Chapter 38
As Chuundar said, the companions found Gorwooken waiting for them. He clearly was not pleased with his given task of guiding the outsiders to the Shadowlands if given the choice, he'd toss them over the banisters and let gravity take care of the rest. He made it known that their soft feet were a barely tolerated insult.
The decent was as long as Gorwooken said it would be; nearly three hours before they reached the bottom. As they got closer to the ground, the roots around them became darker and colder, with the low sun unable to penetrate the depths of the forests. Finally, they reached the base of the trees, where the great gnarled roots fanned out from the huge trunks and sloped down towards the shadowy forest floor below. There, they disappeared deep into the rich earth, anchoring the mighty woshyr trees securely enough to withstand all but the most ferocious of Kashyyyk's storms.
Skye paused and peered down into the gloom. Anything down there, lurking in the shadows—packs of voracious kinrath with their spindly bodies and the knife-like pincers: Poisoned–tentacled hoverworms or the death-breathed tree-toads, or the sleek bodied tachs.
She took a deep breath and placed a glancing touch to the small of Bastila's back and quietly moved down a long, snaking root towards the forest floor. Their feet hit the mossy ground with a soft ploff at exactly the same moment, and they shifted forwards.
"Right, we have a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of Intel to tell us what we're in for, and the Wookiees don't send down their bravest warriors to test them if it wasn't a challenge. The beasts we fought on the Great Walkway are but a sample of what we will find down here.
"Keep your eyes and ears open, and stay close to your group!" Skye instructed. "And try to touch as little as possible. Flowers can sting, thorns can poison, vines can scratch and snag… and as for the creatures, they are best avoided, however small and innocent they may appear," she looked to Mission after giving this advisement. "In Kashyyyk nothing is what it seems."
"Roworr and maybe even Freyyr are down here. One thing I'm sure of is that nether is a mad-claw but a viable asset of opposition against Chuundar. There is apparently a human madman down here along with Czerka slavers doing the Night Mother knows what, but it can't be good. Not to mention we've got Darth Bandon down here somewhere. And most important of all- the Star Map. This human or the Czerka reps may know where it is or have seen it.
"Bandon might be lurking by the Star Map. It will be a strategic location to hold if he wants us-" the former Dark Lord looked to Bastila, "wants you. Make no mistake he will want his prize, and nothing will stop him claiming it. He lost you once already on the Endar Spire. I remember seeing him on the bridge where he killed Trask. If you see him, don't engage him."
"I've killed dozens of Jedi during the war: both Padawans and Knights, what's one more?" Canderous chaffed at the command.
It was Bastila that spoke then, not Skye. "You may have faced a number of my brother and sister Jedi but you have not confronted a Darth. They are nearly as powerful as a Jedi Master- you cannot hope to face him and walk away alive. He will crush you, Mandalorian. Only one armed with the power of the Force will overcome him."
"Looking to notch your belt with the blood of another Dark Lord, Shan?" Canderous scoffingly mocked her.
Bastila looked to Skye—to Revan. "She's right, Canderous. You want to die? Then sure, challenge him and in doing so Clan Ordo will be forgotten, its legacy left to rot in these forest's floor. You will be just another old Mandy fit for nothing but to fill the bellies of carrion. Is that what you want? If so, then go attack him as soon as you see him. Or… you can do the intelligent thing. And use the appropriate weapons against Bandon.
"Bastila is correct- only the Force will stop Bandon. Only the Jedi Knights- Bastila, Juhani and myself will be the ones to engage Darth Bandon. Disobey my order and you will not board the Ebon Hawk. Disobedience within my ranks and death within them are one in the same. I have no use for either one. And both are highly overrated. Am I understood?" Her eyes burned into Ordo's.
A challenge.
"Crystal clear."
The matter was not pressed further, as the point was made quite clear. Speaking further of it would only diminish the command given. Mandalorians were masters at ranged weaponry, and would do anything to avoid hand-to-hand combat unless they were in their infamous gladiatorial pits. Or so it was believed, but often they rose to meet any challenge offered them- the greater the challenge, the greater the risk, the greater the glory.
Mandalore himself had not backed down when challenged by Revan to one-to-one combat. Despite the fact, he lost- since that day to now- even defeated, every Mandalorian rose to meet a challenge such as that to prove worthy of glory. What greater glory was there for Canderous Ordo to prove his worth then to take down a Dark Jedi ranked as one of the highest?
"Division of labour is the only way we'll be able to cover all the ground necessary to find this mad-claw and hopefully convince him of an alliance. Harass any Czerka parties down here in any way that best suits the situation. But interrogate them first before you do anything… rash and permanent. Dead men tell no tales.
"Carth you and Canderous, along with HK and Mission will head towards the western region. Keep radio contact every ten minutes. The rest of us will take the North. The south leads back to the lift, which leaves only the East to tackle. We have no maps of the region itself. Apparently Chuundar didn't think it necessary, make sure to take scans of the areas.
"I shouldn't have to tell you that following any game trails is our best bet to finding our quarry. The lost Wookiees will trail them to hunt. The 'mad' human and Czerka will too. Trailing after Czerka will be a little easier- they will have marked their paths as they have marked everything else they claim as their own.
"Finally, look at the ground beneath you. These paths are well travelled to and fro, we will find what we hunt if we keep a vigilant eye. Good hunting."
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR
The Jedi followed the well-trodden game trail leading a north-westerly direction. The only opposition they faced was a small swarm of kinrath which were very quickly disbursed. The creatures posed no threat at all; a mere minor inconvenience to well-trained Jedi. Without word the Jedi progressed forward. Their chosen northwest path wound around into a secondary nest of the beasts: katarns, tusked predators with thick hides.
This beckoned attention. Oh, not for the five or so creatures but the person standing in the midst of it all. Human. Dark skinned. Bald with a grey drooping moustache and goatee. Old. But the most remarkable thing about him was not his advanced age but that he was armed with a brilliant green lightsaber, favoured by Councillors. The waves of the Force rolled off him like the surf in a tidal pool. A Jedi? Down here?
The old man took down the pack swiftly and with practiced ease. No doubt he was indeed well versed in such confrontations. His age belied his fortitude, he was no geriatric soldier trying to relive his glory days. He was a survivalist.
"I believe we have found our mad human," Juhani said creeping up on silent feet next to Skye.
"Indeed."
The human deactivated his saber and replaced it upon his belt. He didn't even seem to be breathing hard- a notable quality of a man of his age. No doubt he drew heavily upon the Force despite the fact he had only used the martial skills of those familiar with the power and its uses.
"Ah, the damnable racket of battle!" he said in the way of salutations. "Watch yourself, even more of these crawling beasts are hiding in the underbrush."
He seemed unfazed even unconcerned by the presence of three Jedi. Had he foreseen their arrival? A possibility. The Force moved in uncharted and mysterious ways.
Skye, as with the rest of her party, wanted answers. How did a Jedi come to be down here? Though maybe the term 'Jedi' was too swift of an assumption. While he did not carry the stick of the Dark Side he did not blind as the Light. A Grey then. Had to be. Still his technique and the green of his blade marked him skilled with Jedi teachings and not those of the Sith.
"Who are you and what are you doing down here." Skye made no pretence of cordial conversation but spoke to him as an officer in the Fleet. A General… as Revan.
He seemed unmoved by the demand or at least gave no outward sign of being affronted by the coarse demand. "I am Jolee Bindo. Follow me to my camp." His voice was raspy as if he had taken too many libations with whiskey and death-sticks. "And we'll talk a bit."
"You use a lightsaber. Are you a Jedi?" Juhani asked as they trailed after him.
"Ah don't start fawning just yet. I'm too old for it. Aw hgh… I know a few things but we can talk about it at my camp. Keep close. It's nearby under a log."
Skye smiled. While she couldn't explain it, she liked this guy almost immediately. "Names around I suppose are needed. I am Skye Ravensong. My fellow Jedi are Bastila Shan and Juhani…" here Skye paused. She didn't even know Juhani's family name. It had never come up in any of their conversations.
"Juhani is enough." The Cathar said filling in the awkward silence the lack of knowledge had dredged up.
"Knew a few Cathar back in the day that felt the same. Once they signed up to the Order they dropped their family name in favour of their allegiance and dedication to the Order. Not a lot of your people did it, but enough to know what it means and not to ask about it."
Juhani bowed her head in gratitude. To give up the family name held great significance, it meant that the only family Juhani acknowledged was the Jedi. An absolute devotion to the Order and no other. They took the axiom 'no attachments' seriously. Nothing more need be required to explain why Juhani claimed no linage.
To distract from the still moment, Bastila filled the silence with a question. "You said your home was under a log?"
A 'log' on Kashyyyk could very well mean something as large as a five-story building if not much larger. Log indeed. Skye didn't even try to disguise the amusement in her eyes or face. Jolee spotted it sure enough.
"Yeah, I live like some burring rodent. I've fought the Sith! Now look at me. Pfft-ha. Come on. The sooner we leave, the sooner we're not here."
For an old man, he moved rather swiftly through the underbrush, following a path he knew well. He could have no doubt trekked it blindfolded. They reached his hovel in no time at all. It seemed a hollowed-out knot of wood within the base of a log. It seemed cosy enough—warm and dry and out of the way of predators. A domicile perfect for a hermit, make no mistake.
"Well, welcome to my home such as it is." He said with a shrug. "Pull up a stump and be comfortable. I've got caffa or lichen ale or sweet water?"
"Whatever is most convenient." Skye answered diplomatically and did as the old man requested and sat upon a stump that was near an outdoor fire-pit, followed by her fellow Jedi.
"Got the ale handy enough," he moved to a shelf carved into log he spoke of. He took out four glasses and began pouring the frothy liquid into it. "Own recipe. More palatable then anything the Wookiees cook up. Well on a human tongue away." With the drinks poured, he handed one to each of his guests. "We should discuss a few things."
"Yes, I feel there is much you can tell me." Skye said evenly trying not to gag on the potent brew she had just sipped. She needed to know how he thought, how he processed things- especially new events. Some people took to deference others chafed at it. Which was he? Determining his reaction would tell the Nagai much on how to proceed and 'handle' the old man.
"Don't coddle me child," he immediately reprimanded her. "I am neither a Jedi nor your Master. I'm just an old man who's been lost in the woods for far too long. My days of glory are behind me," there was no wistfulness in his words as there were in Ordo's; it was a simple matter of fact. And there was purity in his acceptance of what was past and gone. There was no longing. In the way Mission, might have put it there was a definite 'Meh' to his mannerisms when he spoke of what-was.
"But perhaps there is something I can do for you," he said without being prompted. No one gave without wanting something in return. Not even Jedi. "You must have questions."
"I need information about the problems on Kashyyyk," Skye said no longer feigning the politeness of sharing a drink with Jolee.
"Yes, among the Wookiees. Intriguing creatures. I like they have little patience for bureaucrats. But of course, even here there are hidden things that manipulate them."
"No doubt. What do you know of Chuundar, son of the former Chieftain?"
"Him? Czerka Corporation was smart to put him in power. He is as good at destroying Wookiee culture as dropping corpses full of Arroxian flu. Will you work for him or against him I wonder? I will be interested to see."
"You need not see it, we work against him." Bastila answered. "Our goals are not aliened. Are yours with him?"
"I align with none, young knight."
"We have other questions. You see, Chuundar holds one of our own until we do a small task for him. One I am not obliged to do if it can be helped. Have you seen a crazed Wookiee in the Shadowlands? What the Wookiees call a mad-claw?" asked Skye. This hermit Force-wielder may well have a better insight on the male they were looking for, be it Roworr or Freyyr.
"Maddened with grief perhaps but not crazed." Jolee said. He drained his cup only to refill it. He held up the bottle to his guests but as they were still nursing the woody smelling brew all three of them declined a top-up. The old man shrugged an expression of indifference as he put a corked stopper back into the bottle and replaced it on the shelf he had previously taken it from. "I helped him pass to the lower forests where only a Wookiee could follow. Some other matters will determine whether you can follow."
Master or no. Jedi or not, this man was as irritating as many Masters with half-given answers and puzzles. Why can't there be a straight answer? Ever?
Skye didn't even pretend to keep the displeasure she was feeling from crossing her face.
"There's a barrier… that… well… we'll… talk about that in a moment."
"No doubt. Tell me this then this Wookiee 'maddened with grief'. Is he named Roworr?"
"No. That is a very unfortunate tale. It will end in shame. Even sorrow. You will find Roworr down here and more. I've witnessed a number of happenings but I've left them for others to sort out."
"Of course, you have. As you're not being very helpful we're leaving Mr. Bindo." Skye motioned for her partners to leave. She had no time for the games and enigmatic puzzles the Masters loved to play. She had enough information to piece a few things together:
Roworr was not the mad-claw but was down here and something he did ended in shame and sorrow. Sorrow no doubt for the kid who had idolized him. Shame? Shame for who- the great hero or the kid's father? Right now, it wasn't a priority. The mad-claw could only be Freyyr. 'Maddened by grief.' Grief for not listening to Zaalbar when he had revealed the treachery of his younger brother to be true? That Zaalbar was innocent of the crimes he had been accused of? Grief by finding out his runt Chuundar had sold his people into torture and slavery? These were the most plausible explanations.
"Wait, wait slow down! I have to ask something of you." Jolee stood up. He puffed out a sigh. "I've got something you need. And you can help me. We both know why you have come here. The Star Map. That has to be it."
The three Jedi turned as one. Their looks identical: mistrust and wonder and hope.
"There is nothing else here." Jolee said evenly reading their expressions accurately. "The problems of a few Wookiees don't amount to anything before the concerns of the Jedi. No. You are here for the map!"
"If you know anything, tell me!" Skye demanded. "Please." The last word was an added afterthought.
"Kashyyyk is an interesting place." Jolee started in a narrative tone. "More so than anyone suspects. If Czerka Cooperation knew, half the planet would be a strip mine. The Wookiees have their legends that they were not always here. But it is more than that. The trees themselves are strangers."
"No riddles please," the Nagai demanded. "Be more specific."
"What I am saying is that there are literally walls in your way. And you won't find what you need without my help. And my help has a price."
"Of course, it does," Bastila said darkly. "Just once I would love to encounter someone that says 'you need help sure, why not. No strings attached, what do you need?'"
"Then you will be waiting a long time," Jolee retorted "I ask you do a task for me then allow me to join with you. Only then will I remove certain barriers in your path."
"And we should trust your word?" Juhani countered. "You could easily ask and demand something further. You are a Grey Jedi. Your motives are not so clear."
"They will be. Look- I'm old and entitled to work you 'round a bit. Besides, the test is simple. Since they began expanding in the Shadowlands Czerka left me alone for the most part. Until recently anyway. A group of them have set up camp not far from here. Poachers are all they are. I'd like them removed from this place."
Skye asked a very obvious question. He might be old but he was a Force wielder and more than a match for a pack of Czerka thugs. "Why not just go and deal with them yourself?"
"I could and will if you won't. I want to see how you deal with them."
"He wants to see if we chose the Light Side or the more expedient means of the Dark." Bastila reasoned. "He claims no Mastery but he very much acts as they do on the Council."
"More to the point, why do you want to join us?" Skye pressed. "And why in blazes would I want you on my team?"
"Because you obviously have a ship. I've seen all I wish to here. Isn't that enough? I mean I'm really sick of the trees. And perhaps your destiny might show me something new," he smiled almost knowingly, like Vrook and the other Masters on Dantooine…
"You never know."
Skye lips did not turn into a smile. However much she had liked the guy initially she now possessed far more questions. Did Jolee know Revan? He was here for twenty years…surely, they met. But of course, Revan never took off her mask in public… Bindo could not have known who was behind the mask. What she looked like. Even still, was there recognition in those eyes? Did he know? Perhaps it was prudent to keep the old codger close at hand.
"That tells me only of your motives and nothing of why I want you. Why should I allow you to join my crew? I will not accept apathy or inactivity of my people. You will understand this. You will follow my orders if I even allow you on the Ebon Hawk. You will be unable to use the aged card there. If you can accept those terms we'll look into it," the former Dark Lord answered.
"Good!" even if the others were not smiling there was a ghost of such expression on Bindo's wrinkled façade. "Now shoo! Shoo!" The Jedi half-expected to be chased off the old man's front lawn by a broom.
As the three women walked away, the Nagai looked over her shoulder with growing disdain. "You know I'm truly beginning to resent people that hold vital information for ransom and more-or-less blackmail you into compelling with their fracking wishes before they release it despite the fact that they know the blood necessity of it."
"Do you think Revan tolerated his games?" Bastila asked.
"Could be those barriers he spoke of were erected after she left or she put them up in the first place to bar anyone else form following too closely in her footsteps." Skye answered.
"Perhaps if we had told him of Darth Bandon's presence he would not have withheld the way past the barriers." Juhani said.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Somehow, I doubt that would have moved his wrinkly ass into action. He wants to play his games. We may have no need of Bindo. I'll have Mission look into it. See if she can't slice it. I refuse to be held at ransom. Aged or not he will learn his place. He will learn swiftly it is not at the top." The words darkly spoke were of promise offering little to no compromise. A general does not obey a private. A Master did not bend knee to a Padawan.
While technically Skye Ravensong was ranked as a Padawan, Revan had become a Master long before then and the woman who was both carried herself more as a Knight then a supplicant. The air that she gave showed that she bowed to none save for the indomitable will of the Force.
While they moved on from the old hermit's shack, Bastila made contact with the other team letting them know what they had discovered. As it turned out, Canderous's crew had found the barrier the Jedi had described.
*Yeah the Kid is working on bringing it down now. So is the clanker. Seems one of his former masters made something similar and he's searching his scattered memories if there is anything in there he can use to bring the damned thing down. Might take her a little while but the Kid is confident she can slice it. No need to jump through hoops for an old crusty codger. *
Despite herself Bastila found herself smiling. Of course, it could be Ordo didn't want yet another Jedi on the team or he didn't want the title of "Curmudgeon of the Year" to be contested.
"Skye thinks he maybe be of some use. And she may be right on that account when we raise Czerka's slavery syndicate to the ground. Having another Force-Wielder at our side can only help in the endeavour."
*If you say so. Oh yeah- found something else. Couple of Rug bodies, * of course the Mandy would use the more derogatory term for Wookiees. *Onasi thinks it belongs to that Roar guy. *
"Roworr." Bastila corrected. So that is what Jolee meant that it will 'end in shame. Even sorrow'...
*Whatever, don't give a damn what his name was. If he's our mad-claw-job done. If he ain't we keep looking. *
"He may have been useful against Chuundar. Do not forget the true reason we are 'hunting' for this supposed mad-claw. As I said, Jolee does not believe this 'mad-claw' is mad at all or at least on in the way we were led to believe. How did Roworr die?"
*Looks like a combination of bolt holes from a bowcaster and a thick blade. Probably those great vibroswords the Rugs favour. You ask me it had to be another Rug that did it. Even the angle of trajectory of the wounds suggests it was another Rug. Or at least someone standing over two meters tall. There's a whole planet full of suspects. Might be the other mad-claw. *
"No, I do not think so. I think it's somewhat more complicated than that. 'Shame and Sorrow.' It's what Jolee said when we asked after our missing hero. If I had a guess I think Jaarak- that Wookiee boy's father had something to do with this. It was why he was so defensive when we spoke with him."
*Still not seeing how this is any of our business or our concern Jedi. Still don't care. Leave the dead to the dead if it gains you nothing and move on. You Jedi always inserting yourselves into the affairs of others where you got no business going. *
"Perhaps," was all Bastila offered. "Continue with the barrier. And we Jedi will insert ourselves into the business of the Czerka poachers. Shan out." Bastila cut the channel and returned to her lover's side.
Skye, it seemed, had found a malfunctioning droid while Bastila was on the radio with Ordo. Rather than to reprogram it as she had done with all other droids previously and sent them on patrol she collected its head.
"I gather taking that thing's head is more valuable than having it patrol or act as cannon fodder against the poachers or the various wildlife down here?" Bastila asked.
"Yeah, recall that slime-o Eli Gand back on the Landing port? He was holding Matton hostage until he either paid off his crew's debt or they returned with the credits?"
"I recall, yes."
"Matton will be waiting a long time for their return. Seems Eli murdered them and the droid captured it all. Eli must have sent the droid hurtling down here to the Shadowlands instead of deactivating it or having its memory wiped."
"Given Gand's ineptitude and Matton's skill with all things mechanical I would wager that is a safe bet." The younger woman agreed with the assessment. "It will be most gratifying to see the tables turned on that scoundrel."
"And though it is sad news, Mr. Matton must be informed of the fate of his crew. This certainly cannot go unpunished." Juhani added.
"It won't be. Even out here justice will find a way to even things out. Serves Eli right if Matton made him the slave. Better than taking his life at any rate, though Matton could be justified in doing just that."
"You'd advocate vengeance killing?" Juhani asked her voice tinged slightly with disappointment.
"No. But Eli Gand must be brought to justice. We have no jurisdiction out here so how that happens is up to Matton," the former Dark Lord said. "Come on it's neither here nor there right now, we've got poachers to run out the area."
Czerka poachers were not the only obstacle to stand in the path of the Jedi's progression into the Shadowlands. Not far from Bindo's homestead was a secondary pack of katarn.
With practiced ease, the Jedi formed a triumvirate shield, backs to one another lest they be blindsided by the mob. The dense forest air light up in a spectacle of light, golden, sapphire, emerald, and fluorescing black-light which gave an added eeriness to the already haunting grounds of the Shadowlands. Energy hummed about the combatants from the hunger of the beasts to the lightsabers and the Force. It was not long before the beasts were felled.
Saying nothing, the Jedi returned the hilts of their blades to their belts and continued down the game trail to the nest of poachers. Finding then proved less of a challenge than besting the katarn. Not that the men form Czerka made any effort to disguise their illegal camp.
"Who are you? Another free merchant like that Krorose slime up on the docking ring?" Yet another Czerka officer who thought himself superior to the land around him, holding neither reverence nor respect for the wilds or the creatures in it. And his men likewise. He oozed more than a Hutt's back side, his words a hiss of rank displeasure "This is my territory. I don't make deals and I don't persuade easily. So just go back topside." He looked Skye up and down. "You mess with my profits and I will see you dead."
Nagai smirked ruefully. "Blah blah, 'my people are better than yours.' I've heard it all before. Frankly… I'm not impressed."
"Then you obviously don't know who I am. I am Commander Dren."
"You are the poachers Jolee spoke about." Juhani observed, ignoring for a moment as her hand moved stealthily to her lightsaber hilt.
"The crazy old fool is still alive?" Dren scoffed incredulously. "I'm sure he's still upset we don't all live in homemade shacks like he chooses. Whatever. I've got a job to do here and there is nothing you or that old coot can do about it…"
"Really? You so very sure about that?" Skye moved to the side, her eyes focusing on the controls to what looked to be monitoring devices. Sonic emitters... interesting. They had to be used to keep the larger predators away. If they were to malfunction no doubt the camp would be overrun in no time. The sheer abundance of caged tachs was more than enough to lure them in.
Talking to the guards and charming them into giving up their post was the optimal approach and one that Jolee would no doubt prefer. But they were poachers and once more- slavers. Let the Shadowlands have them. Still, the former Dark Lord would offer a single way out.
'Bastila, fade from view and disrupt those emitters. I'll keep their attention focused on me.'
'What are you going to do?'
'Have the Shadowlands strike back.'
While not actually using a stealth generator, Bastila had managed to slip into the minds of the men and make herself less of a presence: something to be ignored like the chirps and calls of the caged tachs. After a while you didn't hear their plaintive cries or smell them. It wasn't as if their stink had vanished, it was simply now a part of the atmosphere. Such was the way of many sentients that adapted to such unpleasantness.
To the guards' minds Bastila had become something akin to white noise, thus allowing her to move unobstructed as so long as Skye held their attention. It was connected to her Battle Meditation but took far less of an effort. Like mind-tricks, the weaker the mind the more promising the results.
The Jedi Sentinel had simply told the men to ignore her. 'I am unimportant. Focus on the Nagai.'
The effect was not unlike a magician using a scantily clad woman to distract the crowd whilst he fiddled with his tricks to make the 'magic' happen. Sleight of hand or rather in this case- slight of mind.
Ravensong deliberately turned her back on Dren to address the guards. "You men are nothing but guns for hire and you are stuck here in this dank underworld until you have enough of those little beasties for Mr. Sniddy-Pants over there to make a tidy profit. You're not even getting one-eighth of what he is getting for those glands are you? I'm amazed he doesn't force one of you to be his 'whipping boy' what with his flaunting his seemingly important status."
The guards were now all looking and staring at the Nagai Jedi then to their Commander and back again. Uncertainty set deep behind their eyes. They took no heed of Bastila as she went from one emitter to the next and began imputing codes that would shut them all down. She had skill enough to slice through their firewalls and override their codes.
In the meantime, Skye had the men completely riveted on her every syllable. As she spoke the disdain for Dren rose in the guards as did their anger for being- as they saw it- ripped-off and cheated. While not directly implanting the males with those darker emotions, Skye was most certainly feeding them.
"He calls himself Commander but he is no war vet. How can he claim such honorifics if he never fought in a true war or a true battle? The pissing grounds of high-society clubs don't count. He shoots his own men; he'd shoot you on a whim. His money affords him that luxury."
"Now see here you knife-eared cunt… I will not be spoken to like that!" he snarled shoving past the cat to face this she-devil upstart. "Who in the bloody-blazes do you think you are!"
Skye ignored him. "He bought his rank, he didn't earn it. Boys, I want you all to look to our belts and you will see certain weapons. Weapons you should recognize belonging to a particular class of people with certain abilities. That should tell you all you need to know of who we are." She looked Dren in the eyes; soul deep. And for a moment he actually took a step back before his indignation reasserted itself.
Skye had them so fixed on her not one of them saw Bastila's movements.
"Unless you wish to see these weapons drawn and those abilities utilized I suggest you modify your behaviours. Going for your weapons will only cause you great bodily harm. I also suggest looking for employment elsewhere should you wish to continue drawing breath."
The men were listening to her, heeding the former Dark Lord's words as if they were law. Their wills bent to hers easily enough.
"I have heard enough of this drivel!" Dren bellowed. "Kill her!"
Not a man moved; Ravensong had them right where she wanted them. Their loyalties no longer belonged to Dren, and once more he knew it.
"I will shoot you traitors myself!" The Czerka commander's rage boiled over and turned towards his men. Never trust a merc. Deep down they are all pond-sucking parasites that turn tail as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
"No, you won't," Juhani said throwing a stasis field around the odious human.
This stirred the men from their stupor. While they drew their blasters each of the men hesitated. Unsure if they should they shoot the Jedi, the Commander or make a run for it? Dren was unable to move, unable to scream at them.
"Be very careful in what your actions are going to be humans. As of yet we have no quarrel with you. Be gone and let us leave it this way." The Cathar warned.
At that moment, the last of the emitters when down there came from out of the base of the tress a tremendous bellow. They turned as one to see a magnificent tusked creature. It lumbered on long forelegs like a Torezian great ape. Its size belied its speed: its lopping gait gained more and more momentum as it charged.
Juhani dropped the hold she had on Dren. He scrambled to his feet ready to pull his blaster and kill the fucking interlopers or he may have if not for the beast. It charged directly for him.
"Frack, run. RUN! One of the men bellowed. He didn't look behind him as he darted off towards the south. Not caring if Dren was behind him or his fellows. The only thing of certainly the merc knew was that he couldn't outrun the creature. Then again, he didn't have to be faster than the tusked menace just faster than his buddies. He heard a gargled scream and the beast roaring. He didn't dare stop. Didn't dare look behind him. He pumped his legs up and down as fast as he was able. This was not a good day to work for Czerka.
It was Dren the beast had eaten.
"You know that could have been done with a lot less theatrics." Bastila said coming up to her bondmate.
"Yes," the answer was simple and it surprised Bastila and Juhani to have heard it. Both of the younger women expected some justification- some reason- for why Skye had chosen this particular method to solve Jolee's request to rid the Shadowlands of the Czerka poachers. Yet nothing more was forthcoming.
What she did do was set about opening all the tach cages. After all the effort, the Jedi had done to free the Shadowlands of Czerka it would be all for not if the tiny creatures were left to die within their cages. Tach, while plentiful on Kashyyyk, were a rarity in many places in the Inner Rim worlds- most strangely enough exterminated for being classified as vermin. That was before it became knowledgeable that tach glands became something of a delicacy in the Outer Rim worlds.
They were used in Tarissian ale of all things to give it that added potency. Now that Taris was gone bottles of the highly-prized libation was even more valued. Thus, tach poaching was unfortunately becoming a popular sport amongst certain circles. Soon they would be as endangered in the Outer Rim as they were within the Inner Rim.
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR
At the same time the Jedi were speaking with Jolee Bindo...
"Well? Can you get it down or not?" Canderous demanded, his arms folded over his chest looking down at the Twi'lek on bended knee before the barrier. Onasi and the droid had taken point-guard should anything of the creepy-crawly flying variety of nuisances this feted world of trees come their way. Seen one 'Undercity' seen em all- Taris, Coruscant- both were the same really.
Though Ordo had to admit there as a slightly better class of scum and villainy on Coruscant then there was on Taris. At least there weren't any rakghouls.
"I can if you stop yapping your gums at me Grandpa Candy." Mission flippantly answered.
"I told you once girl, I told you a dozen times- don't call me that. I'll hit you across that smart mouth of yours next time you do it."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Look, just leave me to my work, 'kay? I'll get this bugger down faster than a Bek strips a stolen swoop."
The old man laughed at that. "Maybe I outta time you."
"Yeah and whatta ya give me if I beat the time?"
"Respect."
" Pfft… why do I need the respect of an old Mandy for?" Mission plugged her data pad into the force-field's interface. It was heavily encrypted but it wasn't anything she hadn't crossed before. She just needed a bit of time to circumvent the firewalls. She had used three splicing spikes already to weaken the safeguards.
"Because maybe you want the respect of somebody back home." Ordo countered.
Mission was silent for a while. "Just shut up and let me work, will ya? I don't wanna talk about home anymore," both men pretended to ignore a hand that brushed up against a blue cheek. The Kid just got something in her eye. Nothing to make note of.
Of anyone in the group Canderous knew what the Kid was feeling. He had only been there for a few years, but the Kid- hell she spent most her life there. It was all she knew. Ordo knew something about scorched-earth manoeuvres, he had overseen several acts during the Mandalorian Wars. Ordered a few as well. One of the best way to subdue a population was to crush its hope. But he had never seen a whole planet glassed. Not like what Malak had done. That was a whole new level of malevolence and domination. Not like it was the first planet Tin Jaw glassed. Telos had been the first. Pain of it was still housed in ol' Orange Coat's eyes. So maybe the old Mandy wasn't the only one to have a sucker punch to the gut. Never mind. Ignore it and it will go away, no use wasting energy and thought on what was. Waxing gods-damn nostalgic didn't do anyone any good.
Despite it all, Ordo had to admit he admired the fracking Dark Jedi… Darth… new Dark Lord whatever he wanted to call himself these days. But unlike Revan, who had a plan and even kept an infrastructure of core worlds, Malak seemed to want to piss in everyone's garden and call it his. And if he couldn't have it, he glassed it so no one else could have it either. Ordo saw no point in that. What was the point of destroying a world if you don't dominate it's people and harvest what was needed to expand your empire?
Malak was a mad rancor, no sense to him. Revan at least seemed to have a plan, she had resurrected the Sith of legend and had started to build an empire that even Canderous would have been proud to serve in. Malak was making the galaxy just another shit-hole like Taris.
Canderous mulled the thought of his former home like a tongue worries a cavity. Doesn't feel good doing it, but you can't help but to do so. Ugh! Too much time spent in the company of Jedi. Damn Robes get into your head…
"HA!" a sequel of delight came none-too-soon for the old mercenary. At least it got him thinking on other things. With a blink the purple light of the energy barrier fell and the stick of o-zone depreciated "I got it! I got it!" Mission said in a sing-song voice. "Who's the boss now?"
"Answer: That would be Master Ravensong, little meatbag." HK supplied swiftly enough.
"Wasn't asking you, clanker." Mission wrinkled up her nose. She really hated the creepy droid. It'd be better off slagged. She never knew why Skye allowed the thing to still be active once its task with the Raiders was over.
Sure, it could shoot well but it got on everyone's nerves- all save for Skye's. Maybe it could just... you know, get lost down here… things happen to droids all the time... Accidents and all that.
"Correction. Your query was open and not targeted to anyone. Conclusion: Therefore, the question was open for anyone to answer," the cool air of superiority resonated in the droid's vocabulator.
"Yeah well it was mostly rhetorical, so can it, tin man!" Mission snapped as she put her slicing-gear back into the satchel she carried at her side.
"Condescending statement: you made a pun. How novel."
"Mission, you know better than to feed the grammarian." Carth shook his head mirthfully. "Pretty soon it will be lurking under bridges and have a phobia of goats or battle-cattle."
"Unamused-sarcastic retort: Ha ha. Ha. Ha. Superior declarative: you meatbags will be clamouring for my skills before the day is out."
For his jest Carth had bought a bright smile to the teenager's lips. "I wanna tell Skye we got the field down."
"Go on then." The Republic officer nodded. It was after all the girl's efforts that got them past the barrier that the Grey-Jedi had held jealously as an old miser; a bit of gold until the three Jedi women did his bidding.
Just as Mission reached for the comm-unit there came a great bellowing that shook through the entangled gnarled roots. Heads turned. Crashing through the wood was a beast that none perhaps but Ordo had seen such a thing. Tusked it was, looping directly for them. Monstrous and savage it was; mottled green was its skin.
Mandy, Republic officer, droid and street urchin raised blasters as one and without word spoken and fired at the grotesque creature. The bolts did not ricochet off the thick hide but bit deep with a resounding THACK-THACK. Orange blood leaked out of the creature but still it rushed them. A stampede of a single beast.
They did not stay rooted but moved like a pack of kath hounds around the tusked thing and shifted to flank it. They continued firing until the holes ripped open shredded tissue like so much mincemeat.
HK fired till his charge was empty then dropped his blaster rifle and drew the grenade launcher. He fired once into the center of mass of the beast's torso. At long last the thing teetered and fell. For good measure the droid fired again: this time into the thing's head.
It erupted into a geyser of orange, green and gray. Whatever it was, anyone would be hard pressed to know what it was now. Well, save for dead. Good enough for the four-gathered round at its carcass. It was no Fido, but big and nasty enough.
"Wonder what it was." Carth asked prodding it with the toe of his boot.
"Hungry." Mission quipped.
"Obvious observation: It was hunting," HK pointed out. "Not on a rampage."
"I would have been more concerned if it came from the lower Shadowlands, rather from the upper region. Probably see more of their like." Canderous said. "Dead is dead. And we can make those things that way. All that matters."
"We should tell Ravensong about the barrier going down and that beast." Carth said. He made a go for his radio but Mission called out.
"Wait, you said I get to make the call." The girl was all but pouting, but the expression didn't quite meet her face even though it reflected deep her blue-green eyes. Without hesitation, the young scoundrel made the call. Almost in a single breath she retold how she got the barrier down and how the beast was felled.
The girl's face brightened further when she was given praise by the Nagai. It seemed she grew taller still with each word spoken to her. And though not on a private channel, the teen may as well have been but when the Jedi spoke once more it was to the whole of team.
*Good job. * Skye praised the lot once again. *Venture forward, scout out five clicks in circumference of the barrier's threshold. Be mindful that Freyyr is still out there. But do not approach him, with Czerka's presence around he'll not take kindly to humans or Twi'leks. Indeed, if we mean to get him to fight at our side with or without that legendary blade of theirs. Bindo may be needed to create the bridge of communication to make that happen. *
"BAH, you Jedi talk too much." Canderous scoffed.
*Maybe. But we are not gun-toting thugs, better to engage in hostile negotiations if unavoidable then outright brutality. To fell Chuundar we need the old Chieftain to reclaim his throne. Don't frack things up, Old Man.*
"I wouldn't dare." Ordo pledged. He knew better than to muck about in the affairs of his employer. He didn't mess about in the affairs of Davik Kang, he wasn't about to do so in the affairs of Skye Ravensong. She was every inch the General that Revan was; it would not do to cross that woman any more than it would have done to cross Kang.
*Good. Freyyr isn't the only reason we need the Geezer, he knows the way to the Star Map. It is why his nattering will be tolerated. But I will not allow him to hold his knowledge as hostage or a trophy above my head. It was why I wanted that barrier down—to show he has no dominion over me, my Jedi or my crew. He will learn his place within the ranks of the Hawk. *
KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR~ KOTOR
Ravensong cut communications. She turned to her fellow Jedi and smiled. It was a dangerous smile. It was a smile that was a prologue of an idea burning to be born and played out in fruition.
"What do you intend to play at?" Bastila asked.
"As I said, Bindo cannot think he can hold us obliged to him. I will not be bend to one who claims he is allowed to work me 'round a-bit' because of his age."
"You resent his little mission," Juhani observed. "You speak often that the Force is the fulcrum of balance between Dark and Light. You even proclaim that the Greys may have it more right than either side, yet you chafe at Jolee's presence."
"He tasks me. If he does this once, he will do so again and again. I've already have one old curmudgeon on my team; we're practically full to capacity. Regardless, forget not the five fundamental factors of warfare."
"Warfare. Surely not with Jolee Bindo."
"Of course, not." Skye looked a little disappointed the Cathar had made such an assumption. A furrow of irritation burrowed between her brows that she should have to explain to a Knight of the Order such elementary principles. Nevertheless, she did so.
"Treaties of war never waver, Juhani. The first of factors is moral influence, the second weather, the third, terrain; the forth, command; and the fifth, doctrine."
"By Moral Influence, I mean that which cause the people to be in harmony with their leaders, so that they will accompany them in life and unto death without fear of mortal peril.
"By Weather, I mean the interaction of natural forces; the effects of winter's cold and summer's heat and the conduct of military operations in accordance with the seasons. By Terrain, I mean distances, whether the ground or hyperspace routs are traversed with ease or difficulty, whether it is open or constricted, and the chances of life or death.
"And by Command, I mean the General's qualities of wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage, and strictness. And by Doctrine, I mean organization, control, assignment of appropriate ranks to officers, regulation of supply routes, and the provisions of principal items used by the army. There is no General who has not heard of these five matters. Those who master them win: those who do not are defeated.
"Jolee Bindo wishes to join the crew and yet he tests the elements of my command- this will not stand. He may be an able-bodied octogenarian but no geriatric Gray-Jedi will loom over us as a Master he claims he is not and dictate terms."
"I have no issue with whatever masquerade you play at Skye, for I know it is just that." Bastila said for she knew how her lover's mind worked. It was as full of hyperbole and half-truths as any of the Masters of the Council. It was as more and more of Revan was peeking through the conditioning that was Skye, growing brighter and brighter. Not the Dark Lord but the willful mischievous Knight that woman had been before her fall. "But you have yet to answer my first question. What do you play at?"
"Just follow my lead." Had Juhani not been present, Skye would have followed the cheeky comment with an even cheekier kiss. The desire was so thick and burned so brightly within the Nagai that that Bastila actually felt the taste of the 'kiss' upon her mouth and rose her fingers to her lips and touched them.
It did not take long for the Jedi to return to Jolee's hovel.
Upon seeing them he spoke: "Have you done as I asked?"
Skye ignored him. Instead she moved towards the shelf near the door to his home where he kept several corked gourds. She unplugged one of them, smelled its contents then sat down in the chair that had been carved out of a log—the same chair the old man had used during their previous talks and sat down. She rested her feet upon another stump that served as an ottoman and she crossed her legs at the ankles. Only after taking a very healthy draught of the bottle did she even look to the old Jedi.
His face was filled with incredulous awe rooting him in his spot and leaving him in a stupor. Bastila and Juhani followed suit and reclaimed the chair-stumps they sat on previously. Skye nonchalantly passed the gourd to her lover, who took a sip and then passed it to Juhani.
"Oh? I'm sorry. I assumed guest rights were still in-effect. Or was I in error?" Skye looked up under hooded eyelids as she took the bottle from the Cathar.
"No. Not in error. Welcome back." Jolee said taking a log that was not in fact a carved char as the others were.
Skye took a swig of the gourd but this time held on to it. She watched him for a moment then took another swig.
"I have to wonder: did you do as I asked."
"Demanded you mean." Skye's voice was neither dark, chilling, nor conversational. In fact it was very toneless. "I found it utterly unnecessary to capitulate to your whims 'old one' when my people already broke through onto the other side of that barrier and are now as I speak, sweeping the lower Shadowlands for that which we seek.
"We found the first two Star Maps without your wrinkled ass assisting us, I dare say we won't need it to find the fourth, or fifth or even the Star Forge itself," another swig. "Granted having your gray beard to deal with Freyyr will come in handy, but not completely necessary, either. You see, I have a life-debt with his elder son. It will be enough to get the Wookiee's attention and to side with us.
"Now you said it yourself. You ARE OLD. I need capable members on my team. Those who are willing and who will not crock on and on about younger days and bleat on ghosts well past their prime to hinder our efforts against Darth Malak," she took another swig of the lichen ale. It burned downing down and had an acquired taste but still Skye continued her play. "I sure as hell don't need someone who thinks themselves above orders."
"I told you I would follow your words."
"Yeah well you, well here's my hiccup… we started this little tet-ta-tet with you issuing orders. Can't let that slide, Old Goat. You see, I had a Mandy who thought the same thing. Made him swear a blood-oath to follow me. Now he obeys. Oath of service makes a paranoid Republic Commander obey me. Ownership makes my droids obey me. My fellow Jedi gave me their loyalty with no questions. And I have a kid who looks up to me and I made an oath to look out for her, she obeys. You… you dictated conditions…held vital information hostage until I OBEYED you and got rid of the vermin you were too lazy to do yourself," Skye took another swig and then upended the gourd and drained out the liquid onto the earth.
Jolee looked at the very wilful Nagai. He did not sense the stink of death on her. Yes, the Force swirled around her like a maelstrom; he knew she had indeed capitulated however resentfully to his request. She had spared them. Interesting…
"Not too lazy…"
"Oh this is the part that you tell me you need to see how I would react to a situation, no?" A dark smile. "I don't like being manipulated. I don't like geriatric run-arounds. Those feckless piles of slave-driving filth live… well they do if they out ran the beasts of the Shadowlands. I think one of them got eaten," a heedless shrug of indifference.
"The environment might agree with you, if it could talk." Jolee nodded in agreement.
"Hum… now we have a problem. Obedience. The way I see it, a man can take orders and obey or he cannot," she dropped the gourd to the ground and looked at the man. "Pick it up."
Bindo was no one's fool. He had made this woman jump through a hoop for him regardless that 'the hoop' was now moot for his offering. As Ravensong claimed, her people got past the barrier.
This was about will. Pure and simple. Hers over his. This wasn't even about Dark, Light or Grey sides of the Force. It was a General taking command of her troops.
In his youth Jolee had seen dozens of military Drill Instructors do the same shit to their cadets, breaking them before they built them up again. It was no different now. It was about dominance and the need to exert it and the need to accept it. It was all up to Jolee now on what happened next. Acceptance or resistance, he was free to choose which path to follow.
The wizened hermit went to the fallen container; his knees creaked and cracked as he bent down for it. Just as his hand touched the base, Skye's hand flew out and snatched his wrist tightly, hard, yet not at all painfully only forcefully. Even still Bindo could not break free of the hold without struggle and effort. The point had been very well made. Their eyes met and no word was spoken. Nothing need be said. She was his Master. They both knew it. He had accepted her dominance; there would be no further need to show it.
The former Dark Lord let go Jolee's wrist and rose panther-swift and silent to her feet. Only then did she utter her next order. "Take us to the Star Map."