Chapter 36: Shidar Zhol'skar
Thellus Asteroid, Dressel System
Aboard the Mandalorian vessel, in the kitchen, Shidar was filling a pitcher of water. Her fur swirled nervously. Just like a datapad in water, her internal monologue said reassuringly.
Shidar knew very little about droids. However, they were technology. Most technology breaks on contact with water, the clumsy Bothan reasoned, remembering all of the datapads she had accidentally broken in her life. Water… or caf, or Kothtri, or Adumari beer... How do beings living on planets keep any of their electronics? It rains.
If Pul comes home I'll tell him I broke the droid thinking he needed water, Shidar thought to herself. She walked across the living area towards the doorframe leading into the cockpit.
"That is far too much water to drink in one sitting," QP9X explained, having already turned to face the door. "You could stretch your stomach, perhaps even suffer a bladder burst."
The airlock door opened. Shtak. My last chance to stop this droid who is fooling everyone.
"Shidar?" Pul's voice echoed from the distance. "Riduur?"
Shidar's fur swirled nervously. With both of her hands, she waved the pitcher in QP9X's direction. Water spilled out of the open top, hurdling towards the droid. It splashed on the droid's chest, face, neck.
QP9X stood up, completely unaffected.
"I esh—"
—Before she could say sorry, the droid lunged at her, grabbing her hand, squeezing it.
Shidar yelped as she heard a crack. Her fur fell flat as she frantically kicked at the droid. "NOKIZ! ESH SORRY! GIN-STOP!"
The droid pushed her to the ground and began standing on her head. Shidar creamed in terror as the weight and pressure increased.
"Shidar?!" several voices yelled in alarm, running towards the bridge.
"LET GO OF HER!" Pul screamed, pointing his blaster at QP9X's head.
QP9X relented, letting go of Shidar's hand, withdrawing his heavy metal foot.
Shidar gasped and panted, tears in her eyes.
"She threw a pitcher of water at me," QP9X explained.
"What the hell QP?!" Taekidethay yelled.
"I esh sorry," Shidar growled as Baci and Pul helped her up, "thought QP was thirsty." She sniffed the air furiously, smelling something strange on all of the Mandalorians. A burnt smell.
"Thought he was thirsty?" Baci grunted. "Yep, you and Shidar are two peas in a pod Pul."
"Thirsty? I find that highly unlikely," QP9X droned. "Notice how all of you are now angry with me. I—"
"—Yeah?" Pul asked sarcastically. "STAY THE KRIFF AWAY FROM HER!"
"She is trying to divide us," QP9X warned as Pul and Baci helped Shidar walk from the cockpit.
"Is that why you hurt her?" Pul yelled back into the doorway. "She makes you jealous?!"
Divide their forces. Make them hate each other, Shidar scowled. Why didn't I think of that?
o-o-o
In the med bay, Shidar's fur remained flat as Pul put her hand into a cast. Pul's armour had dried blood on it.
"You look exhausted," Pul muttered as he tightened the cast. "We need to get you to bed."
"Yeah, I—I jus' am really tired," Shidar stammered.
"We are blasting out of here soon," Pul said reassuringly. "Once Ditmas finishes the last bit."
On the other side of the med bay, Baci was drilling a hole in something with a dental drill.
"Want any pain killers?" Pul asked.
"No," Shidar growled. She had a sinking suspicion that she would need her wits about her.
"Here Pul," Baci smirked, walking up to the two. She held a white thing dangling from a necklace.
"Uh… thanks," Pul muttered, taking it and putting it around his neck.
Shidar gulped when she saw it closer. It was a long sharp canine tooth.
"Congrats," Baci said, slapping his shoulder. "You're no longer a murder virgin."
o-o-o
"Riduur," Pul sighed once the bedroom door closed. "Ni linba rejorha'ir gar ranov'la. Ayn riduur ranov'la" [I need to tell you a secret. Partner secret.]
"Riduur ranov'la?" [Partner secret?] Shidar asked, lying down on the bed.
[Like… a secret between partners. That stays between us,] Pul whispered, lying down next to her. [Why is your hair so… weird?] he asked, rubbing her flat fur.
[It's… what's the secret?] Shidar asked lifting her head from the bed, ears perking up. [I won't tell.]
[I...] Pul croaked, he began crying.
Shidar's fur relaxed and began twirling unhappily. You killed us. You killed who knows how many Bothans. At least—
[—I couldn't kill Klaes Oc'skar,] he gasped, hugging Shidar close. [Kad Ha'rangir must be so angry.]
Shidar scowled. Her fur began standing on end once he mentioned Kad Ha'rangir. More twisted vile Mandalorian shtak. Suddenly losing her fear, she fought the urge to bite him.
[He was just so helpless,] Pul muttered. [I… I couldn't do it. I just took his tooth as evidence,] he gasped, holding up the terrifying tooth on the end of his necklace, [and pretended I killed him. I left him on the floor, alive. I don't deserve this! I don't deserve any new marks on my Beskar!]
Shidar blinked incredulously, regaining her mixed feelings. At least he didn't kill Klaes… Whoever that is. And he feels bad for Klaes. Maybe I can reach him. Maybe I can get out of this. "It's okay," Shidar growled in Basic. "I am sure Kad Ha'rangir will understand."
"No, he won't," Pul sniffled. "You wouldn't understand."
"All right, well… what about your other gods?" Shidar asked. Maybe Kad Ha'rangir's partners aren't as vile.
Pul opened his mouth to say something then stopped at a door knock.
"PUL!" Baci yelled, banging on the door a few more times.
Pul gasped. "Uh? What is it?"
"They have Ditmas!" Baci yelled. "The heretics grabbed him!"
"What's… what's the plan?" Pul asked, relief in his voice.
"Get ready," Baci ordered. "You and I are going to lead the assault on the Consulate."
o-o-o
Vasa Ro'val
Coruscant
Vasa's fur twirled stiffly as she dialled Titus Tarkin from her office. On her holoterminal were scenes of mayhem, death, and destruction from Thellus, as well as grim narration from a human reporter on site named Clahra Fair—before the feeds cut out. The news was now recycling old footage.
"I am a little bit busy right now Commander," Titus said dismissively.
"I daresay," Ro'val snarled. "You told me Ditmas Shar would only target Gavin Azi'skar, Thot Ni'mai, Olanir Krit'skar, and Klaes Oc'skar."
"Things happen. There—"
"—YOU KILLED OVER 10,000 BOTHANS!"
"I didn't do any of it, Commander," Titus said sternly. "This will never get back to us. The blame will end at Ditmas Shar. If other Bothans get in the way of Ditmas Shar, well, what is there that can be done?" he said with a shrug. "We are on track to stopping the Shadowfeeds. I don't understand why you are upset. You were fine with Ditmas Shar killing four Bothans. At what point did it become too many? Five? Six? A hundred? A thousand—"
—Ro'val terminated the call, furiously punching the off button on her desk holopad.
At some point in her calculations, sacrificing Gavin Azi'skar and Thot Ni'mai seemed worth it. They were both troublemakers anyways, political opposites always knocking heads until Thrask Industries found itself under Clan Askar's control. I never thought I'd wish I were dealing with Wilhuff again! Thousands dead. Thousands. If this comes back to me—her fur fell flat. KRIFF, we need... I need...
Frantically, she began dialling Colonel Tanisk Vra'lab. The holopad rang away. Get yourself under control! They don't know! Vasa's fur relaxed.
On her desk, Tanisk Vra'lab's holopresence materialised wearing a green uniform. His fur swirled with suspicion.
Get it under control. He is suspicious, but it is circumstantial.
"Director, are you aware that the DNA samples you ordered us—"
"—Colonel," Ro'val interrupted hastily. "We need to get the locations and dispositions of all of the Mandalorian ships to the Dressel system."
Tanisk looked taken aback. His ears perked up. "You have that information?"
"Yes, I do," Ro'val growled, transmitting him the docking port numbers for each KHGC terror cell.
"I am impressed, Director," Tanisk growled. His fur was relaxed, having completely forgotten all about his accusation. His holopresence leaned forward excitedly as he read a terminal readout.
Good. If I work hard enough against Titus Tarkin's terrorists maybe they'll overlook the failures of intelligence. Kriff the Tarkins. Kriff the whole lot of them.
