Zaalbar:

The meal laid before the crew actually appeared edible. Strange. The new Jedi, the Cathar, attributed it to Bastila, while the pale skinned woman credited the Cathar. The production was stiff, but it was civil.

The conversation during dinner was sparse. The Mandalorian said nothing, only shoveled the food into his mouth quickly. Rian was ashen faced and stared vacantly at her plate. Carth and the two remaining Jedi partook in forced banter that seemed to be a ritual of appearances. I suppose I will never fully understand.

I was relieved to see that a fellow alien had joined our crew. The Cathar were another slave species, Juhani would understand the plight of me and my cub.

Mission absently poked at her food.

"Hey, Big Z," she hissed. "What is this stuff?"

"/Dinner,/ " I answered. "/You should be grateful./"

"It's a recipe native to Talravin," Bastila said.

"It looks like puke," Mission whispered.

Rian shot the Twi'lek child a hideous glare.

"What?" Mission demanded.

"/You should try to be a little considerate to the others that travel with us,/" I said.

"Last time I checked, there weren't any Wookiee Jedi," Mission retorted. "You mind being a little less cryptic?"

"/Why don't you go play pazaak with the droid?/" I suggested.

"Because droids don't have credits," Mission replied. "What's the point in playing then?"

"/It can also be a form of entertainment./"

Mission rolled her eyes.

"/And it's an opportunity to hone your skill without losing money yourself,/" I offered.

"But if I lost to him I could just give him a memory wipe," Mission argued.

"/What's the point in that?/" I countered. "/He doesn't have any credits so you'll be playing Republic Senate rules./"

"But Teethree is smug enough as it is," Mission said. "If I lose to him, he won't let me forget it unless I do a memory wipe."

"/Think of it as a challenge,/" I replied. "/The astromech has advanced mathematical and logic based skills. If you can beat him, think of how many credits you can win at the next cantina we visit./"

"Alright, alright!" Mission exclaimed. "I'll go play with the droid."

She stuck her tongue out at me before mumbling something about not being a "kid" as she stormed off. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Rian propped her head up on a hand weakly. Not since we entered hyperdrive five standard days ago had the human female been seen without a drink in her hand. She smelled repulsive, I was certain that the Cathar Jedi had also picked up on this fact.

The other human female, Bastila, only appeared to be concerned with completing whatever task we had set out for. That fact angered me irrationally. Could she not sense Rian Vega's destructive nature, did the Jedi not take care of their own?

My life was indebted to the black haired woman and as a result I readily accepted both she and Carth Onasi into my honor family without question. But it seemed that Rian battled against an enemy that despite my pledge, I couldn't protect her against. It was infuriating, but I couldn't fathom how to protect her from herself or her habits.

So I waited patiently. Perhaps all someone had to do was confront her about her behavior, but I expected the result would be explosive. Besides, everyone has secrets they want to remain buried. I hadn't even found the courage to tell my own cub that my fellow Wookiees had branded me a Madclaw, so I understood only too well that a concerned smile wouldn't compel a person to say anything.

The Cathar Jedi stood and began collecting the dinner dishes silently. When she made her way to me, instead of collecting my plate she spooned another serving of food onto it. She gave me a knowing nod and I voiced my thanks.

"I would like to be left alone to meditate for a while," Bastila announced. "I'll be in the starboard quarters if anyone needs me."

The Jedi woman slipped out of the main hold and disappeared around a corner. The Mandalorian merely raised an eyebrow at the dispersing crew as he continued to eat. Rian's eyes were locked with Carth's. Humans are strange creatures.

The Mandalorian finally pushed his plate away and retreated towards the garage without saying a word. That left only me, Rian and Carth. I felt like I should have left as well, but their expressions unnerved me. From my experience with humans they were either going to kill each other, or mate.

They were part of my honor family so I had to see to it that they didn't try to end the other's life, but beyond that was up to them. I decided to pay close attention to Rian's behavior over Carth's because whereas I could get a clear indication of the male's agitation through smell, the female's scent was muddied with alcohol.

Rian was the first to speak.

"You've been very quiet lately, you know that?"

"Have I been quiet?" Carth murmured. "I suppose I have. You've been drinking a lot lately, you know that?"

"I suppose I have." Rian nodded.

"It makes your breath smell like trash," Carth noted.

"Like you're going to find out tonight, pal," Rian muttered.

"I just don't like being left out of the loop," Carth continued.

"I'm not the one leaving you out of the loop, Carth," Rian said.

"No?" Carth replied. "Well, you certainly aren't helping matters any and it's really starting to irritate me. For one thing, I want to know what the Jedi Council said to you. They pulled you in there and refused to tell me a thing about it."

"That is none of your concern, Carth and you would do well to leave the matter be."

I snapped my head to the doorway where Bastila lingered and snarled. She shot me an icy glare in return and I bared my teeth. That foolish woman was only going to make matters worse.

"I respect you, Bastila, but you've been as closemouthed as the rest of the Council," Carth said through gritted teeth. "If you won't talk to me, then maybe somebody else will."

He turned his attention back to Rian. I walked over to the doorway and stared Bastila down.

"/Meditate, Jedi,/" I suggested. "/I will ensure that things do not escalate here./"

"I have every right to be there," Bastila insisted. "More so than you do."

"/Meditate, Jedi,/" I repeated. "/Your presence will only be a burden that this conversation doesn't need./"

Bastila opened her mouth as if to argue, but closed it and nodded. Her look was cold, but her scent betrayed her.

"They thought it was more important that I help find the Star Maps than stay." Rian shrugged.

"And why is that?" Carth asked. "You were a great help on Taris, but why would they keep you with us? Don't they have to train you?"

"Are you saying that I'm not needed?" Rian's gaze drifted towards the table. "What are you doing skipping into the Jedi Order's business?"

"No, I don't…" Carth groaned. "I didn't mean that you weren't wanted or that I want to go! It's just…"

The words seemed to catch in the man's throat as he watched Rian, her brows furrowed as she concentrated on the stray dinner crumbs on the table.

"Damn it!" Carth exploded. "I'll tell you this much, I am not going to wait around until I'm betrayed again!"

Rian brought her head up and tore into him with her eyes.

"I am not going to betray you!" she screamed. "I am not Saul!"

Perhaps it's because their life spans are shorter than ours, but humans are excitable creatures. I only wished Rian had given me a warning of her outburst. It left my eardrums reeling.

"Yeah? Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?" Carth muttered as he stood up. "Look, I didn't mean it that way. I want to get Saul not—forget it. It seems all I can do is insult you, isn't it? Just forget I said anything."

He left in the direction of the cockpit. As soon as Carth was out of sight, Rian chucked a bottle in the direction in which he left. I walked over to Rian and hoisted the tiny woman into an arm.

"Let me go!" she hollered. "Bastard!"

"/You are not the age of the cubs in a nursery,/" I said. "/You should not act like them./"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rian demanded, kicking her legs wildly.

"/Grow up,/" I barked.

She continued to struggle until I tightened my grip around her ribs. I squeezed her until she squeaked. Defeated, Rian hung limply underneath my left arm as I carried her into the crew quarters.

In full lotus, Bastila opened one eye as we entered the room. The Jedi sighed and shut her eye again.

"I'm trying to focus," she said. "Could you please take her somewhere else?"

"/No,/" I rumbled. "/She needs you./"

I dropped Rian on the ground. The woman stumbled and threw a punch in my direction. I caught her fist in my hand.

"I don't need anyone!" Rian bellowed.

I turned to Bastila. "/And you need her./"

"I think you are mistaken," Bastila whispered.

"/Children!/" I roared. "/You dare call yourselves Jedi, when you bicker like this?/"

I lifted Rian by her arm and tossed her onto her bunk. She swore when she hit the mattress. I found Mission's footlocker and began to rifle through it. Stun cuffs. I always knew I could count on Mission. I slapped on band around Bastila's wrist and dragged her over to Rian.

"Oh, hell no!" Rian protested.

I closed the other band around Rian's wrist.

"Now wait a minute!" Rian exclaimed. "Get these things off me now! I'm holding you to your life-debt!"

"/The only reason I'm bothering with this is because of my life-debt,/" I growled. "/I only wish I had some jaar and forest honey/ "

"You can't do this!" Bastila stammered. "Release us!"

"/I will when we exit hyperdrive,/" I replied. "/Now silence yourselves./"

I shut the door on them and shattered the control console with my fist. Now they would learn to cooperate, or by the time T3-M4 fixed the door one would be dead.