Disclaimer: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And Blah. And don't forget it.

Hello my faithful readers! It is I! Back from the Dead!

Or life.

Whichever works.

I apologize for my prolonged delay of this update (but it is rather long if that's any consolation) but I was prepping for a Zombie Apocolypse! And, just a quick proud moment for me- I had been prepping to run a 5k race and finally ran it over the weekend! It was a very big accomplishment for me :D What made it worth it was that they threw colored corn starch at you the entirety of the race so by the end of the race, you looked like a unicorn threw you up! Yay!

Besides that, I've been mostly stuck at school and work but in favor of school, I have dropped hours at work so that I may study more and (for selfish reasons :D) write more! Because I've been neglecting this story so I apologize once more. I want to keep this story going, I have so much left to tell and finally have the time again. So if you guys are willing to stick with me, I'm willing to revive this and keep going! Don't give up hope on me just yet... after all, this chapter is all about the hope. ;)

Enjoy.


Believing in Hope

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all."

"That was when the Council dictated that I was to never use such methods again, but I showed them that it wasn't my teachings that were the problem. You see, about two or three weeks later, they found the same kid, huddled up in a cave on the far side of Tatooine. The kid had been lost for days in the sands, unable to find his way back home. The lad had taken it upon himself to best me and thought that by bringing down a Krayt Dragon, he would have shown the council who was the better—me or him!" Jolee laughed out loud as he told his story, the rest of the group still trying to remember what it was that set the old man on his tirade.

"What he failed to realize was that all the things I had taught him, stuck with him. That was how he managed to survive—inadvertently , through me even though he wanted to surpass me. He hated how I taught but be damned if they didn't work!" He chuckled to himself. "He never found the dragon of course, he had gone the opposite way and got all twisted up in his directions each time he came face to face with the Sand People. Absolutely refused to use his head, relied heavily on what the locals said… the idiot. Poor lad was never the same—took him a year to start talking properly again." Jolee chuckled to himself as he pushed foliage out of the way, still showing the group through the forest to Freyyr. Samirah feared that he wasn't paying enough attention to where he was going and more attention to his stories.

And if anything she had learned from this man thus far was true—he had no idea where he was going or what he was doing.

"Every time the lad ran into me on Coruscant, he would immediately go all twitchy and panicky before racing off to the distance. He never could find the courage to talk to me again after that… I warned him about those pesky dragons. The locals too!"

Jolee found himself lost in thought again as he chuckled to himself, revisiting his past through the stories he was telling. Bastila's face would scrunch up into a twisted look of confusion as she listened, her mind buzzing with puzzled thoughts about the unorthodox methods this hermit had been using. Samirah's mind, on the other hand, was still wrapping around the stories and was so enthralled in his tales, the Jedi teachings weren't bringing up any red flags in her head like they were in Bastila's. Through the bond, they were aware of each other's thoughts but only vaguely so since they were still too busy sorting their own out—they didn't need someone else's thoughts interfering with their own by any means.

Samirah looked over at Carth, wondering if he was thinking along the same lines as they were or if he had a whole different point of view on the stories Jolee was telling them just to pass the time. What was Carth thinking about presently, she wondered. If only she could just reach out with the force and pluck—

She stopped.

No, she should not wish for such things. Thoughts such as those were unbecoming of a Jedi and no matter how she may wish she knew his thoughts; she would not intrude upon them. She wasn't even sure if that was something that could be done anyway. It wasn't exactly taught at the Jedi Enclave and for good reason, she was sure. Still, she couldn't help but wish she knew his thoughts currently because he seemed to be elsewhere. Perhaps he wasn't even paying attention as Jolee started another story that involved a time before Revan and Malak were Sith Lords and before the Mandalorian Wars were even a thought. As Jolee spoke, Carth's face remained one of contemplation but not on what was presently being said by their old hermit.

She remained content with watching Carth for a moment, drinking in his features while he was unaware. She had been so sure that she was going to die the moment she fell from the basket and that she would never see him again. That thought terrified her more so then the thought of dying with so many things unfinished. Despite everything, her final thought was that she would never see Carth again, never hear him laugh or see him get so upset over a stupid decision she had made just to save a few people their troubles… the thought upset her.

She gazed at the close shaven facial hairs that gave him this husky, rugged look and the way his hair was tousled and unruly from being neglected these past few days. The look suited him very well. As well as, of course, the burnt orange jacket always present where ever he went. As she closely examined it, she could see how wore down it had become as the color faded slightly in several places and was promptly followed by the tiny blaster burns where he had narrowly escaped injury. He was always a step away from danger. Just like here though, he was always ready to jump back into the fray whenever it was needed. And his voice. The raspy sound he made when he spoke always seemed so surreal to her and just the simple thought of it made her smile...

Something Jolee had said jolted Carth from his thoughts. Jolee had been rambling on about Padawan he had once trained who ended up mucking up so bad, it hindered the Empire during a battle in space and changed a battle in favor of the Republic. Bastila had been focusing intently on what was being said by Jolee, soaking everything up and analyzing it as it was being said. She was convinced he was half crazy and that there was a reason he was living in a tree like a hermit rather than on Dantooine or even Coruscant like most Jedi were by this time in their life.

"Jolee." Carth spoke up, interrupting the hermit mid story and making him glance back at the young pilot with a questioning gaze. "With all that you know, you could very well be a Jedi Historian or something to that effect, correct?" Jolee shrugged.

"I suppose… what's it to you, lad?" He countered. Carth scratched the back of his head, wanting to say this properly and not offend the old man. Jedi were dangerous to begin with but add a bit of crazy to the mix and you had no idea if they'd fry you for tying your shoe too close to them.

"So, what I guess I'm getting at is that you decided to leave your little hermitage in the forest and come help us stop the Sith. I guess you realized this was worth coming out of retirement for, huh?"

Carth spoke in a lighter tone towards the end, a small smile forming. Jolee knew about all these great dangers in the past, he was well aware of them. Jolee was practically a walking Jedi Encyclopedia. Sure, if you asked him a question, instead of telling you what you wanted to know, he told you what he wanted you to know but it didn't escape Carth that despite his fanatical ways, he knew more then what was let on.

Jolee scoffed at him with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, that's right, sonny. The Sith are the greatest evil to hit the galaxy since, well, the Mandalorians. And they're the worst thing since Exar Kun. Blah, blah, blah, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." He said with a wave of his hand. They took a turn down a darker path where the branches of the trees had drooped down, forcing them to climb over or under them. Carth's face scrunched up. Maybe he was wrong after all. Maybe he really was just an old man lost in the forest for too long.

"Okay, old man you lost me there. Are you trying to make a point?"

"Look," Jolee started, taking on an exasperated tone, "Everybody always figures the time they live in is the most epic, most important age to end all ages. But tyrants and heroes rise and fall, and historians sort out the pieces." He clarified.

"So does this make what we're doing any less important?" Samirah chimed in, ducking under a branch as Carth held it out of the way for her. "I mean, it's still something we have to do! No matter what, right? So it has to be important…" Jolee shook his head.

"You're missing the point, lass. Malak is a tyrant who should be stopped. If he conquers the galaxy we're in for a couple of rough centuries. Eventually it'll come around again, but I'd rather not wait that long. So we do what we have to do, and we try to stop the Sith. But don't start thinking this war—you're war—" He looked at them pointedly as they hit another clearing, "is more important than any other war just because you're in it."

Samirah nodded slowly. He wasn't saying that what they were doing was a fruitless thing but only that it wasn't the most important thing to ever happen. They weren't going to be legends and this wasn't the greatest evil to ever threaten the galaxy—Samirah, in an odd sort of way, understood what he was saying… it made sense.

That scared her.

"That's an interesting theory, but I don't buy it." Carth announced with a shake of his head. "The Republic stands for something; it's stood for something for fifteen thousand years. And if it falls, everything will change forever." Jolee chuckled to himself, still looking ahead as they made their way.

"You believe whatever you need too to get you through this, sonny. The bottom line is we both want to stop Malak, so let's not get hung up on the details. Let's just get back to stopping him." Carth opened his mouth to argue but Bastila shot him a stern look. She really didn't want to have to listen to another tale that this old man probably already had lined up to better describe their situation.

She'd analyzed enough.

Carth kept his mouth shut for the moment. The Republic was important. It stood for their freedom, it stood for their independence, it stood for the justice of the galaxy—so who was this old man to tell him differently? That if the Republic fell, that the galaxy would somehow, magically, be able to continue on as if it were nothing but a speck of dust? No. The Republic was more than that. He knew it was. Without the Republic, the galaxy would fall into turmoil and unrest at the hands of the Sith. At the hands of itself.

"There, you see?" Jolee's voice pulled everyone's attention to the blue field in front of them, acting as a wall. They came to a stop as the blue field rippled like water, the electrical current that ran through it as visible as the trees around them. "Beautifully subtle, isn't it? At least, compared to other Czerka equipment dumped down here."

Bastila and Samirah moved forward, inspecting the barrier that halted their progression further into the abysmal Shadowlands. The barrier was this crisp blue color, the light shining brightly into their eyes, forcing them to adjust to light they hadn't seen for hours upon hours. Kashyyyk was such a dark place, the light obstructed by the hovering trees. They had almost forgotten about light, in all honesty.

"It's only been here a short while, or the Wookiees would have disabled it. They wouldn't have had an easy time of it, though." Jolee interjected as he watched the two fiddle with it. Bastila backed away, her eyes still trained on the barrier as she spoke to Jolee.

"Why place this thing here?" She questioned, puzzled by their reasoning if they had no clue as to what it was they were cutting the rest of Kashyyyk off from. Jolee only shrugged.

"There's no telling, lass. There are others, each blocking similar points on certain paths. It is all very calculated. Very precise. Whatever the reason, there was certainly one to be had. It would have been effective if it hadn't relied on the creatures to be walking. Climbers don't have much trouble getting around it." He gestured up top were the barrier was stopped by tree. The barrier itself was only about twenty feet and was really all it needed to be to stop most anyone.

Unless of course you were a Wookiee who climbed the trees since birth—then this little toy was pointless and you wouldn't find a problem in this delicately laid out plan.

"I trust you can get past it? You said that you knew how, correct?" Samirah asked, her voice a flurry of anticipation as well as foreboding.

She was so close, she could feel the ripple through the force but only faintly. It was here. The Star Map. The trail that Revan and Malak had left behind was still imprinted upon the force like a crater in the moons of Yavin. She held her hand up to the barrier, not physically touching it but still feeling its energy wafting off like incense.

"I can manipulate it for a moment…" Jolee mumbled, moving up beside her, feeling around with his hands near the edges of the barrier. "Let me see… How did the Czerka Engineers do it…"

Samirah jerked her head around to look at him, anxiety welling up inside of her like a balloon. Certainly he would remember something as crucial as this, right? Certainly he wouldn't forget…

"Oh for the love… please tell me you haven't forgotten already…" She asked quickly, earning a sharp look from the hermit. He stood up straight and pointed a stern finger at her making her feel the part of a child who was caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

"You just pipe down, lass! Old Jolee has forgotten nothing! Now let an old man work, will you? The youth of this day and age just get more impatient by the decade…" He mumbled again, kneeling beside the barrier and shaking his head.

Everyone remained quite as he continued to mutter, closing his eyes as he placed his hands in front of the barrier. Samirah could feel it through the force as he manipulated it to do his work, forcing it to intertwine itself with the barrier. The blue wall faltered and shifted before sputtering into nothingness.

"Ahh, there we go." He said, stepping back and dusting his hands off with a smug smile. "It won't stay down long so I suggest that we keep moving. You should also be aware that these are the most dangerous depths of Kashyyyk. A few surprises wait for us, I'll wager." He said with a cryptic tone in his voice.

For once, Samirah wished that if someone knew something was going to happen that they told her before it was sprung upon her like a death trap waiting to happen. Which was usually the case she ended up being presented with when the time finally came rolling around the corner. It was always a surprise.

They hurried past the barrier into the darker portion of Kashyyyk and as they crossed over, both Samirah and Bastila felt the wave of darkness strike them like a gust of wind. They looked at each other for confirmation, feeling the uneasiness settle in the pits of their stomachs. They were getting closer. Much closer. The dark side of the Force was strongly present here, covering the land in a dark shroud of protection. Of malice.

"So this is it…" Carth mumbled, standing beside Samirah. His close proximity made her feel safe. Her hand started to move towards Carth but when her brain registered what it was she was doing, she jerked it away, hiding it behind her back. Her sudden movement caught his attention briefly. He looked at her quizzically before she hid her blushing face and walked forward.

As they moved, they heard the field flicker behind them before coming back to life. So this was it. Samirah looked behind her, watching it pulse like a heartbeat. She really hoped that Jolee would remember how to do this once they returned again. Bastila and Samirah took the lead, allowing Jolee and Carth to follow behind them. Jolee was content with his part and settled back in order to see how they would accomplish the rest.

Samirah and Bastila kept their guard up, their lightsabers fitted perfectly into their grip as they walked carefully. The forest was covered in this foreboding feeling—it followed them where ever it was they turned. Samirah kept her mind open and her ears on alert to listen and feel for anything that could take them on a turn for the worst.

"Do you feel that?" Bastila asked Samirah quietly, trying not to alert the others. It may have been a foolhardy notion since she was pretty sure Jolee could feel it too but she knew he would speak nothing of it.

"Something… up ahead…" Samirah agreed. Within moments, they could hear the battle that they had felt through the force. They sped up their pace by only a smidgen, the sounds growing louder the closer they got. They couldn't see the figures fighting but it could be heard by everyone in the party.

"Don't make any sudden sounds—we don't want them to turn their fight upon us." Bastila ordered quietly to everyone. Samirah tightened the grip on her lightsaber, stepping around the brush and ducking below vines that swooped around them. Samirah strained her eyes to peer at the battle that was beginning to become clearer. A figure was kneeling down as another fought a one on one battle as two others simply watched.

"… Swine!" Their voices were becoming clearer. As they approached, one of the fighters chuckled at the remark and Samirah froze as she recognized the chuckle. Bastila looked at her and they both made the realization at the same moment.

"Is that all that I am? At least I have the decency to wait until you have yourselves armed. I could have taken you out easily but it wouldn't have held any honor to do so. So what does that make you, I wonder? Honor less scum!"

Canderous.

Samirah rolled her eyes at the incredulity of his remark. Canderous was quite possibly the only human being she knew who could have a fight to the death and hold a perfectly normal conversation as he did so. She remained on alert but re-fastened her lightsaber to her hip. Bastila looked at her in disbelief.

"What do you think you are doing?! He's—" Samirah shook her head.

"You think he'd let us hear the end of it if we interrupted a fight between him and another Mandalorian? He won't lose. He has too much pride for that to happen." She said with a smug smile as she watched the fight continue.

It was obvious that the fight wouldn't last long and that Canderous was only toying with them but what didn't escape Samirah's notice was the Wookiee that was behind Canderous. He was kneeling on the floor, his arm clutching his abdomen as what looked like blood, poured out of his wounds. His body swayed and he grumbled in pain but refused to fall. He was close to death. Too close. Samirah watched the other Mandalorians carefully, knowing full well that if she went to the Wookiees aid that they would notice her and strike. If she could avoid their notice, then all would be well. It had nothing to do with her handling it herself but everything to do with Canderous' code of ethics.

Well, it wasn't really a code as it was a personal testament.

Not taking the time to double think it, Samirah began to quietly move away from Bastila and towards the Wookiee. Bastila's eyes were drawn away from the fight and to Samirah as she moved away. She wanted to call out to her but she also didn't want to alert the Mandalorians to their presence. As Samirah neared the Wookiee, Canderous delivered a brutal blow to his opponent—the death blow. The Mandalorian cried before hitting the ground. The other two brandished their weapons and set out on the attack. Canderous just grinned as he spun the blade around in his hand.

While Canderous kept the Mandalorians occupied, Samirah hurried to the Wookiee's side as he grumbled at her in suspicion. His eyes were weary and she could tell he could not stay conscious for much longer.

"…Great Bacca… let this outsider be… different than… the slavers…" He mumbled to her as she tried to ease him onto his back. He tried to fight her but didn't have enough strength to do so.

"I am no slaver, I'm just here to help. Let me take a look at your wounds…" She said as reassuringly as she could. The Wookiee was too weak to argue and accepted that he could do nothing to change whatever outcome came from this—good or bad.

Samirah removed his hand from his abdomen and winced at the intensity of his wound. If it wasn't healed, it could prove to be fatal. Soon.

"Nasty wound he has there." She turned to see Jolee kneeling behind her with an intense look on his face. "Won't last long if we leave it untreated… not sure a Kolto pack will do him much good."

The Wookiee roared in dismay. Samirah comforted the Wookiee as best she could while trying to think quickly. She didn't know how to use the Force for healing… it wasn't exactly in her arsenal of abilities the Council had taught her. She learned the basics and the rest was left up to her to learn on her own: one of which was the healing techniques.

Come to think of it, the closest thing to a master she had was Bastila but even then… she was still a Padawan. She never received a proper master…

"What do we do…" She said quietly to herself but knowing that Jolee could barely hear her.

"Oh come on lass, surely you don't expect me to do all the work?" He looked pointedly at her.

"Jolee, I don't really think there's time… I-I can't heal like you do…I don't know how…"She admitted. The battle behind them was not forgotten to them as Canderous downed one of the Mandalorians effortlessly. The other was biding his time.

Jolee grabbed Samirah's hand and placed it over the warm blood that oozed from the Wookiee. She flinched for a moment before she felt a warmth—not the warmth of the blood but a different warmth—engulf her hand and flow into the Wookiee.

The Force.

Then she felt it. The darkness of the Force seeping through. Her mind was so open to the Force that she felt... vulnerable to its whispers. It made her shiver. She couldn't do it. What was she doing here? She wasn't strong enough for this mission, she wasn't strong enough to defeat the entirety of the Empire! She couldn't even save Taris, how was she supposed to save the galaxy?! This was insane. This was nuts. Doubt filled her- pain, suffering, worry, death... She felt it coming. The Dark Side of the Force was close. It was so close... too close.

Let it take over...

No!

"Concentrate." Jolee commanded, whisking her back to the moment at hand. She mentally shook herself, focusing as he told her what to do. This was not the time to let the darkness have her! She was not going to be its easy prey. She would not let it have her. She had to believe. Bastila was here, Jolee was here, everyone of her companions believed in her. Believed in what they were doing.

Carth believed in her... and that brought her hope on its own.

"Think of the force as not a weapon, but a thing to help and cure, lass. Feel… feel as I do." As he said it, she could feel as he searched through the Wookiee and feel his heartbeat. It was slow, slower than it should have been. She felt the wounds and could feel where each one was. Where the tissue had been torn, where the blood was thin, where the infections began—she felt every inch of the Wookiee with the Force. She shivered as Jolee concentrated, allowing the force to do its work.

He was mending the wounds. The flesh was binding together, the blood was replenishing itself—the body was literally healing itself as the Force flowed through and dictated it to do so. The Wookiee moaned and grumbled while the healing properties of the Force wrapped itself around him and Samirah was feeling it as if she was doing it. It felt as if she had control over this power. It was warm and tingly—just like the first time Jolee healed her from her fall but much more tremendous. She wasn't as injured as this Wookiee was.

She felt a tingle through the Force as the final Mandalorian fell behind her, ending the fight that had been waging on. It was just a barely heard whisper through the Force. It was present and then gone as her attention was brought back to the healing power Jolee was showing her. The Wookiee was mended. As the power finished, Jolee rocked back into a sitting position, his brow covered in sweat as he pulled away.

"I'm too old for this…" He muttered, wiping at his brow. Samirah felt this sparkle in her hands, the remnants of the healing properties. The Wookiee slowly sat up, careful not to disrupt the effects of the healing he had just undergone.

"I… I thank you… I would not have expected outsiders to aid me…" His voice was strained and Samirah was sure he was still worried about his wounds. "And you… you avenged my fallen brethren."

When he spoke this time, it wasn't to Samirah and Jolee, it was to Canderous. Samirah turned around to see Canderous checking the bodies for anything that could prove beneficial to them.

"These Mandalorians make me sick…" He muttered, taking a helmet off and tossing it into the forest.

"Their bodies will not last long in the Shadowlands. I am glad. The taint of them, their cowardice in hunting me and my kin while we are unarmed… the forest will consume it all…" He spoke quietly and solemnly to them. "I do not expect aid from outsiders and I extend to you my thanks for saving me and avenging my clan. A debt that can surely never be paid. We reward respect, even from outsiders… take this." He pulled away a belt that he had been wearing over his chest, a belt that bore a symbol of his clan.

Samirah gingerly accepted the belt, admiring the symbols that had been emblazoned upon the cloth. She ran her fingers over the embellishments, feeling with her fingertips the contours of the belt. It was definitely too large for her to wear as a simple belt, she'd have to wrap it around her waist twice just for it to come even remotely close to fitting.

"Thank you…" She whispered and the Wookiee nodded. He attempted to get up but Samirah stopped him. "You shouldn't move yet!"

"I am fine to move, outsider. You have healed me enough to return home and I do so with the knowledge that I am safe again. For that, I thank you." He pushed himself up and after reassuring himself—and those around him—that he was stable, he made his way out of the Shadowlands. He did so with caution, aware that threats lingered no matter where he was.

Samirah watched until she could no longer see the Wookiees silhouette before returning her gaze back to the belt. This was not for her. She stood up, turning to Canderous as he rubbed the back of his neck to alleviate a bit of his stress. When he noticed that she was staring at him, he looked at her with a quizzical expression.

"What now, kid?" She frowned.

"Well, first off, I think this belongs to you. You fought the Mandalorians so at the very least I think you deserve the reward." Canderous looked at the belt as his face scrunched up into one of uncertainty. He slowly accepted the belt as she continued. "Secondly, how in the name of the Force did you make it on the other side of that barrier?" This made him smirk as he wrapped it around his waist twice, creating a snug fit. On Samirah, it would have just barely stayed on her hips but on him it stayed.

"Kid, I've been in this business a lot longer than you." He said with chuckle.

"I was following those loud-mouthed Mandalorians without them ever noticing and when they traveled past the barrier, I just followed after. It was simple enough to do really—they didn't even know I was here until I made them conscious of it. I waited until their plan was evident to me before I intervened but by then, they had already taken out two of the Wookiees in a surprise attack. When their element of surprise was used up, the last Wookiee became aware of what was happening and retaliated. By that time I jumped in but he was already half dead. I made sure they were aware of me before I attacked though… no honor in fighting from the shadows—I simply wanted to size them up first."

Samirah stayed quiet, listening as he spoke before nodding. She had to give the Mandalorian a bit of credit for employing a bit of tactics. In actuality, she had to give the credit to Canderous himself and not really Mandalorians in general. As far as she and every other sentient being out there knew, Mandalorians took on the attack and go approach which usually involved little to no skill in secrecy and a whole lot to do with brute force. Canderous was showing her a different side. It sort of made her marvel a bit at this new aspect of Mandalorians that was rarely ever apparent to her before now. It was like getting a glimpse at something forgotten.

"Jolee, are you alright?" Samirah turned at the voice of Bastila as she was kneeling beside the old man. He was sitting down in a relaxed position, his elbows resting on his knees as he caught his breath. He waved her off with an irritated expression.

"Oh, knock it off lass. I'm just fine, a little exasperated, but fine all the same. Heh, not as young as I used to be either…" He joked mildly.

"Jolee…" He looked up at the sound of his name to find Samirah peering at him from the side. "That technique you were using… the healing…" She started.

"Yes?" He prompted, a lopsided smirk growing slowly.

"Is that… I mean… would you be able to…" She spoke slowly and quietly, earning a reproachful look from the old Jedi.

"Speak up, child. Spit it out... What is it you want? To learn? Hmm? Is that it?" She nodded.

"I mean, can you? Is that something that you can teach me?" She waited a moment, avoiding his eyes as she thought to herself.

"Why?" It was a simple enough question but it still made her jump. Why else? What other possible reason could there be for her to want to learn such a technique? "Why should I, an old, retired Jedi, take you, a stubborn, irrational and young neophyte Jedi under my wing? Hm?"

Bastila looked at Jolee and then at Samirah who fidgeted under the weight of his case. Old and retired he says? Bastila knew that despite those factors, he was still able to teach so long as the learner was willing to be taught. Looking at Samirah, Bastila was certain that she was up to the task… or, so she hoped.

Samirah fiddled with her fingers.

"To be able to heal people like that…" She spoke softly, looking up at Jolee as he sat on the damp forest ground. His gray eyes watching her brown ones intently not that she was looking at him. "To save them from near certain death. I want to learn to do that. I don't want there to ever be a reason why I can't save someone and if I have even the slightest chance of learning to do something that could protect people… I want to do it. I want to learn." She spoke earnestly and Jolee was thoughtful for a moment.

Was this a path he was willing to go down?

He bowed his head with a chuckle. How could he say no? She reminded him so much of…

"Alright, lass, alright. No need to get your robes in a bunch. I will teach you for as long as you are willing to learn but it will require a lot of practice, a lot of patience and you'll have to listen to my every word. No arguing with me, alright?" She nodded with a hopeful smile and he just shook his head.

Maybe there was more to hope for then he had originally intended. Perhaps, there was more to this journey then he had anticipated as well.

"Thank you…" She said in a small voice.

She was on the road to better protect those she cared for. If Jolee hadn't have been there when he was, after she had fallen from the basket, she wasn't sure what would have happened. Would they have found her? What if it was Bastila who had fallen, or Carth? She wouldn't have been able to help them even if she had come across them… Jolee had the means to do so. She needed his guidance.

"I think we've been delayed long enough…" Bastila interjected rather cautiously. "Jolee are you fit to move? Shall we continue or—"

"Oh don't you start coddling me, lass. I'm as fine as fine can be, I tell you!" He hoisted himself back up, dusting off his robes with his hands. "I'm fit to continue, you just carry on and Old Jolee will follow you…." He continued to mutter a few other things but not loud enough for anyone else to hear.

Bastila bit her lip in an attempt not to lash back at him. He could have simply just said he was fine and left it at that. If it wasn't for the fact that he was her elder, she may not have restrained herself to put him in his proper place. For a Jedi, he wasn't as serene as he should be. Much too rebellious and his influence on Samirah was something she would strive to prevent.

Samirah checked her surroundings; staying cautious and noting that time was still ticking by. They had yet to find Freyyr or the Star Map so things weren't going the way they had intended. It was taking too long. Bastila was right. They needed to keep going. With Malak hot on their trail and Zaalbar in the clutches of Chuundar, they needed to make quick work of the forests.

"Ok, now to find the Wookiee Chuundar spoke of and—"

"Kill him?" Samirah was taken aback. She spun around to look at who spoke, only to find that the owner of the voice was Jolee.

"What?" She replied, puzzled. His eyes watched her carefully, waiting for her reactions, for her next words to come flowing from her mouth to reveal her intentions. He had an inkling but he needed to be sure…

"That was the deal, was it not lass? You made a deal with that Wookiee to deal with Freyyr, to kill him, hm?" She shook her head fervently at him, the shock still apparent in her features.

"No! Not to kill him, Jolee, I wouldn't do that!" Samirah cried in shock. Why in the name of the Force would he think she was going to kill Freyyr? Hadn't she just asked him for training to heal people? If anything, that should be proof enough that she wasn't trying to kill anyone."I'm trying to fix things, not to make them worse… I don't want to kill anyone. I plan on doing things in a way where no one has to die. I just want to talk to him and see if there's any way to free Zaalbar... I just want our friend back..."

Carth put a hand on her shoulder, an attempt to soothe her but it did nothing to alleviate the tension. She spared him a quick look before focusing back on Jolee, worry creeping its way onto her features. She didn't want him to think this way about her, she didn't want him to think she was blindly doing what she was told. They watched each other carefully before Jolee smiled and chuckled, finally looking away.

This caught her off guard. He was... was laughing...

"Curious…" He muttered before moving past her. He didn't give Samirah a chance to respond before he kept walking on. "Old Freyyr should be here somewhere… It's been a while since I last saw the old Wook but I know he's still here, can smell that breath all the way to the far moons of Yavin, I bet you."

And then it started again. As they followed Jolee, despite their grumbles, he began another story about a Wookiee he had come across during his travels several years earlier who's breath was so rancid, even a Rancor eating Gamorreans would be revolted. Samirah couldn't help the smile it evoked whenever he started—she somewhat missed the stories people had to tell. Whenever she'd frequent a Cantina in her travels, there was always a patron or two who were filled with stories from planets she had yet to travel, adventures she had yet to endure, people she had yet to meet, and wars she'd never fought. Most of the time they were tall tales of adventures they'd never had but the stories were still so enthralling that they tended to forget that they could never be true.

The only difference here was that Jolee tended to go off topic with his stories… she was sure the point was usually lost the majority of the time. What the Balmorran Flu had to do with their hunt for Freyyr, she hadn't the slightest idea but he seemed to have this notion that the two subjects had a correlation. Or maybe there was no connection, no point at all. Perhaps he just liked entertaining the idea that he was an old man and could do whatever the hell he wanted.

The creaking sounds of the forest around them gave Samirah shivers down her spine. It was cold. There was no warmth—it was like the darkness had swallowed the planet whole but she knew that it didn't reach further than the Shadowlands. It was just her imagination, she knew that, but when it swirled around you like a snake, it was hard to convince yourself otherwise. It felt like it was too big... too encompassing.

She was feeling the darkness around her again.

"You ok, kid?" Her attention was pulled over to Canderous as he observed her. He spoke in a hushed tone, careful to not raise his voice above the old man's. They did not need to incur the wrath of the hermit.

"Hmm? I'm… I'm fine."

"You seem a little… shaken up." She nodded, still observing the woods as if they held the secret to the dark side of the force. Revan has surely left this taint—knowingly or not, it was still present, imbedded into the very fibers of the trees.

"I can feel the trail… I can feel it as we go. We're close… wherever it is that Freyyr is hiding, he's hiding near the star maps. It's like… It's feeding off of him… feeding off the Force…" She murmured, her hand lifting just barely to feel the air around her. The energy was static. It was crisp. She furrowed her brow in contemplation of what she was feeling. "Or maybe he's feeding off it… I can't tell…"

Canderous looked away, focusing ahead as he let the silence take over. Samirah didn't speak again, her mind too heavily focused on what she was feeling the closer they got. The electrical current was heavy. Thick. They were on the right track.

"We're close…" This time it was Jolee who spoke. His joking tune faded away and replaced by a soft, more serious one. Everyone fell in to step behind him, the undergrowth way quieter than any of them would have liked. Bastila's calculating eyes scanned the area, staying on her toes.

Jolee's brows knitted together as he came to a stop at an arch of trees. He scoured the area with a skeptical look, scratching the top of his balding head out of confusion.

"What the confounded— Old Freyyr must be hiding out somewhere… he usually—"A roar interrupted him as they all looked up in shock as the roar echoed down at them. Samirah took no second glances before leaping out and tackling Jolee to the ground. He let out a loud gruff sound as they hit the floor, everyone else backing in shock as a Wookiee descended upon the spot where Jolee had stood.

Carth quickly helped Samirah and Jolee up to their feet, his eyes never leaving the Wookiee as he growled and roared at them in displeasure. He was in an offensive position, forcing the others to take on a defensive one, unsure of how to proceed. Bastila kept her hands up as if she was trying to calm a untamed animal.

"F-freyyr?" She spoke cautiously, earning the full attention of the Wookiee. "We mean you no—" He roared ferociously at her, making her flinch in response.e He

e weeeeaslkdj"More of you Czerka core-rats? Is even the heart of Kashyyyk not free from your kind?" He roared, his voice tinged with something more than anger. Loathing. Revulsion. Malice. Words that should have never been used to describe this once strong and symbolic Wookiee. Jolee held his hands out like Bastila, his forehead scrunched up in concentration.

"He is almost feral after all this time…" He whispered as Freyyr swung his claws around at them… Madclaw would have been the term Zaalbar would have used. Jolee spoke loud and clearly at him, forcing his attention to fall on him instead of Bastila. "Calm yourself, Freyyr… We are friends. Don't you remember me?"

Freyyr's eyes were unseeing. When he looked at Jolee, it was not a look of mutual friendship or of a wise leader… it was the look of an animal. Of a lost creature. Whatever it was he saw, it wasn't friends or people with a mutual cause… it was adversaries. He roared as fiercely as he could muster, his eyes narrowing in on them.

"After years in the Shadowlands, I remember only that outsiders are not to be trusted! I'll see you dead!" He screamed at them, striking with a quick motion at Bastila as she threw her hand up and formed a shield with the force. He beat at her protection repeatedly, forcing her down on one knee before Canderous tackled the Wookiee to the ground and rolled away as he tried to retaliate.

Carth was about to shoot at him but hesitated—he didn't want to hurt Freyyr or worse, kill him. Canderous, on the other hand, didn't much care for the formalities and instead just grinned as he squared off with Freyyr. Wasn't everyday that you got to go toe to toe with a Wookiee. Samirah simply prayed that he didn't get himself killed... because Freyyr was out for blood.

"Well, this may prove difficult." Jolee muttered as he backed away, allowing Samirah the space she needed to maneuver. She positioned herself between Jolee and Freyyr in the event the Wookiee decided he was going to go for the old man. Jolee's face was contorted into one of displeasure as he fell back against a tree. They watched Canderous try his hand at subduing the Wookiee.

Canderous grinned as his hands and feet mimicked that of the enraged Wookiee. They danced back and forth, a dangerous rhythm to follow. Bastila's hand laid readily on her lightsaber, her fingers flexing around the cold metal and a single finger tapping the button lightly. She struggled internally with the decision of killing him now or keeping him alive. He was vital to their cause… the key to Kashyyyk. Killing him wasn't a viable option if it could be avoided but at the rate it was going already, odds were falling the longer it persisted.

Freyyr bared his teeth, the sound of a feral beast ripping through the forest with such ferocity… Bastila wasn't sure if there was any sanity left to salvage inside of him. Killing him may be their only option.

"Come on you walking carpet…" Canderous goaded.

Freyyr lunged at him, Canderous side stepping and letting loose a right hook into the side of the Wookiees head as he laughed. Canderous never dreamed of fighting a Wookiee , hand to hand and yet… here he was. A Mandalorian challenge at last.

Freyyr took no time at all getting back up to his feet and swinging a punch into the side of Canderous' head. Immediately after, Freyyr rammed his whole body into Canderous, catching him off guard before pinning him to a tree. Canderous grunted as the Wookiee howled at him and pressed tightly, cutting off air. Canderous felt his feet leave the ground, dangling helplessly from below. Sweat beads formed on his brow and slowly fell down the side of his face while he gritted his teeth. One hand gripped the Wookiee's arm while the other felt around his belt for a weapon. He wrapped his fingers around the handle of a blaster and swung it around, slamming the hard metal into the side of Freyyr's head.

The Wookiee staggered backwards, inadvertently releasing the Mandalorian from his grasp before falling into an adjacent tree, reeling from the intensity of the impact. Canderous could hit hard. Canderous immediately fell down to his feet and then down to one knee as he caught his breath. He looked up to see Freyyr struggling to his feet while Samirah and Bastila quickly closed in. Samirah pulled her hand back and with as much fervor as she could muster, propelled her hand forward—knocking Freyyr back against the tree and holding him there.

"Heh, Furball has quite the punch now doesn't he?" Canderous mused, wiping a small trail of blood from his mouth. That punch, with any more power behind it, could have done Canderous in. For once, he appreciated a hard head.

Samirah stayed focused, keeping her hold on Freyyr, unaware of Canderous as he took off into a sprint and with as much strength and force as he could assemble, smashed his fist into the side of the Wookiee's face. Freyyr roared in agony, slumping against the tree. Samirah loosened up, releasing her hold on the Wookiee slightly but keeping a careful eye on him. Bastila ignited her lightsaber, keeping her guard up as she inched closer. The punch wasn't enough to cause too much damage, but it would definitely help keep him in check... for now.

Jolee moved up, placing a hand on Bastila's arm.

"Put it away child…" He murmured and she looked at him in utter astonishment.

"You can't possibly—"He looked at her with a stern look before nodding at Freyyr. Hope was lost in him. Jolee could see it. Freyyr moved around uncomfortably, roaring and moaning in pain—mental and physical.

"I… I am beaten. Take my head, Czerka filth. You won't get another chance. So swears Freyyr of Kashyyyk." He roared, his voice a low rumble. His eyes darted between them all.

"I'm not here to kill you… I'm only here to talk. Only a few minutes of your time if you'll let me…" Samirah narrowed her eyes on him as she stepped closer and his body tensed. He moved his head away from her but kept his eyes trained on her.

"The words of outsiders are tainted with lies. You can't convince me otherwise." He spat. Jolee pushed past them, shaking his head at Freyyr.

"Freyyr, can you honestly not remember me? Remember how I helped you?" Freyyr let loose a guttural roar, struggling against the invisible bonds Samirah held against him. Samirah tightened them up and he only glared at her in response.

"Enemies! Traitors! You are no friends of Kashyyyk! All are lost… dead inside but their bodies the puppets to the darker forces… betraying us… taking us… I remember nothing but the pain, the cries, the betrayals… I remember nothing but—"

"Do you know Zaalbar and Chuundar?" Samirah quickly interjected, pulling his attention to her. His words stumbled to a halt to focus in on her, his body going rigid.

"What? Those are my sons. Why do you speak their names? Tell me, human!" He screamed, attempting again to fight against the bonds yet again and forcing Samirah to hold her position. He was fighting her but she refused to let go.

"Freyyr, please, stop! My name is Samirah Alda… I came to Kashyyyk with Zaalbar." This caused Freyyr to freeze up. Moments passed by and Samirah wasn't sure if that was a sign of good fortune or bad. The Wookiee lowered his gaze to the floor.

"To… to my shame… Zaalbar was exiled and enslaved." He raised his head again to see Samirah and her outstretched arm, holding him with the Force. His face slumped, the rage draining from him like a bottle of liquor set in front of a Mandalorian and being replaced with something less intimidating. "Do you… dare claim to be my son's owner, outsider?"

Samirah was hurt by his accusation but not overly surprised. The entirety of this planet was becoming accustomed to the idea of Wookiees as slaves. She lowered her hand, releasing her hold on the Wookiee which alarmed the others as they readied their weapons. He fell forward into a crouch, preparing to attack if the time arose. Carth nervously glanced over at Samirah. What was she doing? He could attack them at any moment now that he was free from her hold.

"No… He only follows me because he has sworn a life-debt. I do not claim him as my slave nor do I claim to be his owner—that is what separates me from Czerka. " Samirah declared openly. Freyyr remained quiet, lowering his stance.

"A life debt? Then he sees something of worth in you. I will listen… cautiously. Gullibility has harmed me in the past… If I had seen the lies of Chuundar, he would have been exposed as a slaver." He slammed his fist into the tree, sending a tremble through its form. Samirah flinched but kept her eyes on Freyyr as he fell back against the tree, sliding down into a sitting position. "Zaalbar… would not have been exiled… I did not believe Zaalbar's claims; I believed the elder boy, as tradition dictated. The shame of Zaalbar's attack blinded me…. It forced my hand…"

"What… happened?" The pain Samirah felt from Freyyr was etched into the force like stone carvings. She felt his ache, his woe, his shame—as if every bit was her own and that hurt her more than any knife. He regretted everything.

"Zaalbar saw it first." He started, looking up through the canopy as if seeing the events playing out in front of him again. "He learned that Chuundar was dealing with Czerka, leading them to our hunting parties. Chuundar would blame disappearances on the dangers of the Shadowlands. Zaalbar was crazed when he found out. He attacked Chuundar with his claws… I thought he had gone mad… shed his honor. I was bound by the old ways." He buried his head in his hands. Samirah inched closer to him, despite the worried glances Carth and Bastila shot her.

She kneeled down in front of Freyyr, forcing him to look at her despite his grief.

"So Zaalbar was exiled. When did you learn the truth?"

"A year later..." His roar was quieted by the regret that weighed heavily on his words. "By then, Chuundar had spread lies of my own madness. I had no allies when I confronted him. He and his Czerka guards attacked me. I had to retreat to the deepest Shadowlands, but even there they followed."

Jolee nodded, stepping forward.

"That's when I first saw him. I helped his pursuers lose him for a moment." His face was full of pity and compassion—a look that was foreign to Samirah when she looked at the hermit. He never seemed the sort who would feel distress for others. She always assumed that he had been turned bitter by his exile in the woods of Kashyyyk for so long. That he would see everyone's miseries as faults of their own, nothing more. "Do you remember me now, Freyyr?" Jolee pleaded.

Freyyr looked at him, blinking to clear his eyes as if a film had been placed over them and only now was he able to be rid of the hindrance. He was holding back what Samirah could only assume were tears left unshed for so many years. He wiped at his eyes, howling in discomfort and in exhaustion. Shame rolled off of him like a wind from the wings of a Krayt dragon.

"Yes, I—I do. I am sorry, my friend, about attacking. It's been so long since I have offered my trust, or accepted that of someone else..." Jolee nodded again, with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

He had his old friend back. It was almost warming to the heart to see compassion in Jolee and a spark of hope in Freyyr. Samirah started to speak once more when her comlink sparked. She was startled at first before hearing fractured words. She listened intently, trying to make out the sounds before the connection died. Something was blocking the signal. She sighed in slight frustration as she tinkered with the device, slightly side tracked from her predicament with the exiled Wookiee chieftain.

Samirah stood and walked away from the two momentarily as she focused on the comlink. Who was trying to get into contact? Bastila's eyes never left the Wookiee but she was more or less a little more relaxed about the situation—but by only a small bit. Carth, on the other hand, had all eyes on Samirah.

"Samirah—" He whispered feverishly to her, catching her full attention, "—Just moments ago, he was trying to kill us! Do you really think it's ok to turn your back on him?"

Samirah glanced back over her shoulder at Jolee and Freyyr, her body growing weary with the thought of having to watch her back every moment of every day. Seemed like it was all she did...

It's been so long since I have offered my trust, or accepted that of someone else...

The Wookiee's words sounded so much like her own sometimes...

Hadn't she had enough of that as a Scout? A life of paranoia? Her face showed her weariness as she watched Freyyr bury his head in his hands again. A father. A father ashamed. A leader forced into exile. He's lost everything... What it must feel like to have your trust betrayed… Jolee looked to her as he felt her gaze on them. The expression on his face… right now, he was trusting her. He was trusting Freyyr. Freyyr was trusting him... Trust. How long had it been since someone truly trusted her? With absolute trust.

What was she hoping to accomplish here? How had she been hoping things would progress? Nothing was ever simple.

"He won't hurt us now…" She said quietly, looking back to them. "He's broken—mentally and physically. He needs help. He needs our help. We have to do something to put everything back in order. It's a mess here..."

"They always need our help, Samirah." Bastila said, her eyes pulling away from Freyyr to look at Samirah. "As Jedi, people will always ask that you help them. They will show you their weakness, their shame, their regrets, their very lives and leave you with the decision to help them. But there is only so much that we can do to help. We cannot fix a broken family or the wounds one acquires over time... that is something they must fix on their own. You will exhaust yourself beyond even your extraordinary capabilities..."

"So what, you're saying we should just walk away?" Samirah replied quickly. "Bastila, we can't do that. I can't do that. I can't just turn my back on this, not when I know that there is something that can be done... even if it's only a fraction of what they need, it's something. You want to go back to the Ebon Hawk and wait for us? Fine. Go. I can finish this with or without your help but I am not going to walk away from this. I'm not walking away from him." She gestured over at Freyyr, not needing to spare them a look. Bastila held her hand up in an attempt to calm Samirah. She wasn't trying to incite frustration in her.

"That's not what I'm suggesting—I only want you to be aware that there are times when you can't do everything. We will help him where we can. Carth is right, however. We do not know how far gone he is down the path of being what they call a madclaw. How can we be sure he will not turn against us?"

"And how can you be sure I won't turn to the Dark Side if the moment is right? How can you be sure that I won't find my friends to one day be my foes?" Samirah countered. Fear lit up in Bastila's eyes but she clamped down her mouth, refusing to say anything. "This entire mission is based on risks we take and the decisions we make."

"That's not the same thing—" Carth butted in, shaking his head.

"It is, Carth." She stated, turning her attention to him as he pursed his lips.

"We just don't want to take any unnecessary risks is all. If he attacks us again, we'll have to retaliate and possibly kill him."

"He won't." She declared with finality before turning away from them, the comlink forgotten. "I'll guarantee it and stake my life on it. You won't have too. If you don't want any part in this, go back to the ship..."

She knew she had no reason to be angry with them. They were looking out for her. She knew that. They just didn't understand her need to help him. That's what Jedi were about, weren't they? They were supposed to help people... if not for that, what was she? What was a Jedi? How many Jedi turned their back on those who would need help? She vowed to never turn a blind eye when she could do something to change the curving tides. She just couldn't help but wish they would trust her a little more. Could they not just trust her judgment?

She approached Jolee who raised a curious eyebrow at her. Freyyr didn't say anything, nor did he even lift his head to look at her. Whatever conversation had just transpired between the two of them, she hadn't the faintest idea but she assumed it was something she need not inquire about. It had nothing to do with her. She had other things in mind.

"What happens now, Freyyr?" He finally looked at her, a stifled moan echoing from his throat. Perhaps he was still breaking...

"That would depend on you, Samirah Alda. You will either kill me or decide that I may yet benefit my people. There is a way I might challenge Chuundar, but it would take a lot to convince people they have been lied to." He offered.

"How? Everyone is on his side?" There was a way to fix this? Finally, a possibility of making right with this world. If everything could somehow be restored, it would be a step in the right direction.

"He has a strong web of lies, but if I appeal to the traditions of my people, I might be able to gather support. There is a legend of a great warrior from the old times. Bacca was his name, and he is greatly revered." The name rang bell in Samirah's head. She was sure she had heard many Wookiees refer back to Bacca. "Bacca found a crashed starship, our first hint of life elsewhere. He was a cautious old Wook, and feared the taint of invaders. He constructed a vibroblade from the wreckage. It has long symbolized our independence. Only destined leaders have held it..."

Samirah knew exactly where he was going with this. She stayed quiet for a moment, acutely aware of the eerie silence behind her. He had caught the attention of the others with his story.

"Where might I find it?" She finally asked, an irritated sigh coming from one of her companions behind her but she didn't dare look back at them. There was little time for games and little time for trying to play it safe. Right now, Kashyyyk was in a state of turmoil and Zaalbar's life was in her hands. She could only pray that Chuundar did not do anything hasty. Freyyr laid back his head against the tree, looking at the canopies above him. When he sighed, it was not out of agitation but out of despair.

"That is the problem." He roared softly. "It was the symbol of our great chieftains for centuries, but it was damaged a generation ago in ritual battle. Here in the Shadowlands, Rothrrrawr fought the Great Beast. He sought a challenge, but this arrogance got him more than he could handle. He survived, but the blade of the sword stayed in the creature's hide. Our tales say it was taken because we had become undeserving. The hilt is still in the court of our chieftain… with Chuundar." He looked at her once more, his eyes looking straight through her it seemed and she knew what he was getting ready to ask.

It was the same look the council had given her before each trial. It was the same look Bastila had given her before they set off on this potentially suicidal mission and it was the same look Chuundar had given her before giving her the daunting task of doing his dirty work.

"If the blade could be found, Samirah Alda, tradition could cast doubt on his rule."

"Describe the creature. Where can I find it?" There was no hesitation. No doubt.

"Samirah!" Carth interjected , "this is ridiculous, it's dangerous! You're being irrational about this." She turned to look at him, taking a deep breath.

"Carth… all I'm asking is that you trust me. I can do this. It'll fix everything." She assured, a weary smile taking over. She was tired. Tired of fighting him, of fighting people and of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Carth started to open his mouth but stopped.

"As… As long as you know what you're doing…"He slowly conceded, turning around and walking a few paces away. Samirah returned her attention to Freyyr who watched with growing curiosity. A few moments trickled by before he spoke.

"Many have tried to hunt this beast, but only a few who have seen it have lived to tell the tale." Freyyr continued, gauging her reaction. Perhaps this task would be fatal to her as the Soldier thought. He hated sending her out like that but… it needed to be done if any bit of order was to be restored. "None have ever managed to kill the creature. Many years ago, when I was far younger than I am now, a Jedi came to hunt the creature… a proud and boastful young man. Like many before him, he did not return. The beast is cunning. It will not appear if there is an overwhelming number waiting to slay it. But if you gather in small numbers, we know how to lure it out. Fresh blood will draw it out. Before Chuundar's rule put an end to the ritual, fresh kills were often left as offerings in the south of this area."

"I will try to find it, Freyyr. You have my word. Is there any other piece of advice you can offer me?" She asked and he nodded slowly.

"Yes…There is a place of ritual south of here. If the Great Beast is to be lured out of hiding, it must be done there, using the old ways. You need the body of a viper Kinrath. Such bait would be tempting for the creature. Find a way to display it." Samirah nodded.

"I won't let you down. I will put everything back in its place, Freyyr. I promise." Freyyr looked at her and gave her what she could only assume to be a hint of a smile. A look of hope.

"I will stay here and try to think of what I will say to Zaalbar. I have wronged him. I hope he can forgive me... Please, Samirah Alda, find the blade of Bacca's sword. I must make things right." He pleaded with her and she nodded. This was a task that she simply could not fail, no matter the cost. It had to be dealt with.

So she took a deep breath and turned around to look at Carth. He needed to understand.

He had his back turned to them, a hand rubbing the temple of his head. She slowly stepped closer to him, but keeping a good amount of distance between them. He turned his head slightly to look at her and sighed.

"I-I know." He took a deep breath, looking at Freyyr as he and Jolee spoke quietly. He turned around to look at her fully. "We have to help them. I know we do. But fighting things that other, more experienced, Jedi couldn't even kill… well, it—it's crazy! Samirah, you have to see where I'm coming from, right? I'm worried. I'm worried about you. I just don't want to see you hurt..." He confessed.

There was silence. Samirah was looking down, not meeting his eyes. There was no anger coming from him… he wasn't angry. He was concerned. Instead of making her upset, it made her want to smile. He cared. She knew that. She looked at him, her brown eyes searching his and a small smile etched on her face. She took a few steps closer and on an impulse, threw her arms around his neck.

He froze. He was taken by surprise at her suddenness. A few moments passed before he slowly encircled his arms around her waist, burying his head into the side of her neck and the end of her ponytail. Her scent filled his senses—crisp apples and blossoming trees…

"It's ok…" she whispered. "I'll be ok. This is something that I have to do, I can't just ignore these things. That is not the way of a Jedi—that is not the way of me. Please, please, please believe in me and trust that I can do this. I can't do this without you… I need to know you believe in me." She admitted, holding on tighter to him.

He returned her gesture with a tighter hug of his own. Right now, she was safe in his arms again… a feeling that could never be compared to anything else in the world. Trust. How many times must trust be the one thing intruding on his life? The people he cares about? He can't let trust interfere any longer. No more. No more…

"All right, Samirah…" He conceded, "All right. I believe in you. I always have. Just… just make sure you're careful… Do that, and I'll believe in you, always." He pulled away, wanting to get a look at her face. He put a hand on each side of her face, holding her careful as he spoke. "Don't do anything reckless."She nodded with a smile.

"How can I, knowing that you're always there for me..." She said with a playful smile. The first bit of relief hitting her since... she wasn't sure when.

How she ever got mad at this man, she'll never know. He had his own way of making up for things. They stood in a comfortable silence, just staring at each other for a while, forgetting completely about the world around them. It was like they were conveying thoughts to each other without actually speaking. An acknowledgement of trust. A worry for each one's safety. A hope for the future…

Someone clearing their throat brought the two back to the real world. Samirah, startled by the sound, jumped back and spun around to meet Canderous' glinting eyes. He just smirked at her as he dropped the corpse of a dead Kinrath on the ground beside her. When did he do that? Where had he gone? Surely that much time hadn't passed... had it?

"Oh don't mind me, I'm just taking care of a few things… you guys just keep on doing whatever it is you were doing." He teased, making Samirah turn a rosy shade of red. Carth rubbed the back of his head, laughing nervously as he shot Samirah a glance or two.

What had they been doing? Starring into each other's eyes? Made them sound like school children...

"Y-you killed a Kinrath?" Samirah asked, looking for a change in topic. Canderous nodded slowly, keeping eye contact with Samirah. He was going to drop the subject for now but he wanted her to know that it wasn't completely forgotten.

"Overheard the Wookiee talking about a beast that no one else has been able to kill—thought it sounded interesting." He kicked the creature over for emphasis. Samirah knelt down beside it, grabbing a nearby twig—which was practically a branch in this over grown forest—and poked the spider like creature with it.

"Now, we just have to find where it is the creature's hiding out." She mused, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Samirah…" She popped her head up and looked at Bastila as she approached. "There is one other matter of business you have left to discuss with the Wookiee." She stated pointedly, nodding in his direction.

It took Samirah a moment before it clicked. She had forgotten one very crucial thing. The entire point of this entire journey. She stood up and moved quickly to Freyyr's side. He looked at her with uncertainty as she knelt down beside him once more.

"There is one last thing I must ask of you, Freyyr… one thing I must do while I'm here and I think you can help me with it." She began, earning his full attention.

This was the reason she was here. This was everything. Without this, she would never be able to match Malak in this war. Without this, the Republic was doomed. Everything was riding on these maps and she silently berated herself for allowing that slip of the mind.

This map carried the hope.

There was so much hope in all that they were doing—she couldn't possibly fail. She smiled hopefully at Freyyr. He was the only one who may have had an inkling of what they needed.

"I'm looking… for a Star Map."

And just like that, they were a step closer.


Fin.

How'd it go? You enjoy it? I appreciate all and any comments, reviews or just quirky tid bits. Tell me what you had for lunch if you want :) Any advice? Too much of something? Too little? I'm open to anything. :D I hope you guys enjoyed this and I'll be updating again soon!

I appreciate you all for being faithful and for being wonderful. Maybe, just maybe, I might be apt to giving out sneak peaks to the reviewers and faithful readers who're are sticking this out with me ;) A sneak peak at the future... just a thought. Let me know what you think!

Thank you, my wonderful reader,

~SS~