A/N: Edited 6/6/21 - I padded out the ending a bit to make it less abrupt and fixed a few typos. Thank you.
Into the Shadowlands
Bastila felt worry growing in the pit of her stomach as she watched the pair embrace. She had a duty to watch over Ashla's and her actions. The council would not be happy upon hearing that Ashla was engaging in a relationship with the handsome pilot. She hurried back inside the large hut as the couple turned and began walking in her direction.
#
The descent down to the Shadowlands took longer than anticipated. Mission stood sullenly beside her. Ashla glanced at the Twi'lek and shook her head. The girl was unhappy with their decision to take her with them, when she had wanted to stay behind with Zaalbar. After getting Carth and Bastila to both weigh in on the matter, Mission sighed and reluctantly agreed that they were right. There was no way to guarantee her safety while Zaalbar was in such a precarious position himself.
Ashla had noticed the odd looks Bastila had given them this morning. She wondered if the younger Jedi had seen them together last night. 'It was only a kiss,' she thought, 'nothing more.' Although, she knew what it could develop into. Ashla focused on keeping her emotions in check.
The basket settled heavily onto the mossy floor of the under canopy. As she stepped her foot onto the mossy ground, she felt a presence lurking in the shadows. A presence she had last felt on Taris. Calo Nord.
"Awh, did you miss me, Calo?" Ashla rasped. She smirked as she grabbed her lightsaber from her belt.
Calo Nord stepped out from the shadows. He was flanked by two Wookiees, who were both heavily armed. "Can't say that I have, lady. You got lucky on Taris. Thanks to the Sith, you were able to get away. Nobody walks away from me and lives." He sneered.
"Surrender, Calo. I have you outnumbered. Again." Ashla motioned to her team.
Calo shrugged. "I don't surrender. Malak will pay me handsomely for the capture of you two lovely ladies. Although, he wants only one of you alive, but I can take you both in cold, for a discounted price."
Ashla sighed. "Then you give us no choice." Ashla ignited her lightsaber, and whirled it into a ready stance. Beside her, Bastila did the same. Mission tossed a frag grenade at the bounty hunter while Carth focused on one of the Wookiees. Once the grenade went off, Ashla pulled deeply on the force to leap at the bounty hunter, bringing her blade down in a brilliant blue arc. Bastila's saber whirled beside her as she blocked Calo's blaster fire.
Ashla unleashed a blast of force power at him, causing him to fly backwards. Bastila's eyebrows raised at Ashla's unexpected use of the force. 'Her powers are growing quickly,' Bastila thought as she advanced on Calo.
As the two Wookiees fell, Mission and Carth switched their aim onto the bounty hunter, whose Echani shield was failing. Calo jerked backwards as the shots slammed into his armor, having broken through the shielding.
"Do you surrender, Calo?" Ashla asked roughly, her voice still strained from speaking Shyriiwook last night.
Calo leaned heavily to the side, his hands gripped his blasters, though they shook under the strain of their weight. "Never." He aimed at Ashla, sending a volley of blaster fire at her.
Ashla used her saber to dodge the blaster fire back towards him. She felt a healing wave of energy from Bastila as she advanced upon the bounty hunter. As she neared, she rotated her lightsaber in a blue arc. The tip of the blade ran up the bounty hunters front. The blasters slipped from his hands as he fell to the mossy ground.
Ashla steadied her breath as she stood over the fallen bounty hunter. She reached down to feel his pulse. "He's gone. Check the bodies for anything useful. Let Shadowlands reclaim the rest."
Other than the kinraths, which were more of a nuisance, and the hopping tachs making racket; the rest of the day passed without further incident. Later that evening, Ashla motioned for the group to halt, and set up camp. She sighed in relief as she set the heavy pack onto the ground. They placed sensors acquired at the Czerka supply store around the camp to help keep the roaming kinraths at bay.
Bastila waited until Carth and Mission were asleep before sitting down next to Ashla, who was on first watch.
"I wanted to talk with you a bit." Bastila said as she sat down on the log beside Ashla.
Ashla cut her eyes over to the other Jedi. She sighed. "About?"
Bastila shifted uncomfortably beside her. "Ashla, I wanted to discuss your… relationship with Carth."
Ashla furrowed her brows. "What about it? We're good friends. What's there to discuss?"
Bastila sighed heavily. "Ashla, I know you are more than 'good' friends with him. Relationships are not easy for most people to handle. For us Jedi, it can be even harder because they can lead to such powerful emotions. Anger and hate are the worst. Even love can lead one to folly."
Love?
"Have you ever been in love, Bastila?" Ashla said as she turned her gaze to the younger woman.
"Well, no… " Bastila fumbled over her words.
"You've never allowed yourself to become involved with anyone?" Ashla asked curiously.
Bastila crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "I've never allowed myself to get close to anyone else."
"Not even your family?"
Bastila's fingers toyed with the hem of her brown robe. "I joined the Jedi at a very young age, as most padawans do. I've had very little contact with my family. It is discouraged, you know, because it can lead to forming attachments."
Ashla nodded. She remembered the lesson from Master Zhar about attachments, and how they could lead one on the path of the darkside.
"I don't remember my family, Bastila. I don't even know if I have any family out there in the galaxy." She said sadly. "Carth is the first friend I can remember having." She sighed as she pulled her hooded robe closer around her for the added warmth. "You're right, though. I admit, I do have strong feelings for him, but I will not allow them to get in the way of the mission or my training."
"It is easy to say those words now, but even harder to achieve them. It is not wise to deepen your relationship with him."
Ashla frowned as she stared out into the dark forest. "It doesn't seem right that one should not be allowed to love, Bastila." She said after a few moments. She didn't know if what she felt for Carth was love or not, but she found herself being drawn to him the more she was around him.
Bastila shrugged. "Emotional entanglements are often wrought with disaster. Often, they cause your judgment to be clouded. Or they can lead to emotional outbursts. As Jedi, we must be above those things."
Ashla gave a small humph. "Don't you miss your family at all?"
"I don't think of them very much anymore. I do remember missing my father greatly. I remember that my mother and I didn't always see eye to eye on things. We often disagreed."
"On what?" Ashla asked with a raised brow.
Bastila gave a light airy laugh. "My father was a fortune hunter. I felt my mother pushed him into always looking for the next big find. I remember thinking she was always pushing my father into danger, without thinking of his safety. I remember spending a lot of time moving around when I was little. I think my mother was relieved when the Jedi found me, although my father didn't want me to go."
"And, you never tried to get in contact with them again? Even after all these years?"
"No. As a child, I didn't understand the sacrifice I was being asked to make. Later, I learned the wisdom in the Jedi's policy for keeping padawans separated from their family. Even siblings who are brought into the temple together are often separated, and are trained at different temples, as their staying together can often lead to unwanted attachments. A Jedi must do what is needed, and oftentimes, that wars with what is desired. Love can only obscure and confuse the matter at hand." She said sadly.
Ashla studied the younger woman who sat beside her. "You sound very sad when you say that, Bastila."
"Yes, well, even a Jedi cannot always control the feelings of the heart, as you well know. Although, it is best to try to guard against it. You would do well to heed this lesson, especially in regards to Carth. It would be better to end anything between the two of you before it ever really began."
#
The next morning, after they broke their fast with ration bars and protein drinks, they broke camp and headed out along the path.
Nearing dusk, they entered a large clearing, and they saw a strange sight.
It was a lone older man wielding a green glowing lightsaber. He swung the lightsaber effortlessly at the charging katarn bull. As they quickly approached, the katarn bull fell limply to the ground.
"Well, you don't see that every day," Carth murmured at her side.
"Watch yourself. There could be more of those damned creatures hiding in the underbrush." The older man said gruffly.
"Well, hello to you too." Mission said.
The older man made a humphing noise in the back of his throat.
Bastila bowed. "I am Bastila Shan, Jedi Knight. These are my companions."
"Hmm. Jedi Knight." The older man nodded to himself as he looked over their small group. His eyes landed on Ashla. "Well. I'm Jolee. Jolee Bindo. Why don't you all follow me back to my camp. It's just up a ways from here along the path. I'm sure you have questions."
#
Ashla felt the older man's eyes stray towards her curiously. She returned his pointed gaze with one of her own. He motioned for them to all sit down while he busied himself with making tea in the kitchen of his house, which appeared to be the remains of a wrecked freighter.
"Sounds like you've been talking Shryiiwook too much, young lady." Jolee said as he pulled down a tin of dried herbs from the back of one the cabinets.
Ashla nodded. "Yes," she rasped. "I felt it was necessary to improve relations with the Wookiees."
"Here, drink this. It should help your throat heal faster." Jolee said as he handed her a steaming cup of herbal tea. "Well, don't all of you speak at once."
Bastila rose a quizzical brow, while Mission stared silently at the older man. Carth eyed him warily.
Ashla studied Jolee as she sipped her tea. "We're on a mission sent by the Jedi council."
"'Pshaw. Of course, you are. Why else would you be here in this forsaken place." Jolee said.
Mission piped up. "We're also trying to help my friend, Zaalbar. His sleemo of a brother sent us here to find some old madclaw and get rid of him."
Jolee leaned back in his chair. "Hmm. I see. Is that all the information he sent you down here with?"
Ashla nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. Chuundar was very tight lipped regarding this madclaw."
"Of course, he was. Figures Chuundar would pull something like this." Jolee said as he rose.
"Helping Zaalbar is of utmost importance, but we are looking for something very old here. A relic of an ancient civilization." Bastila said.
Jolee glanced back to Ashla. "A relic, huh? Just what kind of relic are we talking about?"
"A star map." Ashla said, matter of factly.
"Hmph… Figured that's why you're here." He muttered. "Yeah, I think I know what you're looking for, and where to find it. Answers to both your missions can be found to the east of here."
Ashla took another drink of the tea. "Could you guide us there?" The rush of warm liquid felt soothing on her ravaged throat.
She felt a strong wave of deja vu crash over her. It was as if she had asked this question before, in some other lifetime. Judging by the look on Jolee's face, she thought that he felt a sense of deja vu at her question as well. She tried pushing the strange sensations away, but since they stepped off the great lift yesterday, she felt as if she was walking along a phantom path from a long lost dream.
As he sipped his tea, Jolee studied her intently. He seemed to be weighing his options. After a long minute, he nodded. "Yes, I'll guide you. You all can rest here for the night. We'll leave at first light."
#
"Jolee, do you have a workbench?" Ashla asked after they finished the 'grand tour,' as Jolee put it.
The older man nodded. "This way."
Ashla pulled the lightsabers she had picked off of the dark Jedi that they had encountered earlier in the week out of her pack and followed behind him.
"What are you planning on doing with those?" He asked curiously.
"I'm hoping to fashion a new shoto style saber out of them. But, I'll need to cleanse the kaiburr crystals before I can use the lightsaber." Ashla replied as she set the lightsabers on the workbench.
"Cleanse the kaiburr crystals? I've never heard of such a thing." Jolee scoffed.
"I read in my studies at the Temple archives that the reason the Sith blades are red is because the crystal has been bled. Rather it has been laced with impurities, from being used for acts for the dark side of the Force, which causes the blade to glow red." Ashla began taking apart the saber hilts, setting the pieces in small groups.
Bastila gasped behind Ashla's shoulder. "Ashla, those ideas are theoretical at best. Surely, you are not going to attempt that?"
Ashla glanced back at the younger woman. "Of course, I am. If I believe I can do it, then I will succeed. Do or do not, Bastila. There is no try. If I fail, then I will have at least learned something to take with me to the next experience."
Jolee snickered. "Well, well. I'll leave you to it then. I'll whip us up some yummy katarn stew for dinner."
#
With Mission in the kitchen and Bastila meditating in the common room, he found himself alone with Ashla for the first time since the other night. Carth leaned against the wall, deep in thought, as Ashla worked on her new lightsaber hilt. He replayed the kiss in his mind, hoping that she didn't regret it. True, they had been busy with the mission since leaving the village yesterday morning, but she seemed rather aloof around him today. And, it wasn't helping that he himself worried how their budding relationship would affect the mission. Or what Morgana might have thought about it. He cringed inwardly at the twinge of guilt he felt as he thought of his late wife.
Mission's laugh drifted from the kitchen where she was helping him with the stew. Hearing her laugh brought a smile to his face. It was good to hear the girl laughing again. She'd been exceedingly worried about Zaalbar, and had been in a sullen mood since they left the village.
He pushed himself off of the wall to examine her work. "How's it coming along?"
Ashla's eyes were closed as she focused on moving the pieces of the lightsaber hilt with the Force. "Almost finished. I think I've got it."
The lightsaber hilt slid together, the pieces rotating as they clicked into place. It landed on the workbench in front of her softly. Ashla picked it up and admired her handy work.
"Now, to try to cleanse the crystal. But, I think that will wait until another time." She said hoarsely. Her throat was feeling better, thanks to Jolee's tea. She handed him the hilt to inspect.
"There's no crystal inside, so it won't activate."
Carth took the proffered weapon, rotating it around in his hands. "Why not use the crystal that was in there in the first place?"
"It's been tainted by the dark side."
"And, you worry it might, what? Tempt you?" Carth asked as he handed back the hilt.
"Something like that." Ashla clipped it to her belt on the opposite side from her main lightsaber. "Each crystal is attuned to the Jedi who uses it. If I try to use it before I cleanse it, the crystal might cause my own force awareness to become off balance. So, I need to attune it to my own unique force awareness before I seat it in the socket."
"Hmm. Didn't know I would be getting a Jedi lesson this evening," he said as he pulled her close to him.
She slipped her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his chest.
"You've seemed a little distant today. Everything okay?" He asked as he rubbed her back gently.
She sighed deeply as she settled into his embrace. "Bastila is concerned about our… relationship. She's worried that I won't be able to control my emotions around you. That my feelings for you will cloud my judgement."
Carth bent his head and set his chin on the top of her head. "Sounds like a valid concern, beautiful."
"I know it is, flyboy." She closed her eyes as she relaxed against him. She pulled back to look up at him. "She thinks we shouldn't get involved."
"Hmm." Carth murmured. "What do you think?"
Ashla sighed. "I think maybe we should slow things down, and get to know each other better."
"Wise words, master Jedi." Carth winked at her.
They heard a soft ahem, and pulled apart quickly.
Mission smirked as she leaned against the door. "Jolee said to tell you dinner was ready."
#
They rose early the next morning and headed out, with Jolee as their guide through the thick under canopy of the Shadowlands.
"So, Jolee. What can you tell me about this wookiee Chuundar has sent us after?" Ashla asked as they walked side by side along the overgrown path.
"Hmph. Well, first of all. This is not just any wookiee he's sent you after. It's Freyyr, Chuundar and Zaalbar's father."
Ashla stopped in her tracks. "What?"
"You heard me right, young lady." Jolee said as he stopped beside her.
Bastila, Carth and Mission stopped as well.
Mission gasped as she heard the news. "You mean, that sleemo sent us down here to kill Big Z's dad?"
Jolee nodded. "Yes, Mission, that's exactly what I mean."
Ashla frowned. "This changes the mission. Family is important. I cannot do that to Zaalbar. The news would devastate him. There has to be another way. Hopefully, the Force will reveal another path to us."
#
The next evening as they were setting up camp, Mission heard a menacing growl. She turned to see an older enraged wookiee running toward their camp.
"Incoming!" Mission yelled.
Jolee looked up from the pot of stew he was stirring. "Hold up, people! That's Freyyr! By the Force, he's almost feral now."
Ashla, Bastila and Carth all dropped their packs as they reached for their weapons.
"More of you Czerka core-rats! Not even the heart of Kashyyyk is free from your treachery! You'll never take me alive!" Freyyr yelled as he brandished his weapon.
Ashla jumped in front of Mission, and activated her lightsaber as she pushed the girl behind her. "Freyyr! Please listen to me! I am not here to harm you!" She yelled in Shriiwook, desperately trying to get the wookiee's attention.
"Lies! More lies from the Outsiders!" Freyyr roared.
"Freyyr! Let me prove to you that I am trustworthy. We are Zaalbar's friends! We have come here to Kashyyyk with him on a noble quest. We are here to help you." As Ashla made the deep roaring noises in her throat, she was thankful that she had Jolee pack more of the herbal tea.
Freyyr froze. "You speak in our native tongue, Outsider. You speak the name of my son! I have not seen him in many cycles. You claim you are his friend?" Freyyr lowered his weapon.
"Yes, we are his friends. I am called Ashla Marek. These are my friends and crew mates." Ashla motioned for Carth and Bastila to lower their weapons as she deactivated the bright blue blade and clipped the saber onto her belt. "We are here to help. Please, join us."
Freyyr nodded as he came closer. "How can you help me? My son, Chuundar, has sent me here to rot. It is hopeless."
"Freyyr, it is me, my old friend. Do you not remember me?" Jolee said as he neared.
Freyyr peered intently at the older man. "Yes, I think I do. Forgive me, friend. It has been so long since I have allowed myself to trust anyone. I apologize for almost attacking you."
Ashla sat down next to Carth on one of the logs around the campfire. "Freyyer, why does Chuundar want you dead? He sent me here to 'dispose' of you. Yet, I refuse to do this."
"Chuundar wants to remove the threat of being found out that things are not what they seem. If it was shown that he conspired with the slavers, then his honor would be gone." Freyyr moaned softly.
"He has created a huge web of lies." Bastila said calmly.
Mission frowned. "Big Z is my best friend. There must be a way to help him."
"My son is lucky to have such friends. There is a way, but it is dangerous." Freyyr moaned.
Ashla leaned forward. "Tell me."
"There is a great beast to the south of here. Stuck in its hide is a sword, many centuries old. It used to belong to the Great Bacca, a revered warrior from long ago. It is said that the one who wields the sword is destined to lead our people. Chuundar has but the hilt. If I could bring the blade back to the village, it would cast doubt into the people."
Ashla glanced to the others, who nodded. "Freyyr, my friend. We will find this sword and bring it to you. Tell me more about this beast."
#
Carth hauled the kinrath's carcass behind him as they made their way toward the ritual beast's lair. Jolee paused and pointed to the hanging vine dangling from above. Carth grimaced as he hefted the dead creature up and with the older man's help, tied it to the vine.
"Jolee, do you know anything about this beast?" Bastila asked as she, Mission and Ashla waited for them to finish hanging the carcass.
"I don't know much about this beast. I've heard rumors it is a tarentatek. I've always stayed the hell away from this part of the Shadowlands." Jolee said as he and Carth backed away from the hanging corpse.
"A tarentatek? Aren't those creatures immune to force abilities?" Ashla asked nervously as they heard a rustling in the distance.
Bastila and Mission exchanged a nervous look.
"Yes, sir. That's what they say," Jolee said as he ignited his lightsaber. "Mission, get those grenades ready."
Mission nodded as she pulled grenades from her pack.
"Carth, you and Mission focus your fire on the beast. We'll try to do as much damage as we can with our lightsabers. Jolee, do you have force healing abilities?" Ashla asked. Her own force healing abilities were only now getting stronger. If Jolee could also heal through the force as Bastila could do, it would help.
Jolee nodded.
"Alright. Here it comes!" Bastila pointed as the hulking beast tore through the under canopy.
Ashla motioned to Mission to launch the grenades. She waited until after the grenade had detonated before she pulled the Force around her like a shield, and leapt toward the great beast. Bastila joined her in the fray, her lightsaber humming with energy as she swung at the beast.
Carth raised his blasters and aimed at the beast, while Mission launched another grenade.
Ashla flung her lightsaber at it, slashing through the beast's thick hide. She reached through the force for the saber's hilt, the saber rotated through the air as it flew back to her. She caught it with one hand.
Bastila screamed as the tarentatek tossed her aside. Ashla pulled the force around her shielding her as she saw the beast's claw coming towards her. Her breath came out in a rush as she was flung aside. She landed roughly on the ground, groaning. She felt a wave of warm healing energy wash over her as she picked herself up and charged at the beast, and drove her saber deeply into the beasts back.
It screamed painfully as the blade burned through the hide. Bastila slashed her blade across the beast's chest. Ashla was preparing to leapt at it again when it faltered and stumbled to the ground with a roar.
Mission and Carth were still shooting blaster fire into it until it stopped moving.
Ashla held her arm close to her side as she staggered close to inspect the beast. Sticking out of its hide was a very old rusty blade.
#
Ashla accepted the medpack from Mission as she sat down heavily on the log back at the camp. She grunted in pain as she slammed the syringe into her thigh. She sighed as she felt the rush of the kolto hit her system.
"Ash, you gonna be okay?" Mission asked her.
Ashla nodded. "Don't worry, Mission. I'll be fine. It just knocked me around. Check on Bastila for me?" She nodded toward the younger Jedi who, thanks to their force bond, she could tell was hurting but refusing to say anything. "I think she could use one of those too."
"You got it, Ash." Mission nodded as she walked over to Bastila.
"Freyyr, inspect that blade and tell me it's the right one." Ashla handed the older Wookiee the blade that they had pried from the fallen beast.
The wookiee held the blade in his hands, rotating it as he inspected it. "It… it is the blade of Bacca! This may not look like much, but its importance to my people is great. With it, I can return and challenge Chuundar, something I should have done long ago. My thanks to you and your companions, Ashla Marek. You have given me hope again. I see now why my son calls you a friend."
"Thank you, Freyyr. Mission has more medpacks. You are wounded. Please rest here and allow yourself to heal. We have to search for an ancient relic while we are here in the Shadowlands. It may appear as an ancient computer. Have you seen anything like it?"
"Yes, I know of the computer you speak of. I have tried to access it many times over the years. I have failed each time. It is not far from here, maybe a day's walk to the south. I will wait for you here. Then, we can travel back up to the village and seek out Chuundar."
#
Ashla felt the star map as they neared the computer facility. She pulled her hooded robe closer around her, and slipped the hood up over her head. As she did, a wave of deja vu washed over her. She staggered as she walked, and stumbled over a limb in the path.
Carth jogged up to steady her. "Ash? What's wrong?"
"I… I don't know how to explain it. I feel as if I've walked this path before. It must be the vision colliding with reality. I'm sorry, I feel as if I'm not making a lot of sense." Ashla murmured as she pressed her fingertips to her temple. She felt Bastila's ever watchful gaze locked onto her as she stood still in the path. She placed her hand on his chest in reassurance. "I'll be fine."
He squeezed her shoulder gently before letting go and nodded. "It's getting colder, like it did at the ruins on Dantooine."
Ashla nodded. "Yes, we're close now. These relics are full of dark side energy."
As they neared, a hologram flickered to life. "Life forms detected. Determining parameters. Initiating neural recognition."
Jolee grumbled, "yeah, there it is. Stubborn piece of machinery. I don't doubt it holds the knowledge that you are seeking, but good luck getting anything out of it."
The hologram intoned, "primary neural recognition complete. Match found."
"What the hell? Match found? The damn thing has always told me 'rejected patterns' before." Jolee mumbled.
Ashla glanced at Bastila, who glanced away quickly. She returned her attention to the hologram. "Why have you acknowledged me?"
"Error. Subject displays unfamiliarity with the environment. Behavioral reconfiguration is required." The hologram stated.
The group waited patiently while Ashla answered question after question for the computer. Anyone else who tried to access the computer was denied as the hologram stated 'match not found.'
Carth and Mission watched as Ashla continued to talk with the computer with Jolee and Bastila standing beside her.
"Carth, I don't understand half of what that thing is saying." Mission grumbled.
He glanced down at her and smiled. "Don't worry, I don't either." He overheard Ashla asking about Revan only to have the computer to reply in error. Some of the questions the computer asked Ashla bothered him… Sacrificing whole populations just to win a battle? He was relieved when Ashla did not choose that response.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," he murmured remembering the droids that were sent against them in the temple on Dantooine. He pulled his blasters from the holsters and checked the charges on them, in case the computer decided to send anything odd after them. Beside him, Mission did the same.
About that time, he heard the computer exclaim, "access denied. The system will purge the subject as false. Defense mode initiated."
Two combat droids scurried towards them. Ashla groaned as she pulled her lightsaber to her with the force and leapt at one of the droids. On either side of her, Jolee and Bastila fought against the droid, their lightsabers singing with power. Carth and Mission aimed at the second droid and opened fire.
Sparks flew from the two droids as they returned fire. Ashla pulled on the force, shielding the group with the mystical energy like a barrier. She used her lightsaber to deflect blaster fire while yelling to Mission, "toss your grenades now!"
Mission moved to stand behind Ashla, Bastila and Jolee as they deflected blaster shots so that she could throw the grenades. Carth edged forward aiming at one of the droids when Ashla yelled for Bastila to 'duck!' The two Jedi dropped into a low lunge as Carth took aim at the droid and Mission flung another set of grenades. Ashla leapt at one of the droids while Bastila charged at the other after the charges went off, while Jolee sent out waves of healing energy through the Force. The droids began to creak as they faltered, then shut down.
The computer flared to life behind them. "Neural scan complete. Analyzing… Secondary scans during battle have revealed much. Under duress, your emotions were much easier to read. Programming now dictates that I give you that which you seek."
Ashla took a moment to catch her breath. "But, I failed your initial test. Why the change?"
"That information is unavailable. Executing final action. Activation of the star map commencing. Parameters reset. Stasis initiated. End communication." The hologram flickered out as the star map opened and projected the blue navigation chart.
Ashla pulled her datapad off her belt and uploaded the map. "I'll send it to Teethree when we get back up to the village."
As they began the walk back to the camp where Freyyr waited, Ashla couldn't help but look back at the star map. The whole thing was a huge puzzle to her, one that left her with a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. It didn't help that Bastila walked up further ahead away from her. She tried to reach out through the Force to the younger Jedi only to have Bastila shake her head in return. She felt as suspicious as Carth when she thought, 'something isn't adding up here. Not at all.'
#
As they rode the basket back up towards the village, Ashla pulled out her comlink and tried to contact Canderous. "Canderous, come in. Do you copy?"
Static.
"Canderous, do you copy?" Ashla tried again.
After a long moment of static coming through the comlink, she heard him reply. "Yeah, I hear ya. Things up here are getting pretty intense between the Wookiees and the Czerka brats. You, uh, wouldn't know anything about that, now would you, Ash? Over."
Ashla laughed. "Yes, as a matter of a fact, I do. You, Juhani and Teethree- be ready. Things might just get a bit more tense soon. Keep the Hawk secure. We're on our way back up to the village now. Over."
As they exited the basket, Freyyr ran on ahead to the Great Hall.
The liberation of Kashyyyk had begun.
#
"Zaalbar, are you sure you don't want to stay here with your family?" Ashla asked the Wookiee as they loaded up the Hawk.
"I will return when my life debt to you is finished." Zaalbar replied. "Father has sent with me the sword of Bacca, which means I must return when I have fulfilled my debt to you."
"Zaalbar, I already consider your debt to me to be paid in full. Your life is yours to do as you choose. Although, I will say I would consider it an honor if you choose to remain with us on our mission. The choice is yours." Ashla grabbed her pack and hefted it onto her shoulder. "For now, I say go spend time with your Father. We'll be ready to leave when you return."
"You have my thanks, Ashla." Zaalbar roared softly as he turned to head back to the village.
Ashla watched the young Wookiee walked off with Mission at his side. Things were a lot different here now that Freyyr had displaced Chuundar. The future of Kashyyyk was brighter now that Freyyr was back in charge. Czerka Corporation had fled in the wake of the Wookiee uprising. She smiled at the empty cages, whose doors had been ripped off. No one else would be enslaved here.
She looked up at the sunlight pouring through the top of the canopy. She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force, wondering again if she had any family out somewhere in the galaxy. She sighedsadly when she felt the giant void stretching out in front of her.
#
The docks were empty now that the Czerka corporation officials had left. Ashla walked along the path with Juhani as they helped clear up the debris left from the battle.
"It is a good thing you have done here, Ashla." Juhani smiled. "To help rid another world of slavery."
Ashla smiled at her in thanks. "Well, I didn't come here intending to free anyone. That sort of just…happened. C'mon, let's head back. I think we've done enough for one day."
As they entered the galley, Carth poured them both a cup of caff.
"Now, who's developing Force abilities?" She teased him.
"I think I'll stick to flying the ship, beautiful." Carth said with a wink.
Juhani accepted the caff. "My thanks, Carth." She took a sip as she headed back towards the dormitories, leaving them in the galley alone.
Ashla sat down at the table and motioned for him to join her.
Ashla sipped her caff in silence as they sat at the small table together.
The ship was quiet. Juhani was in the dormitories, resting. Mission was still with Zaalbar down at the village, as was Bastila, Canderous and Jolee. She heard Teethree rolling around in the cockpit.
Carth cleared his throat nervously. "So, I think there's something I should tell you."
She set down her cup and turned in her seat to look at him. "What's that, flyboy."
He stared nervously into his cup. His fingers tapped against the edge of the cup. "I'm married."
Ashla's eyebrows rose. "Married?"
"Well, rather, I used to be married." He sighed deeply. "Yes. I thought, ahh… after our talk the other night, I thought it was time...ah, past time, that I tell you."
"What happened? Are you divorced?" she asked softly.
He shook his head. "No. Do you remember me telling you about Saul?"
"Yes, I remember. He was your mentor who defected to the Sith." Saul Karath. The name was so familiar to her, but she couldn't place where she had heard the name from, other than from Carth.
"It was more than that." He rubbed his hand over his face as he prepared himself to tell her the rest. "I told you about my homeworld, Telos? How Telos was one of the first worlds to be bombarded by the Sith?"
"Yes," she replied. He was pale. She could sense his pain and turmoil through the Force. Whatever he was about to tell her, it was bad. She placed her hand on top of his. "Carth, you don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."
"No, I need to tell you, so you can understand." He shook his head. "Four years ago, Saul led the Sith forces there and demanded its surrender. The planet refused. Saul proceeded to blast the planet. Millions died."
Ashla sat frozen in her seat beside him. The name of the planet echoed in her head. She felt she was so close to remembering why that planet was so important, but then it slipped from her grasp. Like grains of sand sliding through her fingertips. She shook her head, and focused on what Carth was saying.
"I had a wife…and a son on Telos. I thought they would be safe there." He sighed deeply again. "My task force was late getting to the surface to be of any help. We were short on medical supplies. The colony was in flames. The dying were… everywhere. The devastation was… mind blowing." He paused, and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat while staring into his empty mug. "I remember holding my wife and screaming for the medics, but they didn't come in time."
"Oh, Carth." Ashla felt tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
He looked over at her, his throat working as he swallowed hard. "There was no way you could have known."
"What happened after that?" She asked, wiping the tears away from her cheeks with the back of her hand.
He laced his fingers into hers. "I had nothing left after that, really. I devoted myself to the fleet. Hunting Saul has been my sole motivation since then."
She nodded. Of course, this was the root of his suffering. "You said you had a son. What happened to him?"
"Dustil. I don't know. The colony was in complete ruin. He was just… gone. I searched everywhere. Filled out all the 'proper' forms, in triplicate, but I haven't been able to find him."
She rose to stand. He looked up at her with pain swimming in his dark brown eyes. "Come on."
She headed toward the ladder that went up to the hull of the ship and began climbing with him following behind her. After she sat down on the hull of the ship, she waited as he settled himself down beside her. The cool breeze whipped her hair away from her face. "It's soothing up here."
He nodded, but remained silent.
"What was her name?" She asked as she tucked a long strand of auburn hair behind her ear.
Carth smiled weakly. "Morgana."
"Beautiful name." She smiled warmly at him. "What was she like?"
"She was stubborn. Willful. She was courageous. Heh, she was a lot like you, in that respect. Once she set her mind to do something, there was no talking her out of it." He glanced down at her. "She hated when I signed back on with the fleet. I had planned on leaving soon, before it happened, to be with her and Dustil. I promised her that it was going to be my last round of duty."
"So, this is where all this anger comes from?" Ashla asked as she scooted closer to him.
He nodded solemnly.
"Killing him won't bring them back, Carth. Surely you know that." Ashla replied gently.
"Oh, I know it won't. But, I have to do this. He deserves to pay for what he did. I hope you can understand." Carth said grimly.
Ashla nodded. She understood, but she didn't agree. However, she knew this was something he would have to come to terms with, in his own way. Master Zhar's words drifted back to her. This was his burden to bear. He must learn to let go. There is nothing you can do to help him with that task.
Carth stared out over the horizon as the sun set over the canopy of the tall wroshyr trees. He wrapped his arm around her, enjoying the peace and solitude of the sunset. It was the first time he had spoken aloud her name, to himself or anyone else, since Telos' destruction.
He glanced down at the top of her head laying against his chest.
With Dustil gone, and not exactly sure where this thing with Ash was headed, he still wasn't entirely sure he had something to live for to help him survive the altercation with Saul that he hoped was coming.
He refused to give up hope on Dustil. The boy was out there, somewhere, in this huge universe waiting for him.
Ashla stirred in his arms and smiled up at him. For the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of hope rising up within him as the heaviness around his heart began to lighten.