Errants
Chapter 2: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Part One
Carth Onasi woke up with huge headache, and noticed he smelled a little like smoke. He also noticed he was in a darkened bedroom. This isn't something the Sith would do. He thought while trying to get his head to stop spinning. The door opened and in steeped what he figured could only be a twi'lek.
"Hey," Carth could now tell it was a male and slightly cheerful. "You're up!" He flipped on the light and Carth winced.
"Who are you?" Carth asked a little more harshly than he intended. He wanted to be intimidating, how else was he supposed to act after waking up from being unconscious and in some strange guy's bed? They never covered that situation in the fleet. At least he wasn't tied up, so he might not be tortured.
"Oh, right. Where are my manners? It's not like you took my bed or anything." He was definitely sarcastic, but maybe not hostile. Still Carth didn't want to take that chance. He obviously saw Carth was still on guard and said "Force, guy. You need to relax. You aren't my type." Carth had to chuckle at that one, he supposed he did seem a little jumpy. At least the kid was sharp. "The name's Mason. Mason Monroe." Mason extended his hand to shake. Carth didn't take it; he still wanted more of an explanation. Mason clicked his tongue and nodded. "'Kay then."
"Look," Carth began running a hand though his hair. "It's not that I'm not grateful or anything, but where am I and why am I here?"
"Well, that's a long story, but to put it simply: you crashed here on Taris and my friend, Revan in case you were wondering who saved your ass, dumped you here." Mason really didn't want to go into detail about it. He was still pissed Revan kicked him out of her apartment to watch Captain Comatose.
Flashback
"Mason!" Revan was calling while pounding on the door to her apartment.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Mason! You have to open this door right now!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Mason, I know where you are and what you're doing, and if you don't get your dirty boots off of my couch, I will make sure you are no longer recognizable as a twi'lek!"
"Just a sec!" came the hasty reply. It was followed by soft thumps and the swishing of the door. "Look, I'm not even wearing my boots. You can even check for dirt on your precious couch."
"You-" Revan started then sighed. Even she couldn't believe she had to pass up a chance to verbally spar with Mason. "Never mind that."
Mason looked worried now. "Rev, what's wrong? You'd normally jump at a chance to try and make me clean your couch."
"I need your help." She motioned to a body with an orange flight jacket. "I think he's Republic. I couldn't let the Sith find him."
"Oh, Rev." Mason shook his head. He looked at her and sighed. She had no idea what she was getting them into. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"
"Can you watch him for me?" She looked stressed. Mason wasn't sure why, but it was important to her.
"But the Swoops!" He started and pointed into her apartment. He groaned. "Fine, we'll dump him on my couch."
"But he has to go on your bed so he can be comfortable and hidden if the Sith come!" Revan pleaded. "Mason, he could go into a coma and die!"
Mason groaned again. He knew he was going to regret this.
End Flashback
Too much wishful thinking. Mason thought bitterly. Of course he has to get the bed. It's too easy to get rid of a couch someone died on...
"I have to leave." Carth stated, breaking Mason's train of thought. "If Revan is out there… Where is Revan?"
"You know Rev?" Mason shook his head. "Not the point. Look, you can't. I know you're a big soldier, and I lack muscle. Force, the only way I could possibly hope to restrain you, would be to kick you in the crotch and lock you in my room." Mason chuckled. "But let's face it; I don't want you touching my stuff. However, there are Sith swarming the Upper City looking for Republics."
"But what about Revan?" Carth figured it had to be someone else. Darth Revan was dead, even Sith Lords aren't charismatic enough to escape death. But he still wanted to make sure.
"Look, whoever you are." Mason was getting even more pissed and his voice started rising. He missed the programs on the Season Opener on Taris, it was getting late and Sleeping Beauty stole his bed. He had to get the lumpy uncomfortable couch. "I don't care what your deal with Rev is, 'kay? This is a residential area. Yelling tends to draw attention and I will not have my 'No Dudes' policy questioned or have a battalion of Sith knockin' down my door because she decided to save you from the Sith!" Mason clicked his tongue and mumbled. "I am so getting her back for this."
He sighed and decided to start over. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. For a second there I though you were talking about Darth Revan. Silly, huh?" Carth chuckled awkwardly, and then cleared his throat. "Carth Onasi, Captain, Tactical adviser on the Endar Spire." He offered his hand.
"Naw, everyone knows the Dark Lord of the Sith works as a cantina dancer in the Lower City of this crap planet." Mason replied rolling his eyes. Carth was a little taken aback by this revelation. Mason gave him a little info on Taris to ease his mind and told him to get some sleep. They were going to visit Revan in the morning, and clear everything up.
Mid-Morning
Revan was woken up by a pounding on her door. She knew it was Mason, so she flipped over and ignored it, hoping he would take the hint and go away. She wanted to go back to her dream of pretty swirling colors, or rather what she thought was a dream of pretty swirling colors; the details were fading quickly. But Revan was never lucky when it came to Mason, and the pounding got louder. She still didn't move. It was her day off, and she was up most of the night before. She was staying in bed.
Swoosh! The door opened.
"Rev!" Mason called out.
"Should we be here?" A second voice asked. It sounded nervous. "I mean you just unlocked her door and barged in. Maybe she's not home."
"Oh, she's here." Mason replied. "Revan! Get up and get descent! Your soldier woke up! And we both want answers!" A crumpled red thing flew out of the darkened bedroom and hit Mason's face. He looked down at the red thing and continued "Oh, yeah. That's real mature, Rev, throwing a dancing costume at people. No really, you haven't sunk to a new level at all!" he tossed it behind him and accidentally at Carth. Carth caught it and dropped it slightly embarrassed he caught it and the fact he noted it had 'Bunni' embroidered on it.
"Maybe we should come back later…" Carth muttered.
"Revan, get your scrawny human ass out here right now!" Mason bellowed.
"Fine!" came the angry reply. Revan came out of the bedroom dressed in a baggy shirt that hung off her shoulder, and baggy pants that covered her feet. A grumpy look was on her face and she kept mumbling something about pain, twi'leks, and coffee. Carth was again taken aback. She looked so young. She looked so small, but the oversized clothes which probably helped shrink her. He could hardly believe she was the one who pulled him out of his escape pod. She was the cantina dancer? This was Revan?
Revan went into her kitchenette and got a large mug of caffa. She sat down on a chair with her legs curled under her and grunted "Talk." while she drank.
"You're Revan?" Carth asked still unable to believe it was her.
"No." she shot back sarcastically. "I'm Malak."
"You really need to get over her name." Mason whispered clasping Carth's shoulder. "And I suggest you let her get her coffee, she's no use without it."
"Shut up, you… you… Mason."
"See?"
"I hate you." Mason laughed and she muttered into her mug. "Too damn jolly mumble down a peg grumble I will."
Carth nodded. He was silent waiting for Revan to finish or for someone to speak. He got fed up with the silence and ventured a question. "May I have some coffee?"
"No." came Revan's quick reply. Mason was snickering and shaking his head.
"Why not?" Carth asked trying to get anything to stop the awkward silence. Well, it was awkward for him.
"I only have one mug and I'll want more." Revan said tersely. The silence stretched on. Carth opened his mouth to try and venture a few more questions, but Mason elbowed him in the arm to keep him quiet. When she finished, she went to the kitchenette and refilled her cup. She went back to her chair, took a long sip, ran a hand over her hair and sighed with a light smile tugging on the corners of her mouth. She then looked between the two expectantly. Carth looked at Mason, who nodded.
"Good morning. I'm Carth Onasi. Thanks for the save." Carth started. Revan nodded in acknowledgment. "So you're this Revan I've heard about?"
"Depends." She glanced at Mason. "I'm a Revan."
Carth sighed. "Maybe we should just wait until you're up for company, kid."
"Kid?" Revan repeated warningly. Mason was snickering in the background. "Kid? You do realize that I am able to enlist in military service, right? Oh, wait. Of course you don't! I mean I couldn't possibly be! It's the height isn't it; it's always about the damn height. I'm not that frakkin' short! I'm average height!"
"For a twi'lek." Mason coughed. His snickering upgrading to a giggle at Revan's withering glare.
"I-" Carth began, but was quickly cut off.
"I'm 18 years old! And that's Galactic Standard, you ignorant bantha!" Mason started cracking up. Revan continued, her voice rising after every sentence. "That's two years above the Tarisian drinking age! And do you honestly think that anyone would hire a 'kid' to dance in a cantina? Not to mention a crappy cantina in, like, the second crappiest area on the entire crappy city-planet!" Carth opened his mouth, but was again cut off. "No, of course not! Do you think I wouldn't be doing something else if I could? I'm in debt because I chose to live here, and I actually plan to pay my debts, you aging gizka!"
"Nice to see you're awake." Mason chimed in.
"Go lift a speeder."
"But you know I prefer public transportation."
"You just prefer 'public'."
"I like sentients and helping the environment."
"You just like crowds of sentients. Easier to pick a mark, huh?"
"I resent that. I'm a legitimate businessman."
"About as legitimate as Davik."
"You know I don't mess with Exchange." Mason's tone changed serious.
"Doesn't mean you're not on their level."
"You know I don't touch half the stuff they do."
"Of course you don't." Revan soothed. "You just have to pay them to operate your 'business.'"
"I hate you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Revan smirked. "Now what to do with Republic?"
"You mean you don't know?" Mason asked incredulously. "You pulled him out of an escape pod for nothing?! You did all this without a plan?!"
"Well, I guess you could look at it that way." Revan shrugged sheepishly. "I couldn't leave him to the Sith."
"Why the hell not?!" Mason yelled.
"I'm still here." Carth cut in impatiently.
"Because!" Mason looked at her expectantly and Revan was at a loss for words. "Because… The Sith, Mason! The freakin' Sith!
"Yeah," Carth said feeling like he could actually contribute to the conversation. "I've heard stories about dark Jedi interrogation techniques. They say the Force can do terrible things to a mind. It can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity."
Revan paled. "We gotta get rid of you. I like my mind. I like having what memories I have-"
"Then why did you help?!" Mason yelled. "Ya know this is your problem, ya never think ahead about the consequences!"
"Mason!" Revan whined. "Can we not do this, and just dump the body?" She jerked her head in Carth's direction.
"I'm still alive!" Carth cried out indignantly. "Besides, I need your help. I am on a hostile planet and-"
"The only thing hostile is Mason." Revan muttered.
"And," Carth continued. "I am going to need intelligence to complete my search for the Jedi Bastila Shan."
"Look you probably already know everything. After the Sith took over, they called a planet wide quarantine. No one's getting on or off planet. Taris has three levels: Upper City is strictly humans, except at night and that's where you are now, Lower City, which is ruled by Swoop Gangs and houses just about everybody else, and the Under City has the Outcasts and rakghouls. Any other info you could possibly want, you can find out in a cantina. Oh, and watch out for Davik, if you cross him you're dead. See? You're already much more informed than most who come to Taris." Revan explained quickly. "Enjoy your stay. Goodbye now! Try not to die." She said trying to push him out of the apartment with no success.
"But I have to find Bastila!" Carth protested.
"Then why are you still here?" Revan asked still trying to push Carth out.
"Because I'm enlisting you for Republic service." Carth said with confidence. He finally figured a way to end this mission, and get on with his service. Unfortunately, it involved the help of the two arguing over 'dumping the body' that he was sure was him. Fortunately, he was starting to get a good picture of how they thought. "I imagine the Sith who would fine me all by myself would be ecstatic to know who helped me from my pod and housed me for a short time."
"You stupid bimbo!" Mason yelled at Revan.
"Son of a shutta!"
"Shutta Queen!"
"Delinquent bastard!" Carth started to rub his temples, having second thoughts about what seemed to be an ingenious plan at the time.
"You screwed me!"
"Forgive me for having a conscience!" Revan smirked. "Gilly the Gizka would be ashamed of you, President Mason!"
"You swore you'd never tell!" Mason gasped and gave her a light slap on the cheek. Revan gaped and he started laughing. Revan kicked his shin and then began laughing herself. "Ow!" Mason held his shin and started jumping up and down to keep his balance. When he stopped, he made a point to step on Revan's foot.
"Hey!" she exclaimed in pain. Mason and Revan glared at each other for a moment, then began a slap-fight.
"Enough!" Carth yelled stepping in between them. He got slapped by Mason while trying to break them up.
"Ooooo!" Revan taunted while laughing. "You slapped a Republiiiiiic. You're gonna be in troubllllle!"
"No, I didn't. You did." Mason said grabbing her wrist and swinging it at Carth, hitting his arm.
"Mason!" Revan started after him, but Carth stopped her.
"Will you two stop fighting?" He scolded. "You're acting like a couple of children!"
"I am not a child!" Revan cried out indignantly.
"And I'm at least five years older than her. So if she's a child, I'm at least a teenager."
"You're not helping Mason!"
"It's all technicalities, Rev. If I'm a child, then you're a baby."
"Stop it!" Carth almost started on them again about their behavior, but decided to move on. At least now he had their attention. "I have to find Bastilla and get her off this Rock, and I'm going to need help doing it."
"And Revan would be happy to help you." Mason volunteered cheerily.
"Mason!" Revan protested.
""Now, Rev. We can't be kids forever." Revan scoffed, but she was smirking. "And one thing about being a grown up is to start taking responsibility for our actions. You saved him, you have to hold his hand the rest of the way." Mason looked directly at Carth and added "But not literally."
"But the Sith-"
"Will catch him if you don't. You wanted to get involved, now you gotta play the hero, or rather second fiddle to the hero, and save the dame."
"Bastilla is a Jedi." Carth interjected.
"Ya know, I was gonna offer you help, but not after that." Mason added.
"Grown ups aren't afraid of Jedi." Revan shot back.
"I ain't afraid! They're just bad for business." Mason huffed.
"You took an active role too! You have to help find the Jedi!"
"Bastilla." Carth injected.
"Because you-" Mason sighed. It was true, he did play a minor role because Revan asked him to. "Fine. I'll help if I can, but I won't fight yer battles."
"Great!" Revan exclaimed. "Now let's go!" She lead the way out the door, froze, then turned around and walked quickly back to her bedroom muttering about getting dressed. Mason started laughing again, but Carth was getting impatient.
"Will you hurry it up? We have to go find Bastilla!"
"I'm not walking into the hall in only my skivvies!" Carth kept silent, and decided to wait. A few minutes later, Revan emerged. She wore a baggy white tunic with a black vest that made the tunic look fitted to her torso, and light brown pants with black boots.
Mason snickered. "Well, don't we look… debonair."
"Really?" Revan looked down at her clothes. "Ya know that's the look I was going for. Kinda like those smugglers from the Holo Vids. You know the ones the unbelievably good-looking hero or heroine fall in love with?"
"Ya don't say."
"Well, I figured if I was going to play second fiddle, I was going to do it in the style. This doesn't really seem like reality, ya know?"
Mason nodded. "So, did ja forget something important?"
Revan froze again. "Please tell me I'm wearing pants."
"I was thinking weapon-wise, but now that ya mention it…" Revan turned to go back. "Yes, you are wearing pants."
"Do you really think we'll need weapons? I mean we're just looking for Mrs. Republic."
"Bastilla is a Jedi. She is not, nor will she ever be my wife or girlfriend." Carth tried to sound calm. "My name is Carth Onasi, please call me Carth, not Republic."
"Fine, Ms. Republic." Revan taunted. Carth opened his mouth to say something but Revan cut him off. "Sorry. Carth, relax."
"Yeah, don't worry. It means she won't dump up with any Sith. I think she likes you." Mason winked, the softly added to Carth. "But just don't let me catch you being too friendly.
Revan rolled her eyes. "Why would we need weapons, Mace?"
"Well, because I have reliable information that says most of the pods crashed in the Under City, which means-"
"We'll have to pass though the Lower City, then fight rakghouls." Revan finished. "Well, I think Kebla sells weapons… and I think there's a twi'lek on this floor too…"
"Rev, the Vulkars have been getting pretty nasty lately. They'll kill us on sight, especially with him." Mason pointed to Carth.
"They won't hurt me. They love me, Mace. And they'll tolerate you solely because you'll be with me."
"No, they love Bunni. They won't recognize you unless you prance down there in a cantina uniform and a pound of makeup. And even then, they might not be so nice. Cantinas are neutral ground. They have to play nice there."
Carth was at a lose. He didn't know anything they were talking about. "Who are the Vulkars and what is a 'Bunni'?"
"The Lower City is run by Swoop Gangs. The two most predominant are the Hidden Beks and the Black Vulkars." Mason explained. "And they've been having a turf war all over Lower City. Actually, the Swoop Opener is supposed to seal the deal. Winner gets Lower City. If the Beks win, things go back to way they were. If the Vulkars win, Lower City will run red."
"So," Revan chimed in. "You can see it's really big stakes, and why we don't want to get involved."
"Speak for yourself."
"Mason!"
"The Beks set me up with suppliers, and my networks. They let me work the Lower City. If the Vulkars win, I'm over in Lower City." Mason explained.
"Well, as nice as that is for you," Carth but in before the two started to fight again. "None of that explains who 'Bunni' is and why she has their clothes." He pointed to Revan.
"Actually it does." Mason stated.
Revan rolled her eyes. "I'm Bunni." She continued softer and darkly. "With that frakking insufferable 'I'. It's probably dotted with a heart. Damn that heart!"
Carth gave her a suspicious look. Mason explained. "Look, Carth. Revan had a hard time getting a job on Taris. Ya see this was when Darth Revan was still alive and terrorizing the galaxy, so no one wanted to hire her because of her name. They thought people might get confused and target their business. Frankly, Rev is horrible at pazaak, so a job was the only way she could support herself, at least legally."
"I didn't want to become some Lower City criminal or get involved with the Swoop gangs! Unlike some-"
"So anyways," Mason continued to avoid another interruption. "We all decided the only way Rev was going to get hired was if she gave out a fake name. Mission came up with 'Bunni' when I got Rev the audition at Javyar's."
"And just so ya know I haven't always been Bunni." Revan interjected. "I've been lots of people, so don't get too surprised if some people call me something else."
"Who's Mission?" Carth asked. "Is it another one of her names?"
"Mission is our friend. She lives in Lower City." Revan explained.
Mason continued, "She's like our kid sister. See, we're all cantina rats. We don't have any family to look out for us, so we kinda banded together. I was born here, so I'd survive, but Mish and Rev would have gotten eaten alive. Taris ain't so kind to women and children."
"I could have survived." Revan pouted. "I did well enough before I settled here."
"Of course you would have." Mason condescended.
"I hate you. I hate you so very, very much."
"Either way, if you're gonna rescue that Bastille lady-"
"Bastilla." Carth corrected.
"Whatever. Yer gonna need weapons. Do ya even have any?"
"Well, I have a couple blasters." Carth answered.
"I have a vibrodagger I bought from Kebla for self-defense." Revan replied.
"That should work for now." Carth supposed.
"Great. Let's go find Ballerina!" Revan announced.
"Bastilla!" Carth corrected.
"Whatever. I'm not fighting for her." Mason reiterated. The trio left the apartment mostly in high spirits. But that only lasted to the door, as the confronted some Sith doing an inspection of the building. The leader of the group, which consisted of a man and two battle droids, was harassing a pair of Duros, just dragged from their rooms.
"Okay, you alien scum, everybody get up against the wall! This is a raid!" He called out.
"::There was a patrol here just yesterday, and they found nothing! Why do you Sith keep bothering us?::" One of the aliens asked.
"::Ixgil! No!::" his friend cried out.
The Sith simply rose a blaster and fired it into the Duros' head to make an example. "That's how we Sith deal with smart-mouth aliens!" he grinned cruelly and barked "Now the rest of you get up against the wall before I lose my temper again!"
Carth, Mason and Revan could only watch. Mason slowly back away, but Revan was frozen. Carth's hand slowly went to his blaster but one of the droids noticed him and informed the Sith. "Well, what's this?" the Sith sneered. "Humans hiding out with aliens? Well, that could only mean they're-"
"Not criminals! He's a prostitute!" Revan blurted out pointing to Carth. Mason elbowed her. "Ow! I mean… There are no prostitutes here. We're all law abiding poor Sith supporters! Yeah, go Sith! Beat those Republic dogs!" Carth elbowed her. "Ow! I mean… We're just poor law abiding citizens. We're not hiding anything honestly." She babbled. "Nope, there's nothing here, no Republic soldiers here, no sir. Absolutely nothing of interest. Nothing illegal at all." She laughed nervously.
"Republic spies! Kill them!" The Sith cried out. Mason locked himself back in the apartment. Revan screamed and threw her vibrodagger which miraculously took out a droid and caused a power circuit explode damaging the other greatly and mildly injuring the Sith. She then curled up behind Carth covering her head crying "I don't wanna die!" repeatedly. Carth put his experience to use and finished off the raiding party.
"You two can stop hiding." He spoke disgusted by their actions. He helped Revan up, as an angry Mason emerged.
"Revan! What in the Force is wrong with you?!?"
"I panicked!"
"::E- excuse me…::" A timid voice called out. It belonged to the surviving Duros.
"So you call him a prostitute?!?" Mason screamed pointing at Carth. His lekku were twitching and Revan cringed. "He is the least likely of us to actually be one! We'd be acceptable, but Carth! Are you insane?!? You almost got us killed!"
"::Um, pa- pardon me…::"
"But she didn't." Carth cut in. "Look, I'm as angry about her messing up as you are-"
"It was an accident. I knew he thought we were spies! I had to come up with something!"
"That's it! Yer not allowed to think anymore! Ever!"
"Well, aren't we being authoritative! I didn't hear anything coming out of you!"
"Nevertheless, we still have a dead patrol to take care of." Carth cut in before Revan and Mason started fighting again.
Mason sighed, and chuckled. "I just keep having to help you move bodies, don't I, Rev?"
"Last time. I promise." Revan quipped.
"::Pardon me?::"
"Great. Witnesses. Who wants to take care of this?" Mason asked as both he and Carth looked pointedly at Revan.
"I guess I can." Revan smiled sheepishly at them and turned to the Duros. She had a hand, palm up, out in front of her and opened her mouth and tried to come up with an explanation, when the Duros stopped her.
He held her hand as if she was royalty and bowed to her. "::Thank you! Without your timely intervention who knows what would have happened.::"
"Ummm, we were happy to help?" Revan looked back at Carth and Mason quizzically. They looked flabbergasted.
"::But without you we would have been the receivers of the Sith human's cruelty.::"
"But- but I- I- I" Revan stammered.
"::Poor Ixgal. If only he had kept his mouth shut…::" The Duros shook his head sadly. "::But do not worry. I will hid the bodies for you. And I will stand up for you whenever someone starts calling you the crazy human! Thank you again.::" The Duros retreated to get to drag the bodies away.
"What. The. Force. Was that about?" Mason asked no one in particular.
"I have no idea." Revan answered. She looked back at them confused. "I thought I was the sidekick."
After their run in with the Sith party, the trio agreed it was best if they checked out the rest of the floor before going outside and continuing on their mission. Revan and Mason chatted nonchalantly as they checked out the various apartments. Carth was left to apologize for breaking and entering into the occupied ones, while Revan and Mason stealthily grabbed anything they could use. During his third apology while the two stole, Carth started thinking about the situation. For Revan and Mason, it was just something to do for a couple of bored kids until the Season Opener. For him, it was a mission that would determine the fate of the Republic. He didn't even know if Bastilla was alive and here his mission's success depended on a couple of urchins, who still didn't have very clear motives. He knew Mason's type, the kind who was sneaky, underhanded, criminal, self-serving, they could only be trusted to be untrustworthy, but at least they were upfront about it. Truthfully, it was Revan he was the most suspicious of. She seemed to be a living contradiction. She didn't want to be a criminal, but that didn't stop her from picking the locks of the empty apartments and taking any lose cred chips or supplies. She seemed to generally want to do good, but that was contradicted by how her attitude seemed apathetic to the situations of those around her, except for Mason, or so he thought until-
"Dia!" Revan cried out.
"Who are you?" The woman addressed as 'Dia' asked. Carth noted she was definitely older than Revan, and maybe a little older than Mason. "What are you doing here? You can't just come barging into someone's home!"
"Dia, it's me." Revan held her hands in surrender and took a deep breath. "Bunni."
"Bunni." Dia breathed and relaxed. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here."
"Just because you live here does not give you the right to barge in." Dia reprimanded the younger woman.
"It was an accident." Revan protested.
"Regardless, that's still no excuse. But at least you're more polite than that pig, Holdan."
"Holden? You mean that one guy who works for Davik and is always hanging out near the Dancing Stage?"
"Yeah, the one who can't keep his hands to himself. But all he got for his trouble was a nasty scar from my vibroblade! Too bad I'm the one still paying the price." Carth was paying close attention to this conversation, but not so close as to not notice Mason grabbing something before backing behind him.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to talk about it. I'm in enough trouble already. Besides, it's none of your business."
"Please, Dia. I want to help." Revan said firmly. "We've got to help each other out when we can."
"When I cut Holdan it made him back off, but it also embarrassed him in front of his friends. He went and put a bounty on my head for what I did! That's why I'm hiding out here."
"He didn't!" Revan gasped. Dia nodded. "Well, maybe I can talk some sense to him."
"I doubt it, but good luck anyway."
Revan marched out with Carth and Mason following. She turned and smacked Mason upside his head. "I can't believe you just stole from her! She's got it bad enough as it is!"
"Should I go return it?" Mason asked incredulously.
"It's too late now…" she shrugged. "Should we go to Zelka's? Carth looks like his heads about to explode. Then we can go find Basila. Right, boss man?"
"Bastilla." Carth repeated.
"Whatever." Mason and Revan said in unison. Carth was beginning to wonder if he should stop trying to correct them.
A/N: Things I feel you should know: The 'Bastilla/Ballerina' thing will be a running gag, at least until they find Bastilla. Also, her outfit was pirate inspired, but that's what you get when I watch THE PRINCESS BRIDE and PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN before continuing with the chapter. Sorry if it came out Han Solo-ish. And that's it for this chapter.