Rian:

"Oh no, that isn't your nightmare, but I'm not going to tell you what it's about," I muttered. "Because I'm a jerk. King of all jerky jerks."

I had abandoned the glass of brandy since, well, since I found out that it was so much easier to drink it straight from the bottle. The glass was currently rolling towards Bastila's bunk.

I heard the door open and jerked my head up from my pillow.

"If that's Mission, you're not the legal drinking age," I bellowed. "Unless of course, Twi'lek years are different than humans. In that case, I don't care."

"I had feared that this is what you were up to." Bastila sighed. "May I ask why?"

"You may," I said, letting my head drop back onto the pillow. "But it doesn't mean I'll tell you."

"Rian, I need to talk to you," Bastila said. "Before we leave for Tatooine."

"Kashyyyk," I corrected. "We're going to Kashyyyk first."

"Regardless of planet, I need to talk to you." Bastila edged into the room. "May I sit?"

"As long as it's not on my stomach, I don't care," I replied. "What do we need to talk about?"

"A few things, actually." Bastila sat stiffly on the bunk opposite me. Her fingers began to knot around her braids nervously. "First, I'm worried about you."

"Nope." I shook my head. "I won't have this discussion. What I do on my spare time doesn't concern you."

I tipped the bottle to my lips to emphasize the fact.

"Yes it does," she insisted. "For a couple reasons."

"Oh?" I pushed myself upright on the cot. "And what are they?"

"Foremost the bond we share—"

"I don't believe in this 'bond' regardless of what the Jedi Council said," I interrupted.

"Deny it if you will, but there is a connection between us," Bastila insisted. "I understand why you would find this disturbing. I have my own reservations about it, to be honest."

She shifted in her seat and took a deep breath.

"I saw your service records when you were transferred aboard the Endar Spire, but nothing beyond that. I know very little about you. I'd like to ask you some questions, given our relationship."

"Why the hell not?" I giggled.

"Don't worry, these are simple questions," Bastila reassured. "Nothing too intrusive. First what kind of background do you have?"

"I was a smuggler," I replied. "I figured you were aware of that, what with threatening to sic Echani mercs on me and all."

"Good." She nodded. "On which planet were you born?"

"Deralia. Why?"

"Excellent," Bastila murmured. "Your current age is?"

I groaned. "3,012. Healthy living, you know? Bastila, you already know this. It was on my service record."

"I see you intend to be childish about this," Bastila snipped. "Why is it so difficult to have simple discussions with you? This bond of ours is important."

"This bond talk is bantha crap," I moaned. "Just stop it."

"I have never been more serious than when I talk about our bond," Bastila replied. "Do you think I like being bonded to you? Your being drunk affects me too."

"I see what this is about," I growled. "You just can't stand sensing me drunk. Well, babe, if you think that's bad you should feel what it's like when I'm sober."

"Do you honestly think that I lack the power and discipline to cut you off from myself if I need to?" Bastila snapped. There, the flames behind her eyes were erupting. "The fact of the matter is I can cut you off and leave you a worthless wreck or continue to let you leech off of my life force and leave us both slightly incapacitated. Do you think either solution is wise?"

"I don't care."

"Oh, you don't, do you?" Bastila sniffed.

All I remembered was seeing her nose twitch in agitation. I barely had time to thrust my head over the side of the bunk before I was vomiting. Aside from the edge of the bunk where my hands were feverishly latched onto, the room was spinning wildly.

After I began dry-heaving, my original strength was slowly filtered back. I used the sleeve of my Jedi robe to wipe my mouth and I rolled onto my back.

Bastila's face had softened. "Now, do you understand the danger of the situation you've put us in?" she asked.

I snorted and crossed my arms.

"You talk to Carth, but refuse to talk to me," Bastila said. "Why? You and I share the same nightmares. Shouldn't it be easier to discuss things with me?"

"I don't discuss things with Carth," I mumbled.

"Rian—"

"No," I interrupted. "I just don't feel comfortable talking about things, especially to someone who'll make me throw up on a whim."

I caught the brief expression of a kicked gizka before she frosted over again.

"I see," Bastila said. "At any rate, there a few matters we still need to discuss."

"Can it wait?"

"No," Bastila replied. "I've talked to the Masters a great deal about this and we're afraid that the others like Zaalbar or Carth may compromise our mission."

"So you want me to ditch my crew?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I never said to abandon them," Bastila said. "But this is a dangerous mission, one best left to Jedi. We could house them somewhere safe, like the Jedi enclave until we're done."

"You really think that's a good idea?" I asked.

"Mission is a young girl," Bastila argued. "Planet-hopping with us, she could catch a stray blaster bolt or lightsaber strike. If we leave her with the Masters here on Dantooine, she might be a Jedi herself by the time we return."

I shook my head. "You don't get it. Mission goes with Zaalbar. Zaalbar goes with me. I couldn't talk my way out of it. There's no way you'll be successful."

"Putting those two aside for the moment," Bastila continued. "There's still Carth Onasi and the Mandalorian. Do we really need either?"

"If Carth wants to come with us, I'll let him." I shrugged.

"I figured you'd say that," Bastila muttered. "What about the Mandalorian. It doesn't even look like anyone else gets along with him."

"I don't even see what your big problem is," I said.

"We're trying to be as inconspicuous as possible," Bastila hissed.

"So two Jedi on a smuggling ship is inconspicuous?" I asked.

"It won't be just you and me," Bastila replied.

"Don't tell me Vrook is coming to babysit." I groaned.

"No." Bastila shook her head. "The Council has decided to let Juhani accompany us."

"Juhani?"

Bastila nodded.

"You mean crazy cat lady that tried to kill me Juhani?" I asked.

"Juhani has redeemed herself," Bastila insisted. "Please don't make this any more difficult than it already is."

"And how would I do that?" I asked.

"By insisting that the Mandalorian accompanies us," Bastila answered. "Mandalorians did destroy the Cathar home world."

I snorted. "Well, if Juhani's a real Jedi she should know there is no emotion; there is peace."

"I don't even know why I bother," Bastila retorted. "You can stay in here sulking like a spoiled child for whatever reason you choose, but I am not going to put up with it. You might want to clean the vomit off the floor."

"If you don't want Canderous in this crew, you tell him." I sat upright and hollered, "I'm not going to do your dirty work. You tell him that you think three Jedi running a smuggling ship will look believable and you think he should leave because you feel uncomfortable around him!"

"I never said I felt uncomfortable around him," Bastila exclaimed. "This is a delicate mission and I won't allow people with conflicting morality and ideals to ruin it."

"Then why am I still here?" I demanded.

"I don't want you to leave that room until you're sober," Bastila declared. "And for Force sake, clean the floor."

Bastila stormed out of the crew's quarters, the door shutting behind her. I giggled as I dropped my bottle. Stupid Carth, this was all his fault. Who did he think he was, needling me for information, then not telling me anything in return?

Stupid Carth. Stupid nightmares. Stupid Masters and their stupid Council making me do stupid things. Stupid Malak and stupid T3-M4 just because. Soft pillow.

I was cranky. Bastila had just made things worse. I yanked my boots off and tossed them onto to Bastila's bunk before I curled into a ball. Things would have to get better after I took a nap.