Rian:
Let's cut this wire and detach that hose, it's not like those swoop jockeys will miss anything… I tip-toed away from the swoop bike cautiously, then noting that I was in the clear, strolled away casually. So it was cheating? I was sabotaging every racer's bike save for my own, I wasn't picking and choosing so it was fair in a sense.
I was just thankful that there was enough time for me to make my "adjustments." I overslept and had to rush to the tracks without breakfast. Not that I would have eaten breakfast, I preferred my slop to be cooked at the very least. My stomach growled furiously to remind me that I was miserable and I smothered it with a hand.
Maybe I would be able to sneak in a quick little nap between races if I was lucky. Not that it would help. Every time I closed my eyes it seemed like another nightmare would spring up. Now that they were consistently showing up every night, they were becoming bizarre.
I couldn't reach you in time to save you. If it wasn't for Zaalbar I don't know what would have happened.
It was bad enough when the only nighttime phantoms that haunted me were the hooded wonder and his fantastically endowed lightsaber-wielding girlfriend. When did Carth decide to start popping up in there? I certainly didn't give him permission.
I could only recall snippets of the dream, it was different from the usual fare that I had on the bridge of some mystery ship. I had long hair. Long golden blonde hair. I felt taller too, but I guess dreams can be like that. Carth was there, but far away and I distinctly remember being struck with the sudden awareness that I really didn't belong there.
Maybe it had something to do with the escape pod crash; I really should talk to Zelka Forn about that. My memory was completely frazzled. I had thought long and hard the night before, but realized that despite growing up on Deralia, I wouldn't be able to pick the planet out on a map of the galaxy. Did I have a family, for that matter?
…Mother will protect you…
There was just something unsettling about that persistent memory. Mother will protect me, huh? Where was she when I stowed away on a ship that was supposed to be heading to Coruscant and ended up on Ryloth by mistake?
Maybe it was the lullaby that accompanied it that bothered me the most. Mother will protect you and that eerie melody. I hadn't heard it duplicated so far, but I was convinced if I heard that melancholy mezzo soprano vocal line things would start making sense. Wouldn't they?
It was pointless to keep badgering myself with questions that I didn't have the answers to. I had work to do. To think, that this all started because Carth had the nerve to show up in my dreams. I bet he'd find that amusing, not that I'd tell him.
It didn't matter. The swoop race had started. A Duros standing behind the registration desk grabbed a microphone and began his announcements.
I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. A combination of the exhaustion and jumble of memories and nightmares were taking their toll. I stifled a yawn with the back of my hand and waited for the first racer's heat.
His swoop bike spluttered and made its way to the finish line gradually. The next bike refused to start. I wasn't much of a mechanic, I've fooled around a bit with droids, but I've always left the bigger toys alone. Some bikes billowed noxious fumes, others had lost control of their steering, it was just a matter of what I randomly chose to cut, misplace or fill with caffa.
No bike was safe from my malicious wandering hands. To avoid suspicion I rigged some Hidden Bek bikes as well. Distrustful glares were shared between Bek and Vulkar riders, but as far as I could tell, I wasn't in question.
Curiosity got the best of me as I wandered towards the prize display. The Hidden Beks had offered up some trinket, I wouldn't be surprised if it was Gadon Thek's eyes, tucked away in a box. But what really caught my interest was the cage hauled in by the Black Vulkars. So that was Bastila, huh?
I think my lungs imploded. Deep mahogany braids were brushed over her milky white shoulders.
"Not possible…" It felt like my intestines were in the process of strangling my liver.
Of all the people, how could that be Bastila? She couldn't be—she wasn't supposed to exist. It was just a nightmare. But there I was, staring at cloaked boy's fantastically endowed lightsaber-wielding girlfriend. Granted, her bland Jedi robes had been replaced with a chain metal bustier and skin tight leather pants, but it was her. There was a part of me that just wanted to just head back to the apartment and screw it.
Too late. At the urging of an Ithorian, I suited up for my turn. I strapped my helmet on tight; of course it was a size too big so I wasn't too confident in any protection it might provide. When I had the elbow pads on snugly, I grudgingly handed over my vibroblades to the Ithorian, promising a painful death if they were to be damaged.
Once I was in the bike, I fidgeted in the seat uncomfortably. Steering wheel there, gas pedal here and the brake, very important brake located. I guess I was as ready as I'd ever be.
When the timer started, I slammed my foot on the gas and the engine roared to life. The bike was horrifically loud and I was thankful for it; it's pretty difficult to maintain a reputation under normal circumstances, but when you're squealing at the top of your lungs it's damn near impossible.
It was over soon enough. I pried myself off the seat, my legs weren't as wobbly as I expected them to be, which was a plus. I took note of my time and grinned. Child's play.
My time was quickly demoted a place by the next driver. The smile died on my face as I saw Redros, Black Vulkar Sithspawn extraordinaire, celebrating. Funny, I couldn't recall skipping over his bike.
One more heat, that's all I needed. All I could afford, really. I had no intentions of leaving this world in a fiery blaze caused by an overworked swoop bike engine. It was time to gather my wits, concentrate, make use of skill rather than a cheating edge. Damn it!
I slid back into the uncomfortable metal seat of the bike. The timer countdown began and I tried to prepare myself. I could do this. Breathe in, breathe out…
I don't quite remember what happened directly after that. It felt like a wave of brilliant white light stabbed me in the brain. Maybe missing out on breakfast caused me to black out. I just know that I blinked and was at the end of my heat. Weird.
I crawled from the bike and fumbled at the helmet on my head. My mouth fell into a foolish grin as I stared at the new top score. I don't know how I pulled it off, but I shaved ten seconds off of Redros' score. Take that, laser-brain!
More riders tried to top my score, Redros included, with little luck. I stood back and ran a hand through my matted down helmet-hair. All I had to do was wait for the day to be over.
As the racing came to a close, the registration Duros pulled his microphone out again. He puffed his chest out, full of self-importance as he announced the race's winner.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the winner of this year's swoop race!" He pointed a hand in my direction. "Put your hands together and show your appreciation for one of the most daring riders this track has ever seen!"
The crowd hollered and whistled as I nodded my head. Just give me the prize and get it over with!
"Through your skill and courage you have proven yourself the premier swoop rider on Taris and brought great glory to the Hidden Bek gang!" he continued. "Now, here to present the champion's prize, Brejik, leader of the Black Vulkars."
The din got noticeably quieter as Brejik stepped forward. Some Hidden Bek members went so far as to boo. I grinned uncomfortably.
Brejik maintained his calm in the volatile mass of people. He had the look of cold confidence about him as he flashed me a look. I glared back, raising an eyebrow at his black beady eyes.
He cleared his throat. "People, hear me!" he began. "Before I present the so-called champion of the Beks with their prize there is something you must know. The winning rider cheated!"
"You're a damn liar, Brejik!" I bellowed. I guess my stealth and sabotage skills were rustier than I thought.
"Your swoop bike was using a prototype accelerator." Brejik accused. "Clearly, an unfair advantage!"
Accelerator? I started laughing. What an idiot! My giggling seemed to infuriate Brejik. He raised a finger into the air as if it were a weapon of sorts.
"Because of this Hidden Bek treachery, I'm withdrawing the Vulkar's share of the victory prize!" he declared.
"You can't do this, Brejik!" the Duros argued. "You know the rules. Nobody's allowed to withdraw a victory prize after the race. It goes against our most sacred traditions!"
"You old fool!" Brejik sneered. "Your traditions mean nothing to me—I am the wave of the future! If I want to withdraw the prize and sell the woman into the slave market myself, nobody can stop me!"
"I might have something to say about that, Brejik!"
Any expulsion of diabolical laughter was caught in Brejik's throat. He spun around to see his prize throw open the door of her cage and dispatch her guard.
"What?" he spluttered. "Impossible! You were restrained by a neural disruptor! How could you have possibly summoned the will to free yourself?"
Bastila seemed to glide over to her unconscious guard. She offered Brejik a cruel smile as she plucked the double-bladed vibrosword from the guard's hands.
"You underestimated the strength of a Jedi's mind, Brejik." she stated simply. "A mistake you won't live to regret!"
The initial shock had worn off of Brejik. His narrowed eyes spoke of death as he raised his arm into the air. "Vulkars to me!" he commanded. "Kill this woman! Kill the swoop rider! Kill them all!"
Because that dolt couldn't keep his leash on a Jedi, he wanted to kill me? Give me a break. I grabbed for my vibroblades. They weren't there.
I was hit with a wave of panic, until I remembered that I left them with that Ithorian. I glanced around the tracks until I caught sight of him. The alien was waddling away from the blaster toting gang members as fast as possible.
"Hey!" I cried out. I ran after him, but he didn't stop. "Hey!" That jerk was going to get me killed!
At a full sprint I was catching up to him, but I had to slow him down. A blaster bolt whizzed past my face and I stopped thinking. I took my helmet and threw it at the Ithorian. It clocked him in the back of the head and he pitched forward.
"What did I tell you about my vibroblades?" I demanded as I wrenched my weapons from his grasp.
"S… sorry." he stammered.
"Now get out of here!" I hissed.
I stood up in time to impale a Black Vulkar on my blade. He dropped his blaster as he fell to the ground. Didn't these guys realize that they could make long ranged assaults with blasters?
I ignored the random gang members, the Jedi dame seemed like she was having no problems mowing them down, and headed straight for Brejik. Brejik appeared to be occupied with screaming at his incompetent lackeys, so I'd have a clean hit at the back of his skull.
Of course, whatever scoundrel's luck I fancied myself to have decided to crap out on me at that moment. Brejik turned to face me, his blaster in hand.
I screamed as I slid to my rear to avoid the shot meant for my eyes. The smell of burnt hair was in the air and I swore, landing a boot in Brejik's groin.
That distracted the core-slime enough to keep him from blasting a hole into my chest. As it was, the shot went wild, ripping into my shoulder.
I raised my vibroblade to deal the killing blow only to see a vibrosword tear into Brejik's windpipe. Bastila bent over the fresh corpse and began to clean her blade on his shirt. I was suddenly aware of the searing pain in my shoulder.
"Well, maybe those bloody Vulkars will think twice next time before trying to keep a Jedi prisoner." she said, inspecting her weapon. "As for you, if you think you can collect me as a prize…"
As her cornflower blue eyes locked with mine, her mouth gaped open for a fleeting second. I gathered myself up and started to stand.
"Wait… I don't believe this!" Bastila murmured. "You're one of the soldiers with the Republic fleet, aren't you? Yes, I'm sure of it. How did you end up racing for these swoop gangs?"
I groaned as I tested out my shoulder. "It's a long story."
"Well we don't have time for it now." Her haughty full lips twisted into a frown. "We have to get out of here before the Sith show up to sort out this mess. Is there somewhere safe we can go?"
Who the hell did that ungrateful, over-inflated lady think she was? I ground my teeth together.
"Slow down just a minute." I ordered. "I'm in charge here. Remember, I saved you!"
"Save me?" Bastila laughed.
I suppose my ears should have felt blessed for such an unearthly sound. My eyes narrowed as a rabid fury began to pulse through me, keeping tempo with my throbbing shoulder.
"Is that what you were trying to accomplish by riding in that swoop race?" she asked. "Well, as far as rescues go this is a pretty poor example. In case you hadn't noticed, I managed to free myself from that neural restraint without your help. In fact, it's more accurate to say that I saved you!" Bastila offered a snide smile before she continued with her tirade. "Brejik and his Vulkars would have left you for dead if I hadn't stepped into the fight. You're lucky I was here to get you out of this mess!"
If she had anything else to say, I wasn't listening. I was already storming away towards the elevators to the Upper City.
"We don't have time for this." I grumbled. "Carth is waiting for us."
"Carth Onasi is alive?" The instant recognition in her voice grated on my nerves. "Finally some good news!"
Rian Vega sticks her neck out to save a worthless Jedi hide and she gets scolded like a ding-bat, but Carth Onasi is safe hiding in his little apartment and that's good news? The day was definitely not going as I had planned it. I guess it didn't really matter, my job was done.
I heard the clip of Bastila's stiletto boots as she started to follow me. I didn't know that they taught Jedi to wear those things.
"He sent you to save me?" She sounded reluctant. "Maybe I misjudged you. Carth wouldn't have sent you if he wasn't confident in your… abilities."
I stopped and crossed my arms. The wound in my shoulder screamed to life again as my arms twisted into each other. I bit my lip. I wouldn't wince. Not while she was watching me.
"Forgive me, despite my Jedi training, I still tend to act a bit rashly sometimes." Bastila forced a warm smile to her lips. "Please take me to Carth right away. Between the three of us I'm sure we can figure out some way to get off this planet before the Sith realize we're here."
"Yeah, whatever." I muttered. Next time she opens her mouth I hope she chokes on her tongue, I thought. Yes, Bastila and I were going to be real good friends.
