Tracking the Crew
- Carth Onasi -
::I'm going in,:: Jen's voice breezed through the comm. ::I can sense two of them, not close. I'll run to the other side of the caves and draw them to me. Wait for my command.::
I stared hard at the dots on the console; bright green lights indicating that Jen, Mission, Canderous, and that psychopathic droid were less than four klicks away from the safety of the Ebon Hawk. The partial map Mission had downloaded was overlaid on the 'Hawk's navigational software, and it showed a warren of tunnels that ran about twelve klicks under the rocky mountains to the west, before exiting near the mining outpost on the other side. Jen's half-cracked idea was to lurk about in this area, closer to the outpost, baiting those hideous creatures while the others turned sharply north. Deeper into the mountains and into uncharted territory, for the only maps Mission had located were of the trails that the traders commonly used. And none of them turn north.
But that, apparently, was where the ruins of an old Sith Academy and the Star Map resided.
::Objection: Master, I cannot protect you if you order me away to babysit teenage Twi'lek bra-::
::HK, you're taking orders from Canderous now. See you on the other side, guys!::
It was risky. Even though Canderous was carrying all the grenades he owned, and that homicidal robot had a dozen hidden weapons. It still smacked of a perilous gamble, and yet we were all following Jen's lead. I sighed.
"Be safe, Jen," I said. They'd left their communicators open since leaving the Ebon Hawk, and I was glad for that, even if it meant listening to HK-47's deranged observations on the fragilities of organic meatbags.
One green dot broke from the rest, moving quicker than it had before, and I realized Jen was using the Force to enhance her speed. And to attract the terentateks. I'd done a little research on these warped rancors, and almost wished I hadn't. They were gigantic, and their claws and tusks highly venomous. Faster and larger than rancors, they were drawn to Force-sensitives. More so if they actively used the Force. Our advantage was both Jen's speed, and that some of these tunnels were too narrow for the terentateks to enter. But deeper, in the uncharted territory where the others were going, the caverns were likely to be larger. They had to be, for that was where the terentateks retreated when there was nothing left for them to devour.
I kept my eyes fixed on the moving green dot, tapping my fingers idly on the instrumental display. The first part of this mission was waiting, and that was always difficult.
Despite myself, my thoughts turned at once to my son, and the same disbelieving joy rushed through me. Dustil. I'd given up on him. I hated myself for it, but after months of searching Telos post the bombing, I'd given him up for dead. Succumbed to the depths of a bottle, and almost lost my career in the aftermath. And then, I turned around and sank my entire life once again into the Fleet. In a way, work had been as much an addiction as my brief dalliance with firewhiskey. Workaholic. Alcoholic. Anything to keep me busy so I wouldn't focus on all I had lost.
At least my life in the Fleet had been productive, and I knew I was an asset to the Republic. That gave me a purpose, something to keep waking up for, as the light in my life had winked out the day that bastard Karath had sold out to Revan. At least Revan was dead, even if Malak was still kicking - and while killing Malak was a daydream for a non-Force sensitive like me, if I ever had the chance to face off Saul Karath I'd jump at it. Even now, I could barely reconcile the memories of the Republic Admiral who'd mentored me and shaped my career with the cold-blooded traitor who'd betrayed Telos and spearheaded the Sith Armada against the remnants of the Fleet he'd once served so proudly.
But Dustil's still alive. That moment, when Jen had called me over, implying that some vicious Sithkid was in actual fact my son… I hadn't seen him, at first. It was a foreign young man, glaring at me and Jen in hatred and shame and fury, and then, somehow, it was my boy, scared and damaged, but standing there in front of me, alive. Angry, though. So very, very angry.
I'd been an absent father and husband, I knew that. Morgana's sharp remarks and hurt stares reminded me every time I made it home, and I'd sworn that, one day soon, I'd pull back from the front-lines and be there for her and Dustil. But my skills were needed, and every Mandalorian fighter I'd shot down, every Sith traitor I'd stopped - all of it was in the name of the Republic. I was a military man, always had been. And yet… my family had paid the price.
I sighed, still staring at Jen's marker, now deep into the map. I had to have faith that, somehow, I could begin to repair whatever damage there was between Dustil and I. But first we had to get him back, and that meant trusting Jen. I frowned at the navigational console. I'd told Mission I'd give Jen a chance, a real chance, and it'd been easier than I expected. Jen had come back from her betrayal determined to redeem herself, and I respected that. Stang, I respected her. Everything she was accomplishing, her sharp intelligence and sheer willpower to see this mission through on the most cursed of planets…
But to trust anyone with the life of my son was a big ask. And yet, Dustil's very reaction to me showed how little I could do. Add in his Force-powers, which I still found difficult to believe… Jen is adamant he's strong. Strong enough to be the Headmaster's protégé. How is that possible? It certainly wasn't the life I would've chosen for my son, even had the Jedi Order picked him up rather than the murderous Sith. I'd never had much time for Force-users, who tended to make every situation more complicated and dangerous, and that was just the ones who walked in the Light. I remembered Karath, once, a lifetime ago, confiding to me that he wished there was no such thing as the Force. And then he swings around and follows that schutta Revan. At least the Jedi who'd fallen after Malachor had the excuse of the Dark Side; for the military commanders who'd followed them there was no such recourse.
And, since I'd met Jen, I was beginning to understand the dangers and the depths of the Dark Side. It put a different spin on the darker side of her personality that had been evident on Taris and Tatooine. The thought that my son had to battle it was terrifying.
::Status update, Jen,:: directed the gravelly voice of the Mandalorian. ::The Bek brat's so bored she's threatening HK with a paint-job. Amusing as that may be, I ain't gonna get caught in the cross-fire.::
::Statement: my colour scheme is a satisfying ominous red. Observation: Blue, on the other hand, would fit nicely on the bottom of an ocean somewhere.::
::I'm good,:: Jen returned. ::Haven't come across any bats. I've caught the terentateks attention – there's two of them moving my way. They're still some distance away, though. Wait for my command.::
"Don't let them get too close, Jen," I warned. "Make sure you have a narrow tunnel to fall back on. You're heading into a large cavern with two east-facing exits, both of which head to the mining outpost. There's also a large opening to the north. My bet is those beasts come from that direction."
Of course Jen had a map, too, but she was highly focused on other distractions. Like the terentateks headed her way.
::Noted.::
I vaguely heard Zaalbar walk up the corridor and stop outside the pilot's quarters. He'd come in before, shortly after the others had left, and I thought I'd heard him enter to check on Bastila. I'd been about to see if everything was okay just as the others had started talking over the comm. When I'd finally poked my head down the corridor the Wookiee had gone, likely back towards the cargo bay where he spent most of his time. As long as he was inside I felt reassured, but if he was back and preferred to stand to attention outside Bastila's door then I wasn't going to stop him. I hadn't liked the idea of him outside the ship earlier, but he had seemed intent on a last check of the ship before heading in. At least, that's what I understood through his howls and hand motions.
I need to make a point of learning Shyriiwook, I realized wearily. It's ridiculous that I can't understand Zaalbar after all this time travelling together. I could recognize the sound he made in greeting, and was definitely familiar with the growl where he was objecting to either Mission or Jen doing something foolhardy. That one is altogether too common, I thought wryly. And I know just how he feels.
::Stars, this is huge. And not empty.:: I heard the click of Jen's communicator turning off, and frowned. The green dot was moving fast through the large area, and it blinked ominously at me.
::Did she just turn the comm off?:: Canderous barked through the console's speakers. ::While I'm left to play count-the-rocks with the kid?::
"Jen?" I said sharply. "Are you there?"
::I ain't gonna wait around here while she's gone silent.::
Another click was audible through the speakers, before Jen's voice followed it. ::I'm out of the cavern. That was a good sized nest of shyracks just there.::
"Don't turn the comm off, Jen," I ordered. "Two seconds of silence and Ordo was about to go charging in like a hero."
::Do you really need to hear me slaughtering bats, guys?:: Even through the static, her voice was amused.
::Statement: I cannot keep track of your kills without auditory input, master.::
::Keep the damn thing turned on,:: Canderous' frustrated voice shot back, for once in agreement with me. ::We need to know what's going on in there.::
::Listen to the old geezer, Jen. We wanna know what's happening, alright?:: My brows shot up at Mission's address, but Canderous just loosed a laugh. It wasn't that long ago when he'd have threatened to knock her head against the wall for calling him that. I wasn't sure if the Mandalorian had mellowed during the time we'd spent together, or if he simply enjoyed some camaraderie with the young Twi'lek. While I could never see him and me bonding over a drink, I had to admit his muscle was useful. And it was nice to see him treating someone other than Jen with more than just casual disgust. Because frankly, I was getting sick of the way he kept leering at her.
::Okay guys, okay,:: Jen conceded. ::Look, the terentateks are getting closer now, and I'm still heading west. I think it's time for you to enter. Turn north as soon as you can.::
The others assented, and I leaned forward to study the possible directions they could take. There were a couple of tunnels that arced north near the entrance before heading into the unknown. It seemed the obvious route.
"Keep your eye on the bio-scanner, Mission," I warned, even though I knew she would.
::Got it!::
::Statement: My internal biological scanners have a more precise location and a longer range than the sub-standard Czerka Tech personal bio-scanner that Gizka Spawn is ineptly wielding.::
::Oh, shut it, you greasy piece of droid-rot.::
I heard a muffled snort of amusement that I assumed came from Jen before everyone lapsed into a silence that echoed through the cockpit, broken occasionally by a patch of static. Jen was moving deeper into a long passage, one of the well-used routes towards the outpost. I could see the others entering the subterranean caves at a much slower pace, and felt my thoughts drifting once more. Towards Dustil. Towards Jen. Waiting behind while the others struck ahead to find the Star Map was hard. Waiting for Jen to have time to extract Dustil was even worse.
I thought I understood her better, now, ever since I'd learned the awful truth of Deralia. And yet, I wasn't the one that had lived through it, for all that she had blacked it out. But I'd seen the effects of torture before, torture at the hands of the Sith. Talvon Esan, one of the shining heroes from Revan's Guard of Twelve, had been the first of the Jedi to turn Dark. I had a sick feeling in my gut whenever I thought of him, for I'd known him well, once. He, along with Saul Karath, had commanded the defence at Serroco against the Mandalorian advance.
But then, after Malachor, Talvon had turned into one of the most insanely vicious Dark Jedi that fought under Darth Revan's banner. I'd heard it was Darth Revan herself who put an end to him, suggesting that he was too bat crazy even for the Sith. My mouth twisted. Talvon had made a game of torturing captured soldiers just for fun, and some of the rescued had been men and women I'd known well. Some had never recovered, and all bore the scars from that insane piece of scum. And to think that Jen must have suffered the same, from Darth Revan or one of her underlings. It made me viciously glad that Bastila's strike team had put an end to that monster.
People have different ways of coping. I knew that, I understood why memory loss could happen after trauma. But damn it, Bastila had to come clean to Jen, if she hadn't already. Jen was floundering along, using the Force without any memory of her past as a Jedi, and back on Tatooine that had been a disaster waiting to happen.
Not so much now, though. I had to admit that. Here, on this twisted planet, Jen was coming into her own. I'd noticed.
::Yuck. This place smells awful,:: Mission complained. ::It's like that horrible taste to the air outside, but worse.::
::Keep your eyes on the 'scanner, kid.::
::Yeah, yeah. There's nothing up ahead, or I woulda told ya.::
As expected, they'd turned north, inching toward uncharted blackness. There was a stillness over us all for some time, a dearth of noise broken only by the occasional background cough or footstep that made it through the communicator. We had no real way of telling how long these caves ran, so they were all equipped with extra food and water. Mission had found some information that suggested the old Academy was not more than a few hours trek, but that was from the diary of a Sith bounty hunter who'd been tracking a runaway Miraluka, and hadn't sounded the most accurate source.
::Observation: Three life-forms detected within the next chamber. Probable Identification: shyracks.::
::Yeah, I got three blips, too,:: Mission said. ::Small, and up about ten metres high.::
I tensed. Three shyracks wouldn't pose a threat, but even so, it was hard not to worry when I was the one sitting uselessly several klicks away. There was silence over the comm, cut through by the occasional patch of static, before it was broken by the sharp sound of blaster fire.
::Observation: That's two kills to HK-47, and one to Geriatric Blockhead.::
::What did you call me, you rust-covered tin-::
::Guys, there's another thing coming this way, it's bigger and low down. It's moving fast!::
Blasts crackled through the comm again, and my eyes remained fixed on the green dots. Jen was still advancing west at a rapid pace, but the other three remained stationary.
::Ew! What is that?:: Even through the ship's speakers, Mission's voice sounded horrified.
::Explanation: Commonly - - - - as a tuk'ata, they are essentially over-sized - - - - unique to Korriban and usually travel in packs.:: There was a patch of static as HK's tinny modulator lost transmission over the link.
::Well, that's - - - - count for at least three bats, circuit brain. That means I'm beating you,:: Canderous drawled.
::Conjecture: A life is a life, meatbag. Current count is HK-47: 3, Geriatric Blockhead: 2.:: HK's inflection sounded indignant, for a droid.
I heard a derisive snort that could only be Mandalorian. ::Hey tin- - - - I just squashed about a dozen bug-ants with my boot. Must be beating you twenty to three.::
::Observation: This area is devoid of life, insectoid or otherwise. Your mathematical skill is as accurate as your foot.::
::HK,:: Jen's voice cut through the squabble. She sounded amused. ::Quit picking a fight with the Mandalorian before he orders you to shoot yourself.::
::Statement: He - - - - master. I cannot - - - -.::
::Guys, - - - - scanner. There's five of - - - -.::
"You're breaking up," I said in alarm. "Canderous, copy?"
::- - - -:: The three dots that represented Mission, Canderous and HK-47 flickered on the console. Stang! I hadn't expected interference to disrupt the comms, not with the specifications I'd seen from the 'Hawk's central computer, but they were under a lot of rock. My fists clenched as my unease grew, and I wondered if they'd double-back to regain contact or forge forward into the unknown.
::Sithspit,:: Jen's voice, still clear, had risen in pitch. ::They're closer and faster than I thought.::
::- - - -:: The three dots disappeared from the map entirely, and with a sense of mounting horror I swung my gaze back to Jen's marker, comprehending her comment. She was near the edges of a huge cavern with a sweeping exit from the north, the eastern tunnel she'd come from, and a short nook to the west.
"Jen," I said urgently. "That's a dead-end. Double-back, there's no way out other than towards the terentateks."
::I can see an exit up ahead.::
And then I heard it. A vicious, alien roar that screeched through the speakers and sent chills down my spine.
"Jen, that doesn't go anywhere! Get out of there!" But she didn't listen. And the fear grew in my gut as she went deeper still into the cavern, the snarling sounds of a beast breaking into distortion through the cockpit. That reckless woman! Why doesn't she turn around? Her marker swung to the side of the cavern, before shooting into the dead-end with faster speed than I'd seen yet.
"Jen!" I gasped, my mind filled with the horrifying vision of her body being slammed around by a poisonous claw. Another loud roar crackled through the internal speakers, and I was rocked back with the devastating thought of Jen being hurt. "Jen!"
The green dot blinked, unmoving, just within the dead-end that couldn't be more than five metres deep. Long enough for a terentatek's claw? Or had a deadly swipe propelled her in there, unconscious or worse? "Jen!" I screamed.
::I'm here,:: she gasped. ::They can't reach me.::
Her voice, breathless but otherwise fine, had an immediate affect on my fear. The loud pounding in my ears slowly receded as relief took its place. I breathed in a deep, calming breath. "There's no exit there, Jen!" I exclaimed. "Blast it, you're trapped!"
::I know.::
I stared at the console in silence for a moment, half aware that my jaw had dropped, willing my heart to return to normal. And then, my fear flipped straight into anger. "Why- why didn't you listen? You reckless, crazy idiot! Why didn't you turn around?"
And all the while, the howling grunts and roars of those venomous monsters were radiating through to my ears.
::One ran in behind me. It caught me by surprise, it moved so frelling quick. Either my Force sense is shaky, or they've been holding back their speed until now.::
The way she said it, it was like crediting them with intelligence. More likely they'd been overcome with bloodlust at a potential meal.
"How much room do you have there?" I demanded, and realized my fists were still clenched. With effort, I unfurled them. "Are you safe?"
::Yeah. I'm not taking any chances here. I won't move until they've cleared out.::
"If they clear out," I muttered, still feeling tense. The others hadn't reappeared on the map, and Jen was trapped. Completely trapped. Juhani hadn't returned from the Academy, and Bastila was still out cold. My eyes closed briefly.
::Can you check on Bastila?:: Jen asked, reading my mind, her voice cutting out against a backdrop of snarling that made me grit my teeth. ::I could do with her advice, if she's up to it.::
I assented and stood, pulling my head through the hatch. Zaalbar was still there, standing guard. His expression looked oddly blank, and he didn't seem to notice me until I spoke.
"Any stirring from Bastila yet?" I asked. Zaalbar jerked to look at me, and howled. I grimaced, and once more made an internal promise to learn his language. "Have you checked on her recently? Jen wants her counsel."
Zaalbar howled again, louder, and motioned me away. The damn Wookiee actually looked angry.
"Okay, okay," I muttered in exasperation. "We'll let her sleep some more. Keep an eye out for the new Jedi waking up, okay? Don't scare her."
Zaalbar had already turned back, staring fixedly at the opposite wall as he stood outside Bastila's door.
I frowned. I guess Wookiees take guard duty seriously. That's a good thing. Zaalbar was pretty intense about his life-debt to Jen as well.
Back in the cockpit, I sat down and took a drink of my caffa. It was stone cold, hours-old, and the taste turned bitter on my tongue. I had another sip anyway, before once more talking to Jen.
"Bastila's still out. Zaalbar's keeping an eye on her."
::Yeah,:: Jen sighed. ::I guess I knew that. She's really deeply asleep. Carth… she did some pretty powerful Force work when we were in Hord's tomb. I'm worried she's taken a step back in her recovery.::
I stared at the lone green dot that was Jen, a small smile appearing on my face. Jen had come so far. She used to strongly dislike Bastila, and the feeling had been returned in some fashion by the Jedi. Maybe Bastila had come a long way, too.
Another alien snarl sounded over the comm. "Worry about yourself first, Jen. Stay focused on your environment."
::I'm fine, Carth, they can't get in here.::
We lapsed into a quiet that stretched out for minutes, interspersed with the occasional predatory roar that shook the speakers. Jen stayed unmoving, tight against the dead-end cave that must have only afforded her a metre or two of safety from their reach. My eyes kept flicking back to where the others would be, off the map and in the black. There was no sign of their presence, and I knew they were forging ahead. I sent an inward plea for safety their way, and wondered again at the necessity of sending Mission out with them.
After a lengthy silence, Jen spoke. ::Carth, I wanted to talk to you.::
"Fire away," I replied. Actually, there were about a dozen things I wanted to grill her on, too. "What better time than when you're trapped by a couple of poisonous monsters?"
::Hah.:: There was silence over the comm again, like she was steeling herself to say something. I was about to prompt her when she finally voiced what was on her mind. ::Look, Carth, I ran into Dustil. Earlier, when I was looking for Juhani.::
I froze.
::He's… he's very angry, Carth. I think he's done some… bad things.::
I could feel my shoulders tensing, as an irrational urge to snap back rose in my throat. Dustil had been a good kid – studious and friendly, if a bit quiet. The worst he'd ever done was sneak out to ride swoops, and heck, I'd been the galaxy's biggest hypocrite scolding him for that after Morgana's insistence. Although from what I heard he was actually proficient at it. I'd never been better than mediocre, the times I'd snuck out.
"We've all done bad things, Jen," I answered finally, trying not to lash out. "Yourself included."
::Carth, I'm not judging,:: She gave a laugh, a slightly surprised sound. ::Stars, no. No. I'm warning you.::
"Warning?" I frowned. "What do you mean? He'll- he won't-"
::Carth, you're such a-:: She sighed. ::You're a nice guy. I don't think you understand-::
"Nice," I said flatly, cutting her off. I felt my brows lowering. Nice? Nice? Was that really what she thought of me? A nice guy, someone to trust and think of like a brother, someone dependable and boring and-
Why was that bothering me so much?
I scowled. "Dammit, Jen, I've been fighting on the frontlines for most of my life. If you think I haven't seen and done my share of questionable-"
::Carth!:: She cut in, and I could hear her frustration. ::I didn't mean- look, it's the Dark side, alright? Give me a chance to explain.::
I forced the glower from my face. "Fine. Go for it."
I found myself staring fixedly at the green dot of her wrist-communicator, wondering how she was really doing, cooped up in a dark, cramped dead-end with nightmarish monsters guarding the outside. I realized, then, that I hadn't heard any background noise from the terentateks for some time.
::Look, Korriban is so steeped in the Dark Side,:: she said finally. ::I don't know how to explain it, just… think of those awful thoughts you have, deep down, the ones you're ashamed of. The ones you hide in the deepest part of your mind, and curse yourself whenever you think of them. Korriban drags them to the surface. The Dark Side pulls them out of you. Promises you everything you desire. That annoying comrade who always makes you look like an idiot in front of others? There's an easy way to deal with that, and no one will ever know it was you.:: She sighed. ::What about the superior who never gives you enough credit? A mind trick or two, and his opinion will change. And at first, it doesn't hurt anyone, not really. At first it starts small.::
I wished she was here, telling me this. I needed to see her face. She sounded so melancholy.
::There's power, too, and why shouldn't other people listen to you if you're stronger than them? And then you start doubting others and their motives… for you can't trust anyone, and no one can trust you.:: She barked a laugh, cold and hard as ferracrystal. ::Kids like Dustil, going to Korriban off the back of a tragedy like Telos… they don't have a damn chance, Carth.::
And that was the Dark Side, the cursed Dark Side that Jedi like Jen had to face every day. "What did he do, Jen?" I asked quietly.
She was silent for the longest time. I couldn't hear anything over the comm, no snuffling or snarling from nearby terentateks, no static, nothing. Finally, she spoke. ::Betrayal. Torture. Stuff he doesn't think he can be forgiven for. When we get him back, you've got to be his unconditional supporter, Carth. There'll be enough judgment elsewhere.::
I had no return for that, so I sat there, staring at the green dot while my stomach clenched itself in knots. Torture. The very thought of my boy involved in something like that was beyond abhorrent. It didn't… it didn't seem possible. Could the Dark Side really twist my son like that?
I thought of Jen, scuttling the Ebon Hawk to run. Juhani had thought Jen had run from the Dark Side. I wondered if she ran to it, before the Dark Side had scared her so badly she'd turned straight back to the Light. One day soon I planned on getting it out of her.
And what about the real villains? Revan and Malak? Talvon Esan? I'd known Talvon well, and he went completely insane. Sadistically insane. That's what the flipside of the Force does. And my son has to fight it.
I glared at the green dot on the console, suddenly angry that Jen doubted my capacity for supporting Dustil. Of course I'd forgive Dustil anything. He was my blasted son. But… this was part of his life now, the Force and its Light and Dark Sides. And that meant it was part of mine.
And Dustil was, by all accounts, a powerful Force-user. I'd heard those sorts of things usually ran in families, which was… puzzling, in our case. As far as I knew, none of my recent ancestors had any Force sensitivity. Morgana's family was more of a mystery, however.
I frowned, trying to recall what I knew of Morgana's past. She'd always been so reticent to talk about it, having been adopted by a Telosian ryee-corn farmer after her parents perished in a freak agri-equipment malfunction. I knew they'd fled to Telos shortly before Morgana's birth, and had never quite slotted into our farming community. Morgana remembered little of her parents, or even what they had been running from – but she claimed they had been Telosian, originally.
It must have come from her side, then. Morgana was a free-spirited sort, quick with a snappy comeback, and generally content with her lot. She hadn't wanted to move to Thani, the capital city. And how we'd argued about that, bitterly, even after she capitulated. I'd joined the Fleet young, and I wanted them nearby so they could visit when I was on base.
She never did, though. She never let Dustil either. Stang, we'd even had an impromptu midsummer party on base, where all the families of grounded Fleet personnel had been invited, to meet the famous Malak Devari when his armada docked briefly on Telos. Morgana never made it, and refused to let Dustil go with me – even though he was old enough, then, to be following the heroes in the Mandalorian Wars.
I stilled, trying to remember when I'd come across Jedi on my homeworld. Karath had worked closely with Talvon, and there'd been times Talvon had landed on Telos. Had Morgana ever encountered any Jedi? She'd always held an irrational dislike of them, and it ran deeper than the distrust that I had, that was fairly standard throughout the Fleet. I'd always put it down to her negative outlook on the Republic in general, due to the growing schism it was causing in our family. But maybe, there was something else there.
I shivered, cold suddenly. It didn't seem possible. If there was any truth to the speculation that had started growing in my mind, then Morgana would have shared it with me. I'm really getting paranoid, now. Morgana had been my wife; my beautiful, sassy, impetuous wife. I suddenly felt disgusted with myself for thinking that she'd hold such a secret back.
::Carth? You still there?::
"Yeah," I sighed, drawing my attention back to Jen. "I'll have Dustil's back, Jen. I always will."
::Good.:: She paused. ::Both terentateks are well gone now. I'm surprised they left so quickly. I'm going to lure them back – I can't risk them finding the others.::
"Be caref-"
There was a howl from behind, from beyond the cockpit, followed by a female scream of terror.
"Stang!" I cursed, jumping up to investigate.
Through the hatch, the stranger Belaya Linn was pushing herself back against the durasteel wall, hands resting against the pressure band I'd wrapped around her torso, panic evident on her pale, drawn face. The kolto injections would have stabilized and revived her somewhat, but I was surprised she was up and moving. Even with the support of the restraint, she would be in some discomfort.
Zaalbar was almost… snarling.
"Zaalbar!" I snapped, my brows lowering.
He was still standing outside the pilot's quarters, and it looked like Belaya may have tried to walk past. Zaalbar turned at my voice, nodded, and then resumed his earlier position. His hairy face was composed; blank. Maybe I'd imagined that look of anger. Zaalbar stood towering in the corridor, his arms crossed and his head brushing the dull ceiling, as he stared fixedly ahead at the opposite bulkhead.
"Zaalbar, are you okay?" I asked frowning. The Wookiee looked at me, howled mournfully, and then snapped back to attention.
The sounds of harsh breathing directed my gaze back to the stranger. Her blue eyes were wide and fixed on the Wookiee in fright. Her light brown hair was damp with sweat, clinging to the sides of her neck, and her complexion was sallow.
"Belaya Linn," I said quietly. Her head jerked to meet my gaze, face tightening in panic. I knew, then, the she'd run – if she only knew where to go. Last thing Belaya Linn remembers is probably that torture chamber Jen found her in, and now she's woken on a strange ship with a seven foot Wookiee snarling at her. I felt a deep surge of empathy for the human woman, and lifted a hand, palm open, in appeasement. "My name is Carth Onasi. I'm a captain with the Republic Fleet, and you are safe here."
Belaya's chest was rising with fast, shallow breaths, and her gaze darted back to Zaalbar. I grimaced. "That's Zaalbar. He's harmless, really, he just takes his guard duty seriously. Look – come into the cockpit, please. You can talk to Jen there."
Some of the fear was fading from her face, but the unknown Jedi still looked wary as her scrutiny swung back to me. "Who?" she asked, her voice so reticent I barely heard it.
"Jen," I said again. "Jen Sahara. She brought you here, do you remember?"
But Belaya looked blank.
"Tall human, about your age?" I prompted. She was still staring at me in puzzlement. "Dark hair, green eyes, good looking?" I frowned. "Doesn't take anything seriously?"
At that, a flicker of recognition lightened her drawn face, and I motioned her to follow, feeling uneasy at being away from the comm for so long. Belaya sidled along the corridor wall, attention flicking back to the Wookiee who was no longer looking at either of us. Zaalbar was acting odd. I knew he hated being left behind, especially if it was Mission or Jen heading out – and now that it was both… well, it probably explained his mood.
I opened the hatch, and Belaya hesitantly followed me in, her palms still held tight against her ribs. The pressure band would help some, and fortunately her rib fractures were aligned correctly, but she'd have to take it easy for awhile. And I knew it was uncomfortable to breathe in those torso bands, for all that they supported the abdomen.
When Bastila wakes up she can heal Belaya. I recalled snapping at Bastila, once, when she'd inflicted Force healing on me without checking first. Maybe I'd been a little unfair.
Bastila hasn't exactly had an easy time of it. No, and Jen'd had it even worse. Bastila had said that the Jedi never expected Jen to have the Force again. They'd never expected her to recover any memory of her past as a Jedi. Jen must have been so shocked, so utterly stupefied, when things started trickling back to her. Back on the Endar Spire, she'd been quiet and studious, hiding away from everyone like a frightened little hood-mouse. My mouth quirked as I recalled how she'd blushed the one time I'd looked her way.
Was that who Jen Sahara was, before she joined the Jedi? A meek scholar whose life was upended by the Force? I could accept that the Force might entirely change the course of a sentient's life, but still... it was hard to imagine Jen as once being so utterly different in personality.
Belaya was standing awkwardly behind me. She shook her head at the proffered co-pilot chair, silently indicating her ribs as a reason, and I bit back a sigh. Stang, she's quieter than Juhani. Belaya was probably, also, incredibly confused.
A vicious snarl ripped from the speakers, and Belaya jumped.
"Jen? You there?" I asked sharply. The green dot was moving at speed through the same cavern as earlier, making a beeline for the same dead-end. Distortion spat through the comm, and once more, I felt myself tensing.
::Yeah,:: Jen gasped through the comm, as her marker stilled in the nook. ::Lured 'em back. I'd be happier if the others would get in touch, Carth. I don't like doing this blind.::
"You're not the one left behind," I muttered, too soft to carry through the comm. Belaya huffed, and when I glanced her way, the Jedi was frowning in puzzlement.
"Who is Jen?" she asked. The speakers rattled with another alien roar, and Belaya flinched.
"Uh-" I turned back to the comm. "Jen, Belaya's awake and standing behind me. She doesn't seem to know who you are."
::Belaya!:: Jen's voice was pleasantly surprised. ::How are you feeling? It's me, Ness Jonohl.::
I frowned. "Er, what? Ness who?"
::Ness Jonohl. That's my name, Carth.:: Jen paused. ::My Academy name, I mean.::
"Oh," Belaya said quietly. Her tone had dropped all suspicion, and now just held soft wonderment. "Thank you for my life, Ness Jonohl. Or Jen Sahara."
::You're welcome. How are you doing?::
Belaya's expression had smoothed into a surprisingly good attempt at composure. "I am okay, Jen Sahara. Very confused about my current environment, but otherwise I am okay."
::Good,:: Jen replied. ::Carth, the terentateks have gone again. Maybe something else is drawing them away. Or maybe they're too smart to hang around while I'm relatively safe.::
I heard an intake of breath behind me, followed by a pained moan. I winced in sympathy, remembering the time I'd fractured three ribs.
"Did you say terentateks?" Belaya gasped. A crackle of static followed over the comm.
"Uh, yeah," I answered for Jen. "She did."
::It's a long story. We're trying to find something in the mountains.::
"Terentateks," Belaya whispered, eyes wide. "You really are the strangest Jedi I have ever met."
I laughed at that. "Yeah, she is. She really is."
::Hey!:: Jen's voice was mock-indignant. There was another spat of distortion from the speakers, but it didn't come from Jen this time.
::- - - - smell is - - - -::
"Canderous?" I said sharply. "Can you copy?"
::- - - - whining - - - -::
::Mission? Canderous? You there?:: Jen demanded.
::Jen!:: Mission's voice, crackly with interference, rang through the cockpit, and I felt a smile of relief grow on my face. ::Hey, wow, this school must be closer to the surface if you lot can hear us again.::
::Statement: Master, we have achieved your objective. Permission to return to your side?::
::HK, you're staying with Canderous until we're all out,:: Jen returned. ::Hang on – have you guys found it?::
::Don't start partying just yet, Jen.:: Canderous warned. Belaya had moved a step closer, next to me, looking at the console in curiosity. Her expression was quietly intent. ::We're near the entrance of what the kid reckons must be the school-::
::It's got the word 'Academy' engraved on it, chuba-brain!::
"The Map," I cut in. "Have you guys found the Map?"
::Yeah, it's outside a half-broken tomb.::
::Yes!:: Jen crowed. ::Download the data, and move out!::
::That's the problem, Jen,:: Canderous shot back. ::We've spent the last ten minutes trying to open this kriffing thing with no success.::
::Statement: The Star Map does not respond to sonic stimulation, percussion maintenance, or electrical current. There is no apparent mechanism on it that can be manipulated. Supposition: As it is considered a Dark Force relic, perhaps an organic sacrifice is the trigger?::
::I'll try a mechanical sacrifice first, robot-brain.::
I frowned. "Well, what happened with the other Maps, Canderous? How did they open?"
::It wasn't me, Republic. Bastila triggered the one on Tatooine, and the Cathar got the one in the ocean.::
I heard a noise behind me; I'd almost forgotten Belaya was listening in. Her brows had lowered, and she was staring at me in confusion. "Bastila?" she asked blankly. "Not- not Bastila Shan?"
::Oh sithspit!:: Jen snarled. ::Sod it all! Bastila frelling told me, and I didn't understand!::
"Did he- did he say there was a Cathar?" Belaya asked, voice rising in pitch.
::What do you mean, Jen?:: Mission asked.
Jen heaved an angry sigh. ::Bastila told me we'd need a Force-user going after the Map. I assumed it was to draw the terentateks away, but she probably hadn't even heard the plan.::
A cold shiver ran through me as I understood exactly what Jen was saying. The Star Maps were Force relics, after all. I felt the dread as it slowly grew in the pit of my belly.
"It opens with the Force," I said quietly. "You need a Force user to open the Map."
::Yeah.::
xXx
