. I explained my purposes for coming to their planet to them, and my need to get back. Unfortunately, while they didn't have all of the parts required, the village had most of the pieces needed for a shuttle to Nar Shadaa—the closest to the Unknown Regions. I worked for months to get the correct things settled and lifted off five months after the village saved my life."
Carth sighed, concerned tears running down his face.
"You face five tarentateks?" He gasped, squeezing her closer. "Are you okay?"
"It wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but I'm alive. With all of my appendages, too." Revan turned her head to face Carth, a smile on her face. "It happened a long time ago, Carth. It doesn't matter. I'm here now, and these scars don't mean anything."
Carth pondered the thought, running his index finger gently down the indented mark on Revan's face, ranging from her right eye and ending at the bottom left side of her lip.
It doesn't matter? Of course it mattered! He had driven her away with their fight, and she went and almost got herself killed fighting Force Eaters. Carth felt guilty for ever saying the cruel words to her. Look at all the trouble it caused.
As if hearing his thoughts, Revan kissed his chin.
"I'm fine, Carth Onasi." She said, now turning to face him. She sat on her hands and knees, staring into his hazel eyes and drawing his gaze to her brown orbs. "Forget about that fight. It shouldn't have happened, true, but it did. We're back together now, okay? And nothing is wrong with us." Carth drew his legs up to his torso, and still kept them apart where Revan resided.
And she kissed him again, finding his lips, a small amount of tender desperation in her form. Carth obliged her gratefully, answering the desolation with a commanding possessiveness, one which Revan leaned into wistfully.
The waterfalls were still heard in the background. The soft, white hissing noise seemed to be quietly encouraging them in their zeal. Revan pulled herself up in front of Carth, sitting on her folded legs and using her arms to hold Carth's face delicately, pulling the kiss in deeper as well as keeping her balance. The Admiral embraced Revan's waist lightly, as if only using it as a reassurance that she was still there.
When the two finally pulled away, both were out of breath and smiling. Carth growled, looking away and flashing a foolish-looking grin.
"Damn woman. I hate when you do that." Revan laughed, pressing her forehead to his.
"I'm sure you do." She mused, pecking him on the lips once more.
Someone was running toward them; Revan could feel the earth beneath her vibrate with each step. She stood, pulling Carth up with her. She gripped his hands and turned her back to him, to the direction of the steps.
The Exile darted over the hill with a direct speed. Something was wrong, Revan thought. Her mind instantly became alarmed for Masa.
"Reese?" She called, puzzlement in her voice. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Revan." Reese huffed as she made it to the two adults in front if her. "We've got problems."
"What happened?" Carth asked, resting a hand on Revan's shoulder.
"Is Masa alright? Did anything happen to her?" Revan pushed. Reese shook her head.
"Masa's fine." She said. "But we have things to do."
"Like what?" Carth specified. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer.
"We have to go to Nar Shadaa. The Exchange is planning to use the refugees and the Sith to steal the planet from the bounty hunters." Reese explained, watching Carth with earnest. Revan sighed.
"Kai'Sek. That idiot. He's trying to bait us into going to the Outer Rim." Revan swore.
"And?" Reese inquired. Revan sighed, leaning onto Carth, assuring him she knew he was still there.
"It worked. We're going to Nar Shadaa." The hand on Revan's shoulder tightened, causing the ex-Sith Lord to turn. She smiled at him.
"I meant you too, Carth."
-----
The end!
It took me a long time to come up with this chapter, so please review people! I have over one thousand hits, and only 24 reviews. You people can do better than that! I'm kidding. Though I do enjoy the reviews. Please review and I'll update Just Like Me, which I'm already half-way through with.