Disclaimer: Yada yada yada blah blah blah Don't own KotOR or Revan or Carth or…anything really.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sand swirled around me as the sandstorm raged outside the cave. It took all my willpower not to scratch my various gritty crevices even with Malak standing right next to me. Oh, I hated Tatooine. I decided that when I had conquered the galaxy, I would send enemies of state to spend a couple of decades here. I smiled just thinking about grumpy old men previously important in the Republic slaving under the suns and trying to get the sand out of their underclothes. But alas, I had not come here to fantasize. I stepped forward and activated the Star Map, memorizing it, cursing quietly as I realized I was still missing two or three coordinates. And there was that mental touch again!

I turned to my lamentably dim apprentice. "Malak, has anyone been following us?"

Malak looked around. "I don't see anyone, Master," he said.

"Or sense them? Do you sense them?"

Malak shook his head, and a calculating look came into his eyes. I could just see him thinking that I was cracking up, that this was the time to make his challenge. I smiled drolly.

"Oh, just try it," I murmured, my hand twitching towards my lightsaber. "Please, anytime."

Malak's eyes widened, and he took a step back. I sighed, disappointed. I chuckled. "You always did lack gumption, Alak," I said wearily, turning away. "Come. Let's go."

CARTH POV

Carth woke up early the day he'd scheduled the ship to land on Tatooine. He swung by the living area to grab breakfast before he brought the Hawk out of hyperspace and landed.

Mission was there at the table, staring at her hands. Carth took a double take, and slowed. She wasn't playing Pazaak with anyone. She wasn't watching holovids with Teethree. She wasn't off practicing her aim with Canderous or her melee fighting with Aithne, Jolee, and Juhani. She wasn't even reading the half-library she'd wheedled off Master Dorak the last time they'd all been on Dantooine. Mission was sitting by herself, looking blank and forlorn.

Carth took his tray and sat across from her. "Mission? Is something wrong?"

She looked up, and her eyes were dead. "I'm fifteen today," she said flatly. "Griff told me that this was my birthday, anyway. Last year, the Beks made a cake and gave me my vibroblade…"

Carth understood immediately. It was like his own first birthday after Telos. Mission knew that she was supposed to be happy, but all she could think of was her last birthday, and all that she had lost since.

Carth dropped his fork. "Well." He managed. "I would say 'Happy Birthday', but that about kills it, doesn't it?"

"Just about," Mission agreed with a self-mocking smile.

The bitter expression didn't fit on Mission's normally cheerful face, and Carth frowned. He'd have to do something about that. "You know what?" he said, standing and taking his still full breakfast tray. There were more important things to do than eat breakfast now. "No." He shook his finger at Mission thoughtfully. "No."

AITHNE POV

"Prepare for landing on Tatooine," came Carth's voice over the com. "Aithne Morrigan, report to the cockpit."

Aithne seriously considered not going. She'd had another one of those annoying Revan Star Map dreams, and they always put her in a foul temper. But in the end she stomped up to the cockpit anyway.

She stood next to Carth's chair and braced herself as the ship jolted out of hyperspace. "I was meditating, Carth," she informed him, readjusting herself and crossing her arms. "What is it?"

Carth glanced up at her and grinned. "You're not scaring me, gorgeous," he told her. "However irritated you are, that scowl is just cute." Aithne opened her mouth to retort, but Carth stopped her. "It's Mission's birthday," he said.

Aithne's mouth shut abruptly, and she relaxed. "Oh," she said.

"We have to do something," Carth said, bringing the Hawk into orbit around Tatooine.

"Obviously," Aithne said, rolling her eyes. "Hmmm. Ok. You keep her here when we land. I'll go with Zaalbar and Bastila and pick up a few things for her in Anchorhead. Meet us with the others in the cantina at seven. This deserves a party. It's not every day a girl turns fifteen."

"She's kind of upset about Taris," Carth warned.

"Of course she is," Aithne said. "That's all the more reason to celebrate. Today of all days, Mission needs to know we love and appreciate her." She gave Carth an appreciative glance. "Thanks for letting me know."

Carth took one hand off the controls for a moment and handed Aithne a few credits. "Hey, get her something from me, will you?"

Aithne pocketed the money. "I will," she promised. "And it's really sweet of you to think of it."

"Hey, I love the kid, too," Carth said. Aithne closed her eyes a moment, shrugging her metaphorical shoulders, then she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"I had another Revan-dream last night," she told him.

"Another vision, you mean?" said Bastila, walking in as Carth keyed in a message to Tatooine requesting landing. "I got it as well."

Aithne laughed mirthlessly. "Sure you did. She wanted to kill you, and after she couldn't find you, she almost killed Malak." Aithne looked up at Bastila, and figured she'd said something wrong.

Bastila had gone chalk white, and her eyes were round. "You guessed this from Revan's words to Malak?" she asked shakily.

Aithne shifted. "Well, if I were Revan," Bastila flinched, Aithne continued cautiously, "I'd want to kill an eavesdropper, too. What I don't get is why Revan sensed…us…and Malak didn't."

Bastila looked at Aithne closely. "Revan was always stronger in the Force. This would carry over into our visions, it seems. One or the other of us must have an extraordinarily active imagination. But you aren't telling me everything."

"Neither are you," Carth and Aithne said at the same time. It would have been funny, if it hadn't been so serious.

"Yes, well," Bastila said, clearly uncomfortable. "The Council…"

Aithne was out of patience with all the evasions. "I don't care if the Council told you not to tell me anything other than 'Good day' and 'The Dark Side will destroy you', Bastila. You're my friend, right?"

Bastila looked up at Aithne miserably. "Aithne, you know I am," she said. "And…I do think soon I'll have to tell you everything. But not yet. No matter what my personal feelings are, the mission must come first."

"So this…whatever you have to tell Aithne, It might jeopardize the mission?" Carth asked quickly.

Bastila closed her eyes. "Please don't ask me any more now," she begged quietly. "I promise, I'll tell both of you everything. Soon. But today's not the day. I can feel that it isn't."

"Ok," Aithne said, relenting. "But Bastila, you will tell me. You'll tell both of us."

"Very well," said Bastila, recovering her composure. "I think…I think I'll be able to tell you when we land on Manaan. Carth, do you need any help in landing?"

Carth held up a finger, speaking rapidly into a headset. Then he looked over at Bastila. "We've been cleared. Actually, Bastila, I've got this one. Aithne needs to talk to you and Zaalbar about Mission."

"Mission?" Bastila inquired. Aithne held onto Carth's chair and Bastila held onto the copilot's chair as Carth brought the Hawk into a dive.

"It's her birthday," Aithne explained.

Bastila's confusion cleared. "Oh, of course. We are preparing festivities for her?"

"Yeah, but don't ever call them 'festivities' again," Aithne said, wincing. "I want you and Zaalbar to help me pick up a few presents. Maybe we'll get a cake. We'll come back and get Mission afterwards."

"Very good. I'm honored you asked me to help," Bastila said. "Quite frankly, it will be wonderful to get off the ship for a bit."

Carth leveled the Hawk out as a port amidst a sea of sand came into view. The two Jedi women adjusted their stance to absorb the landing.

"Anchorhead," he observed.

"It's so small," Aithne said.

"Well, who do you know that wants to live on the Outer Rim in a desert?" Bastila demanded. "The city's main inhabitants are Czerka miners and a few merchants that bargain with the native Jawa."

"Ugh," Aithne expressed her disgust. "Czerka. Oh, I do hope we can cause some trouble for them."

"You," announced Bastila, "are incorrigible." But a smile played at the corner of her mouth, and Carth was grinning.

Carth brought the Ebon Hawk to rest feather-lightly in the docking bay.

"Beautiful landing as usual," Aithne complimented him, and she and Bastila swept out of the cockpit.

She found Mission and Zaalbar in the living area. Zaalbar seemed to be doing most of the talking, which reinforced Carth's statement that Mission was not completely happy. But as soon as Aithne walked up, Mission stood.

"Aithne, can we look for Griff now?" she asked quietly.

"Mission, you know the drill when we land on a new planet," Aithne told her. "Tomorrow we can, but today I've got to scout things out."

Mission nodded simply. Aithne beckoned to Zaalbar. /Big Z, I'm gonna need your help this morning,/ she told him.

Zaalbar looked at her quizzically. Aithne let her eyes flicker meaningfully to the sad Twi'lek at the table. Zaalbar nodded silently, and went to grab his gear.

In five minutes, Aithne, Bastila, and Zaalbar were headed out the door. On her way there, she saw Canderous suited up, polishing the swoop bike.

"Going somewhere, Ordo?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yeah," he grunted. "There's a swoop track on this planet. Figured I'd take your advice and try my luck."

Aithne smiled at him. "Good luck," she said. "Don't get yourself blown up or gutted."

Canderous snorted. "They can't handle this," he boasted.

"Of course not," Aithne agreed. "Farewell."

The spaceport was disorganized and noisy, far different than all the ones Aithne had previously visited. A slimy Czerka officer tried to get her to pay a fee, but she quickly persuaded him not to try.

Unfortunately, not all of the disorganized inhabitants of the hangar were so easy to persuade. Aithne had not been a scheduled landing, and there was a shipment waiting for whoever was supposed to have arrived. A Rodian approached her with a datapad as two men went past her to the Hawk with a box. He forced her to give her thumbprint, and casually mentioned that there might have been a hole in the shipment of gizka.

Aithne suddenly felt like punching something. "Excuse me?" she asked. "Gizka? No, you have to take those back."

/Sorry lady,/ the Rodian said. /They're your problem now./

Aithne cupped her head in her hands. Gizka were small bipedal amphibious creatures. Domestic. Cute. Rather sweet, actually. But they were nefarious throughout the galaxy for their ungodly reproductive rate. And if they were loose…

Aithne turned to threaten the life of the Rodian, unless he took those gizka away, but he was gone. Aithne kicked a nearby crate.

"Oh dear," said Bastila.

"Is that the best you can do?" complained Aithne. "We have gizka loose on our ship, and you say 'Oh, dear'? I don't usually approve of vulgarity, but now might be a good time for some choice profanities, Bastila." She shook her head in pity and frustration. "I'll be on the lookout for some way to dispose of the pests."

Aithne tried to laugh off the gizka shopping with Bastila and Zaalbar, but truth be told, the inconvenience had spoiled her mood. Still, she was able to get Mission a very nice outfit, modest and pretty, in a local store. She picked up a fairly pricey blaster for Carth's gift, to go with the one she'd given Mission way back on Taris. Bastila and Zaalbar picked up their own small gifts for the girl, and by mid-afternoon everyone's purses were considerably lighter.

Aithne had Zaalbar take the gifts to the cantina and reserve a table for that night, while she and Bastila continued to scout out Anchorhead.

They determined that the only way to leave the settlement, and seek the Star Map, without actually becoming a Czerka miner was to obtain a hunting license from them. They also heard that due to increased numbers of Sand People attacks, Czerka had been giving out fewer licenses.

All in all, it was a frustrating catalogue of information, and left Aithne feeling more than slightly depressed. So as she and Bastila sat in the shade and sipped iced drinks, hoping to relieve a little of the draining Tatooine heat, she tried to get Bastila to talk.

"Bastila? How are you doing?"

Bastila shifted uneasily in her seat. "Not well, I'm afraid," she answered. "I think…I think I may have made a terrible mistake coming on this mission."

Aithne related this to the Jedi girl's comments that morning and a few days ago. She swirled her straw around in her glass thoughtfully. "You were sent along to handle me on this mission, providing me with only the information the Council had pre-approved, but now you're finding out that I won't be handled. You've found you actually like me as a person, and that moreover you have your own issues with the Force and the Jedi Code, and now you're all hot and bothered about it," she summed up flatly, not looking at Bastila.

Bastila gave a weak smile. "More or less," she replied. "Part of my purpose on this mission was to guide you in the way of the Light; to help you avoid the temptations of the Dark Side." Her mouth quirked. "I fear I've failed in that task. Hmph. I very much doubt you'd let any Jedi guide you; not really, and I'm certainly not up for the task."

Aithne frowned. She didn't like hearing humble Bastila. Humility and defeat didn't suit her friend. "Why do you say that?" she asked, and then, playing her part, added, "not that I'm not enjoying hearing it."

Bastila smiled, catching her worry. "The fact of the matter is that I have never possessed much skill in controlling myself, either," she said. "Like you, I have a temper. Like you, I'm just a bit arrogant."

"Are you comparing the two of us?" Aithne demanded.

Bastila looked straight at Aithne, icy blue eyes piercing through her complacency. "Yes. And with the bond that joins us, it seems I'm having even less success in my attempts to control myself. As much as you've wavered at times, you've maintained the Light Path. But in spite of my influence, not because of it."

Aithne crossed her arms, waiting for Bastila to get to the point. "So?"

Bastila sighed, slumping in her seat. "I don't know. I think I may have made a very big mistake. I simply hope you and I don't both pay for the fact I can't help you enough."

Aithne had heard enough. She nudged Bastila, putting on a silly expression. "Hey Bastila," she whispered. "You know what else we have in common? Both of us are completely lost and have no idea what we're doing." She grabbed Bastila's hand across the table and squeezed it. "So maybe we can finally start acting like equals, work together, and help one another."

Bastila looked very oddly at Aithne for a moment. Then, hesitantly, she reached out her arms. Aithne studied her for a moment before she realized what the girl wanted. Then she laughed. Reaching over the table she gave the younger Jedi a hug, holding her tightly for a moment. "Hey, you're not alone here, Bas," she said, withdrawing.

"Thank you," Bastila said stiffly. "You've been…much kinder than I deserve. I can see that, however strange it may seem, there is wisdom in your words. Perhaps…perhaps you can help me. I will try to help you, if I can." Looking past Aithne, though, she broke off suddenly. "Isn't that Canderous?"

Looking over where Bastila indicated, Aithne saw Canderous emerging from the swoop racers' hangout, looking pleased with himself as he led his precious bike away, stuffing a few credits into his pack. Aithne hailed him and crossed over. He acknowledged her with a wave, but his amiable expression quickly turned to one of shock as another man came over, following Aithne.

Canderous didn't often look shocked. Aithne turned to look at the man who'd manage to produce that expression. He was Mandalorian, too, she noticed, both younger and more rash-looking than her grizzled companion.

The newcomer thrust his chin out at Canderous and glared. Canderous blinked.

"So, we meet again Canderous," the newcomer growled dramatically. "It has been quite a long time."

"Jagi?" was Canderous' only response. Aithne saw joy, surprise, and fear fighting for domination in his aura.

"Canderous," she hazarded, slightly worried now. "Who is this guy?"

"Obviously, his name is Jagi," Bastila sniffed. Aithne rolled her eyes. Canderous didn't look at either of them, but he answered Aithne.

"He…he was a warrior under my command up to the battle of Althir. But I thought…"

Aithne remembered that the battle of Althir was battle in which Canderous had disobeyed his orders to further the ultimate goal in the heat of the moment. She reevaluated this Jagi, who was interrupting Canderous at the moment with an angry snort.

"You thought I was dead, didn't you? You thought all of us that you had sent on that attack had perished! You sent us to die in a foolish attack while you directed your forces elsewhere! You broke from the battle plan and let us die for it so that you could have the 'honor' of being the first to the enemy commander!" His intonation made 'honor' into a curse.

Aithne tensed, ready for a fight if need be. "What's he talking about, Canderous?" she asked in a low voice.

Canderous looked at Aithne, then down at the ground, and back at Jagi, more uncomfortable than Aithne had ever seen him before. "I…I did what was prudent at the time," he said finally. "If I had not done it, the battle would have…"

Jagi cut him off. "The battle would have been won anyway!" he insisted. "I am tired of your excuses, Canderous."

"Funny," Aithne said lightly. "He hadn't even started making them."

Jagi rounded on her furiously. "Silence, woman!" Aithne flushed with rage, but Canderous held up a hand, and she restrained herself. Jagi turned back to Canderous. "I have spent years tracking you down since the clans were banished," he informed the older Mandalorian smugly. "I will not rest until I have had my vengeance."

Aithne stepped forward, trying to reason with him. "Look. Do you really want to fight him and me? The others of our party may speak for themselves, but if you fight Canderous, you fight me as well."

"I'm not afraid of you," Jagi declared contemptuously. "If you choose, you can die by his side as well."

Aithne gritted her teeth. This Mandalorian kid was rapidly becoming one of her least favorite people. He puffed his chest out and glared at Canderous. "I challenge you, Canderous," he said. "I challenge you to fight the fight you fled that day above Althir. Come out to the dune seas. I will be waiting for you. I've spread the news of this challenge since I learned you had landed on this world. All the surviving Mandalorian clans know of what I do here, and that we shall meet in the desert to settle this debt of vengeance once and for all. If you fail to meet me there you shall be stripped of all honor and forever cast out of our society. It will be you and me alone in the dune seas: a final battle that can only end in death. I shall be waiting for you, Canderous."

And without waiting for a response, Jagi spun on his heel and walked away, presumably to go polish his weapons.

Aithne bit her lip, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and turned to Canderous. "I presume you want to go racing out there right away?" she asked him quietly.

Canderous nodded. "I've been given a challenge I can't ignore," he confirmed, "but Jagi's not likely to be out on the seas until tomorrow afternoon at least."

"Must you Mandalorians be such drama queens?" Aithne sighed.

Canderous gave her a sharp look, then chuckled grimly. "You know, if it were anyone but you, I'd have half a mind to challenge you to a duel for that," he said.

Aithne laughed. Bastila glared at them both. "Really, Aithne, Canderous, are you certain this is a wise path?"

Aithne blinked at her. "It doesn't really matter if it is or not," she said. "I can't really stop him from going, not with his honor at stake, and neither can I let him fight alone."

"This is between me and Jagi," Canderous protested. "You don't have to get involved. Better if you don't."

"I am involved, Ordo," Aithne shot back, crossing her arms. "You're my friend, idiot."

Bastila sighed, resigned. "I will not argue with that logic," she said.

Canderous looked hard at Aithne, then gave a ghost of a smile.

"So," Aithne said, turning the party back towards the Ebon Hawk, "You did pretty well in the swoop races, Canderous?"

Canderous grinned predatorily. "I'll say," he agreed. "I'll have Princess here sort out the winnings when we get back to the ship."

Aithne smiled at him, while Bastila scowled at the nickname. Canderous was becoming more and more of a team player as the Ebon Hawk journeyed on.

"There's a party for Mish tonight," she informed him as they turned through the red stone lanes. "It's her birthday."

Canderous looked thoughtful. "How old is the kid again?" he asked.

"She is fifteen today," Bastila replied. "And I would not advise you to let her hear you calling her a child."

Canderous chuckled roughly. "Wouldn't dream of it." He looked off into the distance. "I was fifteen when I dropped down on that Basilisk," he recollected. He turned to Aithne. "I'll be there," he said.

From him, it meant a lot. Aithne smiled again. "Thank you," she said simply. "Mission will appreciate it."

Aithne checked her chrono as they entered the hangar. "We've got just enough time to freshen up before we'll need to head out," she said.

Aithne found Mission sitting alone in the women's dormitory after she'd showered and dressed. Mission looked out the window from her top bunk, though the glass was so thick that there was nothing to see.

"Happy Birthday, Mission," Aithne said, swinging up next to her.

"Carth told you," Mission said, not looking at her. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, he did," Aithne said.

"Did he tell you I'm not really feeling happy?" Mission asked. It was an invitation to leave. Aithne didn't accept.

"Well I am, Mission," said Aithne firmly, grabbing the thin shoulder of the teenager. Mission looked at her, and Aithne continued. "You listen to me. I'm very happy that you're here and not burnt to a crisp on Taris. I'm very happy that you're fifteen today, with the rest of what will undoubtedly be an extraordinary life ahead of you. I'm happy that you're here with me, and Big Z, and Carth, and T3, and Bastila, and Jolee, and Juhani and Canderous. And Mission?"

The girl looked at her, grey eyes measuring her with all the wariness she'd gotten on the streets of Taris, and all the loneliness she'd accumulated through years of no one caring. "Yeah?"

"They're happy, too. I don't need to tell you that Zaalbar cares about you. I hope I don't need to tell you that I do. But I think you need to know that all of us do. You're one of us, Mission. You're important to the mission, yeah. But we care about you as a person, too. And all of us are looking forward to watching you grow up."

"You aren't gonna leave?" Mission asked, trying to sound like she didn't care, and failing miserably.

Aithne sighed. She didn't want to lie to the kid. "They might," she said reluctantly. "Once the mission's over. But they'll still love you. And Mission? I won't. I'll take care of you, one way or another."

Mission studied her face for a few seconds, biting her lower lip. Then closing her eyes, she hugged Aithne for all she was worth. Aithne held her, letting the girl know that for probably the first time in far too long, she wasn't alone. She laughed a little. It seemed to be a common theme for today.

Mission laughed too, a little wetly. When she pulled away, her eyes were suspiciously shiny, but her smile was where it belonged on her face. Aithne smiled back at her, then grabbed the girl's hand.

"Now, c'mon! If we don't go now we'll be late for that party the entire crew's been planning all day!"

Mission blinked, shocked. Then slowly, she grinned. " 'Aithne Morrigan, report to the cockpit'?" she quoted. "That geezer!" She shook her head. "Let's go."

Zaalbar really had outdone himself, Aithne thought as she entered the cantina. Lights hung from the ceiling like stars in their darkly paneled reserved room, and a small pile of brightly wrapped gifts sat on the end of a long, white tablecloth. Mission's eyes lit up as she saw the cake Big Z had picked out for her.

"Zaalbar, I don't…oh, Aithne, Carth," she stammered, looking around the room wildly, not sure what to do first or who to thank.

Carth grinned at her. "What, is Mission Vao speechless? Bastila, this almost tops you without a lecture."

Bastila sniffed. "Why is it that when someone changes their behavior for one nanosecond you two go on and on about it? Mission has every right to be wordless if she so chooses."

" 'Course she does," Jolee put in. "Carth's just commenting on the fact that babbling is as much the kid's nature as lecturing is yours or Aithne's is being annoying."

Mission turned purple. "I'm…"

"Not a kid," everyone quoted back at her. She blushed.

/Sit down already,/ Zaalbar complained. /I've been sitting here staring at the cake for hours, and I'm hungry!/

Mission laughed. "Sorry, Big Z. Let's get you fed."

Everyone talked merrily as they ate nerf burgers and cake and other wonderfully greasy, unhealthy foods they'd undoubtedly all regret the next day. Mission thanked everyone rapturously for her gifts, and went off in the corner with Canderous to compare the strengths and weaknesses of her new blaster. Juhani had a bit too much to drink and ended up dancing with Teethree, much to the amusement of the group. Jolee told an enthralled Zaalbar tales of his exploits.

Bastila sat back in the darkening room next to Aithne, who leant up against Carth on her other side.

"I wish it could be like this more often," Aithne said wistfully to the two of them. "Just all of us, together, with no galaxy to save."

"But how boring would that be?" Carth asked her teasingly, brushing a stray chestnut curl out of her eyes.

"Boring?" Aithne asked him, pointing over to where Mission, Juhani, and Jolee had just started a singing contest. She laughed. "We could never be boring."

"I understand what you mean," Bastila said, surprisingly sad sounding. Her eyes were fixed hungrily on the group, and Aithne could see her longing to join the revelers warring with her years and years of Jedi restraint.

"Bastila?" she said to her Jedi friend. "Go join them. Go live." She looked up at Carth and gestured around the room. "I am."

Bastila looked at her, then softly, hesitantly, smiled.

"Hey, Bastila," Mission called. "Betcha can't out sing Juhani!"

Bastila rose haughtily. "Oh, can't I?" she asked, walking over to the others. She seemed lighter with each step she took.

Carth turned his head to look at her, his expression unfathomable. "That was a good thing you did," he told her.

She sniffed. "I do manage to do well sometimes," she said, in a remarkable Bastila impression. Carth laughed, and pulled her closer to his side.

"Aithne, what is this?" he asked. Aithne looked at him, and the air was suddenly charged. She knew what he meant. What are we, he wants to know.

She grimaced at him. "I'm supposed to ask that question," she said. "Don't go infringing on my territory, Onasi."

Carth looked at her. "Aithne, answer the question."

Aithne pulled away from him. "I don't know," she said finally. She looked back at him. "I think I've finally decided that, stupid as it is, I don't want to bother trying to stay away from you anymore. Saul Karath or no Saul Karath, whether you ever get over your wife or not, I'll take what I can. Every day as long as you're around."

Carth considered this. He looked oddly disappointed. "And when I'm not?" he asked.

Aithne's heart turned over in her chest and a lump came into her throat, but she stared straight at him. "I'll deal," she said shortly.

Carth's eyes bored into hers, trying to read into all that she wasn't saying. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek, and Aithne closed her eyes, trying not to think of how it was going to feel when he inevitably left. Mission was belting out some terrible drinking song, Jolee was harmonizing in a very off-key rusty voice, and Juhani and Bastila were howling with laughter, but the merriment seemed somewhat incongruous just now.

"Beautiful?" Carth said, and Aithne opened her eyes. "Tonight I'm here."

Tonight I'm with you, he meant. Aithne smiled slowly. She grabbed his hand from where it still rested on her cheek and pulled him to his feet.

"You are here," she repeated. "Let's go join the others." And they danced, and they laughed, and just for one evening, the crew of the Ebon Hawk pretended things were alright.

It was nearing midnight when they finished taking down the decorations and began heading back towards the Hawk. Mission strode up in front with Zaalbar and Canderous. Jolee supported Juhani. The Cathar was going to have a terrible headache in the morning. Aithne sympathized, of course, but she found she was anticipating the Jedi Knight's embarrassment when she recalled her silliness this evening a little too much. Carth walked with Teethree just ahead of her and Bastila. The poor droid had done a bit too much dancing, and he claimed his circuits were still dizzy. At least that's what Mission said he was saying. Aithne really needed to get around to learning Astromech.

As they passed the late-nighters in the cantina, Bastila stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened. Aithne halted, wondering what in the galaxy could make the Princess gawk like that. She followed Bastila's gaze.

Her eyes came to rest on a woman, sitting on a dingy chair at a table in the corner at a cantina at midnight as if it were a throne in a palace at three in the afternoon. She was stocky, with light brown hair liberally streaked with gray, and a worn tunic. But the haughty expression on her pale face looked oddly familiar, and Aithne was less surprised than one might have thought when Bastila said breathlessly,

"Mother?"

A/N: I actually think that the Carth POV up there is the last NPC POV I have until Chapter Thirty-Two. Anyway, I thought the crew of the Ebon Hawk could use a break to just be friends. So I gave them one. And then I had to throw in more drama. What's wrong with me?

Leave a review if you're enjoying the story. Or if you have a problem with the story and want me to fix it. Either way, I could use the feedback.

May the Force Be With You,

LMSharp