Insert disclaimer here about how Star Wars is not my creation, but this girl is.
I will likely, officially, stop inserting those disclaimers here. I believe that it should be self explanatory by this point! I do not and will most likely never own Star Wars but dreams do persist. Until then, the disclaimer will stand at the start shall persist til the end. If for whatever reason, that changes, you will know
I'll save any and all updates on me for the profile and just carry on to the chapter that has been postponed for so long.
I hope you enjoy!
-SS-
Chapter 34: In Who We Trust
"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them."
"Samirah…" Carth cautioned, his voice right behind her.
"I know…"
There were just a few tricky wires in the way but she was confident that-
"Samirah..." Carth said again and she struggled to not roll her eyes.
Which was difficult to do considering the pilot beside her doing everything in his power to provoke her. Intentional or not, it was getting on her nerves. This wasn't the first time she had ever been in this kind of situation and likely would not be her last either.
"Carth. I. Know. You reminding me isn't going to make this go faster." She said, gritting her teeth together tightly.
She worked with the wires as delicately as she could. The droid was oblivious to her and her tinkering, which she much preferred. She was grateful that it wasn't one of the newer models. That would have made this a lot messier...
The less inclined it felt to explode, the happier she would be at the end of the day.
And likely the happier Mission, Carth and Juhani would feel knowing they lived to tell the tale.
HK would likely survive and consider their deaths an unfortunate oversight on his part. Did droids go on rampages? Samirah couldn't remember any instances of such a thing ever happening. Though, she could take a guess on how this particular droid would operate based on the few conversations they'd had. HK probably had a revenge protocol.
Samirah shuddered at the thought.
All the better that they didn't give him a reason to start shooting unless absolutely necessary.
And all the better to focus on disarming these droids before she made a colossal mistake. How anticlimactic it would be if this was their final stand... Somewhere in the dunes, where no one would ever be able to find them before they were buried under the sand.
And Bastila would still find a way to chastise her in the after life for being careless.
Just another Tuesday for me, she thought.
The man whose life she was attempting to save sat fidgeting in the middle of this supposed death trap. Four droids had him cornered and if he so much as took a step in the wrong direction, they were set to detonate immediately.
And he had very few steps he could take.
So here she was, trying to save this unfortunate man from his own mess. Which was becoming the usual kind of thing she was bound to encounter when saving the galaxy.
She was lucky Bastila wasn't around to join Carth in the peanut gallery, reminding her every few seconds how dangerous this was. Or how they didn't have the time. Or how Mr. Tanis Venn had this coming and needed to save himself.
Samirah smiled at the idea of Tanis flirting with Bastila. She was certain that Tanis wouldn't walk away unscathed from that encounter.
Where was Bastila, anyway? She had been oddly quiet all day. No comm check, no message, no poke through the force- Samirah didn't like it when Bastila harped on her but radio silence was... out of character for her. Samirah was starting to get worried and she could feel something in their bond.
An uneasiness.
Samirah made a mental note to check in on her later.
Now was not the time for her to be distracted.
There was a damsel in distress who needed saving.
Samirah was also acutely aware of her damsel in distress constantly eyeing her as she worked. Every so often his gaze would drop down the lengths of her body, a slow smile spreading as he appraised her.
Oh yes, she was aware of the kind of person he was. Most of the words that came out of his mouth were anything but pleasant. They were usually demeaning, disgusting, and anything but flattering.
She was actually starting to lose her patience.
But not nearly as quickly as Carth was. Or already had based on his consistent nitpicking and low growls of impatience.
He wanted to leave Tanis behind and Samirah very nearly agreed.
Nearly.
"Listen, darling," Tanis, the unfortunate damsel said slowly, "While I enjoy the view from over here-" Carth shot him a steady glare, making Tanis raise his hands slowly up to placate him.
"I'm just saying, it's starting to get mighty hot and dry over here. Starting to feel like a baked clam, if you catch my meaning…"
Carth, to no one's surprise, regretted agreeing to help him out.
Tanis' wife was getting revenge for his infidelity and from the way he talked to Samirah, Carth couldn't blame her. Who would? Tanis was the furthest from a decent human and Carth had met the most vile scum of the Galaxy. Honestly, Carth thought it was fine to leave him to his well deserved fate. Tanis had earned this all on his own so why should they intervene.
Good riddance, Carth thought.
He still remembered Tanis from the hunting lodge and that was a lasting impression.
Carth still wondered why he hadn't punched the man for the way he spoke about Samirah then.
Or for the way he ogled the waitress.
Or licked his lips at any other woman in the room.
Why was Carth not shooting him again?
Ah. Right. Samirah had to be a hero.
He watched as she concentrated intently on slicing through the droids programming, sweat cascading down the side of her face. One wrong wire or one wrong input and the droid would explode. Carth had insisted on staying right next to her despite her protests. Mission was the only one who didn't get a choice since she literally was strapped down in explosives herself.
Explosives she refused to part with.
So obviously it was a good idea to keep her a good distance away. Even she couldn't argue that point. HK and Juhani took to monitoring the area, ensuring they weren't descended upon by a hunting party of Tusken Raiders. They had met one or two along the way and weren't really a problem before. However, during such a delicate time as disarming bombs... well, the last thing Samirah needed added to this mix was a bloody brawl or a stray blaster bolt.
And there were definitely a few stray blaster bolts being fired- HK assured them there was nothing to worry about, though. All was in the clear. They were being well protected by his optimized targeting systems that didn't miss a thing...
So, of course, Samirah and Carth were deeply worried. It was one of the few things they agreed on.
"Hey, darling, are you-"
"Call me darling one more time," Samirah said slowly, not looking to Tanis, "And I'll let Carth finish what your wife started."
Carth stroked his blaster, giving Tanis his most charming smile. He really did hope that Tanis pushed his luck.
Tanis, to his credit, just shrugged and resumed… well, sitting.
The man was unfazed by literally everything.
"All right, all right, just trying to pay a lovely lady a nice compliment."
"Yeah, we can see how well that's worked out for you, can't we?" Carth retorted.
Samirah smiled. She liked it when someone else was at the end of Carth's ire for once. It was a rare moment but one she relished.
After several more moments, her face lit up as a spark popped and the droid jerked. She waited a moment with bated breath before relaxing when the droid powered down.
"Oh thank the force…" She breathed, looking to the other droids floating. "One down and only three more to go."
"We took care of one, isn't that enough?" Carth mused.
He almost felt a tinge of joy when Tanis bolted up in a panic.
"What? You can't-Oh, right, thanks. I guess I'll just DIE out here, then!" He protested.
Samirah rolled her eyes, making a futile attempt to dust off her clothes as she got up.
"By the Force...HK!" She called and the droid immediately responded, reappearing from behind a sand dune he'd been patrolling.
If Droids could prance...
Tanis' face paled and it did not escape Samirah's notice. She resisted the urge to smile but failed miserably at it.
It was good to know he at least knew when to be afraid of them.
"All right, listen, now I don't want any-" Tanis began.
"Zip it." Samirah snapped, looking pointedly at him.
He opened his mouth to retort but one icy glare from her had him pursing his lips. He muttered something under is breath that she decided to ignore. Something about kicking people when they were down. She just rolled her eyes and sighed as HK came to a halt in front of her.
"Query: Yes? What joyous act shall I commit for you today, Master?"
HK turned his head slowly to stare down at Tanis as he spoke. He even gave a little bit of emphasis to the weight of his blaster rifle in his hands for Tanis' benefit, making the man's eyes go wide. Apparently Tanis' mutterings didn't go completely ignored.
Samirah wished she could tell the droid the words he wanted to hear so badly.
Do what you will, HK. Blast him into space dust for me.
One day.
"This may take a minute but I don't want to hold us up any longer than we have too. Especially if we start to run out of daylight…" She said, taking a look at the Tatooine suns high above them. "It's taking up too much time already and we need to make haste. See what you can find out by scouting ahead. We need to get to the Tusken Raider encampment sooner rather than later."
"Observation: I do not foresee this being a fruitful endeavor-diplomacy- but I will attempt to make an effort nonetheless, Master." Samirah nodded curtly before looking for Mission and Juhani.
She found them over the same hill and quickly waved them over, waiting until they were within earshot.
"It won't do you two any good waiting around here either. I can also feel all of Mission's anxiety as if it were a tightly wound up ball." She said, offering Mission a smile.
Mission blushed a little, feeling suddenly guilty. She had been trying to contain it but it was true... she just simply could not stop moving. She had been fidgeting the entire time, looking over her shoulder and checking her bags over and over again. Anything to keep her busy or focused instead of antsy over finding Griff.
Everyone around her knew that Mission was anxious even without the help of the Force. There was a lot riding on them finding Griff and until they did, Mission was going to be stressed. Sitting still in one place wasn't doing her any good. And if they kept moving... well, then Mission could be that much closer to finding her brother. She could maybe even save him.
So, Mission just nodded in agreement.
Anything was better than standing still to her. She needed to be moving. Every minute they spent trying to save Tanis was time that but she'd never say that to Sami.
"Whatever you say, Sami. Are... you going to be okay though?" Mission asked, gesturing towards Tanis.
Tanis just looked at Mission, a hurt expression on his face.
"Oh, yes, I'm a bad, bad man. Look at all the harm I'm doing inside a minefield!" He nearly yelled, jumping to his feet.
When Samirah glared at him, he sighed and sat himself back down.
"I get it, I get it, no one wants to hear from the bait…" He grumbled.
"I'm pretty sure Carth will just shoot him if he gets unruly." Samirah was very matter of fact about that one.
Mission looked at Carth and grinned. She could already see it too. Carth's hand was on his blaster pistol, a big smirk on his face as he stared down Tanis. He was ready.
"You bet I will. The only reason I haven't yet is because Samirah won't let me." He said, looking pointedly at her. Samirah just shrugged.
"If he dies out in the Dune Sea on his own, we won't have that on our conscience. But he's in a situation we can save him from and I'm bound to help the helpless as a Jedi now. As much of a waste of dirt he is-"
"-Hey!-" Tanis started to protest but she ignored him.
"- I won't let him just die here when we could have done something to save him. What happens to him after that isn't on us."
Carth sighed but nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, the good of the galaxy and saving lives and the paragons of Justice- just once, it'd be nice to be the bad guys." He mumbled, turning away.
Samirah just rolled her eyes. Carth being a bad guy was like asking Canderous to wear a dress.
The chances of it happening were abysmally low.
"Point is, I need to see this through. You, don't." She said to Mission, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I guess," Mission started, looking at Tanis rather bored, "I trust you guys, it's just him I'm not so sure about. He looks slimey." Tanis bit his tongue, holding back whatever retort he wanted to say.
It didn't escape Carth's notice, either. He smirked at Tanis, flexing his fingers over his blaster. He wanted a reason now.
"Just... be careful and we'll report back if we find anything out. You can count on us, Sami."
Mission smiled and Samirah gave her a quick hug.
"I know I can. You be careful too." Samirah whispered before turning to the droid, "HK, Mission is in charge, you understand? You answer to her and you protect her."
"Resignation: If you insist, Master…"
Samirah nodded with a smile as she saw Missions eyes light up.
Juhani just let out a sigh but slowly nodded her head. Of course the kid would be in charge... She prayed this wasn't a mistake, letting a child take the lead. Juhani felt she was more than qualified but she had promised herself to trust Samirah. To help her as opposed to fighting her.
Even if she disagreed with this woman's choice in leadership, trusting in that choice is what she had to do.
"As you wish." She lamented.
Maybe it's time to let go of grudges, hm? To grow from our decisions and not be defined by them, perhaps?
Juhani grimaced. She still had Jolee's words ringing in her ears from their earlier conversation. As a Jedi, she knew she need to let it go but it was a very difficult thing for her to come to terms with. However, this was a start.
She just hoped Samirah really did know what she was doing.
After evening out the supplies, Mission, HK and Juhani set off, leaving Carth and Samirah to settle things with Tanis. There was this nervous feeling in Samirah's stomach, watching them leave and she really did hope that this was the best decision to make. Griff was in danger and time really wasn't on their side. She wanted to do everything in her power to save him but... she also couldn't leave Tanis to just die. No matter how bad of a person he seemed to be.
She hoped this wasn't a mistake.
"So, uh... what's new? Uh, rescued anyone recently? You know, maybe someone trapped in the desert!" Tanis pursed his lips, gesturing around him with raised eyebrows.
Or maybe Samirah would do everyone a favor and kill him now, saving herself some time. She could get ahead of the curve and be ahead of all the doom and evil sith for once. Was it really even a bad thing to do? She'd be saving the Galaxy a headache...
A momentary glance at Carth told her he was thinking the same. It made her smile. And was enough to convince her that if Carth Onasi was think
She knelt down beside the next droid, completely ignoring Tanis as she started working again. Carth kept watch over her shoulder and helped in the little ways that he could. Which was mostly just dabbing the sweat in her eyes and threatening to shoot Tanis when he got snarky. Which was every time he opened his mouth.
Samirah just ignored them both and tried her best to stay focused on the task at hand.
It was taking a lot of her focus to make sure she didn't mess up. Mission probably could have done this with a bit more ease but Samirah wasn't about to let her get close to these. For one, Canderous gave her enough explosives to likely take down a Sand Crawler and she was oddly protective of that bag.
And two... She was very jittery.
The prospect of Griff being within reach had made Mission antsy and in a hurry. This wasn't the kind of pressure she needed added to her small shoulders.
That left Samirah.
The second droid took about 15 minutes to disable.
Marlena didn't mess around when she'd made the decision to murder her husband. Tanis had said there were easier ways to get a divorce but Samirah had to argue.
This way involved less paperwork and less of a headache for Marlena.
It was almost inspiring, really.
The third droid was more difficult, mostly because Samirah had been sitting in one place for too long and the blaring heat was starting to become troublesome. She was beginning to feel extremely fatigued now and she didn't have to look to see that Carth was feeling the same way. She could hear his labored breathing.
"Almost, Carth…" She breathed, sifting through the wires before finally plucking the final one. She watched as the droid powered down and breathed a sigh of relief. "One more…"
Carth was happy that he had opted to not wear his usual jacket and had gone with something more lightweight. A similar jacket, just with a lighter material and much more breathable in this heat. He was sure he would have melted by now if he was in his usual attire.
Then again, they were basically melting now so it likely didn't matter in the long run. It was hot no matter what they did.
They moved to the next and final droid, Tanis sitting in the sand with an arm draped over his knee. He had taken the scarf around his neck and been using it to wipe his face of sweat and dirt.
"Listen, uh, you wouldn't happen to have a spare canteen just hanging around, would you?" Carth scowled. He wanted to deny him but one pointed look from Samirah told him that they could offer a little water. He sighed before tossing Tanis a small canteen from his pack.
Tanis caught it quickly and then winked as he unscrewed the cap.
"Ah, you're a swell guy, you know that?"
"Yeah, so I've been told." Carth grumbled and he heard a small snort come from Samirah.
"Got something to say?" Carth asked, raising an eyebrow.
She shook her head, looking at him from the side of her eye. He could see the smile she was trying desperately to hide.
"Of course not, I've always thought you were a swell kind of guy as well. Always so charming.." She laughed.
Everyone in the galaxy knew Carth and Samirah didn't always get along. It was a funny thought to think about though. Samirah wondered what their adventure would have been like if they had agreed on everything. If they weren't willing to kill each other at the drop of a hat.
He just narrowed his eyes at her, a twitch in the corner of his mouth.
"Oh, is that so? Well, I don't suppose you would care to elaborate on what makes me so charming?" He watched her face as she paused, thinking for a minute.
She turned ever so slightly to meet his gaze, a small smile playing at her lips.
"Oh, I especially like it when you blow away the bad guys. Really shows your charm the most."
Blow away the bad guy. Save the damsel in distress. The usual.
Oh, the usual. Well that's not so hard.
Carth smiled fondly at the memory from Dantooine.
Ah, that was when they had reconciled. That was a good memory. A good time. There were a lot of things he had regretted doing or saying, especially with Samirah around, but those were one of the good moments that made up for some of it. The moments that made him feel warm in his chest. A welcomed kind of warmth that made him think that maybe, just maybe, things were going to turn out okay.
A warmth that he only ever felt when he was around Samirah.
"Then I guess I'll just keep up the good work." He said softly, earning a big smile from Samirah.
"I expect no less of you, flyboy."
This was one of those rare moments where they felt a little bit of peace in each other's presence. Where Samirah could feel some of her stress melting away like ice under the sun. And Carth felt like maybe, just maybe, there was something in this galaxy he could put his hope into. Into her.
It was a calming peace that didn't last long.
They were, of course, interrupted by a loud groan.
"Am I to die in this desert, listening to you two making googly eyes at each other?! That's more cruel than Marlena's plan..." Tanis feigned retching noises from where he sat.
Carth's temper flare at that, spinning around to glare at Tanis.
He couldn't even enjoy one moment. Not one good thing, could he?
"You know, I've had just about enough out of you!" He started.
Tanis just rolled his eyes.
"And I thought Jedi were supposed to-"
A blaster shot barely missed nicking Tanis between the legs and his face blanched immediately. He looked down slowly to see the scorch mark in the sand.
Carth turned to see Samirah holding a blaster pointed dangerously at Tanis. She never even took her eyes off the droid. One hand, still typing away at a panel. The other steadily holding the blaster pointed at Tanis. After a brief moment, Carth looked down to see that one of his blasters had been deftly removed.
She was quick.
"Tanis, let me make myself crystal clear. I missed on purpose. I am doing you a favor. The least you can do while I waste my time on you is to shut your mouth and allow me a few moments to not be miserable. Or, by all means, keep going and I'll do it for you." The ice in Samirah's voice chilled Carth.
All traces of their earlier banter gone from her face. It was rare for Samirah to get angry but for a literal chill to lace itself in her voice? This was new.
Tanis promptly shut up and nodded curtly, looking away as Samirah resumed her work. Carth hesitated, watching Samirah for a moment longer. Carth couldn't place it. He knew that Samirah could be scathing when the time called for it but this was a flip of the switch. He also knew how touchy she got when people started talking about her responsibilities as a Jedi so perhaps that had set her off? Carth suddenly felt a little unsure.
Maybe the heat was beginning to be too much. He hoped they wouldn't be here much longer and that they could move on. And soon.
As she worked, no one said anything more. The only sound was the wind pushing sand across the dunes.
Moments later, this droid ceased all functions and Samirah stood up quickly, stretching out her back. The satisfying sound of her back popping gave rise to a smile on her face. The ice that Carth had felt moments ago, completely gone.
"You're a free man now, Tanis." She mused as he stood up, mimicking her motions.
Carth furrowed his brow. It was as if she hadn't just threatened to knock Tanis' lights out.
Tanis stood and was cleaning the sand off his pants, his lips pressed into a thin line of displeasure.
"That was... unpleasant. Thanks for, uh, your help... I would have been a goner otherwise." His voice was subdued and reminded Carth of a child who'd just been reprimanded, trying to save face with their parents.
Tanis approached one of his droids, reading the final message still displayed on the screen from his wife. Samirah knew he had already read it many times, waiting for someone to hopefully find him. He'd made that much clear when they first encountered him.
"And the old bat thought I was dead." He finally said in a loud voice.
He barked out a loud laugh, kicking the side of the droid lightly. It shuddered a moment before resting back on his side and he chuckled to himself again.
"She almost had me too… knew I wouldn't be able to do it alone. Death by my own machines... a fine way to go out."
Tanis turned to Samirah with a smile that gave her chills down her spine. She didn't like that look. Actually, she didn't like any look he gave her.
"So, about your reward…" He started.
"If those words leave your mouth, I will finish the job that Marlena started and I will be thorough. Do. You. Understand."
Though it was a question, the intonation of her voice suggested otherwise and Tanis deftly nodded. That ice had resurfaced and Carth didn't miss it. He took careful note.
"Right…" Tanis muttered, "I suppose credits will just have to do then. You didn't ask for anything but I consider my life worth something." Samirah just raised an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms.
He, in turn, rolled his eyes.
"Well, I do, so just take it. I'd rather not have any open debts that'll come back to haunt me in the near future."
He pulled out a bag and tossed it to Samirah. She caught it, never breaking eye contact from Tanis. He fidgeted a bit under her gaze, deciding that he didn't much care for it. The way she was eyeing him.
He was used to women looking at him with either desire or disgust but this, this was a look of indifference. Actual indifference. As if he didn't matter to her anymore. Disgust was something he'd take over indifference- at least disgust was an intense feeling. Emotional, even. He felt like she was staring straight through him and that made him uncomfortable. She was done with him, apparently. He took that as his cue to leave.
"Uh, yeah, okay, well, I need to get back to my workshop. Repair these buckets of bolts and hope that Marlena didn't take the manual too." He quickly broke eye contact and began playing with the panel on the droid beside him, hoping that Samirah would take her leave.
He ignored Carth completely, who was staring daggers into Tanis' back. Yeah, if he never saw Carth again, he'd be content with his life.
"Come on, Samirah." Carth urged, finally looking at her when Tanis was no longer paying them any mind. "If we leave now, we won't have to save him from the next woman that tries to kill him."
Samirah smiled wryly, following behind Carth.
"If he's not careful, the next woman coming after him will be me. And I promise to finish what I start." She remarked, a bit of bitterness coloring her voice. Carth chuckled but part of him felt a tinge of concern.
Maybe Samirah was just tired but… she was starting to sound more and more irritable. Like if she was standing on some ledge, about to jump. She seemed so distant to him suddenly and he didn't like that feeling.
"Of that, I have no doubt." He offered and she threw him a small smile.
One that didn't last long. A fleeting glance at him before she refocused on the task at hand. He watched her carefully as she gathered her things, taking big swigs of water and wiping away sweat. Carth couldn't put his finger on it but, he knew something was wrong.
Leaving Tanis behind, they followed after the others. They hoped that they would still be able to catch up. Even better, maybe the compound wasn't that far away and they were that much closer to completing their goal here. Tanis paid them no mind, which suited Carth and Samirah just fine. If they never met again, Carth would surely count that as a blessing.
It didn't take long before Tanis was no longer in view and Carth felt himself relax at that idea. Samirah occasionally stopped walking to survey the area, looking fruitlessly for signs of her team. The wind had done a fabulous job of hiding any and all tracks.
How much time had she spent on those blasted droids?
Finally, after stopping for what felt like the eighteenth time, she pulled out her commlink
"Mission? Juhani? Status update?" She calmly asked.
She waited a few minutes before someone spoke up, blaster fire echoing in the background. It was Juhani, much to Samirah's surprise.
"Hunting parties have ambushed us. Just a few tusken raiders, easy to fend off. They are not willing to speak despite our attempts."
Another voice chimed in, the sound of a blaster rifle becoming more prominent.
"Query: Master, Now may I handle this by engaging in unadulterated violence?"
"It is being handled, droid." Juhani replied through gritted teeth.
"No, HK. Stay on task. There'll be time yet for you to be unleashed, I'm sure."
"Resignation: if you say so, master."
Samirah rolled her eyes but smiled. In his own way, she was sure that he meant well and she quite liked how earnest he was. More blaster fire sounded off and a few cries from what Samirah could only assume were the Tusken Raiders.
"As I said, it is being handled. Just... find us when you can, Samirah."
For once, she didn't sound irritated with Samirah but likely irritated with the droid. Samirah had a suspicion that HK was driving her mad.
"Okay, we'll find you, Juhani. Just hang on and try not to dismantle HK before I get there."
"I will… try, Samirah…"
"Observation: it will be difficult for you to try without the use of your limbs."
The thinly veiled threat made Samirah grin.
Oh, they were most definitely a bad combination.
"Mission, keep them in line until I get there."
"You got it, Sami!"
There was a loud explosion that echoed through the comms. Looking up, Samirah saw the small pillar of smoke from whatever explosive Mission had set off. She shared a look with Carth who just let out a long sigh.
"Well, if we didn't know where they were before…" Carth muttered, not needing to finish his thought out loud.
"Oops… uhhh, see you sooner rather than later, I guess…" There was an uneasy laugh from her and a manic one from HK.
"Observation: What an ingenious use of a plasma grenade and-"
"HK!" Mission interrupted. "We're good, Sami! Just, uh, don't worry! We're pros at this! Gotta go!"
Samirah just shook her head slowly, as they disconnected.
She really, really hoped that she could meet up with them before they got into more trouble then they could handle.
Or before Mission exploded.
Or before Juhani committed murder.
Or before HK dismembered someone...
Maybe sending them without an adult to chaperone was a bad idea. In the moment, Samirah felt she had made the best decision she could have.
Force guide her, she was starting to feel mentally exhausted.
"So," Carth began when Samirah had put the comms away. "It seems Juhani is done with her plans for revenge and decided she wanted to help out after all."
"So it would seem." Samirah sighed. "I can't tell if she's actually forgiven me or if she's just biding her time before she poisons me… maybe she'll manage to turn HK against me..." Samirah tried to sound indifferent but failed miserably.
To Carth, she sounded exhausted.
"Mistakes happen, Samirah." He said quietly.
She slowly pulled her eyes to look at him, pausing in her steps.
"Oh no... you also think it was a mistake?" She groaned, starting to pull out her commlink again. "I'll call them back. Maybe there's still-" She started and Carth had to stop her hand.
"What? No,I- I meant about Dantooine, with leaving Juhani." He amended and she let go of the commlink with a sigh. "It's clear you still feel guilty about it and have concerns about her."
"Oh, I...yeah…" She muttered, not really able to finish the thought.
"It's not your fault. No one can blame you for that." He offered and she just nodded deftly.
She did still feel guilty. He was just saying this to make her feel better and he didn't need to bother. Samirah knew exactly what she was responsible for. The Council had given her a job and she immediately failed. Anytime Juhani looked at Samirah, she felt like her heart was being squeezed. Like if breathing had become a luxury that was slowly slipping away. There was a coldness to those eyes and Samirah didn't like knowing that she had caused that.
She saved Juhani from herself only to inevitably leave her behind. A betrayal of another kind.
"I'm sure Mission will stop any talk of mutiny… she is, after all, heavily armed at present." Carth added, laughing nervously. "She's liable to hold the whole Tusken Raider Compound for ransom- remember what she did with just a few well placed explosives on Taris? And again on Kashyyyk?"
Samirah smiled.
She was grateful that Mission was loyal and didn't hate Samirah. The wrath that girl would likely bring about could cause even the most brave Jedi to pause before her. The idea of Bastila being afraid of Mission was, somehow, a comforting thought and made her laugh despite herself.
She took a deep breath, nodding as her gaze returned to the thin pillar of smoke slowly disappearing in the distance.
Mission would make sure that everyone got along.
That was, after all, why she had given Mission command.
"Hey," Carth started, touching her shoulder so that she'd look at him. "Everything is going to work out. Juhani will see reason. It's not like everything has been especially easy for you. Especially back then. With everything going on with you, I think Juhani can find it in herself to forgive you. Just like you found it in yourself to save her all that time ago."
Samirah just stared at him, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Why was he suddenly saying all this? Where had this all come from? She searched his face for a moment, looking for the catch. Looking for the driving force behind his words and went as far as reaching out with the force. Feeling for what he was feeling.
And she was surprised.
Carth, for once, seemed at ease. A small smile on his face and sincerity in his eyes... and the concern he felt for her.
He meant this. He wasn't putting up pretenses or saying what she wanted to hear.
He was saying what he wanted her to know. His truth.
"You're a good person who would never intentionally leave someone behind. You've gone to hell and back for some of us and done the seemingly impossible and continue to do just that. If she doesn't know that now, she will soon." Then Carth paused for a minute and cleared his throat, suddenly looking embarrassed.
"Because I certainly know it now. And I know, for what it's worth, you're the hero the Republic needs. The hero we need. The only person who I trust to put this blasted galaxy back together."
Her voice was caught in her throat.
Carth rarely complimented her like this.
For the first time, she also really felt like he meant every word of it too. That he truly and undoubtedly trusted in her and her abilities to get them through this. That they could prevail and stop Malak.
That kind of trust was terrifying and came with a hefty weight.
If she failed them- if she failed Carth- how would she be able to stay with them? How would she be able to face them in light of her failures?
They still had so much to do and...
"Samirah," Carth finally said, drawing her out of her own thoughts, "We can get through this, together. I'll be with you every step of the way. You can count on me. You don't have to be alone in all of this. You know that, right?"
And there it was.
All that she needed to hear from him to know that they'd be okay. To, at the very least, believe that they could be okay.
She nodded, a warm smile forming where a scowl had once been.
They had been together for quite some time now, months really. This was the first that Samirah truly felt close to Carth and felt that, maybe, he was beginning to trust in her fully. To really believe that she wasn't going to betray him like Saul did.
She trusted him, of that there was no doubt.
But she had wondered if he would ever fully be able to trust her. To free those demons he had locked in his mind and allow someone else in.
Things felt like they were changing now.
"It seems I do now." She said quietly, smiling at him.
Carth was content with that reply, smiling ever so slightly at her in response. She didn't hesitate, wrapping her arms around him and holding on tightly to him. Just in case this was just a moment in time for them.
"Thank you..." She whispered.
At first, Carth just froze at the suddenness of it all. He hadn't been expecting this kind of response from her and he was at a loss. It took him a moment before allowing his body to relax and then, ever so carefully, he wrapped his arms around her in turn.
He smiled, holding this small woman in his arms and feeling a peace flow between them that he hadn't been able to feel in a long, long time.
Not since…
She pulled away, looking up to smile at him and he suddenly felt flustered at the whole thing.
"Good, uh, now that, you know, the emotional part of our day has finished, let's try and, uh, save the Galaxy. Be heroes and such." He said, half a smirk forming as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head as an excuse to look away.
He didn't want her to see the blush.
"Ah, yes, the Galaxy saving. How could we forget…" There was a bitter undertone to Samirah's voice but it was nothing like the ice that had been there before. "Let's find the others before they blow up a sandcrawler by accident."
Looking out at the dunes, Samirah could feel something and sighed.
There was this creeping feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had been trying to ignore but with very little success. Ever since stepping out into the dune sea, she could feel it's presence ever so slightly growing. It unnerved her and she hoped there was no cause for concern.
However, if the Jedi and Bastila have taught her anything, it was that there was always a cause for concern. Every feeling, every shadow, every small pin prick feeling- it was a warning.
It's calling out to me… She thought. The map…
She could also feel Bastila through the bond. It was a tightness that told her something was causing Bastila to be stressed. And with each passing moment, the strain was growing.
Czerka. The maps. Griff. Bastila. Mission- there were so many things to take care of and it was a wonder her stomach felt like a bundle of tightly coiled knots.
One thing at a time, she admonished herself.
Bastila was a trained Jedi and would reach out somehow if she was in desperate aid. Mission and the others had to come first.
Almost as if he knew, Carth placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in comfort. She smiled back, unconsciously placing her hand on his and squeezing his hand back. An action she didn't think twice about but one that did not escape Carth's notice.
"Alright Carth, let's move. We had a heavily armed Twi'lek, a homicidal droid and moody Jedi to find."
She wasn't alone. Carth was with her and she knew he would continue to be, for now. A strength she needed to push forward and that was the strength that was going to get her through. How funny it was. Carth Onasi. Her pillar of strength now. What a drastic change from how they were on Taris.
This was a change she was happy to have.
She didn't look back as she pushed forward. So, as it would happen, it entirely escaped her notice how Carth's face blushed, looking at where she'd grabbed his hand.
She also didn't see how he smiled at her before following quietly behind.
Jolee was going to have an aneurysm and he'd be damned if he didn't come back and haunt everyone of these kids.
"Look here, sonny," He bellowed from the ramp. "I did not leave the confines of one dirty jungle to be subjected to another one!"
His voice boomed down the corridor of the Ebon Hawk, quickly being drowned out by the dozen or so Gizka running amok. Gizka that were suddenly startled again as something came charging from the other end, causing them to scatter. A moment later, Zaalbar came rushing around the corner with a net in hand, roaring in frustration as he did.
This, Jolee thought, is what true chaos looked like.
Jolee didn't really have much else to do after his talk with Davin. There was very little he could do about the situation without Samirah to help and she was busy ensuring the other kids didn't die in the desert. No, no, it could wait until they returned... he hoped. And whatever was transpiring between Bastila and her supposed Mother... well, Jolee knew he wasn't needed there. Not yet, at least.
That conversation would have to wait until those two had parted ways.
So, Jolee figured he'd make his way back to the ship for a little rest and relaxation. Better he did that than continue sweltering in the heat of this abysmal dustball. He wanted nothing more than to sit in solitude for a little while with a cup of cold brewed tea, air conditioning and to be left alone.
There was much he had to consider.
Instead, he was met with this chaos.
"No! Do not separate! Jolee, you must help me in capturing them. They are eating the ship's electrical wiring!"
Zaalbar's voice reverberated throughout the ship and Jolee flinched at the chorus of croaks that responded.
It reminded him of the Opera house on Corellia. Wretched noise. If it hadn't been for-
T7 came whirring by in a fury, a net attached to his body as well. A futile effort, but Jolee had to give credit where credit was due. Little guy was trying. Desperate measures and such.
"I am too old for a game of cat and mouse." He finally said as Zaalbar thumped through the ship, hurrying past the old man. "And if any of these critters are in my medbay-!"
He let the threat hang in the air. All he heard was a low grumple followed by a shriek that he could only assume came from one of those little creatures.
Not his business.
The kids could play rodeo with the Gizka but he certainly wasn't going too. He had too much on his mind as it was. Didn't have the patience or desire to help either.
He trudged his way through all the little creatures swarming the floor, pushing any aside that refused to move out of his way. He wasn't rough with them or anything, but a little nudge of his foot would set them off in some other direction. He knew better than to be aggressive. He made that mistake on Kashyyyk with the Tachs enough times to learn his lesson!
He palmed the door of the Medbay and sighed in relief when he found it was vacant.
Not wasting any time, he quickly closed the door behind him and waited as the lights flickered on. There was a momentary spark before one of the lights flickered out. Jolee cursed under his breath before just sitting down in his chair with a grumple.
"Eat my electrical wiring, will ya? Well, two can play at that game. Didn't spend three decades on the floor of Kashyyyk with Tachs to be outsmarted by the likes of you." He grumbled under his breath.
He leaned forward, rubbing his eyes as the weight of today pressed on him heavily. The room was only half lit, casting a dim shadow over him. It strangely made him remember his little hobble on the forest floor. The tall trees blocking out the sunlight and casting him into a world of shadows.
He had been content with that. Letting the Force just lead him as it pleased.
Somehow, everything beyond his medbay doors seemed distant and far away. Even the sounds and stomping and cries were muted to him. A blessing, he was sure.
They had a lot to do.
They'd only just arrived on Tatooine and already, things seemed to be set in motion that Jolee hadn't prepared himself for. He thought back to the look on Samirah's face as she loomed over the sith assassins.
She'd fought them off alone.
Yes, she had this new homicidal droid but still… it was a feat, to be sure. One woman against four trained Dark Jedi. And the way she spoke to them... After the events on Kashyyyk, Jolee knew that she had been scarred on her soul. He didn't realize how deep the wounds were though. He had tried to heal her, help her mend but was it enough? He was concerned for what lay ahead of her and if she was ready for it.
There was a mess of static in the force that swirled around her. A call to her destiny.
Her doubts and fears weighed heavy on her and in the jungles of Kashyyyk, the dark side preyed on that. Ever the watchful snake, lying in wait for the vulnerable to unknowingly be caught in it's trap.
And the council had prepared such a tempting little meal for it.
She was waging an internal war and he was worried about who would win...
Well, Jolee would have to wait it out and see. He needed to be here for her and the crew. He had told Juhani that he felt something brewing and wasn't lying. Something was on the horizon and he could feel it on his tongue. Like salt. And that worried him.
She had a strong protective instinct. Willing to fight til the end and she's had to do that more often than not. Now, Malak was threatening her and those close to her. Jolee could see how she was willing to go to any means necessary to fight. To save what she considered important. Such a powerful destiny before her...
A knight for the republic. A knight for the people.
Yes. There was something amiss in the force. Many things happening all at once and he could feel Samirah at the epicenter.
Something rattled in the corner of the medbay and Jolee paused in his thoughts.
He gave a sideways glance, half expecting to see a Gizka rearing its ugly head, but was surprised. It was a young girl. How had she escaped his notice? She crawled out from one of the cabinets in the corner and upon seeing Jolee, whimpered and tried to crawl back in.
His contemplative silence must have convinced her that he was gone.
"You must be Sasha." Jolee said matter-of-factly but was promptly ignored as she tried to close the cabinet door and eventually succeeded.
The only sound in the room was of her, shivering against the door. The sound of metal violently shaking against metal.
The ship was bloody cold, Jolee already knew that. It was precisely why he had seeked refuge here instead of blistering in the heat!
This girl, however...
He recalled Samirah mentioning this girl to Canderous. Where had that useless Mandalorian gone, anyway? Wasn't he supposed to be on babysitting duty? You couldn't count on young kids these days... always running off to do force knows what. Pity that Jolee didn't know any Mando'a so he couldn't be of too much help but… well, maybe he could.
Jolee slowly stood up, reaching for the high cabinets. He rummaged around for a minute until he found some tea and began the process of brewing a little. He had made sure to procure a small stash while he was on Dantooine. Vandar, of all the Masters, had a particular fondness for herbal tea so they always kept some on hand at the shops around the enclave. The traders had figured out that Vandar couldn't resist buying a few when they came to port.
When you were as old as Jolee, you knew where to find the best teas in the Enclave. Who would sell the best ones for the best price. He smiled to himself, pleased with the few that he'd been able to acquire.
Sure, he'd been gone for three decades but if there was one thing Jolee knew for certain- The Jedi Council didn't change. Nor did their preferences.
As he brewed the tea, the scent wafted about his clinic and the door to his cabinet opened ever so slightly. Jolee was careful to not outright stare and, instead, settled a sideways glance on her. She was barely peeking through the cabinet now, her fear now mixed with curiosity.
And then, she was licking her lips as she eyed the cups.
When ready, Jolee poured the tea and delicately placed one cup closer to the cabinet door. He then took a seat next to his med table and just reclined a bit with his own cup.
He proceeded to thumb through an old datapad he had about the political disaster that was Alderaan at present. A little gossip he had managed to procure from the spaceport with a little help of his persuasive touch. He did, after all, have a few decades worth of reading to catch up on.
He smiled at himself, quite proud that he hadn't lost his touch in certain aspects of the force.
Jolee kept his attention on the Datapad even as the door to his cabinet slowly opened. He didn't have to look to know that an arm was slowly reaching out to grasp the cup and slowly dragging it back into the cupboard with it.
Jolee smirked.
It was a kind of progress he supposed. Didn't have the same weight as speaking Mando'a but it was definitely a step in the right direction. And a distraction until he could do other things.
No, he could bide his time. The Force liked to work in its own time. Jolee had become quite good at the waiting game.
Reminded him of this time on Corellia...
Feel free to leave me a note! If you're new, welcome! It's a bit of a ride with me and my chapters but I welcome you for the journey!
And if you're an old reader, still faithful, you have my undying love.
Thank you for reading, and may 2021 be a fruitful year for us all.
-SS-
