Chapter 24

"Keep hydrated, keep any exposed skin protected and your heads covered. We don't take any unnecessary risks. No one plays the macho 'I-can-deal-with-it-card', not in the desert. I don't care who you are or what rank you hold or how tough you think you are and the desert doesn't care either. Keep the canteens full- if you see someone on the squad struggling you speak up; if you're struggling, you speak up.

"Weakness to the squad comes from the self and if you're not a hundred percent you will kill us all and that's on you. Remember that. The strength of the squad comes from the self when you give everything you have and more, and that's a credit to you. Remember that.

"The plan is to split up in order to find any Intel on the Star Map without actually divulging what it is we're looking for. Talk to people that will relate you at least on the surface level. Canderous, hit the mercs; do what you need to do. Mission and Zaalbar go for the urchins. You grew up on the streets, you speak the same language. You know the drill, you what to look out for. Big Z try not to scare any of the desert rats, just make Mission seem tough by having a Wookiee on a leash. I don't mean to demean you, but it's necessary. It will impress any little thug or swooper. Mish, you know better than to follow anyone anywhere that 'aint secure. No back alleys, no secret dens, no it's-my-cousin's-place-she/he-aint-home-it's-safe's. If you can get into the cantinas, hit the pazaak tables but keep the cheating to a minimum."

"I won't let you down Skye." Mission said, proud to be asked to be a part of the plan, and an integral part by the sound of it.

Zaalbar barked his own affirmation. "I'll watch her. Don't worry."

Canderous only made a grunt to confirm he was going to follow the orders he was given.

"I'm counting on it." Skye said to the three of them. "Anchorhead has heavy a Czerka Cooperation presence and the Hutts allow it. No doubt Czerka has this city under heavy scrutiny. It's not the Hutts' thugs we have to worry about but the company's minions. Remember they have dealings with the Exchange which means a whole hell of a lot of unwanted trouble for us. Let's not get their attention by doing things the stupid way, hum? Ol' Tin-Jaw will have agents, bounty hunters and any other scumbag looking for us. When they come, I want it to be on my terms not theirs and it sure as hell won't be on the meatbag of a Sith's terms."

Her comments gained a chorus of laugher from the assembly which she smiled at, but continued her debriefing.

"Bastila, Juhani and I will hit the Czerka mining office, trading and merchant's guilds. We'll also see if we can't find some local low level Hutt and make him think he can advance his status if he makes a deal with a trio of Jedi especially if he believes he's gaining the better of us.

"Carth and Teethree you two still have babysitting duties, keep the girl safe. We only have a day—two on the outside before Lurak Sulas shows up to take Sasha back home. Keep her happy, keep her safe. No one comes near this ship, enters her that isn't already apart of her crew without my direct authority. Neutralize any party who makes the attempt. I don't care who they claim they represent. No one. Am I clear?"

"Understood."

The monosyllabic response was more than she had gained from Canderous but essentially it was the same as a grunt as far as confirmations went, but the former Dark Lord required nothing more.

Teethree whistled and hooted a question to which the Jedi gave a lopsided shrug. "If you want to shock intruders be my guest." Skye answered. "Hell, threaten them with a flame thrower if you have to Teethree. I prefer if you don't kill anyone that is just being a nuisance but we can't have Malak's spies disrupting our mission. I'll leave it to your discretion; do what is necessary but no more. Alright, you all know what you need to do. Gear up, time to roll."

Each team broke off from the Hawk's CIC to locate gear, weapons and armour. It took the Jedi and Mandalorian substantially less time to gear-up than it did the two refugees form Taris. It gave Skye plenty of time to let Sasha in on what was happening as the girl had a pale- panicked expression on her face as she watched her saviour getting ready to leave her.

Skye knelt down so she was eye level to the child. "Look, I have to go but I will be back. See the bearded man in the funny orange coat?" she spoke using the girl's broken language.

Sasha nodded. Her bottom lip trembling, her eyes threatening at any given moment to leak tears.

"Remember his name?"

"Carth," it was a mumbled response almost petulant.

"Yes. That's right. Now he's going to look after you. He even has a son of his own so he's okay with kids. And Teethree my droid will be staying too. But I have a job for you. I'm leaving the Hawk and I need someone to guard it. Typically, I'd leave one the others behind as well but I figure you're old enough now to help out. So, what do you say? Can you protect the Ebon Hawk make sure no one else gets on board and tires anything sneaky?"

"I can do that!" Sasha bobbed her head vigorously, her earlier anxiety all but forgotten. "I know where all the hidey-holes are! I know where a person could sneak about if they wanted to."

"Good girl. I knew I could count on you." Skye beamed. It might have been her imagination but the child seemed to puff up just a little. "Oh, and make sure Carth doesn't sneak too many candy bars while I'm out. But you can have one now and another after dinner. Now we probably won't be back until late, but I'll return before Lurak shows up to take you back home to your parents-your real parents."

Sasha nodded slowly adjusting to the fact her world was going to change yet again. She wasn't at all happy about Skye leaving her or the fact she was being sent to people that were only alive in her dreams. The Mandies that took her said dream-people don't live any more, they aren't real any more. But Skye was a Jedi and she said they did live, they were real. The girl wanted to believe the Jedi... if felt somehow right. Skye's words didn't make her feel empty like the Mandies' did.

Out of the impulsive affection common of children, even the lost ones, Sasha threw her arms around Skye's neck and hugged her tightly. "Be careful Skye."

"I will," the Jedi winked. "Don't worry."

Coming up behind the young girl was Mission with a rather sheepish expression on her face; in her hand, she held an A4 sized cardboard box. "Um..."she coughed. "When I was at the Enclave's space port I found this little souvenir shop," her blue face turned a shade purple as she blushed. "I sorta picked this up for um... well... just because, alright? It's not like I'd play with them but, well you know... one of them kinda looks like you Skye well 'cept she's human and not so pale-skinned. But she's a Jedi—her light saber is even green like your smaller one."

Skye was grinning from ear to ear was realized the box Mission was holding was a set of Jedi action figures, Republic soldiers, a few bounty-hunter types as well as a couple of nondescript figures in Mandalorian armour.

"Where in frack did you find those?"

"Like I said a little souvenir shop. They deal with um... stuff..."

"You mean vid and game paraphernalia." Skye was still grinning. She had translated easily what the lekku were telling her which was not exactly the same as what the teen's voice was.

"Yeah so what? Shut up." Mission frowned defensively; she had forgotten that the Nagai understood the Twi'lek body language of lekku. "A lot of old people were in there too you know. It's not a toy store. It's a... stuff store and it's not just collector's items, they have graphic novels too, even some clothes."

"Old people? You mean sentients my age, don't you?" the Jedi was now standing up her arms folded over her chest—bemused.

"Pfft, whatever. Yeah okay. Stop looking like you're 'bout ta bust a gut laughing. Anyway, I was trying to do something nice. You know something semi-Jediish? Like let Sasha open the box and play with the figures. I mean they won't be in mint-condition anymore. But she's gonna be bored out of her mind just milling around here with nothin' to do. And I have a drawing tablet and a stylus she can use too.

"Don't know if she can read Basic or not but I bought a couple of book down-loads for my 'reader for the trip, but, er... they might be too advanced for her. It's not the sappy-romance trash Zaerdra read all the time." Mission made a sour face. "But she might like 'em." Mission nodded towards the ten-year-old. "Oh! I just thought of it, if Sasha can read Hutteese I can switch the translation-mode on the pad for her."

Skye put a hand on the young Twi'lek's shoulder, her face now more reserved. "Mission, that is very generous of you. Thank you. Truly." The Jedi translated to the child which gained another vigorous head bob. "I think she likes the idea as well. Go ahead and show her and Mission-I'll buy you another box if you let her have that one. Fair deal?"

"Fair deal Boss." The teen looked down to the younger girl offered her hand and smiled pleasantly. "Come on Sash, I've got something that will make waiting not so boring," she said in Hutteese which apparently, the child did seem understand, or well-enough of it to trust and follow Mission back in to the female dorms.

The Tarisian teenager knew all about what it was to be alone amongst strangers. Hell, she even knew what it was like to iodize the Jedi. She'd never forget meeting Zayne Kayak Carrick for the first time. Boy, was he cute. Her mind wondered a little. She couldn't help it; he had become something of a romantic figure in her imagination. And she couldn't help but wonder if the lost padawan ever find what he and his friends had been looking for?

"Skye." Mission started, "um you said I could go with you to the Czerka office to find out what happened to my brother..."

Skye winced. She had forgotten about that. "Yeah sure, no problem Mission. You come with us then you hit the kids and swoopers."

KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~

Bastila watched on with a divided mind. Revan... was beginning to show through the crevasse of the carefully constructed 'reality' the Masters had constructed. It seemed the personality of the fallen knight was simply too strong to be converted forever. But then wasn't that the point-to have those cracks within Revan's mind so they might be exploited and the secrets of the Star Forge given to the Jedi Masters.

But in insuring these tiny cracks in the fabric of 'Skye's' mind came the contradictory mannerisms of the once great Jedi Knight. Revan / Skye shown kindness in one hand while arming the other with cunning manipulation. Skye had shown maternal care for Sasha, teased Carth, shown a sister love for Mission and manipulated the Czerka Dock-master into bypassing the normal fee for the privilege of landing within Anchorhead's city limits. The pretence of course, had been that she wasn't going to give finances to the corrupt mega-corporation who had such a stranglehold on the desert city that the citizens didn't even think to counterman their directives. There was even contempt in Skye's heart as she described- within the privacy of her own mind- the citizenry as nothing more than willing prisoners obliging themselves to an organization as morally bankrupt as the Sith and Mandalorians.

Bastila remained mute after her initial protest of Skye's abuse of her Jedi powers over the dock-master and the subject of paying the landing fees, and was now curiously watching as the Nagai put her other skills to task.

Mission however, wasn't so discrete. "I sure wish I had handy Jedi tricks to do something like that."

"I want to know why Czerka Corporation is even here." Skye demanded firmly.

"I can't really get into that," the official said with an air of shame... no embarrassment in his tone. "It hasn't been a very smooth operation. I shouldn't get into it."

You'd have to be a deaf and blind wamp-rat not to see the red flags going up at that. Just by the omission alone the man was inviting questions. "You want to tell me about it." Skye's suggestion slid easily into the man's weak mind.

"I can tell you more I guess, it's not a big secret or anything, just not good for business. You see Czerka Corporation has staked their claim to this planet based on some very promising geological surveys. Unfortunately, that information wasn't exactly accurate and possibly even planted as sabotage by their rival companies."

"So Czerka Corp has set up shop on a barren planet?"

"Not totally barren," the man became defensive. "There were a few good years of mining and some operations are still in place. But the ore is flawed; it as peculiar properties. They had to look at other forms of businesses."

Slavery? Surely the Hutts had the corner on that market on Tatooine but it was one Czerka was no doubt willing to establish co-ventures in. What struck the Jedi in particular was what the human said about the ore. Something close to a deja-vu tickled her mind and the Nagai could not fathom why. Something familiar... "What makes the ore substandard?"

"Czerka has really tried to hide this, but it just seems that Tatooine metal is ill-suited for manufacturing. I would imagine this outpost will be eventually abandoned. Nobody is making any money here. Of course, this rock has been settled a few times, so look for some other company to get stuck with it."

Back to the other thing the male had brought up. "What other forms of business have you looked at here?"

"Prospects that, um, appeal to the causal traveller, and there are some fearsome native species that prove for some exciting hunting. There are also lengthy barren waists that serve as fine swoop tracks. Attracting business has been slow however."

"What is known about the history of this planet?"

"Very little. There are hints that it might once have been a lush world but I can't picture it as anything but a desert. Native sentient species have no records going back that far. This has been hundreds of years ago, maybe thousands." He shrugged indifferently. "Of course, the native species are not very willing to tell anyone anything," he chuckled. "They are barely more than animals."

"Maybe because they resent being the 'exciting hunting opportunities'." Juhani snorted. She knew well from her own peoples' treatment at the hands of the Mandalorians how it was to be deemed the prey in the most deadly game. Back on her old planet it was quite the game the Mandies set up before Revan destroyed them.

"The sand people are vicious," the dock master once again became defensive. "They attack outsiders on site. They are more animal than anything really. Maybe they know the history of Tatooine, maybe they don't. Impossible to tell seeing as they won't cooperate."

"If outsiders were attacking my own people as hunting sport, I'd be disinclined to cooperate as well." Bastila said, adding her protest to that of Juhani.

"We did not incite the confrontations. They've given Czerka Corporation a rough time. Its hard enough mining this rock without suffering random attacks. So yes, the company has put up a bounty for them. But I sure 'aint going to try for it."

"So where do I look for jobs and entertainment," Skye slipped in with her silver tongue, trying to milk the man for more information.

"It depends on what level of risk you're willing to take. Like I said, there's the swoop track for betting or if you're so inclined, to race it yourself. I'd talk to the Hutt there, that's in the west end of Anchorhead. Or you could ask at the Czerka office if there are any bounties that need collecting. If you go in, I'd ask for a hunting licence so you can sell to Faza at his hunting lodge just north of them.

"So, what about relics or rare finds, things of that nature?"

"You a digger?" he shook his head. "Didn't figure Jedi for diggers. I mean we've found some ruins but they've always been stripped by sand people soon after. You're not going to get anywhere with them. You could ask around I suppose, but I doubt anyone knows anything more. Though you could ask a Jawa, but it's hard to tell what they know. Hard to understand them. They're scavengers and a bit primitive, but they have an affinity for droids. Some of our scientists think they may not even be from here, but where their native home land is I don't know."

"I shudder to think of what your 'scientists' have done to them."

"Nothing too invasive that would get a Jedi upset," the man said quickly as his eyes followed the Nagai's hands resting on the pommels of her lightsabers. "The sand people do far worse. They end up salves to them more often than not. Not good warriors but they are very good traders. If you're looking for something, best bet is they'd know something but... I can't get a word they say. Maybe you being a Jedi might understand 'em a bit better."

"So how long as Anchorhead been here?" Skye shifted the direction of the conversation.

"Czerka's only been here for a few years but it goes back further than that. Some other corporation held it, but they must have gone under. Not a lot of records kept in a place like this."

"That's what I figured. We need to get going."

"As you wish. I'll be around at the docks or at the office should you need anything Master Jedi." The office he spoke about was nothing more than a cubical with an awning for a roof, tucked away near a few vendor stalls.

"Not muck of a lead but it's a starting point I suppose," Bastila said, "and I believe you were right about making him give us a docking pass. Bounty hunting criminals is one thing- that at least I can understand. Hunting sentient species for sport is quite another."

Skye nodded as if to say 'I told you so'.

"They're scumbags. No wonder Griff fell in with them. Seems he's always falling in with the wrong crowd." Mission mumbled. "I hope the office keeps better records on it's employees then it does the planets they take over."

"I'm sure they will have something. Who knows Mission, he may even be there- or at least at the company barracks." Skye said trying to uplift the teen's spirits.

As the companions were nearing the massive red metal gates of the city proper they were approached by a tan-skinned Twi'lek woman. Her body language seemed to carry with it a strange air of familiarity.

She spoke in Huttese, "Excuse me. I know it's been a very long time dear, but aren't you Bastila Shan?"

Despite the fact that the three Jedi felt no air of hostility towards them from the woman, they shifted into defensive stances. A sweet, unassuming demeanour meant little when you were the target of a very powerful megalomaniac. It meant only that the 'innocent' could get in that much closer.

Juhani and Skye flanked the unnamed Twi'lek, ready to go into action waiting for Bastila to react. Skye in particular kept a close eye on the woman's lekku; so far, they remained slightly relaxed, the tips moving only very slightly indicating hopeful intentions. "Helena Shan's little girl?" she took a step closer. "Yes! It is you. I can see it in your eyes," she looked the human up and down and smiled. Even her lekku shifted with pleased joy. "My have you gown!"

"I'm Bastila yes. I take it you know my mother." It wasn't a question more like an accusation.

"Oh yes. I worked for your father on an expedition years ago,. Your mother showed me holos of you before you... well, before you left. Such a pretty little girl you were," she answered softly.

The last line got a smirk out of Skye. "Just who are you?"

"Oh where are my manners, my name is Anlare."

Bastila looked disturbed, as if she wanted to be anywhere but where she was. Exasperated she addressed Anlare. "Is there anything I can do for you Miss Anlare? You can see we're in quite a hurry."

Playing the devil's advocate, Skye couldn't help but poke fun at her bond-mate. "Don't be rude Bastila. We can hear her out."

"Oh, I didn't mean to take your time. I just wanted to ask if your mother's condition has improved since I last saw her."

That sucked the fun out of the air. And Anlare's coiling lekku transmitted that her concern was not feigned but genuine.

"My mother's condition?" Bastila frowned.

"Oh, you don't know? Oh, my dear. I just assumed she had found you, when I talked to her last she was desperate to find you."

"I have not seen my mother since I joined the Order." Bastila said haughty. "Do you know what has happened? Did... she... say anything about my father?"

Anlare shook her head. "No, I'm sorry dear. Your mother is very ill; she didn't say anything about your father."

"I see, when did you last see her?"

"Oh she's here. I assumed that was why you came. She's here in the cantina. You may wish to go see her considering her condition."

"I guess we should go see your mother Bastila." Skye's voice lacked the typical levity it normally held. it was repacked by true care.

"Part of me would rather not talk to her at all," came a bitter reply. "But if she really is sick... well, we shall see."

"If I had the opportunity to speak with my mother again, just one more time, I would seize the opportunity for the gift that it is." Juhani said almost wistfully—sagely. The way her mother had died... the illness, the starvation... if she could see her mother once more, show her she had made that little girl's promise come true. She had become the Jedi she vowed to be. "Do not squander the chance to say good-bye if she is so very ill on memories of the past."

"Heck I don't even remember my mother or my father. There was only ever Griff." Mission piped up. "But if I got to see her again. I don't think I'd miss the chance."

Bastila sighed, she knew her counterparts well enough to know they would not allow her to ignore this. Skye would insist on the reunion. "Very well, but we have other more pressing matters to attend to," she stalked away saying nothing more leaving Skye and Juhani to stare at each other.

"You know you both just out Jedi'ed her. And I don't think she liked it." There was a smirk on the Nagai's face.

An equally playful smile graced the Cathar's lips. "No, I don't think she did."

"Aw, Miss Snooty-pants will get over it." Mission declared in the dismissive manner of a teenager.

Skye slung her arm around the young Cathar woman's shoulder, practically missing the slight near inaudible gasp of breath escaping from Juhani. "So, hey, we better shuffle off and see what sort of trouble we can get into..." a slight blush to the cheeks... "...err, I mean, you know what good we can do."

"Of course, that is what you meant." Juhani smiled shyly, loving the small amount of contact she had with the dark manned Jedi. The newly knighted Jedi could not help but think of another Nagai Jedi. But every time she thought of Revan, her mind slipped over the face she remembered as a ten-year-old into something she couldn't. And even when she tried to focus on the face a fierce pain tapped her mind like the edges of a migraine and so she instinctively backed away from it and allowed her vision to slip over the intimate details of another's face. Skye's face.

"I guess we should catch up to her," the Nagai said watching as Bastila practically stormed into the Czerka office.

SWSWSWSWSWSWSW

The first thing noticeable about the office was the blast of cold air wrapping itself around the four as they entered. It had the slight stale taste of recycled air as aboard a ship, but it was a reprieve from the lung-stifling still clime of the desert despite the fact they hadn't been in it for long. The shock of heat when the companions first exited the ship had been like suffering blunt force trauma; the shift in climate was so sudden and this was a small reprieve.

The second truly noticeable thing was that the office was sparsely decorated: a circular reception kiosk manned by a Rodian male; a row of metallic benches in the designated waiting area, and a small L-shaped desk where a forty-year-old dark-haired human female sat. The look on her face was suggested that she wanted to be anywhere but where she was.

"Do you think she knows what happened to my brother?" Mission asked Skye.

"Very likely. But I doubt she'll cop to it willingly," Skye said to the teen. She put her hand on the young Twi'lek's shoulder noticing the disheartened twitch of the leuuks, her lekku. "Not to fret, I told you I would find out what happened to him and I will even if I have to..." she touched her forehead with two-fingers, "...be a little more 'Forceful' about it." Skye finished with a slight wink to her young friend.

The girl's blue lips pulled into a smile, and the curl of her head-tails gave a clear indication that she was highly amused by the bad pun.

The name on the desk proclaimed her the woman sitting there to be: Operations Manager. She barely looked up and registered who she was looking at; her brown eyes held impatience and contempt. "Yes?" her voice was more on the snide side. "This is the offices of Czerka Corporation. If this is about employment, you should know all mining positions are filled and before you ask we are also out of hunting licenses."

Skye cleared her throat. "Do I look like I'm here for a job? Take a good look. A hard look, I realize it may take some time." Skye retorted in the same sharp snide tone.

"You're a Jedi." The woman said realizing her blunder in her earlier dismissive nature. "Three Jedi."

"Oh, very good." Skye smirked. "Now that we established that fact, how about another. I'm looking for a minor miner named Griff."

"I've never heard of him. I don't know a man by that name. No, I don't ever remember a single 'Griff' on Czerka Cooperation's payroll."

Skye whistled, "Oh now that was too quick- too fast. I don't need to be a Jedi to know that you're a liar. Spill it woman. You do know of course as a Force-User I can will you to give me what I want but I'm going to give you the chance to do so willingly. Your choice."

The officer sighed. "Maybe I should get this off my chest. Yeah, we hired that Twi'lek sometime ago. He was a migrant worker according to his dossier. He wasn't a good worker according to the crew chiefs; he was always feigning injuries to get out of work. He entered false time sheets after his shifts, and he was suspected stealing Czerka cooperation supplies though we could never prove it."

"Yeah that sounds like him." Skye said.

"We would have fired him but frankly we needed workers. Maybe it would have been better if he had been fired, then the Sand People wouldn't have captured him."

"Sand people?" Mission piped up worriedly.

"Yes, one of our teams was attacked; nobody was left alive. It was then that we noticed Griff wasn't amongst the dead; we can only assume that he had been taken prisoner and whether or not he was still alive we cannot say. In the end, we decided it wasn't financially feasible to search for him."

"You shutta! You left him to rot!?" Mission screamed. She was stopped from storming the operative by Skye's hand on her shoulder.

The woman snorted. "All Czerka Cooperation employees sign a waiver that exempts Czerka from all financial liabilities and they understand all employees are expendable. But Czerka Corporation cares deeply for all of its employees. That's why we started a bounty program on the Sand People to thin their numbers."

"Thin their numbers? You are talking about culling them as if they were vermin not sentients." Juhani made no attempted to disguise her seething ire. The young Cathar had seen plenty of culling on her home planet. "You cannot treat people like rakghouls and get away with it!"

The human woman took a step back, intimidated by the anger flurrying in the Jedi. It wasn't just radiating from the Cathar- it was coming from all three of them.

"Look, I talked too much as it is. I shouldn't have told you as much as I did about sensitive Czerka... this is privileged information. I could lose my job for as much as I told you."

"Could you just please stop saying your company's name in every sentence it's annoying. Though not as insidious as offering a bounty on the heads of people."

"To be clear: we don't want their heads, we want only their gaffi sticks."

Bastila frowned. "Gaffi sticks?"

"Their gaffi sticks are unique to each member; custom made. We prefer them as proof of bounty to their heads dumped on our office floor."

Bastila looked revolted as did the other Jedi as well as Mission.

"Back on point these hunting licences..." Skye started. "You have them. You have a strangle hold on this city. Everyone is forced to buy your products, your stock, because no one can leave without your say so. No one can trade without your say so, unless you want to deal with the Hutts. Effectively you have strangled the people of Anchorhead. In fact, you have enslaved them. Now I know that the Hutt clans don't like to share their slaves; their right to be deplorable despots and crime bosses.

"Admittedly you have ties to the Exchange, but hell not even the Exchange has full executive powers in their regimes. The Sith glassed Taris despite the presence of Exchange and Czerka being there. This dust bowl has never been a bother to the Sith because let's face it, why bother, let the Hutts have it."

"Now this is how it's going to play out. You will sign over hunting licenses to me and my party for whatever reason you seem to think we need one."

"We use them to monitor those we deem fit to leave the city. We don't allow causal exploration because of legal obligations," the operative started. "Czerka assumes no responsibilities for loss of life beyond the gates."

"Would that be the legal obligations you require your employees to sign a waiver against and assume all personal and financial liabilities." Skye shot back. "Did you not just say Czerka assumes no responsibility?"

"You are keeping everyone one prisoner here!" Bastila shot. "Only Czerka Corp employees can leave the city if they want to or need to."

"With the downturn of employment, a lot of people are looking for any way of making credits. Most people wouldn't survive a day, let alone qualified hunters. The last licence we issued was given to a woman named Marlene Bann. She will do fine: she had a mean streak a mile wide and a dozen battle droids, she also paid double. Instances like this are rare unless it suits the company to issue them."

"It will suit the company to give dispensation to the Jedi." Bastila said, her fingers twitching. "You will not hold us prisoner. And you will not give us an ultimatum or demands for the license."

The operative twitched, her mind shifted. "It is in the best interest to grant special dispensation the Jedi. We require no ultimatums or demands. Hunting licenses will be granted."

Skye flashed Bastila a prideful 'that's my girl' smirk.

"Excellent. Snap to it," the younger Jedi said as if she were speaking to an ill-tempered, ill-mannered child. It wasn't until the licences were in hand that Ravensong spoke.

"Tatooine is known for the indigenous population of the Sand People or the Tuskans, not even the Hutts bother with them much. Why is it that Czerka wants to eradicate them? Effectively committing genocide, that doesn't sound very cost effective."

"It's more expensive trying to replace all the sand crawlers they are destroying and replacing all the miners they are killing off. There is one tribe that is particularly aggressive. It seems like their Chief is waging a private war against Czer..." she paused in the narrative after the warning look from the Jedi not to say the full name of her company. "...against the Corporation. "The Board declared termination against the hostiles was necessary."

"What sacred lands or customs did you tread upon to make them so hostile?" Skye demanded. "It's widely known that the Sand People make occasional raids on travellers and even on the lonely farm settlements; they even take pot-shots at racers, but they don't make open war- not unless they are provoked first. So what did you do to piss them off?"

"You sound like that Dayso Cooh fellow, ranting about safe guarding that village. That bleeding-heart Duros apparently cared nothing for the law. We have legal rights to the dunes. Czerka Cooperation has indisputable dominion. The enclave to the east is now Czerka property. If you want to know more, you might try trailing after one of our sand crawlers. Like I said, they are regularly attacked. If you are unwilling to collect the bounties, then perhaps you can escort them. But we will pay a bounty on any gaffi sticks you recover. But it is an enforceable contract; we take the lives of our minors very seriously."

"Good thing we're not entering into any contract." Skye said. "So, what's going on here besides your war with the Sand People?"

The operative shrugged. "It's not like you won't find out on your own once you leave the gates. The mining operations here have dried up. The ore is substandard and there is less of it than the surveys indicated. On top of the raiders, it's known that this planet has been abandoned before. Czerka is not doing well here and it would be foolish to stay. It will be costly to pull out now, but less expensive than it would be to stay in the end. I imagine all the heavy equipment will be abandoned. Ha, maybe the Jawas will scavenge it. But I can't imagine what they would do with sand crawlers."

Again, with the ore. Somehow the Jedi got the distinct feeling this wasn't a natural phenomenon. "What makes the ore substandard?" the question was once more asked.

"No one is quite sure. There are odd energy fluctuations. They defy analysis or explanations. But the effect is obvious. Ore taken from Tatooine is used for construction and degrades fast. Word is getting out; we're running out of buyers."

"Meaning you can't pass of your crap material." Skye scoffed. "Hey Bastila maybe we should call the Jedi Temple and have them dispatch a Padawan to investigate these lawbreakers. Putting innocent lives at stake with substandard ore and all. Imagine it, a shifty mega-corporation making a ton of credits over the loss of life which of course we know they assume no responsibility over."

Bastila grinned. "I think that is a very good idea. No reason to get tied up in the courts with litigation when the direct approach is much better."

"Aggressive negotiations." Juhani added.

"Now hold on there..."

"Better keep that thought to yourself human if I were you." Ravensong hissed. "Your port officer claimed this planet was abandoned before, is it because of the ore?"

"There is great evidence to support this," the human nodded. "Seems several attempts had been made to mine and each time the efforts were abandoned. The time between each attempt was just long enough for any records of why it failed to disappear. The Jawas scavenge ancient tech all the time. It's a remote world, who knows what's here."

'Do you think the faulty ore has anything to do with the Star map?' Bastila sent along the bond.

'That would be the logical conclusion. The chances of all the ore being sour are very high. Generally, some of it would be good, or useful, but it isn't. So, what's corrupting it? Something natural we cannot see far below the sands or fluctuations in the Force? You can feel it and so can Juhani. After all this time, I can't image it to be merely mundane Not even the Hutts could do that despite the fact that they obliterated Nar Shaddaa's ecosystem."

"Anything odd happening?"

"By odd I assume you mean that happened to Taris. Czerka is not offering any opinion."

"Don't want be caught out on the losing side, do we? Or suddenly find yourselves in the company of the enemy by the winner?" Skye snidely offered.

"Czerka is not subject to your approval Jedi, so save us your commentary," the officer snapped back.

"Anything more local?" Bastila interrupted.

"If you want local, I suggest you go to the swoop track," the officer continued along her condescending tone. "It's one of the few leading industries on Tatooine."

"And one you don't have your grubby hands on." Mission muttered under her breath. Low enough that the Czerka rep hadn't heard it but she did gain a chastising look from Bastila. Though from Skye she gained an approving slip of a smile. Ghostly, but it was there all the same.

The rep continued as if she hadn't heard a thing. "There was also a Jawa in here earlier complaining about something to do with some of his people going missing. He might know something; he left for the Northern Gate. It was difficult to tell what he truly wanted. Our translator droid had difficulty with the message."

"I think we're done here." Skye turned her back on the rep and focused it upon her fellow Jedi and the young woman who was looking up to the Nagai with such high expectations.

"Skye, you will go after Griff, right? I mean I get not wanting to do the culling but... but... the Sand People took my brother prisoner. He may be a slime, but we have to go rescue him. We... we... we... can't just leave him with those monsters!"

Skye put both hands upon Missions' shoulders, then shifted to touch her lekku in very a Twi'lek way; a very maternal way. "Mission I promise you we will save him."

The younger female practically fell in to the Jedi's arms. "I knew I could count on you!" she perked up. "There are definitely fringe benefits to being friends with a Jedi."

Skye winked. "So not just the free parking spaces?"

That got a giggle out of the teen. "How do you manage to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make everything better with just a few words. It's like Jedi magic without the Force."

Skye smirked and offered a shrug. "It's a gift."