Chapter 7 - One Last Job

!FYI! The events in this story are taking place approximately one year before the events of the Phantom Menace !FYI!

Location: The Planet Naboo - Mid Rim System

"Really Carrots? My head? Was that necessary?" Nick said and spread his arms over the back of the couch to make himself more comfortable. Meanwhile, Judy sat on the opposite end of the furniture and inspected the room with its expensive-looking interior while she didn't even try to hide her smirk.

"What? You said I should play along and I did, so what's the problem? It worked, didn't it? Or was I maybe too authentic for your taste Mr. Wilde?" Judy said, admiring the massive crystal chandelier high above their heads.

The room was not gigantic but still impressive for an office, even more so considering the size of its owner. The dark stonewalls were in huge parts covered with bookshelves. Judy saw that outside of the windows snow was falling in big snowflakes. There was also a fireplace in the room but no fire was burning until now.

"You could have told me what was going on, you know? We could've made a plan together," Judy said, her gaze still at the chandelier above them.

"I...I'm sorry, Carrots. I wasn't sure how you would react or what you would do…and I saw this as the only way to get...," Nick began but Judy interrupted him mid-sentence, "It's okay. No really, I understand why you did it but from now on...please no more lies. From now on we work together as partners. Promised?"

Judy looked up to him in a serious manner and Nick knew that she awaited an equally serious answer.

"No more lies. I'll promise."

Nick's words had just left his muzzle when the double-sided, wooden door that was the only way to enter the office opened up. Into the room came Mr. Big, who was carefully transported on the paws of a massive polar bear. Behind him entered Koslov together with another polar bear who was guarding the room. Except for Mr. Big, none of them seemed very excited about the fox and the bunny.

Carefully, the polar bear placed Mr. Big on the armchair, which stood opposite of the two Jedis and remained behind his chair.

"It's interesting, Nicholas, that you always appear in front of my doorsteps when I need you the most." Mr. Big said and crossed his right leg over his left one.

"What do you mean?"

Mr. Big raised one of his eyebrows and inspected Nick for a long second, "Nicky? What's wrong? You seem to be out of the loop about the current events of the republic. The coronation ceremony of the new queen of Naboo is in two days. I thought that's the reason why you're here?"

"The...oooh. Really? Was that this year? Well, that would make things a lot easier...if the plan still stands." Nick said and couldn't hide a smirk on his face when he leaned back.

"What? I don't get it," Judy asked and looked up to Nick for an explanation but ultimately it was Mr. Big who answered her question.

"Let me explain it, my dear. What I want is the green heart of Naboo, which is an old and very rare green diamond. And more importantly, this gem is family property. One of the last pieces from the dead world, I came from almost 30 years ago and was robbed from my family's treasure chamber." Mr. Big explained and attracted by this new information immediately Nick's attention.

"What? That can not be. As much as I know was the gem found in an old mine here on Naboo?"

"Yes, that's the story which was told by the locals. Do you also remember when the stone was discovered, Nicholas?"

"Well, if I remember correctly…," Nick thought about it and closed his eyes as he tried to remember. It didn't take long before he opened them again but this time with clarity in his eyes as if he understood what Mr. Big wanted to tell him. Almost apologetic he replied to him, "damn...it should be around 30 years."

"Isn't that a huge coincidence?" Mr. Big finished and snapped his tiny fingers, whereupon the polar bear behind his chair handed him carefully a tiny tablet with similar tiny glass and decanter on it. Both of them were filled with a blood-red liquid, which Judy guessed was some expensive red wine. The shrew filled himself a glass and took a large sip before he continued.

"I guess I should explain myself, Ms. Hopps. I am a business owner and family mammal who lived once with his clan and underlings on a lifeless piece of rock in the Outer Rim. My home was cold and deadly but also very rich in resources like gems, metals, and other, even rarer materials," Mr. Big explained and took another sip from his wine before he continued.

"My family had always their paws in a lot of legal as well as…," the arctic shrew smiled in a manner that made his intention unmistakable, "Well...let's call it just less legal affairs. My old home was perfect for such a business. It was distant, because of its climate not kind to most species and known only to a handful of trusted individuals. But there was one big problem that grew with every year. The core was cooling down and with that, the planet was dying. We arctic shrews and the Polar bears had learned to live on a dying planet but to survive for long on a dead planet? Very difficult but not impossible."

The polar bear, who had just served his master a drink, went over to the chimney and started a little fire that drenched the place in a cozy, orange haze that the small group enjoyed for a moment before Judy continued the conversation.

"So what drove you off your home planet? You seem like someone who would cherish the home of his elders?"

The shrew smiled again, "Ah! A good question my dear. Well, I can assure you that this decision wasn't my own...but what drove me ultimately to this planet was revenge."

"Revenge? You didn't seem like someone who would kill for revenge?" Judy asked surprised while a female polar bear in a grey dress placed a pair of glasses in front of her and Nick. They were filled with the same red liquid that Mr. Big drank. She ignored it and concentrated just on the arctic shrew but Nick took his glass with a delightful smile and sniffed at it before he took a sip.

"Delicious," Nick noted.

"Have you expected anything less than that?" Mr. Big asked, chuckling about the fox he wanted to kill not just thirty minutes ago. As if there was never any bad blood between the two, Judy remarked for herself.

"Of course, not."

Mr. Big took his time before he returned to Judy. Deep in thought, he watched the flames reaching the highest logs of wood in the fireplace. His eyes were glued to the hypnotizing flames when he began to speak.

"You know, we all fight for something, Judy. Most people just fight to see the next day, others fight for love, honor, or just because they enjoy the fight itself. I, however, am one of the damned souls who is destined to fight for revenge. Trust me, it's the worst reason you can have because no matter how close you come to reach it your heart will never feel satisfied. There's always one more enemy to blame for your misery, one more battle to fight before you can finally be at peace, one more person to sacrifice to achieve a goal but it will never end." Mr. Big said his small black eyes still focused on the fire.

"What happened on your old home planet?" Judy asked carefully.

"We were attacked. Unfortunately, I wasn't there when the assault happened. The daily business was keeping me away from home, traveling through the galaxy, and dealing with many people. Back then I was already an established trader and the next one in line as the head of the family." Mr. Big explained and took another sip from the red liquid before he continued, "As soon as I received the emergency messages about the attack from my surviving family members, I knew that this was special."

"Why?" Judy asked and took a sip from her glass just like the others. She did this mostly because of pure courtesy but the regret about her decision came as soon as the bitter liquid touched her tongue. Judy saw Nick's grin about her reaction but ignored it.

"Cuts through melted armor reflected blaster bolts, broken necks, and amputated limbs should speak a very clear language."

"A...force user with a lightsaber? Maybe even a Jedi?" Judy thought out loud.

"Yes and no."

"What...How can you say for sure?"

"I can because during the raid, some of my strongest guards were burned and had even lightning scars all over their bodies. I know now that force lightning isn't exclusively an ability for force users of the dark side but there should be quite the distaste for such skills among your kind. Or am I wrong, you two?" Mr. Big asked and Judy, as well as Nick, nodded almost in sync.

"Despite that...We saw later everything that happened on tape. A droid was able to follow him up to a certain point and recorded what he did. But... that was years later. My family or better what remained of it left the planet in panic and disarray. It was a hard decision to make for my father but I think it was the right one...why should you protect a home when there's no longer a family to return to? Time passed since then but I never stopped searching for him." Mr. Big explained and poured down the rest of his drink in one gulp before he continued to stare into the flames.

"Him?"

"Yes him...A male human, dressed in a dark robe with a strange mask and swinging a blood-red lightsaber. With this damned plasma blade, he cut through my guards and family members without stopping once. He knew exactly what he wanted and he went for it without mercy. Tearing down the heavy doors to our treasure chamber with pure force power, he wanted just one piece from the hundreds of valuable items. That one piece that was precious to my family and the first one my ancestors dug up from the depths of my home planet's mines." Mr. Big said and folded his tiny paws.

"The green heart of Naboo or how his family calls it 'Ta'Nel De Cohar' - the Heart of a dead planet. There were even legends that this jewel was the reason why his planet began to die, once it was no longer underground" Nick said, this time without any snarky remarks on his face. The shrew only grunted to acknowledge Nick's assumption.

"But how can it turn up here on Naboo and then even as the centerpiece of the crown jewels?" Judy asked, her ears high up and listening to every sound that came from either Mr. Big or Nick.

"To hide it in plain sight, so nobody can steal it so easily...Oh, I don't like where this is going." Nick said. His face turned even more serious as if some piece of a puzzle fell in place for him that was missing for a long time.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that…*sigh*...my guts tell me that I was much longer part of this whole story without even knowing it. Am I right, Mr. Big?"

The shrew didn't answer immediately. For a long minute, he and Nick just stared at each other, until Mr. Big gave up and spoke up. His stare wandered back to the crackling fire.

"Yes, you are right, Nicholas and I apologize for not telling you." Mr. Big said but his words sounded not very apologetic. Judy guessed that he wasn't used to doing this very often in his life, others would do so but not someone like him, who is in the lead of such an enormous organization.

"I told you that one of the only demands I had when we started working for you, was to know if Finnick and I walk into bigger trouble when we accept your jobs!" Nick said and appeared for the first time that Judy knew him genuinely angered about something.

"It was unclear at that time," Big replied reluctantly.

"Unclear? You knew that a Sith who was capable of taking down the most powerful stronghold in the known Outer Rim, your old palace, just by himself was the main objective. How could that not mean more trouble? Come on, tell me the truth." Nick said and became slowly furious. He was already on the edge of his seat, while he was also gesticulating with his right arm.

The guards behind Mr. Big became nervous and locked their weapons on Nick. For a second, Judy thought that the situation could escalate and moved her paw to her hip as well, where her trusted lightsaber was waiting. In the end, the small gesture from the leader of the family was enough to make the polar bear guards relax.

"The truth? The truth is that I was...still am desperate. Do you think you and your little fox friend were the first ones I sent out to find this bastard?" Mr. Big also lost slowly his temper and shouted back at Nick but ended with a slight growl, "I gave several mercenaries, bounty hunters and assassins missions to search for him, but all of them had just limited success, died or delivered to me nothing but rumors and whispering. But you… you gave me hope for the first time in twenty-five years, to finally find the evidence to pin this demon down. And you can't believe how ecstatic I was when you returned with the recordings of the droid and that damned smirk on your face that you made it back alive. At this moment I knew that I needed more...and you can imagine how disappointed I was after your last mission."

"You've sent two people into their early graves just because of your revenge?" Nick asked and with a cold voice, Mr. Big replied, "Believe me, there were more than those two who died for me and my vengeance. Far more!"

"Okay you two, keep it calm. I'm sure you two have your rivalry but, for the sake of all living things, could someone give me the details? What happened after the attack? Why Naboo? And what does a Sith want with a green diamond?" Judy intervened while she stood on her part of the couch and looked hopeful from one to the other. Nick turned his gaze away. It was now on him to stare into the flames.

"Ask him...I was just the stupid delivery boy in this scenario." Was all Nick said and without another question, Judy turned to the elderly shrew. Mr. Big inhaled deeply before he began to speak. The wood in the fire was crackling loud during the periods of silence.

"After the attack, when my people were finally safe, I became the new head of our family. And my first decision was to go back to my old palace and reclaim what was rightfully ours. But when I returned, scavengers and raiders were already there, someone had given them the coordinates of my home planet. They were all over the place, looting whatever was left of this once unbreakable fortress. We fought long to drive them out but in the end, I decided to give our old home up. Unsure what happened to our most valuable belongings, I began instead to search for the man who did this to me. Years of traveling through the galaxy and listening to whispering from the darkest places led me finally to this planet. And believe me, Naboo was the last place I would look for answers or even a Sith lord. Anyhow...someone gave me the tip to visit the coronation of the next Queen and there I saw it. The jewel of my family, built into the crown of her new majesty. When I saw this, I knew I had to stay and find out more. After all these years of traveling through the galaxy, I decided that we would finally settle on Naboo. Here, I became a famous political figure and patron for the planet and even founded this new home, Tundra Town." Mr. Big explained and looked with his small, black eyes over to Judy.

"Even more rumors came to my ear but no matter what I did there was no hard evidence. I even discovered the name of the man who once attacked my old home and took the gem with him. Right now, he and I are in a Patt situation. Neither can I do something against him nor can he hurt me without throwing the galaxy in turmoil, a situation that could even lead to war. I could do nothing until..." The shrew explained and glanced for a second at Nick, "...until this renegade Jedi over here asked for a certain kind of jobs and I saw my chance. I gave them tasks and the two of them delivered marvelous results. They brought me the recording of the attack, the report of a capable scientist, and finally, the fact that my gem was no longer in the crate and wrapped in the rug it normally resided in."

"Did you hear that Nick? The last mission was never about the rug or the crate...you, Finnick, and the girls were searching for the Ta'Nel De Cohar." Judy said while her big eyes looked at him with anticipation, awaiting a reaction of relief that his mission was not just about a stupid rug.

"She's right, Nicholas." Mr. Big confirmed and together the two waited for Nick's answer. Judy hoped that this new information could change his view on the matter but a short glance let her heart sink.

A sarcastic grin appeared slowly on his muzzle. It was one that made a shiver go slowly down her spine.

"And? Does it make the lost lives any less tragic or does it help Finnick in any way that we couldn't save them? I think not...but what does two lives mean for a Jedi who fights for the sake of the whole galactic population or an elaborated mob boss who has sent countless people into their deaths just to fulfill his sense of vengeance. Tse, you're truly two sides of the same coin, one sunken so deep into her morality that the individual disappears and the other one free of any morals at all. Perfect." Nick said. His grin turned into a cold mask, as he stood up and walked to the crackling fire. His body cast a shadow that moved quickly over the whole room.

"Nick, I…," Judy began to speak up but realized that she didn't know what to answer. He was right, the morals of the council put the needs of the community and sometimes the mission in front of the individual. That's the Jedi way...but she wouldn't do that. Or would she leave someone behind just for the greater good? She didn't know for sure and remained silent.

"You're right. My moral spectrum is really thin and I would kill anyone who opposes my family but even I have my limits but hell, if worse comes to worst... I would burn down whole worlds for the people I love...but fortunately, we're talking here just about the theft of a single diamond that originally belongs to me anyway and nothing else." Mr. Big said and moved the conversation back to its starting point. Judy listened to his words in disgust but said nothing.

"Fine. Let's get this over with." Nick said and walked back to his place on the couch.

"Excellent," Mr. Big said and seemed delighted about Nick's sudden return, "As I mentioned earlier, I can't hurt him directly and he can't hurt me, so I want to take back what's mine before he can do any damage with it."

"Damage? With a diamond?" Judy asked confused.

"Yes, my dear. You have to know that we're talking about a very large and pure diamond that was cut in a certain way to give the ability to focus and multiply large amounts of light and energy. I mentioned earlier the report of a scientist about this stone and he concluded that with the right power source this stone could be turned into a devastating laser." Mr. Big explained and leaned back as if he waited for a certain question.

"About which level of devastation are we talking here exactly?" Nick asked and raised one of his eyebrows.

"Complete annihilation of whole planets." Mr. Big said in an unmoving voice. With wide eyes, the two stared at the arctic shrew in utter disbelief.

"That...that was a joke, right?" Judy asked.

"Believe me, my dear, my mood to crack jokes is gone for today. This, right now, is serious business," Mr. Big said and turned from Judy to Nick, "And because of this I'm asking you to take this job, Nicholas. What do you say? One last job and we're done?"

"Will it really be the last one or is this just what you are telling me right now?" Nick asked, unsure if he could trust the arctic shrew.

"You have my word...it will be the last one. I get my heirloom back and you'll get your information. Sounds to me like a perfect win-win-situation," Mr. Big said and stretched out his tiny paw. But Nick hesitated unsure if he wanted to be involved in this story again. For a while, he just gritted his teeth and stared at Mr. Big's paw. He knew there was no other choice and no other option to get the information but what good does it to him when he slithers from one story with a Sith in it to the next?

"Do it, Nick."

"You're sure, Carrots?" Nick asked without taking his gaze from the mob boss in front of him.

"Yes, I am and I know we can do this...No, we need to do this."

Nick exhaled deeply, realizing that he went from lake-deep trouble into trouble that was probably ocean-deep. But the decision was made and the bunny had spoken.

Carefully he shook the tiny paw and set back on his place on the couch. A relieved smile was spreading over Mr. Big's face. With a single snap of his finger, another polar bear entered the room with a silver tablet on his paws. On it resided two silver envelopes with a purple ribbon on it, beside it a black card and a data stick.

"Excellent! I almost feared you would decline this offer." Mr. Big said, his mood already getting better, "Now to your aim. You know that normally, the crown jewels are kept underground, in a well-hidden maze of tunnels and vaults. But as I said before, your timing is more than perfect because the next queen will be crowned in just two days and which is the only occasion for the crown jewels to leave the underground vaults."

Mr. Big pointed at the silver couverts and said, "Those two invitations are for you and Miss Hopps. With them, you gain access to the palace, the coronation ceremony, and the festivities afterward. I will, of course, attend every part of the festivities as well to present myself and raise no suspicion."

When Nick began to speak, Judy noticed that he sounded for the first time somehow professional.

"We will need proper clothes to attend the ceremony. Especially some of us." Nick said and glanced at Judy's robe.

"Hey! What's wrong with my robe? I just received them with my rank as a Knight." Judy protested beside him.

"Exactly! Everyone in the whole Galaxy knows how a Jedi looks and behaves. It would at least make the whole thing easier if you don't look like one." Nick explained and earned himself a glare from Judy.

"If I may direct your attention to the black card in the middle of the tablet. It should contain enough credits to buy you anything you need for your job...weapons, tools...maybe a dress for the lady? Well, whatever you need. I can give you also a list of tailors who could deliver an acceptable piece of clothing in no time," Mr. Big said and wanted to turn himself around to his henchman but Nick already intervened, "That won't be necessary. I already have my tailor of choice and I would trust no other on this planet or elsewhere in the galaxy."

"Very well."

"For what is the data stick? I mean...if this is one?" Judy asked and pointed at the remaining object.

"That one contains blueprints, cable plans, and other detailed information about the palace that should be quite useful for your endeavor." Mr. Big said and folded his paws in his lap, obviously satisfied with the turnout of the conversation.

"I guess I have free choice of how I want to approach this mission?"

"Of course. But I already know that you will choose the least bloody way to reach your goal. Another reason why I prefer working with you." Mr. Big said.

"Alright," Nick said and stood up. He swiped up the envelopes, the black card, and the data stick in a single fluent move and put it into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, "I think we're done here. Carrots, can we?"

Nick nodded a single time towards the elderly arctic shrew, who replied in the same way. For a second, Nick remained in front of Mr. Big and he pointed with his index finger at him, "Don't forget it, this is the last job. Okay?"

"Of course, Nicholas." Mr. Big said, smiling.

"Good. Carrots?" Nick turned to Judy.

"Oh...yes. Of course." Surprised about the sudden departure, Judy needed a moment to stand up and follow the fox out of the office. Judy was still in Mr. Big's view when she stopped and bowed.

"Goodbye, Mr. Big. It was a pleasure to meet you."

A genuine smile appeared on the shrew's muzzle when he heard those words and replied, "Oh, the pleasure was all mine, my dear. And don't forget that you owe me a head if he should fail in his task."

Judy answered with a smile as well and hoped that the moment she had to fulfill this promise would never come.

Nick waited just outside the office, leaning against a wall and watching how the snow outside was falling in thick snowflakes. Together they headed back to the ship in silence. None of the guards interfered when they passed but all of them watched carefully every move they made.

Just as before, the two of them shared the captain's seat but no one spoke. They just stared outside the cockpit and watched how the snow was falling in silence onto their ship and the surrounding town and palace.

"I'm sorry," Nick said.

"For what?" Judy asked back.

"You know for what. I shouldn't have thrown you into the same big pile of trash with the other Jedi. You're not like them. You...you really care about Finnick and me...and probably some more people in this crazy galaxy." Nick said and bit his lower lip.

"It's...it's okay...I guess."

"No, it's not and you know that. I, more than anyone else, should've known better not to judge people so easily." Nick said and they turned their gaze at each other.

"What happened to you that you hate the Jedi Order so much? I want to know and the Jedi Archives didn't give me any answer."

Carefully, Judy studied every movement in Nick's face and waited patiently for a reaction. He was fighting with himself, that she could see but she had no idea how that fight would turn out.

"Not now...maybe...maybe later. Can we please fly back to Finnick and prepare? There's a lot to do." Nick pleaded. Judy failed in an attempt to stare him down and change his mind. With a deep sigh, she reached forward to start the Stargazer. Her paw hovered over the button when she made a decision.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"No."

"What do you mean with no?"

"What I mean is...Yes! It hurt me deeply what you said in Mr. Bigs' office and I don't think that I deserve such a treatment. And...and because of that I will not start this ship until you tell me why you hate the Jedi Order so much." Judy said and looked with determination into Nick's green eyes. Unmoved by the words of the bunny, Nick pushed the button to start the main engine and said.

"Patty, bring us back to Theed. Same spaceport as before."

"As you wish, sir."

"Patty, stop the engines!" Judy replied slightly angered.

"Yes, Captain." The AI replied and fell silent together with the main engine.

Annoyed about her stubborn behavior, Nick sat back and watched her carefully, "You want to play this game with me?"

"I don't want to play any games with you. All I want is the truth as a sign that you trust me. I mean, I get it. They've hurt you but I didn't. So please...let me help you." Judy said and tried to lay one of her paws on Nick's shoulder but the fox just shrugged it off and stood up.

"You have no idea what they did to me! You don't know…," Nick said but controlled himself before he could say anything else, "Forget it. I have this bad boy from Mr. Big here and if you don't want to bring me back to Theed, then I'm sure to find someone else who will. Money shouldn't be a problem."

Nick waved with the black card in his right paw, jumped from the captain's chair, and walked towards the exit. But the red fox wasn't the only one who was at the end of his patience. Judy, who finally had enough of his behavior, jumped over the backrest and ran towards Nick, aiming directly at him. Without warning, Judy tackled the fox to the ground.

Nick was so surprised by the attack that he let go of the black card, which went flying through the air and landed finally in the middle of the massive, round, steel table with a notable clunk noise.

Nick, who was at the edge of tipping over, managed to get a grip on the collar of Judy's brown robe, without thinking he threw the light mammal towards the table. Every other enemy would probably have problems to cope with the situation but not Judy. Her specialty was to react fast with her body and always land on her paws.

What at first looked like a crash landing turned out to be a perfect roll in which Judy also managed to grab the black card. For a while all they did was to stand there and look angry at each other, panting.

"What the hell, Judy! Was that really necessary?"

"What me? You're the one who wanted to run away or did I miss something?"

"No! But I told you that I don't want to talk about it!"

"Oh, and you think you can run away from your problems forever?"

"It worked pretty well until Miss-Jedi-of-the-year appeared in my life and tried to save my tail." Nick replied and exhaled deeply, "Listen, if you would be so kind to give back the card so that I can move on. That would be great because there's still a lot to do in the next two days."

Judy's eyes were glued to the black card in her paw and her mind was going through the options she had to get the truth out of Nick. Giving up her position and letting go of the situation was the easiest thing to do but she was for sure no one who chose the easy way out.

"Without me, you would be dead by now. For your life and Finnick's I gave up on all of my Jedi duties and abandoned all rules I've learned until now. Believe it or not but you owe me, Nick. Maybe it's not your life but at least the truth." Judy said in a calm voice and let the black card slid into the small cleavage of her Jedi robe. "Patty stop the engine and seal up the ship until I say otherwise...Now to you Mr. Wilde, if you want the money then come and get it...or tell me what made you hate the Jedi Order so much. Please, Nick. All I want is to understand."

A smile appeared on Nick's face. It was neither joyful nor friendly and seemed to be something Nick's body did automatically to cover up his real emotions. He looked more like an animal that had no way to run and hide.

"Fine but don't cry afterward. You've been warned." Nick said emotionless and rushed forward. He came straight at her and Judy awaited his jump at any moment but his plans were others.

Instead of jumping to an attack, Nick ducked under the table and disappeared and so did any trace of him.

Anger began to rise in Judy as she was frantically looking around her but there was no fox in sight. Nick was playing the waiting game.

"So that's how you want to play this game, heh? You think I would give up because I become tired of waiting? Well, I guess I have to disappoint you, Nick. I'm a different kind of girl but that's something you should know by now." Judy said and sat down on the table with crossed legs, why are you not trusting me, Nick? You promised me something."

The sound of moving clothes reached Judy's large ears. He was moving but not much and Judy guessed that he sat down, just like she did and that probably directly below her.

"First of all, I never broke my promise to you. I just didn't tell you everything, that's different." Nick said and Judy could already hear the smirk on his muzzle.

"Maybe for you but not for me." Judy said and moved her arms backward, "And second?"

"What?"

"You said first of all, so what is your second point?"

"Well...Second...I do trust you, Judy, and besides Finnick more than anyone. Hell, I would entrust you my life and that after what? A day of knowing each other? Ridiculous if you ask me but that's what I would do..." Nick said and chuckled. This time it was on Judy to smile.

"I can hear a 'but' waiting for me. So what is it?" Judy asked and moved even further backward until she laid in the middle of the table.

"...I can give you my life but...but never my past. That's a burden I have to bear on my own." Nick said in an earnest voice that Judy couldn't take seriously and so she began to laugh.

"... that's a burden I have to bear on my own," she mocked him in a deep voice, "Please, Nick, that sounds so cheesy."

"Yeah...well, what should I say...," Nick said and Judy recognized that his voice had changed. No, his position had changed, and right now he was directly behind her to get what she had stolen from him. Judy hoped that he was feeling safe in the way she was laying there on the table, relaxed and with her eyes closed, almost like sleeping prey. A thought that made her smile internally. His voice was now directly above her ears, "... that's how I am, sweetheart."

Judy tilted her head even further back and opened slowly her eyes. Almost silent, he had sneaked up on her, and right now his eyes were just concentrated on his aim. His right paw was stretched out to reach the small cleavage of her robe, the place where he had last seen the black card. He didn't know that even that was a trick and that the card was by now hidden in Judy's right sleeve. Even in the short time in which they knew each other, Judy had learned that to fool a trickster you have to make him think that he has the upper paw.

The moment when Nick touched her robe was the moment for her to act. Without warning, she snatched his paw and rolled backward over Nick to pin him down.

Judy wasn't very heavy but her strength and quickness made up for a lot at that moment and all that remained for Nick to do was to yelp in pain.

"Ahh…dammit, Judy! That hurts."

"Oh, does it?" Judy asked and placed her right knee directly on Nick's spine, which triggered another moan from the fox.

"Tell me, Nick. Are you looking for this?" Judy asked and pulled the black card from her right sleeve in a way that Nick could see it from his position. For a moment she worried that he would be again angry with her but that fear was completely unfounded. In a matter of seconds, Nick exhaled deeply and Judy could feel how the anger left him. In the end, he began to chuckle about the situation. Never before had she seen such impressive management of emotions. Judy had seen how the Jedi masters meditated their anger away in long sessions that could take hours and maybe even days but...seconds?

"You got me, Fluff...and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed so hard away because of my stupid past. I guess Finnick wasn't the only one who was angry and disgusted by Mr. Big's behavior," Nick said and Judy realized that this was no show. All the anger that was building up in Nick since they were in that standoff against Mr. Big's soldiers was gone.

"How do you do that?" Judy asked, baffled.

"Do what?"

"I don't know...maybe getting control of your emotions without falling to the dark side and without long hours of meditation?"

"Oh, that. Easy." Nick replied, smiling.

"Really? Then tell me."

"Okay, Fluff. Listen...at first you take a deep breath, okay? Then you say to yourself, 'Don't let them see that they get to you' and finally you exhale. Easy, right?"

"That's all?" Judy asked with visible confusion on her face.

"Of course not. The most important part is that you want to let it go. Accept the fact that you have lost and move on. That's the hard part." Nick said and Judy took her knee to the side where it wouldn't hurt Nick.

"Will you tell me now why you hate the Jedi order so much?"

"Uhh...you don't want to let it go?" Nick asked with played annoyance.

"Nope."

"Fine...but just under one condition."

"Which one?"

"Don't pity me afterward."

"Why should I…," Judy began but saw that Nick was serious about the things he would tell her and also became more serious, "I won't. I promise."

"What I tell you next is something even Finnick doesn't know and yes, Carrots, I can already hear your question. What, Nick? How can you not tell your best friend? The thing is...he and I went through dark times and we didn't need some weird comparison who's to pity more. We began our journey as equals and that's how we want to keep it." Nick said and made a small break to clear his throat.

"To make it short...my master was someone who turned to the dark side while I stayed with the Jedi Order."

"What?" Judy remarked in disbelief but held her breath while Nick continued to talk.

"Yeah, I know...You can imagine that this didn't help my reputation at all and like I told you before, I wasn't the most respected Jedi in the first place but this...this made me a total outsider. I was watched constantly by everyone around me, while they feared I could still be working for my old master. The council refused to assign a Padawan to me and gave me just the most dangerous or unimportant missions they could find. I did my best to show them my loyalty and endured this treatment for another year but nothing changed." Nick explained. Judy, however, lifted herself from his back and sat down in a Crossed-legged position beside Nick, where she listened carefully to his story.

"What happened then?"

"Well, for the first time in ever I had the chance to decide for myself. Until this event, I felt as if I was forced to wear a muzzle. Don't speak your mind, just do as we say and protect the galaxy. That was the unspoken rule we all have to live by as Jedis...anyway I was sent to the Sarai mine planet to rescue several people who were stuck in a collapsed mine shaft." Nick explained and moved into a more comfortable position. It didn't take long until both sat there on the table, talking, listening, and staring at their own feet.

"Why would a Jedi help in a mine accident?" Judy asked and Nick replied with a smirk, "Why? Because of the same reason why another Jedi needs to find twelve missing scientists. To keep you on your cute little feet."

Judy smiled in defeat and replied, "Touché."

"I did a good job there. Saved a lot of people and everything was going surprisingly well…," Nick explained. He grabbed suddenly his forearm and Judy had an idea that the bad part of the story would soon begin, not that the beginning was so much more uplifting.

"Until...?"

"...I noticed something. Weak voices that cried for help were still coming from deeper inside the collapsing mine. The rescued workers insisted that there was no one left in the mine I had to worry about but I could feel that something was wrong and decided to go in one last time. The overseer looked at me and said that it would be my death to go in again. At that time, I was taking his word for a well-meant warning...little did I know." Nick said and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling of the ship.

"Up to this moment, I saw nothing wrong with the Jedi Council. I trusted them and I wanted them to trust me. Tse, I would've given my life for the Republic and most stupid of all, I thought I helped righteous people...but the moment I had entered the mine far enough they blew up the entrance and left me in the dark to die a slow death." Nick looked now as sad as his story began to sound.

Relentless, he continued to talk as if he wanted to have this heavy piece of memory off his back, "Further inside the mine I found the reason for the crying...behind a massive steel gate waited for at least fifty children of various species to be saved but they were left for dead...just like me. You know that child labor is illegal especially in such dangerous environments as the mines of Sarai but the owner of this place didn't care. They were small and could reach places that others couldn't. Perfect for mines."

His expression became dark and Judy couldn't help herself, she had to cup her muzzle with her right paw.

"Could you...could you save them?"

Nick nodded and continued with his story, "They were scared when I found them but all in all okay. The kids also said that there was another exit on the other side of the mountain range but the way was dangerous and full of monstrous creatures. I told them that I would protect them with my life if need be and I did. We walked almost a week through pure darkness and fought large lizard creatures. It was a slow walk but luckily there were no casualties and...you can't imagine, Carrots, how excited I was to see the two moons of Sarai illuminating the mountains and cliffs in front of me when we exited that damned mine. It was simply beautiful."

"Was that the moment when you abandoned the Jedi Order?" Judy inquired.

"I wish I could say so...but no. I was still full of doubt and needed to understand what happened. The kids were free now and I sent them their way, away from those damned mines. I knew they would take care of each other. One of the kids, however, went with me. He led me through some hidden passways and together we managed to return to the entrance in one day. What I found was not what I expected." Nick explained.

"I...guess they were gone?"

"No, not at all. They were waiting for a sign of my survival. Some of them had even begun to clear the entrance of the debris. Hell, there was even another Jedi, who I didn't know but who was waiting for me. I decided to stay and listen to their conversation. The Jedi, whoever he was, said that he wasn't here to help. His goal was to confirm my death and only my death. And when the overseer asked what will happen when they find me alive, the Jedi replied in a deep voice and said, 'Well, I'm here to confirm his death and I will do so no matter what. Just keep digging and ask no more questions'. That was it. I left with the knowledge that no one was missing me and never came back. From that moment on I tried to find my place in this crazy galaxy." Nick said. His paws were shaking of old anger that flamed up in him after all that time in which he hadn't thought or talked about this.

The feelings in him were strong, stronger than anything she had ever felt before in a living being but Judy had no idea what she should do. The anger from minutes ago was something Nick could control by himself but not this time. The Jedi temple had taught her how to control her own emotions but never the emotions one of other people.

After all these years of training, Judy sat here beside another Jedi who had so many negative feelings in him and rightfully so, but still, she had no idea how the teachings of the Jedi Order could help her in this situation.

An idea came to her mind. One so obvious to someone outside the Jedi Order but yet so strange to someone from within. Carefully, she placed her grey paw on Nick's and looked up to him.

"I...I'm sorry for what they did to you. That was not the Jedi way." Judy said in a calm voice and remembered what her mother always did when one of her siblings was angry or felt sad. Sometimes, a little bit of empathy is the best you can share to help someone in anger. Like a knot that was entangled one too many times, something came loose in Nick.

"Oh, Carrots. There's no need for you to apologize...you didn't do anything wrong."

"But why? Why did they do this to you?"

"Because of the same reason my most Jedi turn to the dark side - fear. They feared what could become of me and they did not want to accept that I was always on their side. I tried to do what is right and serve the greater good...at least until then." Nick said, drew his paw back from Judy's, and stood up, "But...enough of my past. We have to get going or Finnick will send us to bed without one of his delicious meals."

"Nick?"

The fox stood still but did not turn around, "Yes, Carrots?"

"Had you ever regrets leaving the Jedi Order behind?"

Some seconds passed before Nick answered, "No...not really. But please, tell me one thing, because...you know...you're the first Jedi I met since the day I left. What would you have done in my situation?"

As a reaction, her mouth opened immediately, as if it already knew what it wanted to say but there followed no explanation, just a confused face which said, "I...don't...know."

"Don't worry, Carrots. I guess no one knows until the time comes for a decision." Nick said and jumped back over the captain's seat.

Time went by until Judy gave Patty the command to fly them back to the capitol of Naboo but she spent even more time thinking about all the new things she had just learned. Things that made her question the Jedi Order even more and which would make sleep tonight probably impossible for her.