Rian:

            By the time we reached the Outcast village, it had to be night.  The Undercity was always dark, but it looked like people were huddled around cooking fires. 

            The smoke billowing from the flames was a deep blue.  Definitely not healthy, but warm.  By the firelight, Carth was cleaning his blasters.  Mission was telling Shaleena extravagant stories of the Up-world.  I was alone.

            "You are damaged, Rian Vega."

            I jerked my head towards the voice.  Zaalbar stood a couple feet behind me.  Neither a frown nor a smile was on his face, just a considering look.

            "What about it, fuzz-ball?" I demanded.

            "You are ill, are you not?" he rumbled.

            "What if I am?"

            "It's your scent." Zaalbar explained.  "It reeks of disease."

            I glanced over my shoulder.  Carth and Mission were still oblivious.  Good.

            "Is it that bad?" I whispered.

            "You do not smell of death, if that is what you mean." he said.

            "This conversation stays between us."

            "I have sworn a life debt to you, Rian Vega." Zaalbar assured.  "I place your honor above my own."

            I sighed.  I lifted my left palm face up towards the Wookiee.  The wound had long since stopped bleeding, but the surrounding tissue had turned a sickly white.  I gave him a forlorn look.

            "I can feel this thing burning through me." I murmured.  "I need to go back into the Undercity to try and find some serum."

            Zaalbar nodded.  "I will accompany you, then."

            "Thank you."

            I walked over to Carth.  He had been discussing something quietly with Gendar, but stopped abruptly at my arrival.  I said my hellos to Gendar and quickly pulled Carth aside.

            "I want you to take Mission to our apartment." I said softly.

            "Of course." he replied.  "I thought we were going to do that anyway."

            "No, no…"  I exhaled.  "Not 'we.'  You."

            "What?"  His face darkened.  I raised a finger to silence his outburst.

            "Please." I hissed.  "I have to do something down here.  Zaalbar's already agreed to come with me, so I'll be fine."

            "Fine?" Carth growled.  "Didn't we just have to rescue that Wookiee from slavers?"

            "I'll be fine." I insisted.  I took a deep breath to calm myself.  "I need you to take care of Mission for me.  I don't want her following me and Zaalbar into the Undercity."

            "What's this all about?"

            "I don't have time for this."  I groaned.  "I promise I'll explain everything to you later.  Just trust me on this one, please?"

            Carth's eyes narrowed.  "I don't like this, Rian."

            I sighed.  "I know.  Just keep Mission out of trouble, okay?"

            He shook his head.  "Fine.  But I expect a damn good explanation later."

            "And you'll get one.  I swear."

            Carth mumbled something under his breath, but he headed off towards Mission.  I walked towards Zaalbar and took the Wookiee by the arm.

            "I hope you're ready." I said.  Zaalbar grunted his reply.

            Instead of immediately heading towards the sewers like last time, we explored the territory outside the Outcast gates.  Zaalbar was quick with his bowcaster and mowed down most of the Rakghouls before they got close enough for my vibroblades.  That gave me the luxury to scan the area for corpses.

            It's strange how bodies look like they're peacefully napping on the ground.  Curled up on their sides, they seem so tranquil, content.  But then you roll them over to scavenge their remains and flesh is shredded in places or missing altogether.  I sometimes wish that I could be one of the privileged who could afford to let the dead rest.

            I came across the body of a girl, pretty save for her missing jaw.  Her glassy blue eyes stared at nothing, but she had a datapad clutched to her breast.  I gently pried it from her cold fingers.

            "I found Malya."  I closed the girl's eyes with my first and middle finger.

            Zaalbar cocked his head to one side, confused.  I shook my head.

            "Never mind." I muttered.

            We continued on.  There was a vast array of bodies scattered throughout the Undercity, including a Republic soldier.  There was nothing of value on his body, but the escape pod a couple meters away was a different story.

            "What's this, a swoop bike handle?"  I picked up the slender metal object.  "What do you make of it, Zaalbar?"

            The Wookiee moaned apprehensively.  My thumb grazed over a button and I heard a hiss.  On both sides of the cylinder beams of yellow sprang out.

            I yelped and dropped it.  The blades of the dual sided lightsaber cut through the remains of the escape pod like butter.  I quickly searched for the button and turned it off.

            "We should probably hold on to this." I said.  I shoved the lightsaber snuggly into a pocket of my orange jacket.

            I kept my eyes open for the glint of white armor.  When I found one I headed towards it.  No serum.

            "These Sith sure are stingy." I muttered.

            "I see another corpse over there." Zaalbar grunted. 

            My gaze followed his shaggy arm to another fallen Sith.  A white hot gleaming beacon of hatred, that doofus had the nerve to die in the middle of a group of Rakghouls.

            "You sure know how to pick them."  I raised an eyebrow at Zaalbar.  He shrugged and starting firing his bowcaster at the pack.

            Two were downed in an instant.  Three more charged at us.  Zaalbar shot one more before they closed in.

            "Here!"  I threw a vibroblade at the Wookiee.  Zaalbar snarled his thanks as he turned towards his attacker.

            I blocked a strike from my Rakghoul with my remaining blade.  I twisted the vibroblade at an angle so it would slice into the creature's claws.  The Rakghoul shrieked and wrenched its arm away from my blade.  I took that opportunity to step in close to the monster.  I stabbed it in the throat with my vibroblade and twirled away from its flailing arms.

            "Come on."  I snatched my other vibroblade back from Zaalbar.  He trotted after me.

            I dove at the corpse, and began rifling through the remains.  Credits, identification, worthless blaster, canteen…

            "Where is it?" I screamed.

            Zaalbar kneeled besides me.  He placed a hand on my shaking shoulder.

            "Patience, Rian Vega."

            "I don't have time to be patient!" I spat.

            Zaalbar ignored me.  He began to inspect the corpse.  He pushed the chest plate out of the way and undid the soldier's belt.  The metal belt in his hands, Zaalbar passed it slowly through his fingers.  Charges for the blaster were clipped to the belt and a satchel.

            Zaalbar opened the satchel carefully.  I busied myself with clenching and unclenching my fists.  A small syringe was inside.

            "I believe this is what you need." he said.

            I laughed hysterically.  "Let's get out of here, pal."

            Zaalbar nodded.

            We made quick work of escaping the Undercity.  I practically lunged head-first into the elevator.

            "Why are you not using the serum?" Zaalbar asked as we headed to the Lower City.

            "I will." I said.  "But there's something I need to see about first."

            "Isn't this more important?"

            I chuckled.  "Not quite." I replied.  "If I use this up now, it's gone forever.  What happens if someone else gets infected while we're down there tomorrow?  I'm taking this to Zelka Forn to see if he can duplicate it."

            "You are wise for a human." Zaalbar rumbled.

            "What's that supposed to mean, Carpet?" I snorted.

            The elevator door opened and we walked into the Lower City.  I ignored the Twi'lek corpse that greeted us.  I made a beeline for the Upper City elevators.

            I didn't like the way that Zaalbar would quietly watch me.  Even if I jerked my head up and caught him in the act, he wouldn't turn his gaze from me.  It was unnerving.

            "I don't suppose there's any way you'd revoke this life debt, is there."  I stepped into the elevator.

            "A life debt is for life." he said simply.

            I sighed.  "I figured."

            The ascent to Upper City was silent.  Zaalbar's eyes were glued to me and I was trying to keep my mind from it.

            I exited the elevator at a run.  Zaalbar had no trouble keeping up.  We headed towards Zelka Forn's facility.

            "Welcome back."  Zelka was busy washing his hands.  "Are you in need of healing or medical supplies?"

            "I've got something you might want to see."  I hurried towards him, fumbling for the syringe.

            "What is that?" he asked.  Zelka plucked the syringe from my hand and held to the light to examine it.

            "Rakghoul serum." I said, breathless.

            "Are you serious?"  Zelka's eyes became very round.  "You're giving this to me?"

            "Sort of."

            "Are you looking for a pay-off?" A bushy white eyebrow fell angrily over his eyes.

            "Nothing like that."  I shook my head.  "I would love for you to be able to duplicate it, but you only have a limited amount of time."

            I showed him my hand.  The white had spread to the entirety of my palm, the creases in my hand an ill yellow.

            "If you can't figure out the formula soon, I'm going to have to use the sample." I whispered.

            Zelka nodded.  "I see."  He motioned towards a bench.  "Have a seat and I'll see what I can do."

            Zelka opened the syringe and walked towards a machine.  He poured a drop of the serum into it.  He came back over towards me.

            "I only needed a drop." He explained.  "That device will separate all the components, so that I can see what they are and what percentage."

            "How long will that take?" I asked.

            "A few hours, then I'll have to make the serum." Zelka said.  "If I have the supplies to."

            "I'm just supposed to sit and wait?" I demanded.

            "No.  Don't be silly." he chided.  "The machine only required a drop of the serum.  Use the rest of it."

            Zelka readied the syringe while I grumbled.  He stabbed me in the arm with the needle as soon as I wasn't paying attention.  I caught the yelp in my throat and then glowered.

            "Come back in the morning and I should have a bunch of Rakghoul serum made." Zelka said.

            "I'll do that."  I rubbed my arm fiercely.

            Zelka bandaged my hand up tightly.  I said my thanks, then hurried to the exit with Zaalbar.

            At the door of the facility, Zaalbar and I were stopped by Gurney.  He glared murder and stepped defiantly in front of us.

            "You blew it!" he hissed.  "If you had brought the Rakghoul serum to Zax he would have made it worth your while.  But no—you had to go do the honorable thing."

            Zaalbar growled a warning, but I held him back.

            "Don't worry." I told him.  "I'll handle this."

            Zaalbar snarled again, but backed off.  I wiped the sneer from Gurney's face with a right hook.

            "Let's get out of here, pal." I said.  Zaalbar nodded and followed me out of the facility.