Rian:

            "Canderous has been gone for a long time."  Carth changed the charge in his blaster for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

            "He's in a meeting with Davik Kang and Calo Nord." I said, agitated.  "He'll be back as soon as he can."

            "You know I don't like this."

            I ignored him.  I felt uneasy at Davik's estate too, but I didn't feel the need to blather on about it.  All the tacky purple velvet upholstery gave the place the atmosphere of a brothel rather than the guest wing.  I could live with that.  What I couldn't deal with, was the idea that I have been watched, was most definitely still being watched and in all likelihoods would continue to be watched in the future.

            My introduction to Davik Kang went fairly well.  He had caught me off guard which irked me, but I think I handled it nicely.

            "I ran into someone the Exchange might want to recruit." Canderous began.  "You may have heard something of her exploits already."

            Davik eyed me up and down scrupulously, spending a bit more time on my backside than I would have liked.  "Ah, yes, I recognize your companion." he murmured.  "The rider who won the big swoop race.  Very impressive, as was your display in the rather heated battle afterwards.  But tell me, weren't you wounded in the fight?"

            I ground my teeth.  "Do I look injured, sir?" I asked, my voice clipped.  "I can assure you that I am in top condition as we speak."

            Davik continued to scan me with his eyes.  "It appears so." he said finally.  "Perhaps I was mistaken."

            I would have liked to tear those beady eyes from Davik's head.  As it was, I was supposed to wait for my background check and indulge in the luxuries he so generously offered.  Of course, if I so much as stepped outside of the guest wing I'm sure my head would be filled with an excessive number of blaster holes. 

            "That's it." Carth announced.  "I'm going to see what's up.  I can't wait around for Davik to decide to kill us."

            "If you so much as leave this guest wing for five seconds without Canderous, I'll lodge my foot in the first orifice of yours that I can find." I warned.  "So why don't you relax a little.  Go to the slave quarters, get a massage."

            Carth chuckled.  "Hey, I'd like a massage as much as the next guy, but we've got work to do."  He went back to his blasters.

            For some reason, that simple repetitive gesture pushed me over the edge.  I walked over to Carth and snatched the blasters from his hands.  I held them behind my back.

            "What?" he demanded.

            "I just want to talk." I snapped.

            "Oh?"  Carth folded his arms.  "You want to argue some more, is that it?"

            "I'm always up for a good fight."  I shot him a feral grin.

            He laughed.  "I can't say I've met a woman quite like you before." Carth mused.  "You're really something."

            The glint in his eyes faded as Carth grew serious.  I ground my teeth together.  Things had been going so well until he remembered that he was a paranoid jerk.

            "I just don't trust easily and for good reasons." Carth insisted.  "…which are my own."

            I swore in a random language, probably Quarren, before I backed him against a wall.  "I can make you talk, Carth.  Trust me." I promised.

            "I might be willing to take you up on that challenge."

            The grin died on Carth's face when he felt his own blasters being pressed against his abdomen.  I thumbed the settings down to stun.

            "Maybe not."  He cleared his throat.  "You're just not going to let up, are you?  Fine.  You want to know why I don't trust anyone?  Here goes."

            I felt his hands on my own, thick fingered, callused and warm.  He gently pried his blasters from my hands.

            "Five years ago the Jedi had just finished the war with the Mandalorians.  Revan and Malak were heroes." Carth began.  "I was damn proud to have served in their fleet.  It was completely unexpected when they turned on us, invading the Republic while we were still weak.  Nobody knew what to think, least of all me.

            "Our heroes had become brutal, conquering Sith and we were all but helpless before them."  Carth's stare was hard as he looked me in the eyes.  "Think about it.  If you can't trust the best of the Jedi, who can you trust?"

            "What do I have to do with Malak and Revan?"  My voice was soft.

            "It's not that."  He shook his head.  "It's… that's not what I mean.  There were others.  Good, solid, trusted men who joined them.  Malak and Revan and the Sith deserve to die for what they've done…"

            Carth glanced over my shoulder anxiously.  There was no one there.  I looked at him expectantly.

            "The ones that fled the Republic and joined them are even worse."  His eyes darkened and rage seemed to take over his speech.  "The Dark Side has nothing to do with why they joined the Sith.  They deserve no mercy!"

            I took a few steps back which allowed him to start pacing.

            "You say that with such hatred." I murmured.

            "I know."  Carth looked back at me.  "I should apologize to you.  I've become so accustomed to expecting the worst in others and you've done nothing to deserve that.  It's just… never mind."

            "Never mind what?"  I placed my hands firmly on my hips.

            "I'd rather not talk about it right now." he muttered.

            "Does that mean I could convince you otherwise?" I pressed.

            "No." was his hoarse reply.

            We stood there is silence.  If Carth Onasi wasn't so damn irritating I might have had the decency to say he was cute.  He fixed the settings on his blasters.

            "So, about Davik's slave girls…" I trailed off.

            Carth raised an eyebrow in my direction.  I shrugged.

            "Are you still going to stay on Taris after this?" he asked.

            "Maybe." I said.  "It might be better to head directly to Corellia if I'm going to be stealing Davik Kang's ship, though.  Taris is on a dying trade route anyway."

            Carth nodded.

            The door slid open and Canderous Ordo stepped in.  Carth pointed a finger at him.

            "What took you so long?"

            The rocky planes of Canderous' face seemed to crack as he smirked.  "You might want to tighten your slave's leash." he advised me.

            "He's just angry because he's a eunuch." I replied.

            "Sorry for the delay, but the Ebon Hawk has a coded security system."  Canderous said briskly.  "While you two were waiting, I was busy plying the information from Davik's favorite courtesan."

            Carth rolled his eyes.  I scowled at him.  Canderous ignored us both.

            "Now all we need to do is swipe the ship and—"

            "Pick up the rest of our friends." Carth said firmly.

            Canderous raised an eyebrow.  "Pick up the rest of your group and get off this planet.  Now come on, there's no sense in waiting around here."

            "Lead the way." I muttered.

            We left the relative safety of the guest wing and headed towards the heart of the estate.  I didn't bother saying anything to Carth, he looked like he would rather shoot than talk.  Canderous on the other hand, moved with an almost feline grace.  The calm professionalism that enveloped the Mandalorian made me feel at ease in the dangerous situation.  Most of the guards were taken out with Canderous' precise aim before they even realized they were being attacked.

            With Canderous in the lead, we were able to take the most direct route to the hangar.  A good thing too, since it sounded like something nasty was happening outside.  The walls began to shake and lamps were knocked to the floor.

            We reached the hangar doors and Canderous entered the codes.  The door slid open and I scowled.  It looked like Davik and Calo were making a beeline for the Ebon Hawk.

            "Thieves in the hangar!" Davik shouted.  "So you figured you'd just steal my ship for your getaway and leave me high and dry while the Sith turn this planet into dust?  Sorry, but that ain't going to happen."

            "And what did you figure?" I screamed back.  "That you'd just slip out without us so you could get wasted by the Sith automated defense guns?"  Really, some people weren't too bright.

            "I'll take care of them, Davik." Calo said quietly.  He looked directly at Canderous.  "I've been looking forward to this for a long time!"

            "Make it quick, Calo." Davik cried over the sound of turbo laser fire.  "The Sith mean business."

            So, one mercenary and his dinky little boss, versus a Mandalorian, a trigger happy soldier and little old me.  I love it when the odds play in my favor.  Canderous whipped out his massive repeating blaster and opened fire at Calo.  While Carth backed up Canderous, I headed straight for Davik Kang.

            "I would have really enjoyed working with you."  Davik heaved his vibroblade at me.

            I parried.  "Sorry pal, you're not my type."

            As our vibroblades crashed against each other, I notice beads of perspiration from Davik.  The crime lord must have spent too much time indulging in his luxuries instead of practicing his swordsmanship.  He'd slip up soon and then he'd be dead.

            He lunged for my head and left his entire midsection open.  I ducked and ran him through.  I turned to Calo.

            "You may have me outnumbered and outgunned," Calo declared.  "but I'm taking all you with me!  This thermal detonator will blow us all to bits!"

            "Shit!"  I ran towards the Ebon Hawk.

            Fortunately that was the moment the ceiling decided to cave in.  Calo didn't have a chance to set off the detonator before he became a smear mark in the mass of rubble.  Of course, being so close to Calo Nord was not a good place for me to be.  As I ran towards the ship I was struck in the back by a hunk of debris and was propelled face first into the side of the Ebon Hawk.  I slid off the ship onto my back.

            I felt a hand around my waist.

            "Do you still want to stay on Taris?"  Carth grinned as he hoisted me aboard the Ebon Hawk.

            I ground my teeth together.  "Shut up."