Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or anything pertaining to the Star Wars universe. I do own this cupcake. Because I ate. So it's mine.
Yay! Update! So far so good, right? I was trying to update early but I had a few complications on my end lol. No, not writers block just difficulties. And I have been threatened that if i don't update that some people will take over lol so I promise to be good and update as soon as I can! My goal is to update before each Friday (Friday is my absolute deadline before I have to start dropping money into a jar. X(
Enough of my drabble, here is the story! Enjoy!
Don't Forget the Mercy
"The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed- It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes."
The Kath hound charged at Mission, her blade already interlocked with another hound that was trying its hardest to practically eat her face. She tried her hardest to disengage the hound in order to avoid the other one that was racing towards her. The hound snarled with the blade between its teeth as she tried to push him away and avoid the other hounds charge. When she couldn't break free without risking an attack from either one she flinched, prepared for the inevitable.
A blaster sounded as the Kath Hound charging her fell forward in a heap.
Mission took that opportunity to use all of her strength to knock the Kath hound away from her. She pushed with all her might as she successfully pushed the creature back a few feet. It skidded, snarling as slobber shook from its snout before charging at her again. She dodged at the last second, rolling to the side but not before holding her sword out as it slid across both thighs on the right side of the creature. She fell over as it howled in rage, stumbling before collapsing and trying to get back up. Its head snapped around to look at Mission as he scrambled and stumbled towards her before a blaster shot stopped his progression.
Mission sat in the grass, breathing heavily as Samirah finished off her own group of hounds. She spun around and hurried over to check on Mission, worry etched into her features.
"Mish, are you alright?" She asked with her eyebrows knitted together. Mission raised an eyebrow at Samirah, half a smile on her face.
"Why am I here again?" She asked rhetorically and Samirah smiled.
"Because you missed me." Mission jabbed her in the ribs making her flinch but laugh as Carth trotted up next to them. Samirah gave Mission a quick half hug before helping her to stand. "If you don't want to keep going with us, you can return. It's not too late—especially since we've practically cleared the way." Mission rolled her eyes.
"As if. I'm not leaving you two alone for a minute." Samirah's cheeks turned a bright shade of red as her eyes went wide in shock. For a moment she was speechless as Mission continued, shooting Samirah a knowing and yet devilish smile. "You two would get into more trouble than you could handle without me around."
Carth laughed.
"Mission, you know we couldn't do this without you." Samirah didn't even meet his eyes but instead, kept them focused on Mission.
"Y-yeah." Samirah agreed, not missing the Twi'leks smirks. Samirah quickly turned to lead the way, trying to hide her blushes from him.
It was silly to blush over something like that. What did Mission think she knew? She didn't know anything because there was nothing to know! There was nothing between her and Carth save for friendship. Nothing more, nothing—okay, sometimes there was something less. But that wasn't the point. Mission seemed to be insinuating that Samirah had some other emotion towards the pilot other than companionship. Not the companionship that required… well, a certain feeling she didn't dare mention. She didn't have that feeling. Of course not.
But then… if she didn't, why was she even thinking about it.
There was nothing to think about!
It shouldn't even be a thought!
She slapped the side of her head in frustration at her circle of thoughts. She was making this more difficult than it should have been. When they found Mission, she had realized they were still holding hands and had quickly pulled her hand away, earning a curious glance from Carth but he didn't seem to think much more of it. She wasn't sure what Mission had thought. She had only stared at Samirah for a moment longer than necessary and smiled briefly before they told her about their plans of going to the ancient grove.
Surely she didn't see something that wasn't there.
Because it wasn't there, right?
Samirah didn't know. If she kept this up, she was bound to drive herself around in circles. There was nothing to think about because it was nothing and that was the end of it. She was just going to focus on their goal and that was to fix the taint in the grove.
Carth and Mission watched from behind as Samirah fidgeted. It was probably a good thing that her lightsaber wasn't in her hand because she would have hit herself in the face with it. They exchanged curious glances, debating internally on whether or not it was safe to speak. Mission had a pretty good idea what she was thinking about and couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her lips. It was too easy to tease her. Samirah tended to over think the small things and Carth was just too dense! She mildly wondered how he ever made it so far in the Republic. She absentmindedly twirled her vibroblade in the hand away from Carth and Samirah to avoid hitting them.
When they had come to greet her, she was ecstatic to finally see Sami. She was even more so to find her hand clasped around Carth's. It was only an inkling of a feeling that had the gears turning in her head. Maybe it was Mission's turn to start over-thinking things, maybe it was just a moment of excitement that had her holding his hand—an unconscious thought, perhaps? Carth didn't think much of it but Sami seemed to be a little on the shy side. It may be simple friendship but Mission knew this was something she was going to have to keep an eye on. To be more accurate, a someone.
Carth kept his hand rested on his blaster and kept as alert as he could. These Kath hounds were prepared. Some didn't care if they were out in the open, easy to spot because once they saw the threat, they charged without a hesitant thought. Others liked to lurk in hidden areas—around the bushes, the brush, the hills and even the few scattered trees. They were hunters. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Well, he couldn't anyway.
Samirah and Mission seemed to be in deep thought about something. To be more precise, Mission looked like she had discovered a secret while Samirah was rubbing her forehead and scrunching her eyebrows together in frustration. He couldn't stop the frown from forming on his face. He was out of the loop again. He was beginning to think there was more than one loop and that they were all just simply orbiting around him, out of reach. Was he just being paranoid or was there some secret circulating around everyone? He would feel better if someone would just fill him in on everything. There had to be secrets that were being kept from him.
His eyes were focused on the back of Samirah's head, his frown deepening as he tried to think of a way to extract these secrets. To finally be back in the loop with everyone else. He deserved to know, right? He had helped them get this far, right?
No. It wasn't him. It was Samirah.
Did that mean he was useless now? She was a Jedi now so she had even more power at her disposal. Was he even needed now? He wasn't told anything anymore—hell, they hardly even interacted. The Council had consumed all of her time and even now, she had her mind elsewhere. Why was he even here? Why did she want his company? She wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for—
He suddenly felt shameful for thinking like that. She had long repaid that debt in ten fold. She had done more for him and the others than he had in return. He chuckled to himself in disgust thinking back on how all he had given her was grief and doubt. Any words of comfort he may have given her had been eradicated; been replaced by words of distrust, uncertainty, suspicion and skepticism on her every action. He couldn't really blame her from wanting to hold things back from him, right?
Then why did it irritate him? Why did the thought of her holding something back bother him so much?
He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't see the Kath hound racing at him from the side. His guard had been let down in his stream of the thoughts, leaving him vulnerable to an attack. Samirah had sensed the unwelcome presence the moment it began to charge. It was like a sharp jab through her mind that made her move rather than think. She spun around, tackling Carth to the ground before the Kath hound could make contact. He missed them by inches as he nearly hit Mission—the next victim in his line of sight. Samirah didn't even pause a moment before she yanked Carth's blaster from the holster and pointed it at the Kath hound. The Kath hound had skidded to a halt before spinning around and snarling at them. Mission had sidestepped the attack, preparing herself for a younger hound that had followed up but had gone around instead of charging.
The older hound raced for Samirah, her face calm as she aimed for the head. At the last moment, when she was sure her aim was aligned, she fired several shots into the flesh of the hound. It snarled again, shaking its head wildly before it howled and its face plummeted into the grass and going still. Mission had an easy fight with the younger, less agile hound that she quickly slain, letting out a soft sigh. Samirah lowered her arm as well as the blaster before looking down to make sure Carth was alright. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red when she realized she was still on top of him, her face inches from his. He just stared at her, still a little in shock as her face flared a bright shade of red. She immediately pushed herself up to get her face away from his and then realized she was now straddling him.
Oh for the love of—
Her face went an even deeper shade of red as she rolled herself off and back to her feet in one fluid motion.
"I-I'm so sorry, are you alright? I acted without thinking." She stammered, offering him her hand tentatively. It took Carth several moments to respond before he took her hand and was hoisted back up to his feet. As soon as he was back on his feet, Samirah smiled as she tried to calmly pull her hand free from his grasp.
"Yeah…I'm fine. Thanks for the… help." He finally said a little breathlessly. He was fighting a smirk at her sudden blush. Why was she blushing? She practically just saved his life.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to… well, you see… Here!" She nodded quickly before holding out his blaster to him. It was more like shoving it at him but none the less, he took it with a raised eyebrow. She averted her eyes only to meet a smirking Mission who was watching the whole thing unfold.
"Um, thanks. You don't have to apologize, you know." He said smirking at her. She was always apologizing. She didn't even need to and yet… here she was. She nodded her head slowly, the blush easy to see. Carth couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips at her embarrassment.
She quickly spun around and began moving again, Mission and Carth hurrying to keep up. Samirah mentally berated herself for being so easily embarrassed. He must think she was an idiot. Again, it was nothing. She was just trying to save his life so it was excusable, right? It wasn't like she tackled him for no reason. It was a legitimate reason that she should feel no shame for. That didn't erase her constant blushing so she tried to train her mind on finding the taint. Something—Anything—to keep her mind focused elsewhere.
And for a while, it worked.
They had been traveling for about an hour, searching the plains for any sign of the corruption. She figured they were getting closer because she felt little slivers of darkness slither across her mind. It was faint, but it was there. That meant they were getting closer. Once she found this taint, she would be a Jedi and hopefully allowed to leave the enclave. She missed traveling. She missed the adventure. She felt almost a little sad at the idea of being grounded forever. Never able to leave any given planet because it was the will of the Jedi that she stay in one place and practically become a hermit.
She didn't want to be a hermit.
They ended up being old… and crazy.
She didn't want to be old and crazy.
Not exactly her life goal.
They walked in silence as they traveled the plains, avoiding any Kath hounds they came across if possible. Carth had cleared his mind to keep his guard up. He didn't want to embarrass Samirah further, even if he couldn't figure out what had caused it. All she did was save his life. It was a simple matter, really. When he looked over at Mission, he caught her grinning at him for no apparent reason. She looked away but her grin still in place which made him furrow his brow.
What had he missed this time?
"We're close…" Samirah said quietly, drawing their attention back to their surroundings. The area hadn't really changed all that much but they still remained alert. They weren't sure what they were to expect but why tempt fate. Why tempt anything.
Samirah could feel the slight echoes of the taint across her mind. It felt like a thin sheet of velvet trying to wrap itself around her but she remained resilient. It was only a small taint. One that could not so easily sway her away from the light. She walked lightly across the grass to the grove. The grove itself looked like a small ruin. The ground was covered in uneven and broken stone and surrounded by broken pillars. Along the ground were several bodies that seemed to be the Mandalorians plaguing the land. At least, some of them. Canderous had yet to dispatch of them all, according to Carth so he was still out here somewhere but they had yet to come across him. So this couldn't have been his handiwork, could it?
"Sami… what exactly is this taint you have to remove?" Mission questioned a little uncertain.
"We'll know when we see it." It was a vague answer but it was the best one Sami could offer. Something was here but she didn't know what. She could feel the taint cover the area like a light fog but it was faint. It wasn't a miasma of darkness but it was enough to cause problems for the enclave.
They stepped tentatively, Samirah flaring up her lightsaber and listening as it hummed with every slight movement she made. Mission had brandished her vibroblade and Carth was holding his blaster tightly, ready to fire if necessary. Samirah stayed ahead of them, crouching low as she approached the grove cautiously. She knelt down beside the corpse of a Mandalorian, feeling for a pulse but finding none. She knew better than to expect any life left in him, but what she didn't expect was to find his body still warm.
He was killed recently… minutes ago even… this couldn't have been Canderous.
She glanced around the grove, trying to locate the target. It wasn't a simple target though, not an object filled with darkness but a being who was connected now with the dark side. A new thought presented itself to Samirah as she moved closer, nearly inside the grove. The taint must have been a Dark Jedi, laying low near the academy. Why would they send one now? What purpose was there for a Dark Jedi to be here? It was… foolish. Especially if there was only one and his connection was faint. It made no sense.
As she stepped onto the hard stone, her movements slow and prepared for anything, she sensed the movement to her right. She immediately twisted her lightsaber so that she was blocking the red lightsaber from her attacker. Her lightsaber sparked as they collided, putting as much force as they could into their attack in an attempt to overthrow each other. To Samirah's surprise, it was a woman who was dressed in Jedi robes—normal Jedi robes. Was she undercover? Did they do that? Was it possible? But her lightsaber was red so… did that mean…
Was she a Dark Jedi?
Carth aimed his blaster at the woman assaulting Samirah and when her eyes caught sight of him, her hand flew out to face him. In that instant, Carth found that he couldn't move. He couldn't pull the trigger. He couldn't shout to Samirah. He was frozen. It was like the Force was hugging him tightly, constricting him of any movements. Mission was beside him and when she started to move closer to help Samirah, her movements froze as well.
What the hell's going on? Samirah!
He panicked. If she was rendered useless like they now were… they'd all be in trouble. His only option was to watch the battle unfold before him, hoping that the woman didn't get the chance. Hoping that Samirah didn't give it to her.
Samirah's lightsaber flared and hummed with each swing as it collided with the strange woman before her. A Cathar if she was correct. She hadn't met very many Cathar on her journeys but she still knew who they were. Her attacks were angry and savage, no coordination behind them other than the desire to strike down her opponent. That was a bad sign for Samirah. She kept casting nervous glances at the now stunned Carth and Mission. Neither one moving; frozen where they stood by the power of the Force. Carth's face was scrunched up as if he was struggling to break free but it took more will power than he would know to accomplish such a feat.
It had been a miracle when Samirah had.
Samirah managed a back hand spring to move out of the woman's way. The Cathar let out a battle cry as she chased after Samirah, determined not to let her get away. Samirah blocked on her left side as their sabers locked again. She tried to overcome the woman before her but was met with a Force push that sent her back into a pillar behind her. She quickly recovered from the daze to duck as the Cathar swiped across, splitting the pillar. She brought her saber back down to try and catch Samirah before she could roll away. Samirah was still on the floor when she saw the saber coming for her and quickly blocked, their sabers locking yet again. This time, Samirah wasn't going to give her an opportunity to use any more tricks to win. She spotted a Mandalorian helmet not too far away and with a quick flick of her wrist, brought it crashing into the back of the Cathar. She cried out in surprise giving Samirah the opportunity to counter and be on the offensive.
She concentrated hard and used the Force to push the Cathar away, giving her room to move. The woman was tossed backwards, her back skidding across the hard stone of the grove. Her lightsaber flew away from her fingers, retracting in the process. She growled at Samirah who was already racing forwards, her blade tightly in her hands as she brought it quickly down on the Cathar. Her eyes went wide as she rolled away, Samirah's blade slamming into the concrete and creating a small crater where the Cathar had been. Samirah's head whipped up as she pulled her lightsaber from the stone and walked slowly to follow the Cathar's movements, each one slowly circling each other. The Cathar used the Force to call her lightsaber back to her hands, igniting it again.
"Who are you…?" The thick accent of the Cathar caught Samirah off guard but she was good not to show any emotion. She wasn't giving her the advantage.
"I could ask you the same thing… my name is Samirah Alda… and you?" The Cathar's eyes remained trained on Samirah, following her every movement and mirroring them. She remained quiet for several moments, contemplating what words she wanted to use or what actions. Be honest. Lie. Attack. Run. Yell. She was weighing her options and finally chose one.
"My name… is Juhani…" Her voice was cold and filled with anger. There was some other emotion that Samirah couldn't place… fear? ...distress? ...despair? Whatever it was, it was an underlying tone that was being concealed by that anger. Overpowered.
"And why are you here, Juhani?" She asked cautiously. "Why have you tainted this place?" Juhani smirked but it was one of disgust as she spat in Samirah's direction.
"This is my grove. This is the place of my dark power. This is the place you have invaded with your questions and righteousness. By the will of the council, you were sent her to kill me were you not? You will not succeed. You are not wanted here." They were still circling each other, their guard still on high alert, their weapons clutched in their fists.
"You're grove?" She questioned. "I'm not following…"
"No… I don't expect you too." Somehow her accent added a bit more malice to her words. "When I sought to embrace the dark side, this was where I sought my solace. This is the place of my power. This place is mine. It is MINE!" She shouted the last word at Samirah before lunging at her, taking that as her moment to attack.
Samirah immediately blocked as they began again with their game. Juhani had all this blind anger that she was thrusting at Samirah in hopes of overcoming her. But it was blind. She was just attacking, her eyes solely focused on Samirah. Samirah blocked each movement, moving as quickly as her arms would allow. At this rate she would be tired out by the woman's constant assault within minutes. Either that or one of them would wear down from it and Samirah would be sure it wasn't her. When she found her opening and the right moment she shot her elbow out nailing Juhani in the jaw and making her stagger back from impact.
Samirah pushed with the Force just a bit more to knock her back again. The Cathar lost her balance and hit the stone with a grunt, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them again, Samirah was on top of her with her lightsaber across her throat, daring her to move again. Juhani glared at her, knowing full well that Samirah now had the upper hand.
"Now, if you'll please stop trying to kill me… I'll let you up. But only if you promise." She said with a small smile that caught Juhani by surprise.
"Even… though you know I've embraced the darkness… you still show me… mercy?" Samirah shrugged.
"Only if you promise not to attack again." She said with a wink and mild humor.
Juhani didn't get it. Why offer mercy? Was she planning on killing her when her guard was down? What was the catch? Her eyes scanned Samirah's face, looking for any hint of betrayal. There had to be something. No one would spare a woman who had embraced the dark side—that had left the light like she did. No one was like that. There was another motive. There was a trick up her sleeve and Juhani swore she wouldn't fall for it.
She spotted a rock that had broken from a pillar out of the corner of her eyes and with her free hand—a hand out of view from Samirah—flicked her wrist, pulling it towards her with the force.
"No!" She spat at Samirah as she directed the rock at her.
She didn't have time to react as the rock collided with the side of her head. It wasn't a pebble either, it was a good size stone that hurt like hell. She cringed from the impact as she rolled away, her lightsaber skimming the Cathar's cheek as she moved. Juhani cried in pain as Samirah's hand shot up to her head and her vision blurred for a moment. She felt a trickle of blood roll across her cheek as her eyes darted over to Juhani. She wanted to play hardball, then Samirah would give her a run for her credits. She stood up, ignoring the throbbing in her temple and the blood that trickled from it. She twirled her lightsaber as the Cathar did the same, grinning at her accomplishment.
She had no idea what she was in for.
Samirah decided it was her turn to take the offensive. She raced forward, swinging her blade as the Cathar parried each strike. The hum of their lightsabers the only sound as Samirah twirled and struck the Cathar's own lightsaber that glowed a bright shade of red, sparking each time it met Samirah's green one. Samirah deflected the lightsaber with her own, knocking her hand away as she delivered a swift kick into her stomach. Juhani staggered back again but refused to go down. She immediately snarled as she swung her blade with as much force as she could muster to finish off Samirah.
Samirah ducked, nearly avoiding the blade as she thrusted her hand up to the Cathar's chest and delivered a quick jolt of the Force, knocking the Cathar into a pillar. She let out a gasp of surprise before she slid down, huffing from exhaustion as her lightsaber disengaged and rolled away from her again. Her eyes found Samirah's as she too was trying to control her breathing. They were both tired but neither one wanting to admit defeat. Juhani glared angrily at Samirah who was trying to smile kindly at Juhani.
"Now can we talk like—"Juhani howled in anger as she leapt from the pillar, completely ignoring her lightsaber. She launched herself at Samirah who blinked in sheer surprise. "Oh for the love of—"
She sidestepped Juhani who stumbled past her before Samirah delivered a quick jab to the back of her head with the hilt of her lightsaber. The Cathar gasped before falling forward and lying motionless in the grass. Samirah fell back against a pillar and slid down until she was sitting, her lightsaber disengaged while she tried to catch her breath. Her vision blurred for a brief moment before she blinked them clear. This was ridiculous. Did she have to be so difficult?
"Samirah!" Her head slowly moved to see Carth rushing up to her along with Mission behind him. The stasis on them had been broken. He dropped down to his knee's beside her as he grabbed her chin and moved her head to the side so that he could see the wound on her head better.
His face was close to hers as he examined the wound, but she couldn't help but feel the proximity. Her cheeks immediately flared as she fidgeted under his touch. Why was he so close? Why was he touching her? Mission handed him a cloth and she realized that they were talking but that she couldn't really hear them. All she heard was the loud pounding of her heart in her ears and she suddenly freaked out. She yanked her head away from him and scooted away, making space between them. He froze for a moment, shocked at her sudden reaction.
"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I was just trying to bandage you're head." He said with concern. She shook her head, trying to find her voice.
"Uhh… no, you didn't. I just… Its just… I'm fine." She finally said a little shakily. He only frowned in response, not accepting her answer.
"You are not fine. Stop being such a child and let me bandage—"
"I'm not a child!" She said defensively but nervously so it held no weight. It only succeeded in making him chuckle.
"Ok, ok—you're not a child. But you are wounded and it'll only get worse if you don't stop moving." He moved closer and moved her head to the side so that he could seep up some of the blood. He cheeks flared red again at his touch.
It was warm and only increased the blush on her cheeks. It sent chills down her back and she didn't know what that meant. His touch never gave her butterflies, it never felt so warm and it definitely never made her feel embarrassed. He was gentle and careful as he applied some Kolto which helped with the aching. He attached a bandage and smiled at her when he was done.
"There. Was it that bad?" She shook her head slowly, reminding him of a child. Despite what she said, she was exactly like a child.
She had the heart of a child… that was for sure. It was cute, really. He was always reminded of that but also reminded that she wasn't really a child, but a woman. This fight between her and the woman named Juhani proved that. He was useless to her during that fight. He couldn't help her or warn her of anything. He was defenseless and vulnerable and he hated it. If he had been able to help, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. His hand unconsciously moved up to her wound causing the unsuspecting girl before him to jump in surprise. He could see the red blush as it crawled across her skin, her eyes averted. He chuckled at her reaction before dropping his head. He stood up and offered his hand to her which she took after debating for several long moments.
Mission bit her bottom lip, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to expose itself. She definitely liked what she was seeing. The only problem was that neither one of them apparently saw it. And they called her the kid. But, that was something for another day. They had more pressing matters to attend to. Mission shook her head in disapproval before drawing her attention to the Cathar lying unconscious on the stone floor.
"Hey, what do we do with her?" She motioned at the woman as Carth and Samirah followed her gesture. Samirah frowned.
"Well, she didn't want to talk but I don't really want to kill her. Especially now that she's unconscious and vulnerable."
"Well we can't exactly take her back to the Council, can we? They'll kill her on the spot." Carth argued as Samirah shook her head.
"No, they wouldn't. At least I won't let them. She has turned to the dark side but it hasn't consumed her. I… I can feel it and it isn't strong. She hasn't fully embraced it. She's just… I guess the word would be tasted it." Carth shook his head, not liking any of it.
"But she still turned to the dark side. Even if she turns back to the Jedi, doesn't that mean she could just as easily sway back? I mean, it doesn't make her very reliable." He countered.
"Well we can't leave her here and we can't kill her. That kind of leaves only one option." She stepped over to the Cathar and grabbed her arm. She pulled the Cathar onto her back and grunted under the weight of the woman. It took several moments of adjusting and the help of Mission before Juhani had her arms over Samirah's shoulder and her legs held up by Samirah's arms.
When she turned to face Carth, he was shaking his head in disapproval but she ignored him. It wasn't his trial so his opinion didn't matter at the moment. Samirah was told to remove the taint… and well, she was removing it and taking it elsewhere. They didn't specify so it was the same thing. The details didn't really matter, did they? It was hard trying to keep Juhani on her back since it was all just dead weight. She would slip and slide as they moved and Samirah would mentally curse the Cathar for being so difficult. Carth offered to carry her a few times but Samirah would assure him she was fine even if she wasn't.
This was her trial so she was going to carry her.
Carth didn't get it. If it was him, he would have killed the woman for many reasons. She was a Dark Jedi now and there was no way you could trust her after that. She attacked Samirah so that would obviously give more incentive to kill her. And even then, Samirah gave her another chance but she still chose to attack. So why was Samirah carting her back to the Council? Why? It didn't make sense to him. It seemed pointless and an unnecessary risk. He would voice his concerns to Samirah and it irritated him that she would just smile to him and say "That ok. It's my risk, not yours. I'll take the consequences of my actions so don't fret."
There were so many things about this girl that he didn't get.
They walked in silence as they came close to a river that flowed, separating the plain with a small bridge linking the two pieces of land together. She squinted her eyes as a person came into view—correction, a Twi'lek. From his blue robes, she guessed that he was a Jedi sent from the council to accomplish his own task. As they quietly approached him, she noticed how deep in thought he was. He stroked his chin as he stared at the plains on the other side of the bridge. He was leaning against the railway of the bridge and as she stepped closer, could see where his eyes were focused on. She let out a small, audible gasp. A man lay in the grass, the life obviously now gone from his body while two more men hovered around. One leaned on one foot with a look of discontent on his face, clearly agitated while the other held his arms across his stomach, just below his chest and at an angle.
Samirah noted how odd it looked but didn't dwell on the thought. The Jedi was obviously investigating something and it wasn't her business to interfere. She hoisted Juhani further up her back, making sure she had a good hold on the woman as they kept going. They began to cross the bridge, drawing the attention of Jedi. She smiled and bowed her head slightly as she began to cross the bridge to continue her journey back to the enclave. The Jedi eyed her for a moment before smiling.
"Excuse me, Apprentice." He called in his native tongue, making her pause in her steps.
"Y-yes sir…" She said, her tone indicating how exhausted she was. He smiled sympathetically at her, eyeing the person on her back for a brief moment before his attention was drawn back to Samirah. She was huffing, waiting anxiously for him to ask what he needed so that she could move on.
He smiled knowing that she wasn't going to get very far.
"I see that your task has finished… in a manner of speaking." She frowned. Was everyone at the academy on alert about her task? Did they all know? "And you're arrival here is well timed." He continued.
"Well timed? What are you talking about?" She asked with a puzzled expression. She was trying very hard not to drop Juhani but with this Jedi questioning her, it was proving to be very difficult. Carth quickly sauntered up next to her, helping her keep a hold of the Cathar. He noticed her slowly slipping from Samirah's grasp and how uncomfortable Samirah was as she tried to keep a hold on her.
The Jedi smiled reassuringly as Carth helped her regain control. He didn't know what to expect from this woman but it was quite the spectacle to watch. Most would have killed the Cathar or sent her packing but not this apprentice. She was actually carrying her back to the enclave. Something he did not expect the least bit from an Apprentice.
"Forgive me, my name is Bolook, a Jedi from the enclave. I was sent by the Jedi Council to investigate a killing that took place here a few hours ago. Communication does not pose a problem as both the suspects and I speak Basic and Huttese." She frowned as she waited for him to get to the point. Juhani was getting heavier and heavier. The weight would soon be too much for Samirah to carry and they would never make it back.
"I was going to handle this case myself, but now that you are here this could be an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate how well you have been learning your lessons at the Academy. Though you are not yet a full Jedi, perhaps you could assist me in sorting out the truth from the lies." He offered and she just stared at him. He wanted to test her? Now?
"You want me to do what? Now? Uh, excuse my boldness Master… Bolook but… my hands are kind of full. Literally." He just smiled.
"Your friends can take her back to the enclave, can they not?" He offered, looking back to Carth and Mission who grimaced. Samirah shook her head.
"No sir, I'm afraid I cannot lay my burden onto them. She is my responsibility and as such must remain with me." He nodded with that small smile still in place as he clasped his hands in front of him.
"Then she may remain here with you. There is no better opportunity to test your skills then with a task such as this. It's rather perfect." Samirah frowned, realizing that he wasn't going to let her off the hook with this one. She was tired, her head was spinning and she knew her back was going to be sore in the morning. And yet this Twi'lek wasn't going to give up. She groaned before turning to look at Carth and Mission.
"Go on without me… I… I have to complete this task before I move on. That doesn't mean that you guys have to stay." Mission nodded but Carth was shaking his head.
"What? Leave you here by yourself? You're injured!" She laughed softly. His concern was a bit refreshing and kind of made her feel a little… happy. But none the less, she had to stay and she wasn't going to let them stay either. It was pointless.
"Don't worry about me and just go back to the enclave. I'll meet you there. Juhani will stay with me since she is my responsibility." Again, Carth protested. He didn't like that idea either.
"It would make more sense if you let us take her. In your present state, it's hard enough on you as it is to take on a new task by yourself. Now you want us to leave you alone with her? I don't think so, sister." His use of the word sister made her giggle. It reminded her of their countless fights on Taris.
"It's not up for debate, fly boy. What would you do if she woke up while you were taking her to the enclave? She's a Jedi and would easily have an advantage over you. She's better off with me." She countered.
"And you're too tired to be able to hold your own against her. So I guess that makes us even. Give her to me."
"You can try and take her," Samirah taunted as she turned to fully face him, a devilish smirk crossing her features.
For a moment, neither one said a word as they stared intently at each other. Bolook and Mission exchanged puzzled glances before watching to two before them. Carth was weighing his options. He could try and challenge Samirah but he was sure that she would put up a fight no matter what tactic he tried… and plus, he didn't want to fight her. Samirah saw his hesitation and took that as her opportunity to make it clear he wasn't going to win.
"I won't give her up easily, Carth Onasi. This is my responsibility and I will bear the burden. Please, just respect my wishes…" She asked making it hard for him to refuse. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking away in frustration.
"Fine. But if you don't make it back before dusk, I'm calling a search party." She smirked at how serious he was before nodding.
"Whatever you say flyboy…" She said softly, earning a worried expression from Carth.
Mission took this opportunity to grab his arm and began to pull him across the bridge and past the crime scene as he kept casting those worried looks at her. He had trouble keeping his eyes away even after Bolook directed her towards the scene. He watched as Samirah laid Juhani down at his feet so that he could inform her of the crime and what was required of her. When they were almost out of sight, he caught one fleeting glance from Samirah before she quickly looked away to complete the task.
Why did she look back? Had she changed her mind? Should he go back? Why was it such a big deal? Mission kept a firm grip on Carth as she tugged him away and kept heading towards the enclave. After several moments, Carth pulled free and followed her obediently. When Mission looked back at him, his face was scrunched up in concern for their friend and she couldn't help the smile.
"Hey, don't frown like that. Sami will be fine. You gotta have more faith in her than that, ya know?" she said in a chipper tone. "I mean, cause it's our Sami. If she could do all the things that she did on Taris, this'll be a piece of cake!" She had no worries what so ever. The Sami she knew was strong and kind.
Carth was just being a big baby over it.
A grin crept over her face at the thought.
"And you thought Samirah was being childish…" She said in mock criticism, earning a quick glare from Carth.
"Childish! I'm not acting childish! She's the one who wouldn't let us take that—that woman! If she gets into trouble, it's her own fault! I don't even want to hear her complain!" He argued as Mission rolled her eyes.
"Sheesh, do you even hear yourself Carth?" She said with a slight laugh before walking a few paces ahead of him.
He couldn't help it. Every time she did something reckless like this, he worried. She was the person you worried about when they went off on their own. The only word to describe it is childlike. That's what she was. It worried him to no extent when she over exerted herself like this but still managed to worry about them. Why? All he did was cause her more grief! He didn't understand her. He didn't even understand why he worried so much. She was very capable of taking care of herself and yet that didn't ease his mind. It didn't make him feel any better about it.
As they walked a bit further, the enclave came into sight and he realized that there were hardly any Kath hound attacks on his way back. Was it really all of Juhani's doing or had they killed enough to make it easy to return? He stuffed his hands in his pockets as they stepped onto the stone floors and merged with the rest of the settlers who had made Dantooine their home. This small, little settlement was their home and they relied on the Jedi to fix their problems.
When they were back inside the academy, Mission said her good-bye before rushing off to go find Zaalbar in the Cantina. Where else would that Wookiee be? He could always be found there. Carth settled for sitting on a bench in the middle of the courtyard. When Samirah returned she would have to pass by there so this is where he would wait. If something went wrong… he didn't know what he would do. He didn't like leaving her alone with that Cathar. Even if another Jedi was with her, he didn't like taking that risk.
He was going to wait. He wouldn't move from that spot until she returned. The sun was slowly descending but she had plenty of time before sunset. If she wasn't back before sunset—he wasn't kidding, he was going back out there to find her. He wasn't going to wait for something bad to happen. He was going to try and prevent it this time. He sat their impatiently waiting, his elbows on his knees and his fingers laced together under his chin. All he could do now was wait… that the only thing he could do. He hated it, but he was going to do it.
He was going to wait.
He was going to be there waiting when she returned.
Or.
He was going to be out there searching for her.
Hopefully you guys liked it! I had to rewrite it so many times before I was happy with it so I hope you guys are happy too! ^-^ Be sure to review and let me know what you think, even if its only two words... or letters even lol. Thanks again for reading guys! I really appreciate all the great reviews and help I receive from you all! Its really encouraging and makes me wonderfully happy! Your ideas and words of encouragement keep this story going! Pat yourselves on the back for me ;)
Thank you so much and I'll see you/talk to you next update! I'll stay strong, promise! ^-^
~SilverShards~
