Zaalbar:

            "Enough yapping!  Hand over the accelerator."  Rian spoke quietly, but her hands inches away from her vibroblades betrayed her cool exterior.

            Mission, on the other hand, was fuming and purple-cheeked.  I placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from starting a fray.  I could tell that Carth was tense from the scent of perspiration that emanated from him.

            "Instead of stealing the prototype for the Beks, why don't you come work for us?"  Kandon Ark, the Twi'lek Black Vulkar, spoke in broken Huttese.  "The Black Vulkars could use someone like you."

            Rian licked her cracked lips.  I noticed her hands edge closer to her vibroblades.  I could sense rage laced with panic pulsing between her placid exterior.  So many conflicting emotions.

            I would not wish to see her angry.  The finesse Rian had in her unrefined stance had the markings of a warrior.  If provoked, I was certain that she would be capable of flying into such a berserk frenzy it would make even the angriest Madclaw resemble a petulant cub.

            "Forget it." Rian said.  "I'm not the type to back out of agreements."

            Rian's upper lip twitched at a forming bead of sweat.  I could not decide whether to be insulted or not over her attempted life debt pledge.  Humans were the ones who ravaged Kashyyyk and exploited my people.  Humans were not worthy to uphold my customs.

            "Be smart; Gadon Thek is old news!" Kandon persisted.  "He's a blind fool in more ways than one!  Brejik is a visionary—soon he'll control the entire Lower City!  Don't shackle yourself to the losing team."

            But Rian was worthy enough for me to swear a life debt to.  She heaved a sigh as she unsheathed her blades.  She would have made a fine Wookiee.

            "I guess this means I'm going to have to kill you, huh?"  Rian shot Kandon a regretful look.  I readied my bowcaster.

            Kandon sighed.  "I can see there's not much chance of convincing you to come work for us after all.  Most unfortunate."

            Kandon's bodyguard stepped forward, a rabid smirk on her face.  "Now can I kill them, Kandon?"  The satisfaction in her voice was repulsive.

            "Yes, darling."  Kandon paused for effect.  "Kill them.  Kill them all."

            Rian immediately dove at Kandon's bodyguard.  The female Twi'lek easily parried Rian's attack and sent her sprawling to the ground.  Carth took that opportunity to shoot the bodyguard in the shoulder with his blaster.

            With all the attention on his bodyguard, Kandon Ark was taking his time carefully aiming his blaster.  I threw myself in his way and bludgeoned the side of his skull with my bowcaster.  The blaster bolt that hit Kandon in the cheek seemed to do more damage than my weapon.

            "You shoot things with a bowcaster, Big Z." Mission quipped.  "What are you doing using it as a club?"

            I shrugged.  Carth and Rian had managed to dispatch Kandon's bodyguard.  Rian stalked around the Twi'lek woman's body angrily before spitting at it.

            "Knock me on my arse, will you?" she grumbled.

            "Are you okay?" Mission asked her.

            "The only thing that she damaged was her ego." Carth replied.

            Rian scowled while Carth laughed.

            "That must be a human thing, huh?"  Mission turned to me.

            "Hey, we're not so different, remember?" Rian protested.  "After all, I'm just a maimed Twi'lek."

            Mission's jaw worked furiously, but no words would come out.  She finally let loose a peculiar laugh.

            Rian stepped over the fresh corpses and headed towards the back of the room.  The prototype accelerator stood in the rear, unobtrusively.  Rian bent down and ran a finger over the top.  She seemed satisfied with what she found and proceeded to try and lift it.  Her cheeks puffed out with exertion and her face was colored darkly.

            I stepped in front of Carth and picked up the accelerator.

            "I don't even know why I bother…" Rian muttered.  "Come on, the sooner we get this to Gadon, the better."

            On the way to the Lower City, Rian stopped us at the Outcast Village.  She headed directly towards the old man, Rukil, and handed him a datapad.

            Rukil began to rave that she was the chosen one, a savior of sorts.  With his withered hands he pulled Rian towards a cooking fire.  In his excitement, Rukil lost his breath as troubled words left his mouth. 

            The old man wove a story of a safe haven from Rakghouls as he scanned the information in the datapad.  He spoke of a self-sufficient colony with droid servants where the Outcasts could finally live worry-free.

            I stepped forward when I noticed the uncomfortable look on Rian's face.  I couldn't comprehend why she would have willingly entered into a distressing situation.  Humans are strange, I suppose.

            Rian made a quick hand signal to let me know that she was alright.  Behind me, Carth glared at the elderly human.  I felt fingers curl around the hair on my back and I looked down at Mission and smiled.

            "This guy is super creepy." she whispered.

            I nodded.  Rian seemed to have finished her business with him and was walking back towards us.

            "Let's get out of here." she muttered.  Without waiting for a response, Rian trekked towards the elevator.

            "What was that all about?" Carth asked.

            Rian stopped walking and seemed to consider her answer for a moment.  Finally, she cocked her head to one side and spoke.  "Do you think a Promised Land exists?"

            Mission giggled immediately.  Carth shook his head.

            "It sounds like a myth to me." he said.  "Something to give the people here some false hope to cling to so they don't go mad with despair."

            "It's just a fairy tale." Mission declared.

            Rian nodded slowly.  "That's what I figured."  She frowned as she started to walk to the elevators.

            The ascent to the Lower City began in silence.  Mission busied herself with toying with a loose string on her vest; Carth appeared fascinated by a dent in the floor.  Rian kept to herself, rifling through the contents of her pockets.

            "It could exist." I told her.

            Rian glanced up at me.  "And I could be a Sith Lord too." she replied dryly.

            I shrunk back to my respective corner of the elevator.  Rian shook her head and went back to her pockets, but the frown had left her face so I was satisfied.

            When the elevator stopped at the Lower City, I hauled the accelerator out.  Mission hopped through the door and stretched her arms.

            "Hey, Mission."

            Mission twisted her head to face Rian.  "Uh huh?"

            "How good are you at pazaak?" Rian asked.

            Mission gave a mischievous grin.  "Are you interested in playing a hand?"

            "That good, huh?"  Rian chuckled.  "I was just thinking that maybe you could win some extra credits playing in the cantinas while we set up this accelerator nonsense."

            "No problem."  Mission's eyes lit up.  "Could you spare a few credits so I could make some good bets?"

            "I expected as much."  Rian dug some credits from her pockets.  "Zaalbar, I want you to go with Mission just in case someone figures out that she's a cheat."

            Mission scowled.  "What makes you think I cheat?" she demanded.

            "Call it a hunch."  Rian winked as she handed Mission some credits.  "I wouldn't want to play against you."

              I handed the accelerator off to Carth and grinned as I heard him grunt under the weight of it.  Mission stalked off towards the cantina, grumbling about being an honest player. I followed close behind.  No one would harm her so long as I was living.