Disclaimer: Yeah. Well. I still don't have the rights to KOTOR... *sigh*
Oh, my faithful readers! How I have missed you so!
I have a chapter for you and it has come to be a little bit longer than originally anticipated. I couldn't find a point where I was happy just ending the chapter so I kept writing and it ended up being 31 pages long. That's not a bad thing, at least, I hope its not. I figured you would all enjoy the length! As the title to this chapter states... it was a bit of a complicated chapter for me to write for various reasons. Not that this part of the story is complicated, just me, myself and I arguing over our creative difference.
Nice, right?
Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks you all for your patience!
-SilverShards-
It's...Complicated
"There's no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another."
Samirah rubbed her left temple in hopes of relieving the pressure that was slowly building up. They were less than an hour away from Tatooine and she hadn't been doing a whole lot of resting since departing from the Jedi Enclave. The Enclave in itself wasn't even a time for much rest if she really thought about it. There was always a sort of decorum that was required of all Jedi and she felt it even more instilled into the lifestyle of the Jedi at the Enclave. Every Jedi she encountered seemed to present themselves with as much honor and dignity as they could possibly muster. As Carth would tell her, they were too stiff for his liking. So proper.
No room for errors which, to Samirah, made her feel like she was walking on shards of glass whenever another Jedi was in the room with her. Being so new and rushed through the training, she felt as much an outsider as she was sure Canderous or Mission felt. Being on her toes so much meant there was no time to truly feel at ease or to even rest unless she was on her ship.
And she knew she'd be spending plenty of time on the Ebon Hawk.
She had assumed that a break would have come to her shortly after leaving the Enclave but the unexpected arrival of Juhani made things take a bit of a turn for the worse. She was a feisty and hard woman and despite the Jedi training, she showed resentment in her features whenever Bastila and Samirah passed her by. It didn't take a Force user to know that Juhani wasn't going to let go of the fact that she had been left behind. Bastila had assured Samirah that in time she would understand and come to terms but that for now, they should leave her to her own meditations. Samirah reluctantly agreed, opting to leave the Cathar alone for the time being.
That didn't alleviate the feeling of guilt she felt whenever her eyes met Juhani's piercing glare. Should they ever find themselves in the same room, Samirah would always notice Juhani watching her carefully. As if Juhani was sizing her up and watching for Samirah to slip up somewhere. Whenever their eyes met, however, Juhani would look away and either leave or find something to occupy herself with. More often than not, she left. It was an unusual predicament seeing as how they were both Jedi and… well… weren't Jedi supposed to be above such a thing? Wasn't there supposed to be no emotion? Samirah was pretty sure that she was feeling all sorts of emotions rolling off Juhani like an ice storm.
Perhaps that was why the dark side found her in the first place.
Shaking her head, Samirah decided that Juhani was a problem she would have to sort out when she had more time on her hands, unfortunately. Time that, as of late, was becoming very precious seeing as how very little of it was simply just hers.
For the majority of their journey to Tatooine, Samirah, along with Canderous, had been attending to their small stowaway named Sasha. In terms of language, they hadn't been making much progress but Sasha understood enough Mando'a that it made things a bit easier to talk with her. Not by much though. After many attempts at discerning what dialect she was speaking, Canderous came to the conclusion that what she was speaking was a mixture of fractured Mando'a and something she had come up with to fill in the gaps. Sasha didn't really have any formal teachings when it came down to language so she did her best.
They were going to have to teach her Mando'a since she was already familiar with it enough to possibly grasp it. With a lot of coaxing and promises of a few new toys, Samirah was able to convince Canderous to help her out. It only made sense that he teach the girl. What Mando'a Samirah spoke was minimal and average at best. It wasn't one of her more dominant and well practiced dialects.
But all of that wasn't the current source of her slowly forming headache. A particular smuggler in question was the prodding figure at the moment. He wasn't really helping her out as much as she had hoped.
"Wait, wait, wait." He said, choking back a chuckle and holding his hands out to stop her from continuing her explanation. Samirah just frowned as she listened to his failed attempt of not laughing at her.
"You're going to have to run that one by me again…You're a what? Doing what out there, exactly?" The holo flickered before her as the smuggler raised an eyebrow in question and put his hands on his hips, his unmistakable crooked grin in place. He was enjoying this too much. He shifted his weight to one leg, shaking his head slowly and chuckled again. "Well that explains why they were so defensive when I asked about you at that Enclave. You know, you're not exactly Jedi material, Angel Eyes."
"Not Jedi material? You think I don't already know that? Kelko, they wouldn't let me say no. Honestly, I tried. You don't know how hard it is to say no to the Jedi and they actually accept it once their mind has been made up. They said no to my no. Can you believe that?" She said incredulously, tensing her shoulders as she gestured towards Kelko. He just smiled at her with a raised eyebrow which only made her groan. "I'm starting to think this is all too much for me to handle…" She said with a groan, rubbing her face with both hands. He only shrugged with a smile.
"What? You mean to tell me that the great Jedi life we all grew up hearing about isn't what it's chalked up to be? The glowie stick, the great hours and oh, don't forget all those benefits of Jedi magic, right?" He said sarcastically with a half smile. She just gave him a reproachful look and he sighed. "Hey, don't look at me like that, Angel Eyes. I just don't think that was such a great idea. I mean, you know what it's like dealing with them and you know how I feel about them."
"Kelko, they're not that bad… I mean, they're a little uptight but…"
"From what you said about the Jedi Princess you're running around with… I'm not so sure." He said with a chuckle, shifting his weight from leg to leg.
"Her name is Bastila and she doesn't represent the whole order. I didn't get a choice in this, Kelko. It wasn't my choice. Everything just happened so fast and I… I just…" She stammered, remembering all the events that had brought her up to this point. She let out a big sigh, running her finger through her hair.
"Hey, hey, now there's no need to get so flustered, Angel Eyes. I'm just a little concerned about you. The last thing I need is your little head getting reprogrammed by those damnable Jedi and have you chasing me down too. It's bad enough they preach at me, let alone try and shut down my operations." He shook his head, frowning at the very idea. She smiled, remembering the few times they had to try and outrun a Jedi because Kelko had gotten on their bad side. Usually they have more important things to do than to track down a harmless smuggler but Kelko always had a knack for pissing them off.
"I'd like to keep you just the way you are, if I could. I liked you just fine when you were a simple do-gooder of a scout. It was kind of cute. Running off and joining the Jedi is a little bit of over-kill, don't you think, Angel Eyes? If you didn't feel like you were doing enough good in the world, we could have gone and rescued some puppies from certain doom." He asked with a knowing look. When she just laughed but didn't say anything more, he continued, speaking with feigned reluctance. "And maybe… just maybe, because I haven't heard from you in so long, I feel as though I have to make up for lost time. It's not the same without you to tease." He grinned when she tried to suppress a smile. She was trying to look at him with a look of annoyance but couldn't manage it.
His voice was a light, smoky sound and an unexpected comfort to her ears. Hearing him talk reminded her of all the fun and trouble they used to get into. Just simply hearing her voice made her miss her old life and her old missions. The ones were the Galaxy wasn't in danger if she failed.
He was dressed as he always was; a light tan shirt with a brown leather duster rolled up to his elbows and brown leather gloves. His belt had two straps across his sides, holstering his dual blasters snuggly against his legs. His brown slacks were tucked into his knee high, black tactical boots where she was certain that he kept his spare blade for when the fight got dirty. Which, of course, it usually did. He was fond of the old saying: offer one hand, arm the other. It was sort of his code to live by. On top of his sandy blonde hair was his usual signature wide brimmed, brown hat tilted to the side.
It was riddled with blaster burns and scuffs from the many cantina fights he had participated in. Even back when they traveled together, he would do anything to save that hat of his no matter their circumstance. He gave her a crooked smile, crossing his arms and starting a count on one hand.
"So, let me get this straight. You crashed landed on Taris, stole a smuggling ship from Davik Kang—a notorious crime lord whom you had to later kill, then killed Calo Nord who, might I just add, is a damn crazy and hard to kill son of a bitch. Trust me, I've heard stories and encounters that would curl your toes, Baby Doll. You'll have to give me more details on that one." He said pointedly with raised eyebrows before continuing. "Joined up with the preaching Jedi, fought the oh-so-sunny-and-cheerful Czerka corporation, saved a village in Kashyyyk and now you're off to Tatooine for some mission that the Jedi thought only you could complete?" When Samirah nodded he just chuckled, shaking his head and looking down. "Well, Angel Eyes, can't say I'm surprised. You always had a winning streak."
"I wouldn't call that a winning streak." She grumbled, placing one hand on her hip and running the other through her hair again.
She didn't have her hair up in a ponytail and instead, let it freely fall onto her shoulders. It slightly relieved the pressure that had been building up in her temple for hours. She opted to wear something other than her usual attire of robes, wanting to feel more comfortable and relaxed. She was adorned with an off-white, loose fitting t-shirt and a pair of fitted slacks.
"Excitement always did know how to find you. Always has since I met you. So let me take a stab at what you're about to tell me now… You're going to need me to watch after your baby a little bit longer, aren't you?" They both stayed quiet for a moment as she nodded her head slowly. He let out a long sigh, scratching his head right under his hat.
"Is… will that be a problem, Kelko?" She asked quickly, misreading his reaction as a sign of annoyance. He chuckled, looking off to the side at something Samirah couldn't see. After a moment, he looked back at her and placed his hands in his jacket pockets with a smile.
"Trouble? Of course not. Me and I9 here have been becoming good, close friends." His smile faltered as the mechanical voice spoke up.
"Master Alda, Mr. Sett has been participating in illegal actions on Carratos that I would like to formally protest." I9 walked into view, showing himself to Samirah. He was a protocol droid that she had acquired during one of her many exploits. He was a forest green color, a red scarf tied around his neck and knotted at the side. "I would also like to protest the matter of me working for this pirate!" Samirah smiled, pursing her lips as Kelko frowned at I9-4V from where he stood.
"Now hold on just a second here, I didn't do anything that warranted being called a pirate. Just because you don't approve doesn't mean I'm a pirate! Come on, Angel eyes, back me up here.."
"I9, your protest has been noted but I can't leave Kelko to man my ship alone. I really do need you to be there and keep her flying while the pirate is onboard." Kelko looked down, his hands on his waist as he shook his head.
"That hurts, Angel Eyes."
"Yes, master. I will abide by your commands. However, I would like it to be noted that I do so under protest." With that, he walked away to carry on with his duties, leaving Kelko to look on after him with a frown before looking back to Samirah from under his hat.
"You picked a real winner with that one."
"Well, when he's not made to participate in illegal jobs, he's a good droid. Loyal. Listen, you do what you need to do, just don't hurt my ship in the process. It would also be nice if my ship didn't get tagged as an illegal smuggling ship while you have her." He took his hat off, crossing it over his chest as he did a steep bow.
"Why, they'll never even know I exist. I'm careful with what I do." He placed his hat back on, holding the back rim with one hand and the front with another as he pulled it on tighter. "I'm a professional."
She smiled, feeling reassured already. She hated not being able to see him or her ship, but she felt that she needed to at least tell him what was going on. He did, after all, go through all the trouble of traveling to Dantooine in search of her. He deserved answers and to know her current situation.
"Hey, let me ask you something," He started, earning her attention. "You think you'll stay a Jedi? You know, forever? What I mean is, once you guys are done doing your little scavenger hunt… will you be able to leave the order and go back to your old life?" She crossed her arms tightly around her chest, looking down at her feet and curling her toes.
"Kelko… I'm not sure I get much of a choice in the matter. I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet. I've had so much to think about and to worry over, you don't know what it's been like so far. What I've told you thus far was only a fraction of it. I don't know how well I'd do at being a Jedi once this whole issue is settled and my purpose is served. Hell, I don't think I'm doing so great at it now!" She groaned, throwing her hands in the air and letting them fall back down at her side. She slowly looked up at him, letting out a long sigh. "I'd really like to get back to my ship and start being me again." He chuckled again, giving her a big smile through the holo and shaking his head at her.
"Oh Angel Eyes, I don't think a lightsaber and a little Jedi magic are going to change who you are. Yeah, so you can use the Force but that doesn't mean you can't be Samirah anymore. I mean, you still look as radiant as a krayt dragon pearl to me so clearly you haven't changed that much." He winked at her and she laughed, leaning back against the table that was situated behind her.
"Always the charmer."
"I wouldn't be Kelko Sett if I wasn't." He said, smiling at her from the holo.
"And I wouldn't have him any other way." She said softly, a small ache in her chest forming. It forced her arms to tighten their hold around her for comfort.
"Aw, stop. You're going to make me blush, love." He said kicking the floor in mock embarrassment. She just smiled at him. When he looked back at her, his face was softer and a little more serious. "You know… I miss you, Angel Eyes."
Her heart skipped a beat. Her voice was caught in her throat, her smile slowly falling as she stared at the monitor in mild surprise. She was trying to conceal it but couldn't hide all of it.
"Kelko…" She managed to whisper after the suddenness of his words had worn off. "I've really missed you too. After everything that's happened… things have—"
"Hey now," He said softly, "Don't you get all emotional on me now. You know I can't handle it when you start getting all upset. Especially when I'm too far away to do anything about it." She lowered her eyes, nodding her head slowly.
"I miss home, Kelko."
"I know you do, Angel Eyes. I know you do. Home misses you too." He leaned to the side, against what Samirah assumed was the hull of her ship. He crossed his legs at the ankle and folded his arms over his chest again, getting comfortable.
"You've gone off to do better and bigger things, love. I always knew you would. Something tells me you were always meant to go and save people. To get your name out there instead of hiding in the shadows with a pirate like me."He rolled his eyes when he said pirate, shooting a pointed look off to the side. The sound of metal feet quickly walking made Samirah smile.
This ship will always be your home," He said, finally looking back at her, "And when you're ready to get back to her… I'm only a call away. Promise." He winked, shooting her one of his wonderfully crooked smiles.
The way he said it made her stomach do somersaults. He had always looked out for her, from the moment they met. Knowing that he'd be right there, waiting for her to call… well, it meant she had a home to go to when this was all over. A home where I9, the Silver Meridian… and Kelko… waited for her.
"Thank you, Kelko. I mean it. Thank you." He immediately grinned, the seriousness fading away from his features and instantly being replaced by his usual look. The look that got him into trouble frequently whenever they traveled.
"Ah, well, you know… Ol' Kelko Sett has a reputation to keep. A damsel in distress is my specialty, after all." His use of the word damsel reminded her oddly of Carth which only made her giggle.
Blow away the bad guys, of course. Save the damsel in distress. The usual thing.
Oh, the usual. Well that's not so hard, is it? I'd like to think that's what I've been doing this whole time, so it sounds like I just need to keep it up then, don't I?
When Kelko raised an eyebrow at her sudden giggle, she shook her head and opted for not explaining. Even though Kelko didn't exactly remind her of Carth… he also, in a way, kind of did. It was a strange feeling, really.
"You keep up that charm and you'll find the damsels falling at your feet." He chuckled in response, shaking his head.
"Falling at my feet, you say? I'd like to hope I'd catch them before they fell." This time, Samirah joined in with his chuckle.
They both smiled as they enjoyed the moment. Their moment. It was like old times. Samirah couldn't help but feel at ease with their playful banter and how familiar it felt. It reminded her of a life she didn't have anymore and now, more than ever, she felt like she needed that reminder. Something that would keep her whole and from losing herself in this war. Kelko was someone from her old life who knew her like her crew could possibly never know her as. To know her as Samirah Noval Alda… a scout for the Republic. A nameless soldier who ventured where no others dared to go.
"It's been good talking to you, Kelko. Really, it has. Keep an eye on my ship and I9. He may disagree with you and call you names but he'll be loyal. I promise. Just update me on how things are going. I'll do the same for you." He stood straight, tipping his hat towards her with a crooked smile.
"Whatever you like, Angel Eyes. I've missed our time together as well. I'll be here waiting to hear from you. What is it you Jedi say, now? Force be with you?" He joked and she let out a big sigh. When she looked pointedly at him, he chuckled and held his hands out in defense. "Sorry, sorry. You be good, Angel Eyes. I'll be here."
"I'll count on it."
With that the transmission cut out, leaving Samirah alone. Despite his playful and carefree nature, Kelko was a good guy. He was someone she could count on and trust, always. She knew that whatever trouble she got into, he would have her back. He never even second guessed her. He had been with her ever since she started scouting for the Republic. Of all places, her first visit to Nar Shaddaa was where she found him. A crafty old smuggler she ran into by accident and the inevitable savior of her life. He pulled her out of a pinch and stuck close to her afterwards. He really did have a thing for being a hero.
There was a time when… when she had grown fond of him. A relationship was something the two of them could never have. She knew that. Especially seeing as how it was one sided, or so she thought. There were times when she wondered about what could have been and where she would be now if something between them had happened. She would dismiss the thought the moment it formed. Especially considering how she was a Jedi and romantic inclinations were severely frowned upon. She knew that. Everyone knew that. Kelko had to know it too… didn't he? Not that it mattered anymore. There was nothing between them before and there could be nothing between them now.
Even if there was no romance, they were inseparable and protective of one another. If one of them got into a pinch, the other broke them out. They had symmetry whenever they worked together. They compensated for each other's weaknesses. They were as close as people could get without having a relationship, much to her disappointment at the time. He never left her and she never left him… until she was assigned to the Endar Spire, at least. A supposedly quick mission that had no room for a dusty old smuggler like Kelko. Not that he wanted to be cramped on a Republic ship anyway… they sort of frowned on his occupation of choice.
"Angel Eyes?"
Her head snapped up, freezing at the sound of her nickname. When she turned, only to see Canderous leaning on a door frame, she frowned. He was smirking at her, an eyebrow raised in question.
"An old nickname." She replied shortly, a wry smile forming. As improbably as it was… she was expecting Kelko to be standing in his place. "I thought you were supposed to be with Sasha?"
"The kid's fast asleep and in bed. She was getting all upset and frustrated talking to me so she gave up and went to bed. Stubborn kid…Mission decided to hang back and watch her in case she woke up." She smirked, crossing her arms casually. It didn't surprise her that he had that kind of effect on small children. "Which brings us back to you." Her smirk immediately faded as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, a frown slowly forming.
"Not going to drop it, are you?"
He lifted an eyebrow at her, expectantly awaiting an answer. She sighed, staring intently at the holoterminal in front of her and replaying the conversation between her and Kelko in her head as Canderous waited. She remained leaning against the table, her legs crossed at her ankle and her arms still crossed against her chest.
"He used to always say I was easy on the eyes." She started with a small smile. "When we first met, I wouldn't tell him my name so it didn't take long before he started calling me Angel Eyes." She shook her head, looking at Canderous in an exasperated smile. "The name stuck. Ever since our little job on Nar Shaddaa, he rarely ever calls me by my real name. He always said it was too formal for his taste. I think the first—"Her words were cut off as a jolt of energy shot through her body like a strike of lightning.
She felt herself sway, sliding against the table and heading for the floor. Her arms flew out to try and catch herself on the edge but everything was distorted and her feeble attempts were met with failure.
She didn't feel her body impact against the metal, nor could she hear, see or feel the world around her. Her senses were being overwhelmed by an intensity that she was becoming familiar with. Everything had gone dark, leaving only a slow glow that was forming at the heart of all the darkness. Samirah watched as it slowly grew until a flash of light lit up the dark place just enough for her to see the star map slowly open.
And then her sense picked up everything.
The cold chill of a cavern; a dry breeze brushing past her.
The roughness of the walls and the sand that swept across the floor from some opening behind her.
The staleness of the air that inhabited the cave.
The darkness, lit by only the map and the mouth of the cave.
She was aware of everything as if she was standing in the middle of the cave at that very moment. She felt that she could reach out and brush her finger tips against the cold stone of the cave. It felt so real and so…
"Another step closer… we're so close to it!" She couldn't make herself turn around. She already knew who it was. The bodies behind the voices.
Revan and Malak.
"The secrets. The power. The knowledge. All of it will be ours. No one else's". She balled her hands up into a fist, concentrating with all her might on the scene around her. The cavern.
No… she was going to change their plans. Whatever it was they were after… whatever power they found… she was going to take it from them. She would follow their trail and unravel everything they had done. It was her mission. As the world began to slowly lose its substance, being pulled away from her, Samirah could hear a voice echoing against the walls. A hushed and distorted voice that followed behind her as the vision slowly subsided.
"Malak… our vision is close to being realized…"
Samirah's eye's fluttered open as the vision dissipated. Two faces were hovered over her and it took her a moment to realize that someone was holding her against them. She slowly shook her head and squeezed her eyes tightly shut in hopes of clearing her vision quickly. She rubbed her fingers across her eyelids and when she opened them again, she was met with a puzzled look from Canderous and a concerned look from Jolee.
"Easy does it, lass." He cautioned as she tried to get up with the help of Canderous.
He had her cradled in his arms, keeping her off the metal floor. Now that she had awoken, he gently helped her into a standing position but was careful to keep an arm on her in case she wasn't as steady as she thought she was. As they stood there standing, waiting for her to clear her thoughts, Jolee did a quick once over to make sure she wasn't physically harmed. Mentally… well… he could only do some much there.
"I'm… I'm alright." She assured them, waving them both off. "Just… another vision. Of the Map."
The fogginess that was left after the vision was slowly dissolving. It was so clear. As were they all. This one, however, picked up on every sense she had. It was taking her a moment to re-establish her bearings in reality.
"And?" Jolee prodded, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at her curiously. He wasn't aware of the fog the vision had brought on, so her hesitation bothered him. "Did it show you what's for dinner? Even after that blasted synthesizer was fixed, it still doesn't taste right. Horrid stuff you've got in there."
"I think we have more pressing matters than your taste in food, old man." Canderous remarked impatiently, crossing his arms. Jolee just huffed but stayed quiet while Canderous returned his attention to Samirah. "You were saying?"
"The star map. It showed me—"
"Samirah!" Bastila's voice rang down the hallway, followed by the sound of her quick stride. "Did you see it?" She called out as she hurried into the room, paying no one any mind save for Samirah. Before Samirah could respond to Bastila's inquiry, Bastila shook her head. "No, you must of. Silly of me to assume you hadn't."
Samirah simply frowned and Bastila offered her an apologetic smile. Through their bond, Samirah could feel the sincerity of it. Bastila hadn't been as hostile or indignant as she once had been. She was learning and that made it hard for Samirah to be irritated with her. She began to pace around, her fingers at her lips as she was slowly lost in thought.
"It seems the Force is guiding us, helping us retrace the steps of Malak and his old Master. Leading us ever closer to the Star Forge. Tatooine is known for little but blowing sand... I find it very surprising that there would be a star map somewhere in this desolate wasteland." She speculated, moving forward with their conversation as she slowly paced.
She was wearing her normal attire of pinkish-maroon colored robes and her hair was pulled back into two tightly braided tails. Strands were out of place and falling loose from her braid, the uneven strands of fringe hanging low in her gray eyes. Her lightsaber wasn't clipped to her belt as it usually was and Samirah had to assume that it was because she was jarred from her meditations by the vision.
"There must have been a time when Tatooine wasn't just a desert, right? It's not impossible… is it?"
Bastila paused in her movements for a moment, looking to Samirah as she contemplated the thought.
"Perhaps…" She started, rolling the thought around before shaking her head, "But that would have been tens of thousands of years in the past. Now there is nothing but the howling emptiness of the Dune Sea. Sand followed by… well, more sand."
"Did you see the cave?" Samirah crossed her arms, re-imagining the vision she had just encountered. It wasn't underground… there was light that poured in from the entrance. Wherever the entrance was.
The amount of time it would have taken to form that cave… well, it was plausible, wasn't it? That there was a time before the sands? She couldn't pretend that she was a geologist, or a topographer or one of those people who studied caves. That was an actual occupation right? They had scientists who studied caves, she was sure. That wasn't the point though. She knew nothing about how long it took things to form so it wasn't her specialty. It still had to be possible that Tatooine wasn't always a desert… right? It's the only explanation.
"I did." Bastila nodded slowly, cupping her chin in thought. "It would make sense that the maps would be hidden well within a cave to protect them from the dust and sandstorms. I suspect that there are many such caves and caverns hidden in the sands of the Dune Sea." She approached the holoterminal, fiddling with the controls until an image of Tatooine flickered to life. Both she and Samirah looked at the image, planning out the work that was obviously ahead of them.
"The creatures of this world probably use them as their lair…and I suspect that there are many to choose from." She said with a frown. Tatooine was quite a large planet. In retrospect, it could take them weeks or even months to go from cave to cave, searching for the map. That was time they did not have to spare.
"Well that's not going to complicate things…" Samirah said sourly, sighing quietly. Canderous only grinned and patted her back.
"I doubt a few creatures will stop us in our pursuit of those maps, Angel Eyes." That wasn't the vote of confidence she had been hoping for.
Nor the nickname she had wanted to hear.
Her eye twitched involuntarily at hearing Kelko's nickname for her being used by someone else. To make it worse… it was coming from Canderous. The Mandalorian. She turned to look at him, seeing that big, knowing grin and wanting nothing more than to wipe it off his face. Despite her sudden annoyance, she gave him the most sickeningly sweet smile and expression she could muster, clasping her hands together under her chin.
"Aww, thanks Candie. I feel so much safer knowing you'll be my knight in shining armor." She said, putting extra emphasis on the words knight and shining. His grin was immediately replaced by a look of revulsion at the new nickname.
He looked away, taking a few steps away from her as he grimaced in response. She just crossed her arms and smirked at him. He didn't meet her eyes, looking at the holo image of Tatooine instead. She took his response as a sign that he wouldn't keep up the nickname for her. Kid, worked just fine. Jolee watched their little exchange with a smile while Bastila was shaking her head, unaware of their encounter. She was preoccupied with their task at hand.
"I have no doubts that these things will become much clearer the closer to them we get." She paused again, tapping the side of her chin with her finger.
"How many caves do you think are out there? Tatooine is a big planet and most of it is nothing but desert." Samirah argued, her eyebrows pulling together in distress. "We found the Star Map on Kashyyyk through a miracle of the Force. We found it because we found Jolee and he knew where to look. I don't think we'll be as lucky here."
Jolee started chuckling as he leaned back against a table. He rubbed his balding head as Samirah turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"Finding me was luck, was it?" He said, his voice light and carefree. However, as he spoke, Samirah knew it was anything but.
"There is no luck, Samirah." Bastila finished, eyeing her with a neutral face. "There is only the way of the Force. We will find the star maps with the help of the Force, that I have no doubts about. It has already shown us a key. The vision."
Samirah nodded slowly, considering her words with reluctance. She couldn't help but feel nervous and a little lost at the idea of scouring Tatooine for the map. Tatooine was a big planet and they were putting their faith completely into the Force, relying on it to show them the way. Bastila was right, of course. Everything they had accomplished thus far wasn't merely luck. The Force was helping them in their mission even if Samirah struggled with the concept.
"Well, that wasn't what I meant when I said it." Jolee said in a chipper tone and a smile that worried Samirah slightly. "Finding me was luck, she says…" He said again, letting the words just hang out in the air before chuckling some more. "Never thought of myself as a lucky find. If you think you can rub my head and steal my luck, you've got another thing coming, lass!" He said sharply, startling her as his chuckling abruptly stopped.
She blinked at him in surprise before he grumbled about his bald head before smiling to himself. What scared Samirah the most… was how devious his smile was. As if he were suddenly up to something.
Samirah watched as he made his way out of the main room, suddenly chuckling oddly as he did. Samirah could only blink in reaction. She had a feeling today was going to be one of those days. She wasn't sure why, but she was getting that distinct impression. She ran her fingers through her loose brunette hair, letting the waves fall to one side before putting her hands on her hips.
Someone once said you were only as good as the company you keep… so what did her crew say about her?
Bastila opened her mouth to speak, drawing Samirah's attention before the intercom switched on. Carth's voice came through, stopping whatever thought Bastila was about to share.
"We are now docking at Anchorhead Spaceport. Looks like it's owned by Czerka so be prepared for anything. I doubt they know of our exploits on Kashyyyk but just in case, I recommend not bringing it up if we can help it. Give me a few minutes and we should be ready to go." The comm cut out as Bastila turned on her heel, checking her waist.
"I need to retrieve my lightsaber…and dress properly for the conditions." She said quietly, still lost in thought. She disappeared around a corner and Samirah felt complacent just sitting on the floor for now.
She slumped down against the wall, letting out a shaky breath and closing her eyes. Tatooine. A planet drenched in nothing but sand and sunlight. Air so hot and humid that even the shade is no safe haven. Anchorhead. A spaceport still striving to outlast the blaring sun and unstable conditions that the desert could provide. A cavern somewhere in the desert. Samirah's guess was that they would have to venture out into the sands to find it but how far would they have to go? The farther out you travel, the more likely to get lost you are.
You'd beg for death should you lose your way. Samirah was certain about that.
"Just another perk of being a Jedi…" She muttered, laying her head back against the wall. She had forgotten that Canderous was still in the room until he leaned up against the wall beside her.
"Don't worry, kid. If I know you, this planet won't know what hit it." He said, earning her gaze and a small smile. She rested her arms on her knees, fiddling with her fingers.
"You think so?" He nodded stiffly, not meeting her eyes.
"I know so. If you keep it up with that new nickname though…" He started, finally looking at her with a hard expression that made her laugh a little louder than she wanted too. When she finally stifled her laugh, he was frowning. "Yeah, go ahead and laugh Angel Eyes. Least your nickname fits you somehow. Candie." He shuddered as he said the name to himself and Samirah had to work to stifle her giggle.
"I could call you Mandie." She bursted into a fit of laughter when he looked at her in disgust, another shudder running through his body. He cringed a bit as he pushed himself off the wall.
"Forget it. I don't need to hear this or even put up with it!" He said defensively and clearly irritated, but Samirah couldn't help her laughs. He stalked away, mumbling curses in Mando'a.
"Wait, wait!" Samirah cried after him through her fits of laughter, attempting to grab him from the floor. He was already too far away. "Canderous! I know what you're saying and it's not very nice! Udessi!" She said using the Mandalorian word for take it easy.
He still didn't stop.
She was on her side, still laughing with her head in her arm. After a few moments, she was able to stop laughing aside from a few stray giggles that escaped. She had to admit that he was right. Candie and Mandie were awful nicknames for him. It was verging between being completely cruel and being a pet name. Neither of which were a good thing, especially for a Mandalorian. At least Angel Eyes was a sort of complement.
Samirah let out a deep sigh, a smile still playing on her lips. She was happy to say that her head wasn't aching anymore, at least. It was a dull tingle in the back of her mind now. Ever since the vision overtook, the fog in her mind was fading and with it, the headache. She drew on a little bit of power from the Force, giving her a rejuvenated feeling as if she had just woken up from a dream. They were about to explore Tatooine. She might need that extra boost since she hadn't had any time to meditate or even rest.
She was still smiling with her hand over her eyes when footsteps could be heard clinking against the metal.
"You, uh, alright there?" She removed her arm to see Carth starring at her with a raised eyebrow. His signature flight jacket was unzipped, showing his undershirt clearly. Her smile grew even bigger.
"For once… I'm wonderfully ok, Mr. Onasi." She said with a light and airy tone. And she wasn't lying. She hadn't realized it but her time with Carth had been very limited since leaving Dantooine. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red at the thought of their last encounter.
When this is all over, when we do everything that we can to win this war… we'll go somewhere. Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa—you name it. We'll take a vacation, ok?
His words rang clearly in her ears as she watched him with a smile and couldn't help the big grin it gave her. Carth looked at her quizzically, his arms folded over his chest. She glanced at every corner of his face. The way the light hit his brown, unruly hair. The stubble that never seemed to go away and she liked it. His puzzled brown eyes searching hers for clarification—probably still wondering why she was lying on the floor. She couldn't help to wonder about that herself.
She slowly nodded her head.
"Never been better." He just smiled, shaking his head with a raised eyebrow before reaching out to give her a hand. He still wasn't sure what had gotten in to her but he was just happy to see her smile. She didn't hesitate to take his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet as her blush intensified at the memory of before. When he had pulled her in close.
She wanted to avoid anything becoming awkward by being pulled so close to him and being lost in his eyes. Of feeling his breath on her skin and being just so close to him… she didn't think she could stand it. She had this feeling in her gut that when he pulled her up, she would be so close to him and she wouldn't be able to stop what would happen next. The sudden though made her curious because she wanted to know... what would happen next? What was she even pondering? Jedi never thought of such things. She could not think of such things.
Not towards Kelko. Not even towards… Carth.
As Carth helped her up she did what she thought would be better than standing so close to his face. She was sure that she wouldn't be able to hide her blush if she looked straight into his eyes. As he pulled her up, she used the strength in Carth's arm as momentum to propel herself forward. Instead of just pulling enough to get herself to her feet, she pulled with all her might and bounced up into his arms. He was surprised by her suddenness and by how she wrapped her arms around his neck in a sudden embrace. She used so much momentum, however, that she nearly knocked Carth over backwards so he wrapped his arms around her waist and stumbled back a few steps. It was lucky that the holoterminal was behind him because it kept him from falling over.
For a moment, he was frozen with surprise. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, her head buried into the side of his neck and jacket, hiding her face. She didn't say anything so he just kept his arms around her waist, processing everything before laying his head on hers. His cheeks was pressed against the top of her head, the softness of her hair tickling his skin.
When she finally pulled away, she couldn't stop the blush from creeping up on her again, coloring her cheeks. Much to her dismay, her plan backfired. She took a step back and folded her arms behind her, casting her eyes down. So much for not making it all awkward. Carth chuckled, raising a hand to brush her bangs out of her eyes, giving her a crooked smile. She slowly raised her eyes to look at him, the blush deepening a bit at the warm trail his fingers left on the skin of her forehead.
He started to open his mouth to say something but was interrupted as T3 zoomed by, chirping quickly and urgently at Samirah as he bumped into her leg. She jumped, looking down at the persistent droid with raised eyebrows.
"What's up, buttercup?" She said in a chipper tone, trying to seem not so flustered. She welcomed the interruption. T3 spun around in a circle, not ceasing for a moment in his beeps and boops. She just smiled and laughed at his persistence. "Calm down there, T3, calm down. What's the matter?"
He whizzed and spurred, running around in a circle before rushing away. Samirah raised an eyebrow as her eyes followed after the droid. Carth hadn't paid much attention to T3, his eyes still lingering on her faint blush. She was trying to hide it still and he couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly at the faint coloring.
"What was that about?" He asked, drawing her attention back to him. She shrugged slightly, giving him a smirk.
"Something about the sand being blown into the engines and disrupting the hyperdrive if it's left inside to build up. It could cause permanent damage, I think. He wants to hurry and make sure nothing get's damaged…" She said, smiling as she heard Canderous shout in agitation as T3 barreled through the hangar.
She shook her head as the curses continued to ring through the ship, folding her hands behind her back again.
"I need to go dress accordingly before I leave the ship to take care of docking procedures. I'll see you in a bit?" He nodded at her, still smiling as she bounced away.
"Sure… I'll see you in a bit." He whispered with a small smile, ruffling his hair with his hand.
He wasn't exactly sure what had just happened but he was having a little bit of trouble stopping his smile. He couldn't get rid of that smile that lingered and would find its way back when he thought about what had just happened. When he thought about her. The smell of fresh flowers and crisp apples that lingered in his nose, the way her hair felt on his cheek, the warmth of her closeness…
The sound of someone clearing their throat behind him made him jump and turn with his hand stretched out to fire his blaster.
Except his blaster was in the cockpit.
Jolee just grimaced at the rudeness of such a gesture, giving Carth a reproachful look before slowly lifting his hands up in the air in surrender.
"Oh, well now, Sunny… looks like you caught me. I'm a bad, bad old man. Shoot me and put me out of my misery! Oh the woes I have endured! My shameful existence is a blight onto this galaxy! Blah, blah, blah." He said in a feigned tone of shame. Carth lowered his hand with a frown, making Jolee chuckle as he lowered his own.
"If I had my blaster, I could have shot you Jolee!" Jolee just chuckled again, raising an eyebrow.
"Shoot me? I am a Jedi, Sunny. I'd like to think I still retain some of my training from back in the day." Carth just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
"Still… you shouldn't sneak up on people, old man." Jolee just grinned at him, crossing his arms just as Carth had and lifting his eyebrow even higher at him.
"And you shouldn't let your guard down so easily around her." He gestured in the direction Samirah had just gone, a sly smile slowly forming. When Carth didn't say anything, choosing to simply look away to avoid eye contact, Jolee just snorted. "That's what I thought, Sunny."
"What do you want, old man? To tease me?" Carth snapped, his eyes narrowing at the Jedi before him. Jolee just grinned, not even slightly ruffled by Carth. He leaned against the frame of the door, waving a finger.
"Now is that anyway to speak to your elders, Sunny?" Carth just looked at him with an exasperated look. Jolee shook his head. "I guess this crew needs more work than I thought! It's a wonder you young ones have gotten anything done at all! No discipline these days…" He muttered.
"Are you here to give another lecture? I'm not opposed to just-just dumping you on this planet and not having second thoughts about it! Samirah wouldn't even have to know!" He said louder than he had anticipated. He stayed quiet for a moment, wondering if Samirah had heard him and if Jolee was about to use some Jedi trick on him for his outburst. Instead Jolee just grinned at him.
"You may get your chance, Sunny. Sooner than you think." He mused, making Carth all the more worried by the old Jedi's response. Jolee didn't give him a chance to respond as he peered at the holoterminal where the image of Tatooine remained, stroking his chin. "So, Tatooine huh? I haven't been to this dust ball in years. Reminds me of the time—"
"—Would you look at that?" Carth interrupted with feign surprise. "I forgot to put the ship in park!" With that he took off with quick strides, leaving Jolee with a big smile in the room.
He knew the boy could care less about the stories of his youth. Hell, some of them bored him to death when he told them. He used to hate it when he was younger, having to sit and listen to the lessons of the old Jedi Master's at the enclave and even the Master's on Coruscant. I saved the galaxy once! I ended an invasion once! I remembered my name! blah, blah, blah! It was dreadfully boring. Always some story they had to tell and be damned if they didn't make you sit and listen to each bit. Well, blast it if it wasn't his turn to force some stories on the youth's of today. From the looks of everything, they very well needed to hear it!
Samirah poked her head into the room and scanned it until her eyes fell on Jolee. She gave him a big smile which made him grimace. When she smiled at him like that… he got a feeling bad things were to come.
"We're about to disembark, are you coming? You might want to change clothes to better fit the climate. It's a little dry compared to Kashyyyk." Jolee grunted.
"Child, I know what Tatooine is like! I'm not a neophyte padawan, just learning to walk! I was walking around on this planet, getting into all sort of trouble before you were—"
"—before I was even born or even a thought for that matter. I know, I know, I know. Are you coming or not, old man?" She said with a half smile, finally stepping into the room so he could see her full body.
She crossed her arms, a cloak wrapped around her shoulders with the hood down. It was a dark brown color and pulled tightly around her. Her hair fell on her shoulders in waves, the uneven pieces sticking out in little curls. All he could see besides her crossed arms were the boots she wore and the straps of a backpack over her shoulders. In her hand was an extra cloak hanging that he suspected was for him. He grimaced at the idea of leaving this cozy ship for a barren wasteland. Before he could protest, she tossed it in his direction and he caught it with a grunt of distaste.
"You expect me to wear this?" She nodded and smiled at his frown.
"The sunshine will do you good. You've been in the darkness of Kashyyyk for so long, don't you miss the light?" She asked nonchalantly, turning to walk away and gather the rest of the crew. He just chuckled.
"The light? There is darkness wherever there is light, lass. You can't get one without the other…" He murmured.
Samirah stepped off the Ebon Hawk, looking around and soaking in the planet. It was dry and arid with little whirlwinds of sand sweeping across the docking bay. She noticed that most of the personnel were keeping their faces covered with thick scarves while they worked. Some were merchants, selling trivial goods and others were maintaining the docking procedures. The sound of Samirah's foot crunching into the grit of Tatooine and actually feeling the planet beneath her, as opposed to a metal ship, was a welcomed feeling. She twisted her feet into the dirt, covering the sides of her boots in sand and sinking herself into the dirt until she was met with the concrete.
Canderous slapped her on her back, forcing her to lurch forward and take a few steps to keep her balance. He chuckled when she turned around to frown at him.
"I was enjoying the sand!" She protested and he just ruffled her hair.
"Kid, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the sand. There's plenty of the damnable thing on this planet to bury an army." He assured, walking past her and kicking at the dirt as he did. Carth followed behind, stopping beside her as Canderous mumbled something in Mando'a and stalked towards a fumbling merchant who jumped at his sudden approach.
"Don't listen to him. His version of fun requires two crates of brandy and a duel to the death, I'm sure." He chuckled, placing his hands on his hips. He had one of the cloaks wrapped around his shoulder, his orange flight jacket peering through the small opening. A crème colored desert scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck.
"We need to teach him about 'fun'." She said sourly with her fists on her hips. "I might have to force it on him too…" She mused with a smile forming on her lips that promised bad things to come.
Carth just chuckled, looking at her with an adoring smile and a shake of his head.
"Oh, I'm sure that'll end well." He joked, flinching when she jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "Ow!" He winced, chuckling lightly.
She only crossed her arms and turned her torso to the side as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Serves you right!" She declared before slowly smiling wryly at him.
And there it was. In that moment, Samirah knew it was their moment. They were joking and poking at one another despite the severity of the mission they were on. Samirah couldn't help the feeling of comfort she got from just being around him. From hearing him laugh and seeing him smile. They were pieces of heaven and a sanctuary amongst all the darkness they were surrounded by. Despite what may come and what may happen, she knew that she could rely on Carth to keep her on the right path and to stay true.
If I could just keep him here… No power in the galaxy could tear me down or break me apart.
She let the thought cross her mind and it brought a smile to her face which made Carth return the smile. So maybe he didn't know what she was thinking… but seeing her smile had made him smile and that was all Samirah needed. It was the little things like this that kept her going and reminded her that no matter how impossible their mission seemed, so long as he was by her side, they could accomplish anything.
At least… that was how she felt.
No matter how much she missed Kelko and her ship… whenever Carth was near her, she felt like she was home. She felt like everything would be ok.
Carth's eyes moved to her back and a curious look took shape on his face.
"Hey… isn't that…" He started, forcing her to look over her shoulder and look at the backpack she was carrying. "You still have it." He said in genuine surprise, making her grin triumphantly.
"Well of course I still have it. It reminds me that beyond this mission... I have another duty." She said, looking up at the expanse of sky and shielding her eyes from the twin suns with her hand. "Someone saved me, Carth… they saved me and now I've got to ensure that their sacrifice wasn't in vain."
She looked over at Carth, his face staring up where she had been looking with his hand shielding his eyes. The glare of the suns made it hard to look up for too long and the heat was slowly becoming unbearable.
"Samirah… I don't think his sacrifice was in vain. I don't think it ever will be. Already, you have saved more people and more lives than I think even you realize." He glanced at her from the side, giving her his crooked smile. "I'm happy that out of all the people on the Endar Spire… it was you he saved."
Samirah dropped her gaze, not really sure what to say. She tried to hide her blush from Carth but he just chuckled, reaching out and cupping her chin to make her look at him. She fidgeted, trying to pull away but he wouldn't let her.
"Now why would you try and hide? Are you blushing, Samirah?" He teased. Despite her efforts to pull away and hide her blushing smile, he managed a glimpse. After a moment she was finally able to pull her chin free of his grasp and quickly looked away, her blush only intensifying.
"That's not fair! I am not!" She protested. "I just—well you know—it's hot out and the glare and the way the two suns are…" She rambled, not able to meet his eyes while he chuckled.
"Sure it is…" He simply said. Samirah turned slightly to look at him, trying to see him out of the corner of her eye, pursing her lips a bit.
He had looked away for a moment to survey the docking bay with a smirk still in place, one hand on his hip. She examined the stubble on his face and the rugged look it gave him, especially when paired with his desert scarf. She noted his brown eyes which seemed so much brighter when the suns rays reached them. Since he was smiling, there was this look of contentment in them that she very much liked to see. She hadn't realized that she was staring at him until he peered at her from the corner of his eye, catching her. She looked away quickly, turning to look in the opposite direction to hide her embarrassment again. She took a deep breath of fresh air to calm her nerves and immediately regretted her decision. Instead of air, she inhaled a big gust of dust and sand that covered the docking bay. She immediately began coughing, trying to rid her body of the grains of sand while Carth patted her back to try and help her out. Her face contorted as she tried to breathe and cough at the same time, unsuccessfully.
"You alright?" He asked, holding back a laugh as she tried to regain composure, nodding her head quickly. Every time she tried to take a steady breath, a cough would interrupt and throw her back into a fit. Canderous just rolled his eyes at her as he approached them again, leaving the merchant behind him a little shaky.
"This isn't a good start, Kid. If you can't handle the sand here… would hate to see you out in the dunes." He stated. Samirah simply waved him off with a grimace as her coughing slowly subsided. However, it did make her throat dry and leave an unpleasant taste and grainy feeling in her mouth.
"Oh… shut…up…" She choked out, glaring at him. Canderous just snorted at her.
Canderous didn't wear a cloak but instead, had just the desert scarf wrapped around his mouth and neck. A pair of goggles were situated over his eyes so that he could still see and take aim when he needed too. Samirah assumed that's what he had gone to the merchant for. The rest of his attire was his usual cargo pants and black top, appropriately strapped down with his set of weaponry. He crossed his arms at her, shaking his head slowly as he waited for her to settle down. His eyes roamed the docking bay until he saw the Customs Officer walking their way, a silly grin on his face and a data pad in his hand.
"Let me guess, another docking fee?" Carth muttered. Canderous just grunted, taking a sideways glance at Samirah who was making faces at the taste that lingered in her mouth. She was trying to get the sand and the taste out but without any progress. Her hands were pawing at her face and tongue, giving Canderous the impression that she wouldn't help their situation with the Customs Officer. She'd simply look like easy prey to them.
"I guess I'll handle it." He finally stated, walking away with a shake of his head before Samirah could stop him.
"Wait, Canderous—oh, bugger. Please don't let him shoot anybody…" She groaned in a hoarse voice, making Carth laugh.
"He's a Mandalorian. All they do is shoot people." When she looked at him in horror, he just laughed. "Relax, it'll be fine. He knows you wouldn't stand for it if he shot somebody. He won't hurt anyone so long as he has your wrath to fear. I'd say that's enough to scare anybody, honestly."
Feeling a little more reassured, she nodded as Mission bounced down the loading ramp with a water bottle in tow. She had found a cloak and had it tightly wrapped around her shoulders for protection, her vibroblade strapped across her back. She was in her usual attire which included her jacket, vest, leggings and thigh high boots. She handed the bottle to Samirah with a big grin, watching as she graciously took the bottle and rinsed her mouth out with it. Carth just smiled, watching as she thoroughly removed any trace of sand that was left.
"Sheesh, I could hear you all the way inside the ship! What'd you do? Did you gargle some sand or something?" She joked. Samirah spat the water out, handing the bottle back with a grimace.
"It feels like it…" Mission giggled as she took back the bottle, fastening it to her belt. "Good thinking on the bottle." Mission just shrugged.
"I survived Taris for how long? I think I know a thing or two on surviving." She said proudly, her hands firmly planted on her hips in a stance of triumph.
Carth and Samirah both just smiled at Mission, a proud grin on the Twi'lek's face. After a moment's thought, Samirah knitted her brows together but kept a small smirk in place.
"Wait a second, Mission…" She started, making Mission's stance falter a bit. "If you're here… Where's Sasha? Who's looking after her?" She asked. Mission immediately rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest.
"What? You think I'm that irresponsible? She's sleeping so I figured Big Z could look after her for a bit. He'll contact me if she wakes up, don't you worry about that, Sami. I'm just not going to miss my chance to explore some place new! You guys left me behind on Kashyyyk, well not this time!" She stated firmly. "There are credits to be made!"
Samirah crossed her arms and shook her head at Mission but otherwise kept her mouth shut. She had to admit that Mission was making a valid point. They did leave her behind to watch the ship and she ended up getting into more trouble that way then she would have had she gone with them. However, Samirah didn't like the idea of Mission wandering around on Tatooine by herself. She also knew that she couldn't tell Mission that, either. She would only throw a fit about how she was being treated like a kid… despite the fact that she technically was.
The last thing Samirah wanted was for someone to mistake Mission or kidnap her for whatever reason. Not that Mission wouldn't put up a fight and possibly blow something up in the process…
"Just be careful, Mission. Keep T3 with you, just in case." Carth said, much to Samirah's surprise and delight. She gave him a quick nod and a smile in way of a thank you for having the same thoughts she had. Mission just rolled her eyes.
"He'll only—"
"Hello there, Captain!" They all jumped at the sound of a sudden voice behind them followed by quick footsteps across the sand. They turned to find an Aqualish hurrying to greet them, his hands clasped in front of him.
"Uhm, well… hello to you, uh, sir. What can I do you for?" Samirah asked hesitantly, looking around to make sure it was her he was addressing. He pulled out a datapad, scrolling through it quickly with his finger.
"Well, let's see. I'm Jor Ul Kurax and… ah, yes!" He said after glancing up and around the docking bay for a moment. "Yes, this is the right spot. Here it is. It looks like the shipment has been correctly delivered to the correct docking bay, as requested."
"Oh, excellent! Thank you!" She said excitedly before pausing a moment. She slowly tilted her head at him with a puzzled look. "What shipment?" she finally asked. He cocked his head to the side, before looking around again.
"This… is the right, place, isn't it? Yes. Yes it is. It's docking bay 32. 32. Right there. It says 32." He scrolled through the datapad again, tapping it several times and looking it over before nodding his head. "Yes, it says docking bay 32. This is docking bay 32. So the shipment goes to you!" He stated with finality, showing her the screen of the datapad. After briefly glancing at it, she pushed it to the side to stare at him with wide eyes.
"What shipment, though? You don't seem to understand… uh, sir… I didn't order anything… did I?" She looked to Carth and he just shrugged.
"Not that I know of. I wasn't told to expect anything."
"Well, the gizka are your problem now." He said with a big grin. "Not mine. Because this is docking bay 32. And this form says to deliver it to docking bay 32. I've been here a week waiting for the ship to arrive in docking bay 32. You landed in docking bay 32. So it's your shipment!" He said, pointing his finger at her sharply, making her cringe away from him.
"But, I just now got here and I didn't order anything!? Wait…" She said after what he had just said finally hit her. "What do you mean, 'gizka'? I definitely didn't order any of those things! I didn't order anything at all!"
"Yes you did! It says right here on the manifest to deliver it to docking—"
"—bay 32! I get it! I get it! This is 32! What I'm telling you is that I didn't order anything!" She shouted back at him, raising some eyebrows from nearby mechanics and Anchorhead personnel. The Aqualish just sighed irritably, shaking his head before scrolling through the datapad again.
"Look, Captain, I don't know what to tell you. I'm following orders and it says to deliver the shipment. So that's what I'm going to do." He said, waving to someone off to the side but she didn't pay any attention to whoever he waved at. They weren't her focus right now. She was focused too intently on this Aqualish and on getting him to understand it wasn't her shipment.
"What are you talking about? It's not mine! You messed up somewhere! You had to have messed up!" Carth put a hand on her shoulder to calm her but she simply just shrugged it off. Jor didn't look at her but kept his eyes on the datapad which only frustrated Samirah more.
"All I need from you right now is your thumbprint for the…" He checked his pocket and looked around before sighing. "Wait a second… where did the datapad with the form go?" When he came up empty, he simply scratched his head. "Nothing is ever organized around here. Oh well…"
When he just shrugged, turning to walk away, Samirah grabbed the back of his shirt and forcefully pulled him back. Her eyes were wide in shock.
"What do you mean, oh well?" Samirah said, her voice rising a few octaves. "Can you even do that? Can you just dismiss it like that? What about protocol?! He can't do that, can he?" She looked at Carth for an answer but again, he only shrugged. He was just as confused as she was. Jor just nodded with a shrug of his own.
"Yep. It seems I can. The Gizka are—" A scream from within the ship forced Samirah to spin around in time to see a man running down the loading ramp as Bastila came running behind him, throwing various items from the ship at him.
Some pieces looking oddly like tools from the cargo bay… and she was pretty sure they belonged to Canderous.
Samirah just buried her head in her hands as Bastila shouted loudly at the running loader, drawing even more eyes on them.
"You take those horrid creatures back, right this instant! You incompetent, bumbling, half-brained fool! Don't you dare keep running! You come back here!" Carth ran and caught Bastila around the waist as she began shouting other insults at the man, giving the second loader a chance to escape the ship before she turned on him. "Carth, unhand me this instant!"
She kicked and wiggled and tried her hardest to break free from Carth until he finally let her go. By then, however, the two men had already disappeared into Anchorhead. Samirah slowly turned and looked at Jor evenly, crossing her arms at him. He was listening to something on his comm before slowly smiling nervously at Samirah.
"Will you please just take them back. I really don't have the means to… to… what do I even do with gizka? Who orders such a thing? I didn't order anything!" She cried, swinging her arm to the side to emphasize her point. Jor just shook his head at her.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. It would, uh, also appear that, um, one of the loaders dropped a crate and it split open… in your hold… so some of the critters might have… well… gotten loose."
"Might?!" Bastila shouted at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously at him as she reached for her lightsaber. Carth immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and covered her mouth with his hand as he dragged her away again. He knew if she stayed there any longer, she'd cause a bit of an incident. Or, at the very least, make this one an already bigger mess. Samirah rubbed the temples of her head with both hands.
"That happens, I'm afraid. We don't accept liability… and we certainly couldn't take the cargo back. They're yours now. Good luck." He spun around on his heel before Samirah could register what he had said. By time she did, he had already broken out into a sprint, nearing the exit into Anchorhead.
"Wait just a minute you—"Her shout was cut off when Mission tugged on her arm, forcing her to turn around. She was met with the scene of Bastila trying her hardest to escape Carth's arms and chase after the culprits. She was kicking and hitting him, causing his face to distort when she managed to hit his gut. Meanwhile, Canderous and what looked to be Jolee, were hassling the Customs Officer whose eyes had gone wide and his knuckles white as he clutched his datapad tightly.
Her eyes roamed over the docking bay, only to find that everybody had stopped what they were doing to look on at the spectacle before them. She put her hands over her face, not wanting to look and hoping that it would all just go away. They really didn't need this kind of attention especially when Malak was surely looking for them. When it was just her and Kelko, she was pretty sure they didn't have these kinds of problems. Mission just kept tugging on her sleeve, forcing her to look back at them.
"Uh… Sami… we might want to stop them…" She said shakily as Bastila started hitting Carth's arm with her hands balled up in fists. Samirah watched in exasperation, nodding her head.
"You go after Jolee and Canderous, I'll save Carth." Mission nodded, breaking out into a sprint towards Canderous and Jolee. Samirah did the same, hurrying to Carth as he reached the wall of the docking bay, leaning against it while Bastila struggled against him.
"Bastila! Will you just calm down!" Carth shouted at her, flinching as she hit his arm. "Bastila, just—AHH!" His hand jerked away from her mouth and he released his hold on her. He started shaking his hand in the air, glaring at Bastila as she spun around and returned the glare.
"You bit me?!" He exclaimed and she planted her hands on her hip.
"I had to! Now, because of you, those criminals have escaped my grasp and we are left with a ship full of gizka! They are everywhere, running wild and rampant and I can tell from the look in their eyes that they are trying to make a home out of our ship! This will not stand! T3 is in the process of trying to round them up and I was going to find those men and force them to take it all back but now, because of you, I have lost my opportunity! This is all your fault, Carth!"
"My fault?!" He exclaimed in shock. "How the hell is this my fault?"
"Because it is!" She shouted back at him, her arms stiff at her side. "You didn't have to go and carry me away from those-those-those deviants!"
"Well, you didn't have to bite me to break free… that's a little savage for a Jedi, isn't it?" He muttered, looking over his hand for bite marks. She crossed her arms, looking away as Samirah approached them with a frown.
"Savage? Savage is having those… those things on our ship… and I didn't bite you." She said, looking away with her head held high in a pompous stance. Carth raised an eyebrow at her incredulously.
"Oh really?" She didn't meet his eyes.
"Will you two quit it?" Samirah demanded with a stern face, coming to a stop between the two of them. "We don't need to be making a scene before we even leave the docking bay and Bastila, don't bite people!" She pleaded urgently, giving Bastila an odd look when she mentioned the biting.
Carth and Bastila shared a look but didn't say anything to one another. Samirah let out an exasperated breath and looked at them both pointedly. She kept her eyes on both of them, waiting for someone to speak up.
"I didn't bite him," Bastila finally declared, "I would never do such a crude thing." Carth just rolled his eyes at her.
"Yeah? Is that right? Well, whatever the hell it is you did, it left a mark and damn well hurt!"
"Oh, it wasn't that bad! You're over exaggerating. It was just a... nip." Carth scoffed at her, holding his hand out in the light to show the red mark on his palm. Samirah peered at it in disbelief, raising her eyebrows.
"A nip?" He asked in disbelief. "Oh, well, if that was all. Makes it sound a hundred times better, now doesn't it?" He said sarcastically.
She didn't meet his eyes, looking away with her head held high as if what he was saying was preposterous. Samirah shook her head, looking down with both hands on her hip. She leaned on her left leg, tapping the ground with her right to show her impatience with the two of them.
"If you two are quite finished, we sort of have a planet to comb through in order to find this map." She instructed, watching as they both stubbornly glared at each other. After a moment, however, they both deftly nodded.
Samirah let out a sigh of relief before turning her attention to Mission. The Twi'lek had one hand on her hip and the other making wild gestures at Canderous while Jolee just grinned at the Customs Officer.
"Don't either one of you move." Samirah instructed sternly, looking over her shoulder at Bastila and Carth. When no one said anything, she directed two fingers at her eyes and then pointed them at Carth and Bastila with raised eyebrows. Not waiting for a response, she moved quickly over to the rest of her party.
"…can't do that!" Mission chastised. She crossed her arms, looking at Canderous with a frown and waiting for him to respond but he only grunted.
"Why are you yelling at me?" He complained. "All I did was ask the nice fellow why he needed a docking fee."
"Highway robbery, if you ask me. I'm an old man. I don't have much longer to live, you know, sunny." Jolee said in a weak and feeble voice that Samirah knew was very well a ploy.
"We know better than that, Jolee." Samirah said flatly, approaching the group and standing off to the side. The Customs officer was clearly weary of her presence, unsure if she was there for his cause… or worse, theirs. Jolee just grunted, folding his arms over his chest with a frown.
"I…I… I just want to collect my docking fee and… well… move on, you see. Your ship isn't registered, ma'am. We need to get you registered with us… are you here for business or pleasure?" The Officer asked, flinching when Canderous looked at him sharply.
"Registration? Business or Pleasure? We're here for pleasure." He said sarcastically, throwing an arm around Samirah and pulling her in close, much to her surprise. "We're on our honey moon. Brought the whole family with us. Thought the desert fit our relationship, you see."
The officer blinked in genuine surprise, looking slowly from Samirah to Canderous. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Samirah pushed herself off of Canderous, glaring at him. He was too focused on the Officer to really pay her any mind at this point. He was getting irritated that the officer was so nosey.
"What the hell do you think we're here for on this dust ball of a planet? Huh? What makes you think we want to be in your system, anyway? Now, I asked you a question about that map and—"
"I told you, I don't know about anything like that! A-Any treasure hunting you might want to do, you'll need a-a hunting license! And you'll need to be registered in our system… I only deal with the registration, I swear! Not any of that treasure hunting b-buisiness." He stammered, the datapad in his hands shaking.
"Canderous, you can't threaten the poor guy!" Mission exclaimed with wide eyes. She turned to him, smiling as sweetly and as innocently as she could at the Officer. "I'm sorry about my friend. He grew up without any manners. Hard home life, ya know?"
Canderous just stared at her before an angry look overcame him. Before he could raise his arm and speak out against Mission, Samirah grabbed him and dragged him backwards using the Force to help ensure she could move the big Mandalorian. When she had him pulled away far enough, she gave him a stern look before signaling that he stay put. He crossed his arms, glaring but she returned the same look before signaling again that he stay put. He stiffly nodded and she spun around before walking back. She glanced quickly at Carth and Bastila to ensure they weren't fighting again and to her relief, they weren't even looking at each other. She smiled, returning her attention to the Customs Officer.
Unfortunately, as she was walking back, her face dropped as Jolee waved his hand in front of the poor man.
"You really don't want to take credits from an old, old man, now do you, sunny?" He said in a low voice and the Customs Officer's face slacked a bit.
"I.. I, uh, I really don't want to take credits from an old, old man." He murmured, looking down at his datapad. "We get enough credits from travelers… I… I'm sure it's ok just this once." He said, giving them all a nervous smile.
Samirah put her face into the palm of her hand as the Customs Officer shook Jolee's hand.
"Enjoy your stay at Anchorhead, sir. I apologize for the trouble." As he left, Jolee walked over and patted Samirah on her back.
"Hehe, reminds me of my old smuggling days. Nothing better than the old Jedi mind trick for getting past an overly curious Customs Officer." He said, a proud grin on his face. Samirah looked up at him, feeling exasperated.
"We haven't even made it out of the docking bay and we're already fighting with merchants, Customs Officers and using mind tricks…" She groaned.
She began to tie her hair up, shaking her head at Jolee as she did so. When her hair was pulled back, she looked at Jolee with a disapproving look. He just smiled and shrugged.
"Fun, isn't it?" He mused, walking away and leaving her with Mission and a pouting Canderous behind her. She noticed that, despite his complaints, he had the cloak he gave her wrapped securely around his shoulders. She noted how he'd occasionally wiggle his shoulders under the cloth and scratch his shoulder but otherwise, kept the cloak on.
At least that was something.
"Oh, so what? The old man can use mind tricks on that pitiful excuse for a man and I can't even ask a question?" Canderous protested.
Samirah just turned and looked at him evenly.
"Don't even start with me, Canderous Ordo. I will Force slap you so hard—"
"Samirah!" Mission interrupted. Samirah took a deep breath, careful not to inhale any sand this time. She slowly nodded her head, taking a few more calming breaths before rubbing her forehead again.
That hadn't even started scouring the planet yet and she was already tired and letting things get under her skin. If she wasn't careful, she'd use Canderous as a training dummy and beat the hell out of him with the hilt of her lightsaber. She had to admit… the thought was amusing.
"There is no emotion… there is only peace…" She muttered to herself. "Right, right. We don't have time for this. I'm sorry." She finally said, looking to Canderous with a strained smile. As usual, his only response was grunt. She just smiled at him, re-envisioning him as a training dummy that she could hit. Repeatedly.
She finally looked away, scouting out the docking bay one last time. Carth and Bastila were still not speaking to each other but they had stayed right where Samirah had left them. Canderous grumbled to himself in Mando'a, most likely complaining about Samirah, she was sure. Jolee was haggling with some Merchant that Canderous had previously visited who sold stims and a few other choice goods it seemed. The goggles included. Samirah could only hope that he wasn't giving the poor merchant too much trouble. Or using too many Jedi mind tricks. Those were bad too.
"Canderous?" She asked, her eyes still on Jolee. He only grunted in way of a response, making her roll her eyes. "That Officer said something about a hunting license?"
"That? You don't seem like much of a hunter to me, kid." He said with a carefully contained snort. She turned to look at him in thought.
"No… I'm not… but a hunter would know this planet better than we would, right? They've probably scoured plenty of caves…" She mused out loud and Canderous' face lit up with understanding. After a moment of thought, they both smiled at one another.
"Well look at that, the kid's using her head." He said with a grin, ruffling her hair with his hand as he usually did. She swatted his hand away, frowning when it ruined her ponytail. "It's as good a place as any to start."
He walked past her and headed for the docking bay door, not wasting another moment or even waiting for anyone else. Samirah adjusted the backpack she was carrying before pulling the hood up over her head. The wind was picking up a bit and rustling the dust on the spaceport, causing several merchants to pull down sheets over their stands. However, they remained where they were and simply prepared themselves for the oncoming dust storm.
Samirah pulled her cloak in close around her face as the wind slowly started to pick up.
"Welcome to Tatooine…" She muttered.
She turned her head to see Bastila hurrying back to the ship, an arm across her eyes to block out the wind. Carth had already pulled his hood up and over his head to block out the sand as well as pulling the scarf around his nose and mouth. He was making his way over to Samirah and Mission, reminding Samirah a little bit of a rogue the way his cloak billowed behind him. An odd look when you compared it to Carth, of all people.
"Mission…" She said, looking to the Twi'lek beside her who had pulled the hood over her head as well. She looked up at Samirah, holding the hood around her face. "Go ahead and see what you can't find out in Anchorhead. Canderous is checking on the hunting license so anything else you can find out would be good. Just be careful, ok?"
She nodded her head quickly, giving Samirah a big smile.
"Sure thing. I'll contact you if I come across anything good!" She turned on her heel and pulled her cloak in close as she made her way to the docking bay door. Samirah watched until Mission had made it inside before turning to Carth.
Her comlink buzzed to life before Bastila's voice came through.
"Ugh, get out of my way you filthy creature! Samirah? Samirah? Can you read me?" Samirah held her comlink up to her mouth, pursing her lips.
"Yeah, I can hear you. What do you need?" She asked as Carth came to a stop in front of her. He cocked his head to the side, waiting on Samirah.
"Ugh, I told you to go away!" She shouted into the comlink, making Samirah flinch at the frequency. After a moment and a long sigh, Bastila spoke more quietly. "Blasted creatures… Samirah, I will regroup with you and Carth momentarily. T3 and I are going to see if we can't at the very least, contain these things… No, T3, don't let it get in my bed! No!" She screamed before the transmission ended, leaving Carth and Samirah wide eyed.
"Oh no…" Samirah groaned, putting away her comlink. "This is going to be a problem later, isn't it?" He shrugged, chuckling.
"Well, it's not like there's much we can do about it now. We might as well go ahead and see what we can't find inside. We wait here for her and all we'll hear is her complaining." He said, his voice slightly muffled through the scarf and sound of the wind. He had his arms folded over his chest, cocking his head slightly to the side.
Samirah smiled faintly at him, noting the impact his eyes had since they were all she could really see. She nodded her head, looking around the docking bay for Jolee. To her dismay, she'd lost him. She spun around, looking in all directions before frowning when he was nowhere to be found. She took her eyes off him for one moment and the old man goes wandering.
"Jolee?" She said into the small comlink, awaiting an answer. Nothing. "Jolee?" She frowned when she was met with more silence.
"I'm sure we'll run into him." Carth reassured. "I don't think he's the kind who wants to get stranded on Tatooine for too long. I'm sure Kashyyyk was bad enough."
"I'm sure you're right… I would just feel better knowing where he was… Jedi or not, he's still an old man." Carth just chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Old man? From what little I know about Jedi… it's the old ones you have to watch out for. They're the ones that will surprise you." She nodded her head with a sigh. It didn't really make her feel any better but he had a bit of a point. He managed to survive Kashyyyk for several years. A few hours on Tatooine and he should, hopefully, be fine.
"How's your hand?" She asked with a rueful smile. She couldn't tell with the scarf wrapped around his mouth but looking at his eyes, she could tell he was frowning.
"It's ok, thanks for asking. It would have been better if she hadn't bit me…" He stated sourly, making Samirah giggle.
"I have to say, I never thought I'd hear about Bastila biting people." She said with a grin. Bastila seemed way too proper to start biting people. The thought somehow gave Samirah a new prospective on the Jedi.
"Yeah, me neither…" Carth muttered just loud enough for Samirah to hear him. "Ready to venture inside?" He asked, nodding his head towards the docking bay doors. She nodded her head and pulled her hood tighter around her face.
"Yes. Let's get out of here before someone else wants to make this more complicated than it already is." Carth just chuckled as he followed after Samirah, the wind muffling his voice.
Most of the merchants and personnel wore goggles and scarves as they moved around in the wind. It wasn't the usual kind of sandstorm. By their standards, it was just an ordinary day, Samirah was sure. Someone stood by the door to Anchorhead, appropriately dressed for the conditions as he scrolled through a datapad. When Samirah and Carth approached, he looked up at them and smiled.
"Welcome to Anchorhead, travelers. I hope you enjoy your stay." He promptly turned to a keypad on the wall, punching in a few numbers and the doors swung open for them slowly. He smiled again before returning his attention to his datapad.
Carth and Samirah shared a look before he gestured for her to go first. She nodded, walking through with Carth trailing behind her. They were at Anchorhead. One of the first settlements on Tatooine and the gateway to finding the map. Malak and Revan had been here. They had traveled this way and found the star map which led them further down a path that they had no hope of returning from. Samirah was determined to follow after them. If it meant venturing out into the wastes of this planet… into the dunes of the massive dune sea, then that was where she would go.
The desert planet.
The wind picked up a bit, blowing the cape of her cloak behind her as she stepped into Anchorhead. She looked up from under the hood of her cloak and smiled.
"Alright… I'm here… now show me where to go…" She said quietly to herself, speaking mostly to the Force if it was truly going to be her guide. Bastila believed it would be and as of yet, it hadn't been wrong.
And Samirah had a feeling it wasn't going to be wrong this time either.
Thank you for your continuous patience with me.
If you don't mind to review and let me know what your thoughts are, just so I know I'm not losing my touch. My hope that is with each chapter, my writing continues to get better so I appreciate any and all feedback! I don't have a Beta (I figure I would make them nervous as hell waiting for me to finish a chapter and send it to them lol) so I'm sure there are typos here and there. I've been working to try and catch them or fix where the site may scrunch words together because it doesn't recognize symbols and such but I don't always catch them so I'm terribly sorry about that.
Don't forget to vote for which planet we'll head to next. Unless I can think of a new poll, this will be the last one! So make it count!
Thank you guys! I hope to have a new chapter up soon!
-SilverShards-
