Chapter 4: The Mysterious Stranger
Ashla and Carth spent the rest of the week exploring the Upper City. Kelba Yurt filled them in on its criminal activity and the swoop gang war when they stopped for supplies or to sell equipment. Davik Kang is the local crime boss and a member of the Exchange, an interstellar crime syndicate, dealing in spice refinement, extortion, weapon trafficking, slave trading, and bounty hunting. The Exchange helped to keep the citizens of Lower City in fear, until the swoop gang war between the Hidden Beks and the Black Vulkars loosened its hold. The conflict started when the leader of the Hidden Beks, Gadon Thek, lost his eyesight during a swoop bike accident. Many assumed that the injured leader would step aside and appoint Brejik, Gadon Thek's adopted son, in his place. The war was sparked when Gadon refused to do so. Brejik, enraged over his step father's decision, left the gang and took over leadership of the Hidden Bek's rivals, The Black Vulkars. Brejik instigated a campaign using street fighting as a way to diminish the Bek's ranks, and even made several attempts on Gadon's life as well.
Getting into the Lower City was proving to be a bit of a conundrum. After locating the elevator to descend into the lower levels, their efforts were thwarted by the Sith patrol guard. The guard informed them, rather quickly, that without the proper authorization papers, they were not allowed entrance. It would seem that only the Sith patrols were allowed access to Lower City. That left them in a bit of a quandary: how to get their hands on a set of those papers or a disguise good enough to fool the guards.
Upper City Cantina
Ashla meandered through the crowded cantina trying to make it back to the table she shared with Carth. She watched as his fingers drummed against the pint of ale while he looked out over the throng of people, scanning the crowd. As his eyes met hers, he smiled, transforming his handsome face. Ashla felt her heart beat faster as he raised the glass to his lips, his eyes never moving from hers. She felt heat rise in her face as she smiled in return.
"Hey!" A man yelled in her ear as she felt a hand grab the top part of her arm, stopping her. The smile froze on her lips as she looked from Carth to the hand gripping her arm.
"Release me. Now." Ashla growled, glaring at the man. She glanced back at Carth, who was rising to stand. Shaking her head, she raised her free hand motioning for him to wait. She turned her eyes back to the man, scowling. He was close enough that she could smell the Tarisian ale on his breath.
"Awhh, hey now, I meant no disrespect." He said, his words slurring together, as he removed his hand. "Just wanted to talk to you."
Ashla stared at him with dark piercing eyes. "Touch me again, and you'll lose that hand. Got it?"
The man backed up, holding his hands up in front of him. He drifted back into the crowd away from her. Ashla shook her head in disgust.
"You okay, ma'am?" Said the tall man who stood on the other side of her.
Ashla crossed her arms over her chest. She glanced back over at Carth, who sat drinking his ale, watching the encounter. "Uhh, yes, thank you."
"I've seen you in here the last few nights. Uh… My name is Yun Genda." The man gave her a shaky smile.
"It's nice to meet you. I really should be going…" Ashla tried to move past Yun.
"Oh. Yeah. Sure. Uh, I didn't catch your name," Yun replied, sounding deflated.
I didn't give it, sleemo. Ashla suppressed the words before replying, "It's Jyn. See ya around." She hurried past, heading back to the table.
"Urgh. I could use one of those." Ashla said, motioning to the ale, as she sat down next to him.
"Already on it." Carth pointed out the server who was headed their way with another pint of ale. The server weaved her way over to the table, placing it in front of Ashla.
"Careful. This Tarisian ale really packs a punch." Carth said, as she took a drink.
Her eyes widened as the potent ale seared its way down her throat. The beverage was deep amber in color, cloyingly sweet, slightly bitter, and extremely strong. "Whew! And I thought Trandoshan ale was strong!" Ashla said, gasping."This is far worse! Stars! How can you drink this stuff?"
Carth laughed. Shrugging, he said, "Just used to it, I guess. We drank a lot of this back in the War."
Ashla took another cautious sip. "So, could I ask you a question?"
"I'm all ears, beautiful." Carth said with a dashing grin.
Her breath caught in her throat, as her heart beat faster. "Well, I like the sound of that." Ashla flashed him a sultry smile.
"What? That I'm all ears, or the beautiful part?" Carth leaned in, placing his arm around the back of her chair.
"The beautiful part, of course." She took another quick drink of the ale, then pivoted in her seat facing him, placing her elbow on the table with her chin resting on her hand. She cast him a flirtatious glance.
"What are you going to call me?" Carth asked.
You're treading dangerous waters here, Ash, she thought as she took another sip of the ale. "Hmm, how 'bout handsome scoundrel?" She said with a laugh.
"Well, I like the handsome part. Although, I was thinking something more along the lines of 'most handsome pilot in the galaxy.'" He chuckled, rapping his fingers against the back of her chair.
Laughing, Ashla pushed the ale away from her saying, "I think I've probably had enough of this for now." Her face felt flushed and hot. She couldn't tell if it was from the alcohol or the flirtatious banter between the two of them. Probably both, she thought as she stole a glance at him from beneath her eyelashes.
"Seriously. What did you want to ask me?" Carth asked, as he took another drink of his ale.
Ashla sat quietly, thinking. She had wanted to ask him more about himself, but remembering their conversation last week, she was hesitant. She knew that was a shaky subject for him, and decided to leave it for the time being. She liked the easy understanding that they had built over the past week, and didn't want to test the waters just yet. Instead, she watched the holoscreen overhead. The dueling arena was streaming the latest dueling match between Dead-Eye Duncan and some newcomer whose name she had missed. "What do you think about the dueling matches?"
"Oh... I don't know. I hadn't given them much thought. Why do you ask?" Carth looked over at her perplexed.
Ashla leaned back in the chair. As she did, her back brushed against his arm, which was still looped over the back of the chair. "I was thinking one of us should enter. We could use the credits." She looked up as the crowd on the holoscreen cheered as the newcomer was victorious, and Dead-Eye Duncan hobbled out of the arena.
"Hm. Not a bad idea." Carth glanced down at his ale before finishing it off. "Who do you propose enters?"
"Well. Me." Ashla stated. "You could be recognized, because of your service in the Republic. But me? I'm a nobody. A stranger."
"Hm." Carth nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, that might just work in our favor. It's too risky to use your name though. The Sith may have located a crew manifest from the Endar Spire."
Ashla nodded in agreement as she rose to go to ask where to find the duel organizer.
#
Carth watched as Ashla moved through the lobby of the cantina. When she reached the entranceway to the section of the cantina the server had pointed out, she paused and looked back at him. Their eyes met over the distance of the cantina. She smiled briefly before entering the back room.
He grabbed her forgotten pint of ale, and took a drink. It burned as he swallowed the fiery liquid. Carth drummed his fingers against the side of the glass, waiting for her to return. He glanced up to see that the next duel had begun on the holoscreen. He had the impression that she wasn't going to ask about the dueling matches, but had changed her mind at the last minute. That was probably for the best. Although, he had to hand it to her. It was a good idea. A good way to make some extra credits. Hmmm… but it could also be a dangerous risk, he thought as Ashla made her way back through the crowded cantina. If she was injured, it would cause a huge set back for them. If she was recognized, it would prove disastrous.
He rose to standing as she neared the table. "All set?"
Ashla nodded, "Yes. My first match is set for tomorrow night. Ajuur, the dueling organizer, is going to put me in against Dead-Eye Duncan. If I win, I get ten percent of the credits earned from the wagers. I can use blasters or blades, my choice. Plus, since death matches are now illegal, the fight isn't to the death."
Carth motioned towards the exit. "Hmph. Nobody dies, huh?" Sounds like this Ajuur is trying to take her for a ride, he thought as they strode out of the cantina into the cool night air.
She glanced up at him and shrugged, "Well, that's what Ajuur said. According to him, the arena has a suppressor ring surrounding it reducing the effectiveness of the weapons. Plus, there are medical droids on standby for serious injuries."
Carth was silent as they walked back to the apartment. What had been playful flirtation between the two of them had sparked something within him that he thought he had buried long ago. His thoughts drifted back on how sensuous her voice sounded. She's a beautiful woman. It's natural that I would feel an attraction to her, he thought as he caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, but it can't go any further.
#
In the refresher, Ashla went through the bag of clothes Dia gave her in exchange for the bag of ration bars and water pouches. She held up a skimpy blouse, grimacing. No way any of this is going to be practical, she thought, holding up another revealing blouse. Pulling a short blue robe out of the bag, finally, something useful! After taking a shower, she put on the blue robe over her undershirt and undershorts. Stuffing the other two blouses back into the bag, she grabbed the rest of her clothes and left the refresher.
"Where did you get that?" Carth asked when he saw her walk out of the refresher wearing the robe.
"Dia gave it to me." Ashla responded as she bent down to open the washer to put in her soiled laundry. She found it hiding in the cabinet under the sink in the small kitchenette area of the apartment a few days ago. The clothes-washing unit was small, only capable of handling a few garments at once. It not only washed the clothes, it dried them too. No more washing clothes out in the sink and letting them air dry.
"Who's Dia?" Carth looked at her in confusion.
"Our next door neighbor. She's in a bit of a spot. So, I gave her a bag of supplies to help her out. She insisted I take something in return." Ashla turned on the washer.
"Let me guess. You offered to help her?" Carth said, stoically.
"Of course, I did. She's in over her head." She replied. She thought back on the few times they had encountered people who needed help while they were exploring Upper City. Like the merchant they encountered who owed a debt to Davik Kang. The poor man had taken a loan out with Davik Kang, and then couldn't repay it. Davik set a couple of bounty hunters out on him, intending to get credits out of the man one way or another. Ashla and Carth intervened, taking out of the bounty hunters who were about to kill the old man. However, without credits to repay the loan, Davik would just send more bounty hunters later to finish the job. Ashla gave the man enough credits to go repay his loan, and remove the bounty from his head. While Carth agreed the man needed our help, he wasn't too keen on losing the credits. After quickly picking through the bounty hunters' belongings, not only did they remake the credits lost, but were able to sell their blasters too. It was a win-win in her book. After setting the bag with the blouses on the table, Ashla got into bed.
"Alright, Ash, what's her story?" Carth asked, letting out a resigned sigh and sat down at the foot of her bed.
Ashla raised up to look at him, propping herself up onto one elbow. "Dia knived this guy who wouldn't take no for an answer. She said she wasn't trying to hurt him. She was just trying to get him off of her. Turns out, he's one of Davik Kang's men, and he's put a bounty out on her. Now, she's terrified to leave her apartment. I saw her sneaking around yesterday and went to investigate. I told her I'd try to do what I could to get the bounty removed."
Carth nodded, crossing his arms. "Which means you'll have to pay her bounty, most likely."
Ashla sighed, "I know. I took her some rations and supplies so she doesn't have to leave her apartment. That should help until I get the bounty removed. She's afraid of her own shadow. No one should have to live like that."
#
The Dueling Arena
The roar of the crowd was deafening. In the arena locker room, Ashla listened to their chanting while she fastened the latches on her chest piece. Armor in place, she patted her sides feeling for the vibroblade which hung by her hip, and the blaster she had secured in a holster around her upper thigh. The crowd started another cheer. She rolled her neck to ease some of the tension she was holding there. Standing before the mirror, she checked her reflection. She had secured her long red hair into a tight bun at the base of her neck. The borrowed silver armor contrasted strikingly against the skin tight black shirt, black pants and her tall black boots. The dueling coordinator motioned her to follow him to the starting area.
Ashla stopped on the marker and waited. The lights were bright, almost blinding. Her eyes scanned the crowd. Across the ring stood her opponent, Dead-Eye Duncan. Duncan was an older man, with fair skin and graying hair. Eyeing up her opponent, she noted he had an old beat up vibroblade and a blaster. He held his stance too tight, and his hands trembled ever so slightly.
The arena lights suddenly panned down and centered on the ring. A boisterous voice amplified over the din of the crowd announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Draw your eyes to the center ring! We have a very special presentation for you tonight!" Her heart began to beat faster as a surge of excitement burst through the crowd. "Are you ready?" The dueling announcer asked the crowd. The people in the arena erupted enthusiastically. The light swung over, fixating on Dead-Eye Duncan. "You've seen him lose night after night, but tonight he's after fresh meat! In this corner, I give you… DEAD-EYE DUNCAN!" Duncan raised his vibroblade to the crowd as they cheered. "And in this corner, a newcomer to the Tarisian dueling scene. Emerging from the shadows! With no history, no name, and no past. I give you… THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER!" Ashla unclipped the vibroblade and raised it high in the air.
#
Upper City Cantina
Carth stood before one of the monitors in the duel spectator room. Arms crossed over his chest, he watched as Ashla raised the vibroblade high in the air. The crowd went wild. Ashla loosened her stance and rotated the vibroblade with her wrist, which caused the crowd to erupt in cheers. C'mon, Ash, he thought as Dead-Eye Duncan charged at her. Ashla stepped out of the way at the last minute, causing Duncan to rush past her. The crowd cheered fervently. She's wearing him down, he thought as he watched Ashla lead Duncan back to the center of the ring, blocking his attacks. She unleashed a powerful thrust with her vibroblade, and after another couple of swings, Dead-Eye Duncan was down. The announcer proclaimed, "That's it! The fight is over! Dead-Eye Duncan is down! The Mysterious Stranger has won! But are any of us really surprised? Dead-Eye Duncan losing isn't news! You'll have to do better than this to impress us, Stranger!"
#
Ashla walked into the duel spectator room through the back entrance reserved for the duelists. After talking with Ajuur to get her share of the purse, she scanned the room looking for Carth. She found him leaning against one of the small bar tables drinking a Tarisian ale. As she strode across the room towards him, she noticed Yun Genda approaching her. Kriff.
"Hey, Jyn. You… uh… looked great out there tonight! Sure was surprised when I looked up and saw you on the screen." Yun said, smiling.
"Oh, thanks… I'm sorry, I don't remember your name." Ashla said, giving him a sheepish grin.
"It's Yun. So, uh, Jyn, I didn't know you were a duelist. Was that your first time dueling? Or just here, on Taris?"
Acting as if she was scanning the monitors, she noticed Carth. He was leaning back against the wall, a scowl darkening his handsome features. "Yes, first time. I'm just trying to make some extra credits, y'know? So, are you here to watch the duels?"
"Yeah, just trying to relax before my shift starts at the military base." Yun replied.
A Sith? "I see. Have you been stationed here very long?" Ashla asked.
"Oh, no, just a for a few weeks now." Yun replied.
"It must be tough, stationed here on a hostile world." Ashla said, smiling sympathetically.
"Well, yeah, it takes a bit getting used to for sure. It's nice to finally meet someone who understands." Yun smiled at her. "So, uh, some of us junior Sith officers are going to be having a party tomorrow night, y'know, blow off some steam. I'd really like to see you again. Why don't you stop by?"
"A party? Sounds good! I'll try to make it." Ashla said, as she handed him her datapad to mark the party's location on her map.
"Great! Maybe I'll see you then! A lot of us will be heading over as soon as our shift ends. Some of us aren't even going back to the base to lock up our uniforms." Yun grinned. "Hey, I've gotta go. My shift will be starting soon. See ya tomorrow?"
Ashla smiled and nodded, slipping the datapad back into her bag. A party? With a bunch of Sith? This might really work in their favor, especially if they can get their hands on one of those uniforms.
"Who's the guy?" Carth asked as she walked up to him.
Ashla tried to read his emotions, she couldn't get a fix on what he was thinking. It was like he had put up a wall between them. "His name is Yun."
"What did he ask you about?" He asked, with one brow raised.
Ashla shrugged. "He asked me to go to a party with him tomorrow night."
"Hphm. Are you?" Carth's gaze narrowed as he crossed his arm over his chest.
"I don't really want to, but it might work in our favor if I did."
"What do you mean?" Carth asked, perplexed.
"He's a Sith, working on the military base. He said that a lot of the other junior officers will be there, blowing off steam. If I play my cards right, we might be able to steal one of his uniforms to use as a disguise." Ashla said in a quiet voice, as to not be overheard.
Carth rubbed his furrowed brow, deep in thought. "This is very risky, Ash. I don't know."
"I know it's a huge risk, but it might be worth it." Ashla said as she flagged a server down to order a drink.
#
Ashla was deep in thought as they walked back to the apartment. He had been very quiet since their conversation about Yun. At first, she thought he was jealous, but dismissed the idea quickly. Perhaps this has more to do with his suspicious, mistrustful nature? She thought back over the conversation they had a few days prior.
Carth looked at her pointedly. "Let me ask you something. I've been going through the battle in my head over and over since we crashed. Some things just aren't adding up. Maybe you could tell me what happened from your perspective."
"My perspective? I wasn't really in a position to know what was going on really. I woke up in the middle of chaos." Ashla said, confused as to why he was asking her this.
"Neither was I really. I was onboard as an advisor, for the most part. The battle happened so fast." Carth paused. "I'm just trying to figure things out. I saw enough men lose their lives needlessly during the Mandalorian Wars. It's hard to see it happening again." He said, turning to look at her. "Hell, I'm just surprised that any of us are alive to talk about it. Come to think of it, it's just a little odd that you happen to be here, isn't it? Just what is your position with the fleet anyway?" Carth stood still, waiting for her to answer.
"My position? I'm a soldier. There's hardly anything odd about that." Ashla was confused. Surely, he didn't think she had anything to do with the attack, did he?
"No. Unless you consider that you were a last minute addition to the crew roster and just happen to be one of the survivors."
"Are you accusing me of something?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.
"No, not at all. I just find it to be a little odd." Carth responded sharply.
"Why would my being added at the last minute be odd? I'm sure it happens all the time, Carth." Ashla retorted.
"You were the only one. Not to mention, it was the Jedi who requested it." Carth answered.
"Why would the Jedi request my transfer?" Ashla asked, bewildered.
"The Jedi requested many things when they came on board. Hell, they practically took over the damn ship! Considering your connection to the Jedi... well, your being here seems to be a little too convenient."
"Listen. I'm telling you I did not have anything to do with the attack!" Ashla snapped at him.
Carth sighed. "I'm probably wrong, and this is probably nothing. But I learned long ago to not take things at face value. And, I really hate surprises."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ashla asked sharply.
"It means I have to expect the unexpected. Just to be safe."
"Kriff, Carth, are you always this suspicious of others?" She let out a deep breath she had been holding.
"Look, I have my reasons to not trust anyone. It has nothing to do with you, personally. And, no I'm not going to talk about them." His words stung.
"Well, that's fine because I wasn't going to ask." Ashla stomped off to the refresher, and the door closed with a quiet hiss. Why aren't there any old fashioned doors to slam anymore, she thought as she leaned back against the door.
And now she was telling him she was going to a party with a bunch of Sith. No wonder he doesn't trust me, she thought, as she let out a frustrated sigh.
#
The Dueling Arena
Ashla rechecked the pouches on her belt for the grenades. She had packed two gas and two concussion grenades. After watching Gerlon Twofingers' latest duel, she learned he relied heavily on his blaster, although he equipped a vibroblade as well. Her plan was to try to throw him off by hurling a few of the poppers at him, then charging in strong with her blade. She kept the blaster in her thigh holster as a backup.
The dueling coordinator came in and motioned it was time. She followed him to her mark and tried to drown out the noise of the crowd. When she heard her name, The Mysterious Stranger, she lifted her blade high in the air. She ignored the cheers and focused on her opponent, looking for any weakness. The blaster held too tightly in his grip. His stance was too loose. The starting signal rang out, she tossed one of the gas poppers at him. Gerlon began firing erratically. Ashla tried to dodge the blaster shots flying at her while she charged at him, letting the vibroblade trail behind her. Sweeping the vibroblade upward, she used it to deflect another blaster shot before thrusting the blade down upon him. Gerlon tossed his blaster aside, and quickly unclipped his vibroblade to block her attacks. Leaning back, he attempted a kick, but she backed away from the blow at the last second. Ashla stopped focusing on blocking his swings, forcing him to parry. Another few thrusts of the vibroblade, he was down. She flourished the blade before reclipping it to her belt as the crowd went wild. She exited the ring, heading back to the locker room to get ready for the party.
Ashla entered the dueling spectator room, her eyes scanning the room for Carth, who was supposed to meet her here after the match. She was striding towards Ajuur to get her share of the winnings when Gerlon approached her.
"You beat me fair and square, Stranger. But, if I still had the use of all my fingers I would have mopped the floor with you." He said, with a sour look.
Ashla smirked. "Maybe next time, Twofingers."
Ajuur was waiting for her when she stepped up to collect her winnings. "Good fight, good fight. People like you, Stranger. That's good for business. They bet a lot when you fight, that makes me happy and rich! Haha!" The hutt laughed as his assistant handed Ashla the prize earnings. "I always pay my debts. You fought well and won, so you get paid. Ten percent as always. Come talk to me again when you're ready for your next match."
Ashla scanned the room again for Carth. They had gone over the plan before she left the cantina for the dueling match. He wasn't happy with her idea to go to the party, but had agreed to go along as Ben, her bodyguard. She unzipped the backpack to put the bag of credits inside. When she looked up, she saw Carth rounding the corner. Rushing up to him, she said, "ready to go?" He gave her an odd look before nodding in agreement.
Once they were outside, Ashla grabbed his hand and said, "Carth, we don't have to do this. We'll find another way to get the uniforms." She could sense his unease about the party.
Carth shook his head. "No, it's a good plan. We stick to the plan and get out of there as soon as possible."
Ashla gazed up into his eyes. She sighed, "okay. Hopefully. by the time we get there, they will be trashed and this will be an easy job."
"Just be careful. Okay?" He squeezed her hand, and then intertwined his fingers with hers. His free hand rose to brush a stray strand of hair off of her brow.
"I will be." Ashla swallowed hard, as her heart skipped a beat. "Alright. Remember the signal. Two taps against the thigh means time to go. Oh, and I told him my name is Jyn. I thought it was safer that way. Remember, you're Ben."
"Ben. The bodyguard. Right." Carth smiled down at her as he let go of her hand. "Let's go to your party, Jyn." He said with a wink.
#
Upper City - North Apartments
Carth followed Ashla into the apartment building marked on her datapad map. Her appearance had caught him off guard when he met her in the cantina. She was wearing cosmetics, and her hair done up in twin buns on each side of her head. She removed her jacket, revealing a sleeveless blouse that tied around her neck. She looked stunning.
"Carth?" Ashla said, trying to get his attention as she put the jacket in the backpack. She held out the backpack towards him.
"Hm?" He said as he slipped it on around his shoulders.
"Ready?" She asked as she adjusted the belt around her waist.
He nodded. Ashla turned, exposing her back to him. The string which held the blouse around her neck trailed down her back. His eyes drifted down her back, admiring the way her muscles flexed as she walked.
He heard the music coming from the apartment before they rounded the corner. The party was already in full swing, with many of the guests already showing signs of being very inebriated. His hand drifted to sit on the butt of his blaster.
One of the men waved at Ashla when she walked in. What did she say his name was? Yung? Yun? Carth gave up trying to remember the Sith's name. It didn't matter. Once this job was done, they were leaving. The man was obviously extremely intoxicated. Yun could barely stand up straight, and kept leaning heavily on Ashla. Could be an act, Carth thought as he moved closer to her in case of trouble.
Another round of Tarisian ale went around. "Wow, this stuff is amazing! They should have sent us here long ago!" One of the party members said, her words slurring heavily. Carth recognized her from the cantina. Ashla pretended to drink her ale, only to pour it out into the plant beside her when Yun wasn't looking.
It wasn't long after they arrived that the party goers started passing out on the floor. Carth laughed in spite of himself. He knew all too well the effects Tarisian ale could have you, especially if you had never drank it before. The drink was extremely potent. It landed him on his ass more than once back in the Wars.
Carth kept his focus on Ashla. He didn't like the fact that she kept having to move Yun's hand off her backside. He was just about to go to remove Yun's hand permanently when Yun fell over, and passed out on the floor with the others.
Carth looked around the room. All of the party goers were passed out cold. Only he and Ashla remained standing.
"Check the bags," Ashla whispered.
"You got it." He responded as he began checking the bags. It wasn't long before they found two uniforms, one already in a bag. Quickly, they bagged the other uniform in the backpack they carried in with them. He nodded towards the door. Ashla nodded in agreement, tiptoeing over the sleeping bodies.
Carth smiled down at her, as they walked back to the apartment, admiring the way the moonlight was glowing on her hair. "That went better than I expected, beautiful."