Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or the Star Wars Universe but if it goes on sale- I stake first claims!

Ok, here we are! The Chapter I promised. Right now it is 8:00 p.m. on Friday so I'm still fulfilling my promise on updating this week. If this is Saturday for anyone, I'm so sorry. I took more time writing this then i originally thought. So, as soon as it was done and proof read I brought it straight here! I hope you enjoy it.

Side Note: Okay, so the site's editing system won't let me keep this in the usual manner I have all my chapters so if the format looks different its because the site is being rather difficult with the formatting so i'm trying to fix it... :(


Keeping it Under Wraps

"The greatest pleasure I know is to do something by stealth and have it found out by accident…"

Samirah rounded a corner, pressing her back to the wall as she pulled Mission and the small droid next to her. She held her right arm over Mission, pressing her into the wall while the other hand gripped the hilt of her vibroblade firmly. Her face didn't betray any inner turmoil she felt—it was expressionless and hard as she studied the hallway. The two Sith soldiers walked by, one rubbing the back of his head as he spun around, looking for any disturbances. When he found none, he sighed in frustration.

"I swear I saw…" He started but the other soldier smacked the back of his helmet, the clinging of armor making Samirah flinch slightly.

"You idiot… If he got free from the containment, he wouldn't have ventured further down this way, would he? He would go straight for the exit." The man's voice was deep and made him sound like he was in his forties—and in charge. The first soldier shook his head.

"But how did he get free? It's nearly impossible to get out of that containment without help." He stated, trying to make a point that Samirah didn't want him too. She didn't want to have her hand forced against them.

"Maybe one of the guards was bribed… that attendant in the front was gone. Maybe she freed him. Reynolds was by the elevator and he saw her run by earlier so it's starting to look like she was behind it." He shook his head. "Damn Twi'leks, shouldn't have trusted her, shouldn't trust any of them. They're all the same. Will do just about anything for a few credits." Mission lurched forward and Samirah used all of her strength in keeping her back with her one arm.

They were talking about Elek, the Duros who she had helped when she first woke up on Taris. He had been imprisoned at the front of the base for moving the bodies. She took a risk hacking his containment cell and releasing him before they could execute him. That Duros wasn't to blame for the death of the Sith soldiers, she was. She wasn't about to let them kill him, but he did have to go into hiding for a bit. Just until everything settled down and they realized he was the least of their problems.

"Yeah… I suppose so…" The guard finally nodded before they fell into step down the corridor. Samirah waited until she heard their footsteps die down before releasing her breath and hold on Mission.

Mission's eyes were narrowed at the empty spot where the guards had just been. Her hands balled up into fists.

"We're not all the same…" She fumed and Samirah patted her on the soldier.

"I know that, you don't have to tell me. Let those guards think what they will, we're only here for the codes. Maybe we'll leave a little disturbance for them on our way out." She winked at Mission who just grinned in response.

"Better make it big." She stated before checking around the corners into the hallway and seeing the door. "That way, right?" Samirah went over the schematics in her head before slowly nodding. Yeah, that was the right door. It also held one big Assault Droid who was ready to blast them into galactic dust, given the chance.

They both peered out before slowly stepping out and hurrying to the end of the hallway where a white double door stopped their path. Samirah pressed her palm to the door, just feeling the cold metal beneath her fingers. The Assault Droid was behind that door. It wasn't just the schematics in her head telling her that, it was the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew it was lying in wait for them to run in. Samirah had hacked the main frame of the facility and was able to lower the shields since they were powered through the system. Unfortunately, the machine itself wasn't so they'd have to fight through. The turrets were easy to disable, they were always linked to the computer systems and with the small droids help, it was easy to override them and put them out of order.

T3-M4 rolled forward; making a small beeping sound before Samirah slowly nodded her head, gripping her vibroblade as she pulled her hand away from the door. She leaned against the wall to the right while Mission mirrored her movement to the left. The small droid began to bypass the security on the door as the two girls pressed their backs to the wall. The moment the door opened up, the droid backed away as Samirah darted out from her corner and dodged the immediate attack from the Assault Droid.

Just like the plans said, the room was vacant of everything save for the two decommissioned turrets at the corners and the Assault Droid firing wilding from the middle of the room. It was tall and bulkier than most Droids she usually saw. It was built for the purpose of intimidating potential threats and erasing them as a danger from whatever chosen facility it was meant to guard. In this case, it was the only thing stopping Samirah from getting to the elevator that would take her to the Launch Codes. She was a breath away from leaving Taris behind and this Assault Droid wasn't going to stop her from accomplishing that.

If she could take out the targeting system, taking it down would be much easier. She slid underneath the Droid to get behind him and popped up, sliding her blade quickly along the wires of its neck. The Droid immediately began to fire randomly making Mission panic as she darted back into cover. The Droid began to move backward quickly, throwing Samirah off balance, doing a back handspring to get out of the way without falling. She was happy that she had taken the time to learn that from a Twi'lek dancer on Ryloth.

The Droid spun around, firing in her direction but the targeting system was offline so it wasn't even close to hitting her. Still, all it would take is a lucky shot and she would be out of commission so she had to be careful nonetheless. Mission poked her head out and seeing that the Droid had his back to her she jumped out, a blaster in her hand and she fired at his neck repeatedly, hoping to hit a couple of wires. A few sparks flew from the exposed neck as it spun around angrily at Mission, firing randomly at the Twi'lek as she darted around, trying to avoid his shots.

"Keep it busy!" Samirah shouted as T3-M4 tried firing from his spot behind the door. A random blast from the Assault Droids guns hit home on T3 and he began spurting out random sounds before ducking into cover.

Samirah held her blade firmly in her hands as she ran forward and jumped up, gripping the panel on the Droids upper back. She pulled hard, propelling herself up as she landed on the Droids shoulder, a foot on each side. She held the blade up and plunged it as hard as she could through the head piece and straight through the core. The Droid's head shook around as sparks popped and crackled. She struggled to pull her sword free before the Droid was able to toss her from her perch on his shoulders.

She landed on her feet before stumbling across the surface and falling on her bottom. She scrambled to her feet, holding her vibroblade in hand just in case that blow didn't do the trick. After a moment, the Droid fell still, its arms falling at its side and powering down.

"Sami, we did it!" Mission cheered in front of the Assault Droid. She waved her blaster in the air as she danced in circles making Samirah smile. T3-M4 rolled forward, the small puncture in his armor flickering with sparks. They both run up to his side checking for any damage.

"It looks worse than it is…" Samirah examined before looking to Mission. "I want you two to stay on this level. Hide over in that corner and keep a look out, ok? Patch him up in a spot they won't see you until it's too late."She instructed with a wink and Mission nodded as she pulled out a Repair Kit.

She pushed T3 into the side of the double doors and began programming it shut. The doors struggled at first before sliding into place making a grin spread across her face.

"By time they figure out its locked and start working to open it, we'll be ready to take them out, no problem." She said proudly before setting to work on the droid. "Are you going up the elevator on your own?" She asked Samirah, her attention still focused on the Droid as she opened up the kit.

"Yeah, I'm going to go get the codes. Once I get up to the next level, there's only one room and this was the security protecting that room. If all I have to worry about is one guy up there, I should be fine. Plus, I'll need you to keep everything in order here. Can you do that?" She asked and Mission just smiled.

"For sure, I've got ya coffered." Mission turned her head with a smile, nodding to Samirah before finishing the patch on the Droid who beeped affectionately at the Twi'lek. "Me and T3 have you're back." Samirah returned the smile before quickly turning and jogging up to the elevator.

The door was locked and she furrowed her brow as she began to bypass all the security protocols and entered the system. She proceeded to unlock the security on the elevator doors as they finally opened up in protest. When they were open, she slid inside and began to direct it up to the next floor. Mission threw her a quick smile and Samirah returned the favor with a quick nod and smile of her own as the doors closed, separating her from the Twi'lek.

She didn't have any reason to worry, they had cut off any alarms in the system so if everything was going as planned, no one even knew most of the systems were down. The only way would be to do a random scan of the terminals and find that most of the Security Protocols were offline. The elevator traveled up the shaft and finally stopped when she reached the top. The door opened up and she was met with a short hallway and another door. The hilt of her sword was gripped tightly in her hand as she approached the door.

Even though she figured the worst of it was over, she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't quite over yet. There was still one more hardship before they were home free with the launch codes. She reached the door, that uneasy feeling making her stomach do flips and summersaults like you wouldn't believe. Swallowing down whatever unease she was feeling she pressed the console on the wall and the doors opened painfully slow.

All the luck in the world and this is what she got?

A man sat in the middle of the room in a meditative position. A double edged sword was laid out next to him, his eyes closed as he dwelled in the far reaches of his mind. She stared at him, feeling some kind of energy radiating off of him like a fog. It was dense and yet, it wasn't potent or overwhelming, just there. She somehow knew exactly what it was without anyone having to tell her. The sadistic air to it was enough to tell her mind that this man in front of her was linked with the Force but not in a good way.

A Dark Jedi but his connection to the Force was… like a string of yarn. It was weak, but strong enough to keep him connected and pull him into the ranks of Dark Jedi.

Where was his lightsaber, then?

He was bald, hair that had been shaven clean off his head and he was dressed in black robes with a solid black collar. His robes were adorned with silver armor protecting his shoulders and abdomen. A black belt wrapped around his waist and his face was clean of any facial hair or stubble. Everything about him was clean and pristine… save for the aura that radiated off of him. The man, feeling the disturbance at his door, slowly opened his eyes. They fluttered until he was free from his meditation and his eyes drifting towards Samirah, his face forming a scowl as he slowly stood up, picking up his blade in the process.

"Who dares to break my meditation?" He demanded of her. His voice was deep and rumbled as he spoke, his eyes narrowing on Samirah. "You will pay for interrupting my—"He stopped midsentence, scrutinizing her before his face was lit up with surprise and curiosity. Samirah held her blade tightly in her grasp, unsure how to respond to his change in attitude.

"Wait…" He said slowly. "I sense the Force is strong with you. Very strong." He stated matter-of-factly. "Who would have thought a Force Adept could be found on this insignificant planet?" He laughed at the very idea and Samirah frowned.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not a Force Adept at all." She said with a smile. "I'm just not Jedi material, sorry." He shook his head.

"Ignorant to your own capabilities—how befitting. Shame, if you had been scouted by the Sith, you would have made a fine Dark Jedi." He mused out loud. "No matter, your talent won't save you from a true disciple of the dark side, such as I!" He said with a darkness underlying his tone. Samirah shook her head at him slowly.

"A Dark Jedi? Really? Is that the path you really want to go down? If I have these so called talents then I wouldn't want to waste them on a path full of destruction. Nothing good can come from this, surely you know that. Really, I don't understand it at all." He laughed darkly at her.

"Power, my dear. Power will lead you to everything—you're goals, you're dreams—you need Power and the surest way to get it is through the Dark Side. You speak, but the words are that of the Council. We Sith have learned to embrace the potential of the Dark Side. It is what gives us strength! Power!" He cried with a smile looking at her with a cruel smile. "Your arrival here was a stroke of luck for me. My master will surely reward me with my lightsaber once I kill you!"

"And that explains the nonexistent lightsaber…" She sighed realizing her hope of avoiding combat with him was all but lost.

He immediately fell on her, taking an aggressive approach. They locked blades, Samirah throwing a burst of strength into her blade, knocking him off guard and stumbling back. He regained his composure seconds later, battling and twirling as if he was a Dark Jedi. He wasn't, only an apprentice which was a blessing in disguise for her.

His hand to hand combat and weapon specialization was awful. She easily deflected his sword, kicking him in the stomach making him stagger backwards. He caught himself against the desk and looked at her startled as she slowly approached him, swinging her blade. She raised it over her head and as she was about to bring it down on him, he threw his hand out at her and she froze.

She didn't freeze from fear or second thoughts—she literally froze, unable to move.

Her muscles wouldn't move and she couldn't budge an inch towards him as he laughed. He pushed himself off the bench before pushing his hand at her again. She flew across the room hitting the opposite wall and knocking her to the floor, her muscles being forced to move at the impact as she released her hold on her blade. She could hardly move, the air knocked right out of her as he slowly approached, laughing cynically at her.

Pain shot through her body as she felt her energy drain from her. It was like it was being pulled from her, being sucked away, extracted. She looked at him as his hand hovered over her and this red mist drifted from her and was absorbed into him. He was using the Dark Side of the Force! Personally, she thought that this was just plain cheating.

At this rate, she wouldn't last long if she didn't break free. She commanded her muscles to move and they slowly responded but it caused physical pain to defy whatever power he held against her—the power of the Force.

Come on… move damn it… MOVE!

She shouted in her mind and it was like a rubber band being stretched until it snapped under the pressure. She jumped up in that instant, tackling the Dark Jedi and knocking him to the floor. As they fell, his blade awkwardly fell, hitting her upper thigh but the pain barely registered through her mind. His eyes conveyed his shock as she pulled her arm back and slammed her clenched fist into his jaw. His head snapped back from the force of the blow, something cracking—quite possibly his jaw—as he head lolled from the unexpected impact. She pulled the small dagger secured in her boots and was ready to plunge it straight through his chest when he flung her off of him.

She flew back, landing on her feet before sliding backwards. She cursed his command of the Force as he quickly got up, his jaw awkwardly positioned as he rubbed it, his eyes reminding her of the old saying—if looks could kill. She flung the knife at him and it punctured his left shoulder giving her a few seconds to grab her blade. He grabbed the dagger, smiling at her attempts to kill him as he yanked it out roughly and throwing it off to the side. Samirah twirled around her blade as he picked up his own.

She needed to end this and she needed to end it quick. She was already tired and was pretty sure that it would only take another dose of the Force to have her down and out. He laughed as he walked close to her and she gripped the hilt of her blade. She was running out of options and time. She had to think fast and move just as quickly. He was taking his time approaching her and so she was going to take a gamble.

She thrusted her blade forward letting it leave her grip as it flew forward and he threw his hand out to stop it with the Force mere inches from his stomach, the speed nowhere near fast enough for it to injure him. That's what she had hoped he would do. The moment it left her fingers, she raced towards him and with one quick spin, put as much strength as she could muster into her kick and kicked the blade at the hilt. Even though he was holding it, he was just keeping it suspended in air and the force of her kick gave it the speed it needed. His eyes went wide as the blade pierced him threw the stomach in one fluid motion.

He staggered back, surprised at the unexpected attack. She quickly pushed the blade in further with her hands until the hilt was pressing against his robes. She yanked it out roughly and pushed him back against the desk before he fell to the floor. He frantically tried to cover the spot with his hands, panicking as fear registered across his face. Samirah swiftly swung her foot connecting it smoothly across his face. The impact knocked him over, his eyes rolling back before he passed out.

She fell back against the wall and slid down trying to regain some strength. She couldn't believe that it had worked. It only worked because he wasn't a master at combat.

"You rely too heavily on the Force and not your own skill… stupid…" She breathed out.

At the rate he was bleeding, it wouldn't be long before he was dead. By time the Sith found him, he would be long gone and he wouldn't feel a thing. She knocked him out pretty good so he wasn't bound to wake up before death embraced him. She wobbled towards him and quickly searched through the pockets of his robes until she found the one thing she was after: The Sith Launch Codes. Something that important would be with him instead of a safe. Being a 'Dark Jedi' they figured he would be unopposed and undefeated so there was no chance of him losing the codes.

Apparently they were wrong.

She wiped the blood off her sword before she stumbled toward the hallway and hurried to the end where the elevator was. She opened the door and staggered into the elevator, pressing the console as the doors slid closed. She rested against the back of the wall, flinching only slightly from her tender back, as the sight at the end of the hall disappeared. She let out a shaky breath and stood tall trying to overcome the fatigue. The descent down felt like hours until it finally settled on the bottom floor. The doors slowly opened up to reveal Mission perched next to the door, her weapon held firmly in her hand. T3 was stationed on the other end, waiting quietly for any disturbance.

When the doors were fully opened, Mission's head jerked over to gaze at Samirah with a giant grin.

"We're clear so far, Sami." She said enthusiastically as Samirah moved quickly to her side. Mission looked her up and down, her face slowly falling as she noticed her tired expression and posture. "Hey, are you ok?" Samirah nodded.

"Yeah, just had my strength zapped, that's all. I'll be fine once we get out of here. Any trouble?" She inquired making the Twi'lek smirk before she turned to the door and quickly unlocked the door. It opened up quietly and they stood in the door way, Mission smiling proudly.

"Any troubles? No one even knew we were here. You got the codes?" Samirah pulled it out from her belt and showed it to her with her own smile.

"Secured." She said grinning back before replacing them back in their spot. Mission punched the air above her head, filled with this giddy happiness.

"We did it!" She yelled as quietly as she could, careful not to draw attention. They weren't out of danger yet. "Alright, now to just get out of here as quickly and quietly as we came." Samirah nodded.

"I'll find a terminal and make sure the security is still inactive. We don't want any slip ups on the way out. If we can do this right, we can get out without them realizing what happened until we're out of here." She stated as Mission nodded, turning serious.

They slinked into the hallway, walking cautiously and sticking to the walls. The pain in Samirah's leg throbbed but she didn't have time to worry about it. They retraced their steps, darting into dark rooms when patrols walked by, oblivious to what had happened in the Governor's office. Samirah didn't have much rest back at their hideout due to Bastila's impatience. Add the stupid Governor's ability to use the Force and she was having the worst luck imaginable. At least when it came to her energy—she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out, but she knew she would hold on until she got Mission out of there.

Tea sounded really good about now.

They hurried down the hallway, T3 being thankfully quiet as they approached the reception hall. Samirah quickly moved to the terminal and began hacking it and bringing up the interface. She checked the alarms and then all the video footage, erasing any evidence that they were even there. As she typed away at the console, the sounds of footsteps echoed down the hall indicating the approach of another patrol. What, did the patrols increase within the last twenty minutes?

As they grew louder she typed faster, trying to finish up with the terminal and making sure that by time the Sith realized that something had happened, it would be too late to track them. As the patrol started to round the corner, Samirah ducked behind the counter and pulled Mission down with her. T3 stayed still behind the counter as Samirah slowly lifted a finger to her lips, signaling to the droid to stay quiet.

The patrol muttered to themselves as they passed by the desk, commenting on the missing receptionist before walking behind it and to the door behind the desk. Samirah and Mission pressed their backs into the desk as the guards kept walking on and they hoped they wouldn't turn around. Luckily they didn't as they rounded the next corner and were out of sight. Samirah let out a sigh as she grabbed Mission's hand and pulled her out of the desk and they hurried to the door.

They quietly opened it, peeking out to see if any guards had been stationed at the exit. No one stood at attention and Samirah couldn't stop the smile as they walked swiftly out and down the corridor in the quickly disappearing daylight. Men working on vehicles and shipments were too busy with their work to even notice to two girls and the droid who walked by casually so as not to draw attention. As they made it to the elevator, Samirah frowned when she didn't see a guard standing there at attention.

Where had he gone?

Mission glanced back at the base before looking at Samirah meekly.

"So… are we clear?" She asked. Samirah looked at her slightly puzzled before nodding her head slowly.

"Yeah, they shouldn't figure out who it was. It'll take more time to figure out that something happened. Why?" Mission shrugged with a grin as she pulled out a detonator from her pocket. She smiled at Samirah innocently making her roll her eyes. She must have installed it while Samirah was in the Governor's office. "Oh all right, it can't hurt us. They shouldn't be able to figure it out." She said smiling.

Mission grinned excitedly before pressing the red button. A loud boom was heard emitting from the Sith base, a shrieking alarm ringing in the far reaches of the base causing panic from the outside personnel. The alarm was ok as long as Samirah and Mission weren't inside to be caught. They wouldn't be able to track them down anyway, Samirah and Mission were good enough to keep the entire escapade secret while inside. Anyone who saw them didn't have a chance to shout for help—that they made sure of.

Mission smiled happily as she did her own small little dance by the elevator. Samirah crossed her arms and just shook her head with a small laugh escaping. When Mission was done, she started to go to the elevator but Samirah stopped her.

"Nuh-uh, I'll take it from here, Mish." Mission just frowned.

"Hey, what do you mean?"

"I'll deliver the codes to Canderous and go from there. I'll have my comlink so I'll keep in contact, but I think it's best if I go with him to Davik's estate. It'll be easier if I just have to watch out for my own skin—not that I'm saying you can't take care of yourself, Mission, but it's Davik we're talking about." She added when Mission started to protest. After a minute or two and Mission holding her breath, she finally sighed.

"Yeah… alright, I guess you have a point." She said dejectedly. She really wanted to go and Samirah couldn't blame her.

"Take T3-M4 with you and I'll notify you when everything's in place, ok?" She said smiling at her. Mission nodded slowly.

"Be safe, Sami. Drink some coffee or something too… you look beat." She added with a smirk, earning a playful shoulder punch from Samirah. Mission was right, but she wasn't about to let her know the extent of it.

"Alright, alright, enough with the jokes you master thief—go make sure Bastila hasn't killed anyone." She said in a playful tone and Mission just laughed as she backed up with a bounce.

"Ok, will do. See you soon, Sami." She said as she spun around and took off for their hideout in the apartments. Samirah waited until she could no longer see the small Twi'lek before she opened up the elevator and stepped inside, directing it to the Lower City.

Mission was right, she was beat, but she didn't have the time to be tired. She was halfway there. She was almost off this miserable planet. Some of the people here weren't that bad, but she wasn't one to stay in one spot for too long. She liked to be on the move. She liked exploring and she was so close to being back out there.

The descent down to the Lower City almost felt longer than the one in the Sith base, but she didn't care. She was almost there… she was so close now. The escape was on the tip of her fingers and she wasn't going to let it go that easily.

Carth was seated at one of the several tables in the Cantina. It wasn't the most pleasant of places but this was where Samirah was to meet the Mandalorian when she acquired the codes—if she acquired them. The Mandalorian himself had been seated not too far away, drinking yet another bottle of Ale before he simply stood up and walked away. Carth didn't know where he had gone and really wish that he did. He didn't trust him—Canderous Ordo, he called himself—a Merc for higher and he to happened stumble across one of the most skilled and most trusting people Carth had ever met.

Samirah Alda.

What luck.

The Mandalorian was their only way off this planet and he was really hoping he didn't screw them over. Mandalorians didn't have a good reputation as far as Carth was concerned. They were good at one thing—killing. Morals, rules… none of that applied to them, they didn't follow such things. The only thing that had any influence on them would be credits and the price had to be right. Carth wanted to make sure that when Samirah arrived, nothing 'unplanned' happened.

A hand on his shoulder startled him as he spun around just in time to see the face as the voice spoke.

"So the Soldier boy is sitting in the Cantina all by himself?" The husky voice of the Mandalorian was enough to make Carth frown. He didn't even want to think about the snarky smile on the Mercs face.

"I'm just waiting." Carth said, clipping his words. The Mandalorian smiled as he slid into the seat across from Carth, not even asking for permission as he signaled a waitress for some ale, his other bottle completely forgotten.

"So, she didn't take you on her little mission? Or did she send you here to make sure I wasn't setting you up?" He questioned lightly, but the hint of humor was tangled in with his words.

"What does it matter to you as long as you get the codes…" Carth responded, sipping Dalkash Ale as opposed to the stronger Tarisian Ale.

The waitress appeared with a bottle and a glass for Canderous, leaving both at the table for him. He nodded to her before pouring a glass, the smug look on his face still present as he began to drink his own beverage. Did alcohol have no effect on him or something?

"I get the impression you don't like me, soldier boy." He mused out loud, refilling his cup to the brim and drinking it again. How many of those has he had in the past few hours? Carth wondered before he grimaced, taking another sip of his own.

"My name is Carth, not soldier boy—and let's just get one thing straight while we're at it, I don't trust you. What's to stop you from betraying us the instant we hand you the codes?" He questioned making Canderous shrug.

"You don't know. There is no guarantee." He stated making Carth stare at him in shock. "But what other choice do you have? You and your friends want out of here just as much as I do. I can't acquire the codes, but you can. You don't have a ship, and I do." He said, looking pointedly at Carth.

Both men went quiet for a moment, left to drink their own beverages of choice, each lost in their own thoughts. Actually, the Mandalorian wasn't thinking of much other than keeping his glass full. Carth, on the other hand, had his mind racing with thoughts and questions. Most of them centered on Canderous and this whole plan riding on Samirah bringing him the codes and then trusting him to get them off world. Carth was skeptical but the Mandalorian had a point—what other options were there?

"Ah, so the guest of honor has arrived…" Canderous said quietly, pulling Carth from his own thoughts and looking where Canderous was.

At the entrance to the Cantina, Samirah walked in looking weary but still confident. She didn't let the weariness weigh her down as she stopped at the entrance, glancing around for the Mandalorian. Her hair was a mess, pieces falling loosely in every direction. Her clothes were splotched with… was that blood? Carth hoped it wasn't her own…she didn't need any more wounds to add to her collection. His eyes drifted to her leg where small cut could be seen and he frowned. Maybe he was too hopeful. From head to toe, she looked like a mess. When she found the Merc, a small smile rose on her face before falling when her eyes found Carth. Her face immediately turned to bewilderment as she slowly approached the table. Canderous' face turned into a grin as he glanced between the two before he looked at Carth.

"… Guess that answers my earlier question…" He remarked earning a glare from the pilot. Samirah grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the table as she hesitantly sat down, casting uneasy glances at Carth.

"Carth, what are you doing here?" She asked quietly, not that it mattered. Canderous leaned back in his chair sipping his Ale as he gave Carth an expectant look, ready for the answer.

"I wanted to make sure everything was alright—and by the way, you look like hell." He stated. The Mandalorian immediately started snickering before coughing as he set his glass down. Samirah looked at him in shock.

"What?" She all but shouted at him. "Well hello to you too…" She finally mumbled, her cheeks growing red with embarrassment. She pulled her ponytail out before running her fingers through her hair and tying it back up.

She knew the small act probably didn't do anything to help her appearance but it made her feel a bit better. She tried to straighten her clothes before realizing the whole act was useless. She was a mess and there was nothing she could do about it right now. Canderous was still smiling when he looked at her, leaning forward to get the business started.

"I figured you'd be back. Neither one of us is getting off this planet unless we work together." He stated simply, shooting a look at Carth who ignored him. "Now, I know the Sith military base had a break in. I know it was you. I know you've got those departure codes I need." He said with a smirk. Samirah bit her lip.

"Well, they wouldn't know anything was missing if we didn't set off the explosives. Not my idea, mind you, but it was more of a pride thing on her part." Samirah said, smiling at the joy it brought Mission to cause them a little mayhem. Canderous just smiled when Carth's eyes went wide. Canderous was beginning to like this kid.

"You did what?" He questioned and she rolled her eyes.

"I told you, it wasn't my idea but nevertheless, it happened. They won 't figure out who did it and if they do, we'll be long gone by then." She said, turning her gaze to the Mandalorian on her left. "I hope." She amended. He simply grinned, downing his glass of Ale.

"Well, what do you say? Do you want to join forces? We do that and I can get you inside Davik's base—and right to the Ebon Hawk. We can go right now." He said, holding his arms out wide in a welcoming gesture. Samirah nodded. She figured it would be an instant thing, that's why she sent Mission back to Bastila. She turned, giving Carth a frown.

"I guess you'll be sticking with me from here on out." She said it as a statement rather than a question to Carth. He just smirked as he directed his gaze at the Ale and then at Canderous.

"You know I don't like being left behind while you go on your adventures." She shook her head but a small smile was in place. She leaned back in her chair instantly regretting the act before sitting forward, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the table and looking to the Mandalorian again.

"Alright, we're in. I figure you have some plan to get us inside the estate, right?" Canderous nodded, putting his cup down so that he could explain his plan to get off this miserable planet. He didn't want to spend any more time here.

"Davik's always looking to recruit new talent. I'll tell him how you won that swoop race and mention that you're interested in working for the exchange. I'll say I brought you in so he could check you out. He'll have you stay at his estate for a couple of days while he runs some background checks on you—"Samirah automatically frowned and held a hand up to stop any comment she had. "It's standard procedure. We'll be out of there before he can get anything on you." He finished.

Samirah didn't think he would find much in a background check of her, if anything, it might help her case. Most of it was her explorative information and a list of her skills. She wasn't sure if she was listed as a recruit for the Republic or not since she was just an outside source.

Carth was nodding his head slowly as he thought about what he said. Carth couldn't help but… approve of it. It was solid and sounded legitimate enough. He was beginning to think that he had misjudged the Mandalorian. But only by a little bit.

"That's… not a bad plan. It might just work." He said out loud. Samirah slowly turned to look at him in amazement.

"Wow… you got Carth's approval." She said, slowly turning to Canderous with admiration. "He never agrees to anyone's plan. I'm starting to like you, sir." Canderous chuckled and Carth just frowned at her remark.

Well, it was a good plan, he thought. There weren't a whole lot of explosions or danger involved, like most of the plans Samirah usually became involved in. The only danger was that Davik would suspect something but why would he not want to trust the Mandalorian he hired? Again, the plan sounded solid. Canderous downed another glass before looking back at Samirah.

"Alright, while Davik's checking you out, we steal the Ebon Hawk and escape Taris." He said, standing from his chair and dropping a few credits on the table. Samirah and Carth followed suit as he took one last swig of his bottle and setting it down. "Come on—I've got an air speeder nearby to take us there now. The sooner we're off Taris the better." He stated with a little venom in his voice.

Apparently he had a strong dislike for the planet as well.

He glanced at Carth before coming to a conclusion.

"I guess the soldier boy will have to come with, huh?" When Carth nodded, Canderous signaled for him to come along, earning a triumphant smirk from Carth.

Samirah and Carth followed him out of the Cantina and down the walkway to his speeder. Carth was surprised that the Mandalorian was still holding up his end of the deal. It was slightly darker in the Lower City, possibly because the sun was disappearing slowly. They swiftly walked into one of the clearings where, as Canderous had said, an air speeder awaited them. It was red with silver streaks decorating the sides. A small glass windshield in the front and a back seat for Samirah and Carth to climb into. Canderous sat up front, a bunch of his gear already settled into the passenger seat.

Carth and Samirah glanced at one another before she slid into the back seat first, followed by him. As her back pressed against the back of the seat, she lurched forward as if the seat had stung her. Her face winced as she pulled her shoulders up, scrunching them together. Carth gave her a quizzical look before reaching out and tentatively touching her back. She made a small gasp before her eyes darted over to him.

"Sorry…" He spoke softly, but still puzzled. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt?" She reached over her shoulder touching the tender spot and flinching. The air speeder slowly lifted before taking off to their destination: Davik's Estate.

"It's not that bad… probably just bruising and tender because I haven't done anything for it yet." She said, giving him her best smile which only made him frown again.

"I thought that you said it was going to be easy?" he questioned, a deep set of lines forming on his forehead. She laughed softly, keeping her back from pressing against the seat.

"It was, for the most part. I just didn't expect the Governor of it all to be a Dark Jedi…." She said as Canderous looked back at her with a disbelieving stare. His expression was nothing compared to the blank and yet, still shocked look Carth was giving her.

"Kid, you could earn an awful lot of credits if you keep doing what you do." The Mandalorian said, a smirk present in his voice.

"No wonder you look like you've been through hell and back…" Carth muttered and she shot him a stern look.

"I feel like hell." She remarked a little irritated, looking back out her own window to avoid looking at either one of them. "Besides, you give me too much credit. He wasn't even a fully fledged Dark Jedi yet, he didn't have his lightsaber. I doubt I would have done as well with a lightsaber... would have cut through my sword, then me, like butter." She remarked quietly.

Then again, if his skills still didn't improve she may have been able to still take him down but not without bearing a few wounds of her own. Right now, the only thing she had to worry about was the cut on her leg and the intense bruising on her back. She was sure that nothing was broken but it was very uncomfortable.

Carth fell silent as the air speeder moved quickly through the Lower City. He kept tossing a few uneasy glances at her. At least she was alive, but she could look better, that was for sure. Some inner voice was telling him that his remark on her appearance… wasn't the best move ever. Her attitude confirmed what that little voice was hinting at.

Way to go, Onasi… way to stay on her good side…

There was only so much she was probably willing to deal with so whatever he said, he had to make it count. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, keeping his palm on his forehead a moment longer as he thought about his next words: A thing he rarely does with her. When he looked at her, her back was facing him as she had her arms wrapped around her like a freezing child. She was shivering, not from being cold, but from the tender spots on her back. He took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

"You did a good job. I doubt that I could have done as well as you. Hell, I probably would have alerted the whole damn place if I tampered with any of the terminals. You did well and... uh… I'm happy that… you're safe." He stammered, trying to make sure he sounded sincere and not condescending. The snort from the Mandalorian made him grimace.

Samirah slowly turned to look at him, completely taken by surprise at his… well, it sounded like praise. Something she never thought she'd receive from this man. When he lifted his head to catch her staring, he gave her a proud smile and nodded his approval. Her cheeks immediately flared up as she quickly looked away. Maybe it was just because she was tired that it sounded like praise, but she couldn't shake the small smile that appeared on her face at the compliment.

"Thanks… flyboy…" She muttered earning a small chuckle from Carth. It was the best he could do and since his apology didn't reach her ears, this would have to suffice for now. She deserved something for all of her hard work.

Canderous was busy rolling his eyes at the conversation. Of all the people he had to be stuck with, it was those two. He didn't understand their relationship—whether they were friends or close to being enemies, he didn't know. He only hoped they didn't do something to screw up the plans to get off Taris.

The rest of the ride was nothing but a peaceful silence, the only sound being the air speeder flying through the air ways. Samirah would ignore the pain on her back as she spoke with Davik. She wouldn't indicate any weakness to him, she would show him her strong face and the attitude he would want to see in a new recruit. She would be able to hold on until she got inside and into whatever room he gave them. The fatigue was subsiding as her mind raced with plans once they entered the estate. Adrenaline was slowly pumping through her veins as she anticipated whatever waited for them there.

She swore that if she found a single Dark Jedi inside, she was quitting. She was dropping her weapon, turning around and walking out of that estate. They could fight the cursed man with party tricks.

The down side to that… was that she knew she wouldn't quit. But she could pretend that she was just to make her feel better. If they did run into one, she'd be the one who'd have to fight him so she was okay with them taking their time.

Samirah frowned, staring out her window. She was really hoping everything went smoothly. Get in, get out. That feeling in the pit of her stomach was barely there… but it was there. It wasn't the same feeling but it was similar enough to bother her, making its presence known. She hoped she was wrong, but she also knew something bad was going to happen.

Worst part about it was not knowing what.


Ta-da!

I plan on having us off Taris with the next chapter! I'm so excited and am really grateful to all my readers! If you've reviewed, you have my eternal gratitude because I love hearing from you guys! Let me know how this chapter turned out and whatever else you'd like to say! Thanks for reading and I hope to update again soon! ^-^

Much love goes out to you guys, much love! You keep me going strong!

-SilverShards-