Chapter 22
As the crew were settling into various parts of the ship, Bastila and Carth went to the bridge. Juhani took to the comm/ops room with Mission. However, the kid had decided to catch some zees before they touched down. Canderous was in the garage checking and rechecking the armaments insuring each were in top condition and upgraded with mods that suited each member of Skye's companions that used firearms. He even checked the melee weapons all save of course the Jedi's lightsabers. Zaalbar was in turrets apparently, he had become obsessed with insuring the turrets were perfectly calibrated. T3 was bleeping happily in Engineering.
Skye made her rounds checking up on all the companions. She paused when she saw the youngest of her fellow Jedi.
"Juhani, are you all right?" Skye attempted reach the self-conscious Jedi before her. "Are you all right?" she asked again not needing the Force to tell her the Cathar was uncomfortable and withdrawn. It had nothing to do with the forthcoming mission of that the Nagai was certain. It was as if Juhani felt unworthy of being on the same ship let alone the on the same team as the other two Jedi.
Taken aback by the true concern in Skye's voice, in her heart Juhani felt for a moment she was almost in the company of her lover Belaya. Sweet Belaya who blamed herself for Juhani's fall. The Masters had discovered their love and became quite insistent that such bonds could not be held by a Jedi. It was then Juhani had decided if she could not have love, if the bloodlust and passions of the Cathar in her blood and could not be quieted she would not follow the stifling ways of the Jedi. She would be free of their hold so she might embrace love as she willed. Power as she willed. Belaya, sweet Belaya said it was for love she had to free Juhani of their relationship though she did so under a broken heart. She had also told Juhani that she could not compete against a ghost. So it was they parted ways with broke hearts but not in bitterness.
Juhani was adamant love was not folly of the Dark Side nor did it lead to it. Keeping love silent thus gaining the disapproval and harsh reprisal of the Council did so. Skye… Skye was so like her phantom love, Juhani wasn't so sure they were not of the same blood.
"Juhani?" Skye touched the younger woman's cheek. "Are you all right?" she repeated the question.
"I… I thank you for your concern, Skye. But I am still shaken from all that happened."
"I get that. You've been though a hell of a lot. You can't be expected to processes it all that quickly, you're not a droid. Perhaps you just need more time. Trust me, I understand about being shaken."
"I think that is why the Council agreed to send me with you Skye. They think perhaps that in your company I will be able to forgive myself. To move on from it."
"Their actions are two-fold then. Tell you what, if I see you slipping back I'll intervene." There was a certain levity to the older Jedi's voice that brought a smile to the Cathar's lips.
Relieved she didn't get a lecture that Skye didn't have time to watch out for her as she would have with Bastila, Juhani at last allowed a measure of relaxation to creep up on her. "I thank you for your concern and your acceptance Skye Ravensong. I will strive to prove I am worthy of your company and your trust."
"You don't have to prove anything, least of all to me. Look as far as I'm concerned that day on the grove was my test as well as yours. For you it was the test of the Spirit, for me it was a test of reason and understanding. Uncovering what lies beneath the facade. You weren't a Dark Jedi, you stumbled but didn't fall. And here's another thing: you don't have to keep thanking me Juhani," Skye chuckled. "Technically you and Bastila out rank me, you've both been Knighted and I'm still a Padawan."
"That might be true, but we both know who leads us on our journey. It is you Skye who is our leader and you come by such skills naturally. Your connection to the Force is as strong as Grand Master Vandar's and your charisma draws others to you like a winter moth to a heat lamp. Your voice has the power to call others to you. Why else does the Mandalorian still follow you when he is free to go his own path? Or Mission and Zaalbar… who follow you; devoted to you?"
Skye gave an uncomfortable smile. "Ah, well Zaalbar swore a life-debt to me. Mission goes where Zaalbar goes. Besides, I feel I need to protect the kid; she's had it rough and needs someone a little more… commutative and more feminine to look out for her. From her own words, 'Big Z isn't much of a talker; it's nice to talk to someone else. He's a great listener but doesn't say much except to complain he's hungry'."
Juhani laughed. "Ah yes… she is of the age where 'girl-talk' is important."
"Well if she wants to paint my nails odd colours and go shopping she picked the wrong girl-pal to hang around with. Though her idea of shopping she might need someone to bail her out of a cell."
"You play mother to her?"
Skye placed both hands on Juhani's shoulder and theatrically looked over the woman's shoulder one way then the other, then touched her finger to her nose conspiratorially. "Shh, lest she hear you. Now you know my evil plan to take under my wing street urchins and give them a better shot at life by playing mother and protector."
Juhani smiled softly as she laughed gently. She recalled another Jedi who had done the same for her and so much more. It was this woman that Juhani loved deeply had sworn her heart to, but now was not the time to dwell on such memories.
Juhani gave the Nagai a very curious look.
"What is it? Something on your mind?" Ravensong quirked an eyebrow at the sudden intense study of her face by the Cathar.
"Skye, do you have perhaps a sister in the Order?"
"Nope, I'm an only child born to my parents. Well that I know of. Why?"
"Because you look as she did. The Jedi who found me, saved me and encouraged me. Though she seems older in years than do you but that could be coming from the perspective memory of a child."
"I can only tell you I have no 'known' siblings. Nagai tend to have a very healthy sexual appetite until they form their bonds. Who's to say that one of my parents didn't mother or father a child outside their bonding before they became lifemates? I guess Nagai Jedi are rare…" she didn't voice that she would no doubt be forever compared to the only other historical Nagai figure who just so happened to be a Dark Lord nor did she voice she was indeed that same Jedi.
There were a few Nagai Jedi yes, but not many, it was a card Skye knew she'd have to play if anyone started asking uncomfortable questions. "Nagai have very similar features. Black hair, grey or in rare instances blue eyes, and very pale skin. Humans have compared us to the vampiric-elves of their tales of horror and fantasy. Still we are often confused for anaemic human-half-breeds if we have a care to hide the pointed ears." Skye pushed her black hair past her the tapered points of her elongated ears.
"I have heard that Nagai take two mates."
Skye nodded. "It's not real tradition or anything. But yes occasionally we do, it goes way way back to when our numbers were so low due to the war with the Tof. Nowadays it doesn't matter the sex of the Trinity only that one is formed. There are trinities where all are female, or male. Some are of two females and a male or two males and one female. All three parents care for any offspring born to them not unlike the prides of tusked-panthers found on Nagi and Naboo. I take it I look like one of the Jedi you met?"
Juhani nodded. "Yes." It was strange. Skye and Revan were seen in the same light so much so they appeared to be one and the same. But just as Juhani tried to see, it was if Skye refracted the image of the lost Dark Lord and the young woman was left seeing only Skye. The Cathar suspected the Force was at work but she did not understand why or how. But it was as if some outside presence insured that no such comparison would remain and the desire to compare the two would be driven from the mind.
"You do bear a striking resemblance to a Jedi, I have seen in holovids." Juhani said elusively. Now was not the time to tell Skye that it had been Revan who saved her, Revan who haunted Juhani's dreams. Revan was the ghost Belaya could not compete with. Revan who Juhani still loved even though her saviour had turned to the Dark Side, which was something Juhani never could make herself to believe. There had to be another reason for her beloved hero to become the Dark Lord, and the first in Republic history to take up the title Darth.
"Well that will happen." Skye shrugged as her mind slid back to the Masters; this was their handy work no doubt. But why? Did Juhani ever meet Revan face to face? Try as she might Skye couldn't remember, couldn't place ever meeting the Cathar before the day in the grove. There was no familiar presence, no half-recalled dream-nothing of her true memoirs. Of Revan the Nagai new little to nothing. Of Skye Ravensong, why there was a whole tome of memoirs and history. But it was fiction. all of it.
"Say you want to give me a hand in the garage? I want to install some climate converters on the swoop bikes, so they don't overheat on Tatooine."
"I am sorry Skye but for that I'd be cack-handed. I don't think I'd even be able to hand you the correct tools," Juhani grinned and slowly emerged from her shell long enough to tease, "though I'm sure Mission would love to help her hero. Is it not a parental thing to share bonding-time?"
"Aw, well, yeah." Skye murmured. Mission wasn't the female she wanted to spend more time with. But if she pointed that out, Juhani would fall back into her introverted self once more and build an even higher wall erected out of bricks of shame and mortared together with the fear of disappointing someone she thought was her better. Going a different approach Ravensong said. "My door and ears are always open if you ever want to talk or whatever. Maybe we can make room in the cargo hold so we can do a bit of training between systems. I don't know about you but sometimes I get antsy being cooped up all the time."
"Aye, I do. Perhaps later we can go through our katas, the three of us."
Skye nodded and after a goodbye headed off to the garage leaving behind a far less sullen Cathar than she found.
~KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~
Skye sat upon one upon one of the wheeled chairs that she had taken from the comm-room so she might work on her swoop bike without straining her knees for having to kneel all the time.
"Spit it out. I know you want to speak." Skye said without looking up to the new presence that had intruded upon her solace in the garage. "Something is stuck in your craw, what is it?"
The bond, I shouldn't be surprised any more when she knows I'm troubled, yet I always am. Bastila thought. What she said was, "Yes I want to speak to you about our mission. About what lies ahead for us. I believe fate or the Force is driving us into a confrontation with the Dark Lord." Bastila was clearly worried about this prospect. She made neither excuse nor attempt to hide this fear. "Skye, you must prepare yourself for when we face Malak. The confrontation will be difficult for you. I remember when I faced Revan…"
"Actually, I think my confrontation will not be difficult for me, at least in the way you imply." Skye interrupted the other woman, if this was another 'fishing' expedition to find out what Skye knew of herself, the former Dark Lord would turn the tables. She was tired of this tiptoeing and the whole song and dance concerning the veiled truth. "Bastila, you knew both Revan and Malak. Revan was once your friend, in your own way you even loved her. She was a hero; a Jedi Knight who was admired by many. When she turned to the Dark Side it was if she turned from you, isn't that so? Turned from your friendship?"
Bastila looked away and down to the metal grating of the garage floor. Her auburn head nodded.
Skye wasn't finished: "Me? I have no connection to Malak other than he's the enemy. He is no more than a thick brute with a hell of a lot of power- dangerous to be sure- more so than Revan was because Revan used her head, had a plan. Malak is a bloody idiot who likes to stomp anything into space dust. I'm sure Revan's friendship with him was opportunistic, it had to be. Better to keep that rancor on a tight leash and send him to go stomp things than let him run rabid as he is now. He's going to ruin everything Revan was trying to save with her sacrifice."
Bastila starred. Skye had never spoken so passionately about Revan before. Was it possible she was remembering just who she was? "What … what do you mean?"
"I've been thinking. Revan didn't fall. At least not like the Masters want us to believe. I looked at the Galaxy post Mandalorian War. The Republic is a stagnant beast, ailing and it will crumble. In five years, it will be a husk of its former glory. Worlds are dying, alliances tearing apart. I wouldn't be surprised in say five years Onderon will parley with the idea of seceding from the Republic. Other worlds are crumbling. Hell, Peragus II blew itself up for frack sake, now they are stuck mining an asteroid- a highly explosive asteroid belt. Revan saw this all.
"Look how her mind worked, you were close to her Bastila, how come you couldn't see what she saw? She didn't fall; she went willingly into the Dark to save the Republic. Her actions… cost worlds and lives yes, she even committed atrocities, but her actions would have stabilized the galaxy and the Republic. A unified government. Right now, the Galactic Senate is broken and bickering over the scraps of the war with the Mandalorians and struggling to keep alive now in the war we face. Some of the greatest crimes imaginable have been committed in the name of the better good. And sometimes those people who committed those crimes hold the greatest wisdoms or so we like to think they do. I wonder if the Council had supported Revan that we would not now be in this civil war? The Republic might not be teetering on the brink of life and death and Revan would never have had to sacrifice herself to the Dark to save the Light."
Bastila fell to the floor of the bay, she had never thought of what had happened in quite the way Skye had pointed out. "You… you believe Revan sacrificed herself… why… why would you think that?"
"Well look what she was before. She was a hero, one who was willing to lay down her life for those who she didn't know so they would live. She defied the Order because going to war with the Mandalorians was the right course of action, at least in her eyes. In going she knew she would be exiled if she lived and returned: stripped of robes, title and lightsaber and quite possibly the Force.
"Yet she was willing to do so. Now think of what she did after? Do you think she was seduced by power? Was that her? You saw the visions; you saw her pacing before the door of the first Star Map. Malak was feeling the power of the Forge. Oh, yes he questioned it too but he went not because of some noble intention but for lust of power. He didn't want to be left behind. No, Revan weighed what she believed needed to be done and the Council's teachings.
"I also think Revan thought about the Force in its totality. The Jedi and the Sith are extremes on the same coin. Sometimes I think of what I read about the Grey Jedi… like Master Kreia before she left for the Outer Rim and how they see the Force. I believe theirs is the truer path: not solely dedicated to one side or the other. They are not blinded by one set of beliefs or the other but follow all of it-the fullness of the Force. I think in the end this where Revan might have gone. She would have become a Grey. Of course, we will never know now. The Council marks her as a traitor, a villain… but I don't think they looked close enough. Maybe it's because I'm a fellow Nagai, I can understand this path."
This is where those clouded fogged memories clashed with the too shinning to clear life of Skye. At the worrisome expression plastered on the human's face, Ravensong extrapolated further, tying somehow to get the other woman to see her point of view if not understand it.
"You see those who serve the Night Mother in the monastery are trained to be assassins, not for evil, not for the Dark Side, but in the same vein as the Republic Military. Nagai use stealth, and swiftness- not the brute force of military might to protect and serve the people of our planet and our colonies. Revan was raised by the Jedi but in her heart, she was still Nagai. If judged by the ways of Light and Dark the Nagai are Grey. From all that I read and heard of, I believe that part was reasserting itself in Revan. It's something the Council and even Darth Malak did not understand or see.
"I also think that sometimes the Council's will is not always the way of the Jedi. Such questions don't lead to the Dark side, Bastila. So don't start thinking I've turned. But such questions must have answers, do they not? The teachings of the Jedi are ancient, but the will of the Council changes with each new member's viewpoint. We only have to look at the example of the Jedi Covenant to see that. One Guardian and what, four or five Councilors and they all slew their Padawans because of wrongly interpreted visions of a new Dark Lord rising. The Council was unwilling to hear Padawan Zayne Carrick's story and unyielding in their pursuit of him which in the end had cost countless lives. If the Council had not been so quick to judge Carrick and name him a traitor, Saul Karath would have heeded the boy about Serroco regarding the Mandalorians immolating the city."
Bastila stared at the other woman as she worked on the bike. The silence was unobtrusive as it settled around them for a moment. The only sound was the metal on metal tinkering of a mechanic busily at task. "Hey hand me that spanner." Skye pointed to the tool kit open by Bastila's side. The younger woman obliged, Skye took it without a sound then moved off the chair to a scoot under the bike to tinker with something Bastila could only hazard a lucky guess at.
"Many believed the Mandalorians were defeated at Malachor V." Skye continued with her previous conversation, as if no interruption had ever occurred. "The way I see it, the Mandalorians taught the Jedi much through battle. And so it was that Revan, Malak, and the Jedi that followed them discovered their true natures in the Mandalorian Crusade. The war's end was simply another beginning and what seemed a victory for the Republic was far from it. Revan knew this, she saw it and she knew the price she had to pay to save it was far more than she imagined and so she gave her soul to the Dark Side.
"I've studied all the documents the Archives have on the wars as well as other sources including Zayne Carrick's logs. I picked them up when we were on Taris from a peddler hawking relics of the Mandalorian Wars. I've always found the logs and diaries of warriors on both sides of conflicts to be insightful and interesting reading. Call it being a scout. Anyway, I strayed from my point I was trying to make."
"Which is what?" Asked Bastila, intrigued by what answer she would hear.
"The Council has great wisdom, Bastila, but isn't always correct or right in their course of actions. History isn't always the way we are told to believe it is. There are always other angles to look at it and understand it. Malak will not be a great enemy to me as he is to you. To me, he is nothing more than tyrannical rancor monster with a steal jaw and a powerful connection to the Force and a hell of a lot of firepower. But emotionally, he is nothing to me. I know this confrontation with him will be very difficult to you, just as killing Revan had to have been for you."
Bastila looked away. Her voice a small whisper: "I… I didn't kill Revan."
The former Dark Lord looked up from her work. Here now was her chance for them both to come clean. But she wanted- no needed- to hear what Bastila would say or if in fact admit anything.
"But that is what you are famous for." Skye pushed the trolley she was resting on out from under the bike. Her blue eyes stared into the grey of the human's.
"Like you said, history has many angles to look at it from." Bastila said in a voice that was both seemingly apologetic and nervously dismissive. It was a tone that said 'I don't want to talk about it.' "Our mission was to capture Revan if at all possible. It was Malak who turned on his own Master, firing upon Revan's bridge while we all were on it. It was his desire to kill us all in one master shot. Thankfully we narrowly escaped just before it exploded."
"So Malak did your work for you? True enough I suppose, it is the nature of the Sith to be traitorous." Skye said so nonchalantly that it was unnerving.
"I suppose so." Bastila dropped her eyes; the shame was apparently resurfacing as was a new emotion, something extremely uncomfortable. The bond flared between them. Pain. It was pain that rippled as an echo deep within the younger woman. "Not that the outcome of that battle was foreseeable… I never expected to be…" Bastila stopped before she could finish her thought. She was dangerously close to revealing forbidden knowledge to the woman before her. "As I said, we were there to capture Revan alive. No one deserves execution no matter their crime. You said it yourself- Revan and Malak were once great Jedi. Heroes in every sense of the word. Revan was-was both Councilor and Weapon master. A Jedi's Jedi more so than Malak. But they both demonstrated the danger of the Dark Side. "
Skye shot up taking hold of Bastila's arm. "Are you saying Revan still lives?" Tell her you know gods damn it. You hinted enough already, out with it. The inner voice of Revan asserted itself. Enough games! Skye silenced the inner voice by sheer will of her own need to allow Bastila the time to admit the truth, to see if she was capable of it.
Bastila looked away unable to look into the blue eyes as she had been so in the past. "The Dark Lord lives not."
"That doesn't answer the question. You're deliberately hiding this and being very evasive. Why? I can take it from your mind." Blue eyes narrowed.
"Yes, you can. Will you?" Bastila looked up tears now clouding her grey eyes.
Skye let go her hold, "you know something of Revan and the Council swore you to secrecy is that it?"
"Yes."
"If I know... this knowledge could put me in danger, the mission and you?"
"Yes, to all."
"Then I will ask no more, of it." Skye smiled wiping the tears from Bastila's face. She grimaced as the actions caused the damp face to absorb some of the grease on Skye's hand to smudge an otherwise pristine face and then smirked at the novelty of the Princess being grimy like a pit monkey. "I trust you, Princess."
The strangest thing Skye's words were meant to sooth, yet Bastila reacted as if she had been backhanded. "I am sorry we… we really shouldn't be talking about this… the memory of my confrontation with Revan is… painful."
"You were in love with her." Skye suddenly realized why Bastila was reacting so peculiarly.
Bastila didn't respond to deny or confirm the question. "Please Skye… can we not speak of it?" She was trembling.
Skye took her into her arms immediately. "Sorry Babe, I didn't mean to bring you unhappiness. So, ah… how about a change of subject then? I'd like to know more about you. You got to read my files and service records, so how about it?" Skye smirked playfully as she imitated Bastila's refined accent. "You tell me for once about yourself, other than to say you're a Jedi."
The younger woman gently eased out of the warmth of the embrace. "Yes, I suppose I can understand your curiosity given the bond that connects us. Very well I'll tell you about myself. And no I am not a Hutt in human disguise."
The sudden joke made Skye's eyes grow wide, as did her mouth. Laughter erupted from her so hard she snorted, causing Bastila to chuckle herself.
"I imagine you didn't think I had a sense of humor."
"Oh, I knew you did, it was just underdeveloped," Skye snickered, "so how did you join the Jedi then?"
"I was found to be strong with the Force at a young age as most Padawans are. As a girl, I was given to the Order to be trained." There was something of a distant pain reflected in the young woman's grey eyes, Skye was quick to perceive. Then it was gone. "When I joined the Order, I had left my family on Talravin, as all Padawans do. My family is still there the last time I heard. I've had little contact with them as it is discouraged." Once more regret filled her voice though it was so subtle that it was more of an echo of the past emotions then a true reflection. Even the words she spoke, 'as it is discouraged' were more of an echo of another's words and not Bastila's own.
"So, it's true," Skye said, "the Jedi separate children from their families!"
"Relationships with family members are fraught with powerful emotions. Such extremes are to be avoided. Anger and hate are the worst but even love can lead to folly."
"I don't believe that for one moment, it's the inability to cope with strong emotions, being unprepared for it does, not the emotion itself. Suppression of one's emotions isn't healthy. Any psychiatrist will tell you that. Control them, yes suppress them- no. Big difference."
Bastila noted the disgust in her companion's voice. And truly if she were honest with herself, she didn't blame Skye for her reaction. Even as she tried to explain she couldn't siphon her own remorse from her voice. "Emotional entanglements can be departmental. They can impair rational thought. They can lead to outbursts of uncontrolled emotions. A Jedi must be above such things. You saw how Juhani fell… she loved… loves Belaya and it led her down a dark path."
"You don't sound very convinced." Skye folded her arms over her chest, staring Bastila with an almost challenging gaze of defiance.
"It can be a hard lesson to learn. I was not on good terms with all my family. But I do remember missing my father terribly for a very long time."
"You and your father were close?" Skye's stance softened as did her voice. She sat down upon the saddle of the swoop bike content to listen.
Bastila smiled, her mind calling up the face of her father, and his smiling eyes. "Very close. I was only a little girl when I left my family, but I still remember him fondly. He was kind and gentle and doted on me."
Skye grinned, Daddy's Little Princess, popped into her head.
"My mother however was very different. I was not on good terms with my mother. I was only a little girl, but I was old enough to resent her and the way she treated my father." Bastila's voice was almost a growl. "She pushed my father into treasure hunting. I spent all my young life on ships traveling from one false lead to the next. She whittled away my father's entire fortune and I hated her for it! I think she was relieved to give me to the Jedi, but my father was brokenhearted as was I."
"You never tried to get in touch with your father again?"
Once more the echo of another's words laced Bastila's own. "A child is too young to understand the sacrifices they must make. It is better to have no contact with their families once they are removed. Once I was older I realized the wisdom in this policy. A Jedi must do what is needed! Personal desires notwithstanding, love can only obscure and confuse the matter."
"You sound very sad when you say that." Skye offered quietly.
"Even a Jedi cannot always control the feelings of the heart." The younger woman found herself gazing into Skye's own eyes once more. The older woman thought perhaps she was trying to find the reflection of another within her gaze and did not see Skye at all.
She was looking for Revan.
"We must do our best to guard against it, no matter the cost." Unable to look at Skye any longer Bastila turned away from her, "but some sacrifices are harder than others. I… I… do not wish to discuss this anymore. Skye, I… I would rather return to our mission. We'll be landing on Tatooine soon. We should probably check our gear."
"Already on it, I had Big Z double-check our supplies for a trek across the Dune Sea. You know, I hate sandy planets. Not to mention Nagai don't do well out in the sun, we get a little crispy."
Bastila was relieved that Skye resorted to her typical levity to bolster the rather morose tone the garage had taken on in the past few moments. "I'm sure the medical bay has appropriate sun-blocking creams. If not, I'm sure a local merchant will have adequate stock."
"Sure, hope so. Of course, the cowls on our robes will offer some protection for well us Jedi, but the others are going to be hurting. Do you think Wookiees pant?"
Bastila wasn't so sure question was offered as a joke or was Skye serious? Wookiees didn't wear clothing because there was no need- not with the dense fur coat.
"Zaalbar might be more protected than any of us. If you think of a bantha's shaggy coat, it puts it into perspective. Mission, having grown up in the Lower City, will have a more difficult time in the brightness of the desert, she isn't acclimated to it. She had to wear eye protection on Dantooine never mind Tatooine's twin suns."
Just as Bastila was to respond a high-pitched cry carried throughout the ship
"Skye! Skye!" It was Mission. "Skye, please!"
Skye gave a look to the other woman before bolting down the corridor into the starboard side quarters. She pushed past Zaalbar who was trying to get into the quarters save for the teenager's outburst of: "I only want Skye!"
Mission was radiating absolute fear. She was weeping and holding her knees to her chest. As soon as the Jedi entered Mission reached out for her.
"I'm here."
"Oh Skye!" She fell into the other woman's arms, weeping all the harder.
Skye's Nagai senses being more acute than a human's, picked up the scent of blood.
Loitering just beyond the threshold most of the crew of the Ebon Hawk had gathered.
"Bastila, get rid of them." Skye ordered. "Do it quickly, right now." Through the bond, she whispered, 'She's going to be okay. Seriously she needs discretion right now, not an audience.'
"Skye I'm dying!" Mission whimpered. "I woke up from a nap, and there was blood …" she leaned in closer to the Jedi. "There was blood in my… between… I'm bleeding between my nethers."
Skye bit her lower lip sighing. "Mission… you're not dying. It's natural. I'm taking an educated guessing that your brother never told you about the facts of life."
Through her tears, Mission frowned. She sniffed. "What?"
"Procreation."
"You being about babies?" Mission snorted, "I'm not a kid! I know how babies are made. The man charges up a woman's loading ramp, seeds her with his life-goo and she gets heavy with a baby. That's what Gryph said."
Skye rubbed the back of her neck. "I wouldn't have put it so indelicately. But yeah, something like that. But there is a lot more. Didn't any of the female Hidden Beks talk to you? Zaerdra maybe?"
"Sorta, she said don't let a male stroke my lekkus until I wanted it. She said to not let them try to talk me into it, cuz it starts the fires and all they want is what's between my legs."
"Yeah again, that's about right, but she didn't talk to you about anything else?"
The teen shook her head.
"Blast. Okay. First let's get you cleaned up and change the bedding. I'll try to explain." Skye placed a hand upon the other woman's arm. "I promise you this; you're going to be okay. Really." The Jedi turned to her footlocker and retrieved the outer cloak of her robes that was on her bunk and handed it to the Twi'lek. "Cover yourself up with this."
"I'm not dying?" As she was putting on the cloak Mission looked to the wet splotch of blood on the bunk incredulously. Add the blood and the abdominal cramps she was feeling she sure felt as if she were dying.
"No. I promise. You might feel like it, but no you're not." Skye rubbed the girl's back. "Come on, I'll escort you to refresher."
Meekly Mission nodded.
'Skye what has happened'
'We need to do some damage control with the others. Mission is fine. She just experienced her first menstruation. She freaked, because no one told her it would happen.'
'Blast!' The more reserved Jedi cursed.
'Exactly. You can imagine why she reacted as she did when she saw the blood. Carth was married and I'm sure Canderous had his share of encounters with women; they can be handled, easily. Zaalbar… will be made to understand.'
Juhani was waiting outside as well then noted the makeshift skirt around the teen's middle and deduced what happened. "I will get the necessary hygiene products from the sick-bay." She said softly. "No one told her?"
Skye shook her head.
"Mother indeed," she said so softly she knew only the Nagai's ears would pick it up. The comment brought a lopsided grin to Skye's lips and shrug.
"Guess so," she said just as softly.
The others watched as Mission was led to the refresher by their very protective leader. Once Mission was within and out of ear shot, Skye approached the rest of the crew. "Listen up and I'm not going to tell you twice. Don't make an issue out of this, don't talk about it and if one of you…" she looked to Carth pointedly, "makes one inappropriate teasing remark, I may forget for a moment I'm a Jedi and smack your upside the head so hard every man in creation will see stars. Mission is a fourteen-year-old, who's just hit aspects of puberty that only young women go through. The only problem is she had no maternal figure to explain things. Don't make her feel embarrassed, shamed, belittled or condescended, she's already mortified. It's hard enough for her as it is without added crap from anyone. End of dissection."
"And may I remind you gentlemen," Bastila said fooling her arms and standing beside Skye as did Juhani, "there are four women on this vessel. And not one of us wants to hear male prattle or complains or a snide remark concerning the nature of our bodies. Understand?"
"I sure they do, men are not always idiots," Juhani backed up the others, "and I am certain they will not make the next few days uncomfortable for young Mission."
The men looked at one another and decided that pissing off any woman who wielded a lightsaber and the Force because of some joke about PMS was a very unwise move. At once three heads bobbed affirmative.
"Good boys." Skye smiled. "Now if you'd excuse me I have to go and explain something I never thought I would be."
"Oy..." Canderous piped up causing the three females to shift their attention, armed with glares ready to be released if they felt the need to put Ordo in his place. "They like protein about this time. Twi'lek woman that is."
Carth and Zaalbar looked at one another in astonishment them back to their fellow male. The women however softened their expressions to one of surprise that Ordo was conscientious enough to say anything.
"What? You forget Davik had a lot of slaves, all of 'em Twi'leks. About every three months those little honeys would want a lot of meat and they weren't so keen on company." The old Mandalorian trailed off. "Take it for what it's worth. I got no trouble with the little shit becoming full woman." He took out an old chewed up cigar butt form the breast pocket of his red tack vest and headed back to the garage. "Now that little drama is over, I'll finish up what you started Whelp. Gotta get those bikes ready for when we hit dirt."
After an hour or so passed Skye freed herself from a shaken young teenager who wanted nothing more than forget her earlier hysteria so much so she actually conned Juhani into playing a couple of hands of Pazzak. Ravensong opted out and headed back into the garage.
"She sorted?" Ordo said from under the second swoop bike the companions picked up on Dantooine.
"Thought you said you didn't care for the drama."
"I don't. Just don't want no liabilities lagging us on that fracken sand pit."
"Right." Skye nodded She wasn't going to mention Ordo's growing fondness for the spunky street urchin. "So Old Man, bet you got some good war stories. Why not spill one."
Canderous got up, wiped his greasy hands on a rag near the tool box and leaned against the saddle of the swoop bike he had been working on.
"You wanna hear tales of my exploits? The wars I've seen and fought. The enemies I seen die by my hands—ha—sure." He casually tossed the rag on top of the box, and took the cigar from his pocket and lit it up. "I'll humour you. You already know I'm from of the Mandalorian clan Ordo. I've been fighting across the galaxy for forty of your years. For my people, it is the honour and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes."
"And now? After the war, it cannot be the same." Skye probed.
There was a heavy sigh of a man riddled with regret and remorse of days gone. "Times have changed now. The Mandalorian clans have been scattered across the Outer Rim. The Republic is in decline, and the Sith empire rises to take its place. The clans as they were have regressed but the galaxy still fears us." He puffed on the cigar allowing the smoke to circle around both their heads.
"HA! People think we war out of spite or bloodlust. They don't understand and fear that. We only wanted the challenge of the battle and glory from it. Win or lose. And we lost. But now I have no challenges, crushing Davik's enemies and the pathetic gangs of the lower city cannot be considered the most glorious tasks. When I think of the battles I fought, the people I killed, the worlds I burned I weep for my past. We will never again speak of this." He snubbed out the cigar and stuffed it back into his pocket. "We've got work to do so let's get to it."
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~
Okay canonically I know we never see Grandpa Candy smoke but he looks like a guy that should have a cigar a bit like Arny Schwarzenegger always seem to have one save for his old Conan / Terminator movies. It just fits.
Also in game I know Juhani sticks to that little closet which never made sense to me. She has no job on the ship and just stands there. Who just stands in a closet? (ironic when she 'comes out' of it if femRevan romances her) So I placed her somewhere else and gave her a job a bit like Sam Traynor on ME3.