Chapter 5

He could feel the heat around him as he turned on the spot taking in his surroundings. A cave: he was standing in cave on what had to be Tatooine. He turned to see his goal the Star Map as it opened, exactly the same as it had done on Dantooine. He sensed another presence in the cave but turning round saw nothing and no one. He was alone. Before he could get close to the Star Map, the, darkness closed in around him and he went blind, unable to see, to think, to taste, to smell, to hear, to feel or touch.

Drake shot up in his bunk, sweating and breathing heavily as the cold air of the Ebon Hawk's crew quarters filled his lungs. Drake held his head in his hands for a few seconds catching his breath. He hadn't a decent nights sleep since Taris; his sleep was plagued by force visions or nightmares one of the two. Revan, Malak, the Mandolorian Wars, his childhood, these were the most prominent in his dreams.

Drake looked round to see Canderous and Carth still sleeping soundly. Drake silently got out of his bunk and dressed, into a black sleeveless shirt, with leather trousers and dark boots. Slipping on his black knuckle gloves he took a dark red jacket from his clothes shelf above his bunk. Glancing down at his right arm for a second, he slipped the jacket over his muscle shirt to hide the pain of his past.

Sneaking out of the quarters, he retrieved one of the bottles of water from the main hold and took a couple of gulps trying to clear his mind and still his nerves. Drake had never been one for alcohol or caffa, preferring simple water, but on some occasions he would have one of the latter two.

Drake took another deep breath and placed the lid back on the bottle. Hearing a small beeping from the cockpit, he made his way there. Sitting in the pilots seat, he saw the small alarm going off and shut it down, coming out of hyperspace over the bright desert planet of Tatooine.

The surface was a bright, scorching white, with sandstorms raging fiercely over its plains from time to time. With two suns, to say this place was hot was a step in the right direction but didn't cover the whole story. Drake narrowed his eyes slightly at the bright light emanating from the planet as the twin suns gaze reflecting back of the sands.

Drake scanned the surface for a landing zone, finding a colony. Achorhead a Czerka outpost. While Drake didn't have much love for Czerka, he needed a place to land so he plotted a landing course for the spaceport. After making the arrangements with the dock authorities, he guided the ship into the atmosphere just as Carth entered the cockpit, fully dressed but looking rather out of it to say the least.

"Here I thought I'd be the first up…" Carth mused as he slid into the co-pilots seat "first time I've been co-pilot mind you…" Drake smirked.

"You may have to get used to that in the mornings…" Carth chuckled slightly as the Hawk came into the shining blue sky and glowing sand filled landscape of Tatooine.

"Look Drake…" Drake looked round at Carth "I…uh…. I'm not very good at this, but the way I acted towards you was unnecessary, I just hate not knowing what's going on and with all the secrets and being in the company of three Jedi make's me feel really useless," Carth muttered.

"Carth you're not useless, you've saved my life as many times as I've saved yours…" Drake replied.

"Well…anyway I'm sorry do you accept my apology?" Drake thought for a second and then extended his right hand to Carth.

"Only if you agree to trust me Onasi…" Carth smiled and clasped the Jedi's hand and shook it.

"Done…let's get underway then shall we…partner?" Drake nodded and guided the ship in for a landing. After the ship landed, Drake and Carth shut down the Hawks engines and then got up, heading for the main hold. To their surprise the entire crew was gathered in main hold, Canderous leaning against the wall, while Juhani and Bastila were sitting with a mug of caffa each. Mission and Zaalbar were standing next to each other, and T3-M4 was tinkering with the console to his right.

"Well good to see everyone up…." Drake muttered as he entered the main hold.

"Ok what's the plan?" Mission quipped as the crew turned to see Drake and Carth entering the hold.

"Well, right now we need to find the Star Map…" Drake pointed out "but also there's the issue of the supplies…"

"About that…" Zaalbar began in Shyriiwook "I noticed some of the rations have gone missing…" Drake frowned "I think we may have a stowaway…you may want to investigate it…"

"I will when I find time…right now we need to make a move…" Drake replied.

"What do you have in mind?" Juhani asked slowly.

"Carth?" Drake looked at the elder man.

"Well the ship's security I wouldn't worry about, the dock's filled with dock guards and laser cannons so we'd shouldn't have to concern ourselves with that…" Carth advised.

"What about our supposed stowaway?" Canderous growled.

"Like I said when I find time…" Canderous nodded "Bastila any idea's where to start our search?" Bastila thought for a second.

"I'd suggest the Dune seas, as the vision showed the Star Map in a cave of some sort, that may a good place to start…" Drake nodded.

"Who wants to come along?" Drake asked.

"I'm coming…" Bastila said standing up.

"I'll come as well…" Carth added.

"Alright Mission, Zaalbar and Juhani focus on getting us some supplies…" those three nodded. "Canderous?" the Mandolorian shrugged.

"I'll head to the Cantina…may be able to grab something useful…" Drake nodded as T3 beeped something about staying with the ship.

"Alright lets move out…" with that the crew exited the Hawk. Drake shielded his eyes from the sun as the crew came into the dock.

"I wonder what the Force was thinking when it created Tatooine?" Drake muttered.

"I thought Deralia was a desert planet…" Canderous inquired.

"Rock not desert…and less hot" Drake clarified. He noticed the dock manager approaching. Wanting to avoid the waste of time, he threw a 100-credit chip to the man and walked past.

"Excuse me…" The man uttered surprised and indignantly.

"100 credits docking fee right? Well that should cover it…" Drake called back. The crew all seemed to snigger slightly as they followed. "Who charges 100 credits as a docking fee?" Drake stated as Bastila came up next to him.

"Well Czerka obviously…" Bastila replied.

"Tch if you ask me it's a rip off…" Bastila smirked slightly as they entered Achorhead. Juhani, Zaalbar and Mission moved away to one of the market stands as Canderous journeyed past them towards the Cantina. Drake found the Czerka office and lead Carth and Bastila inside. As they got inside they heard a torrent of curses coming from a Duros yelling at a woman who was quite frankly not paying the slightest bit of attention. After another couple of curses the Duros stormed from the room. Drake raised one eyebrow as the duros left, and saw Carth with an amused look on his face. Drake approached the woman.

"Can I help you? I'm a tight schedule at the moment so be quick" the woman greeted somewhat rudely "If this is about a hunter's licence than I'm afraid we're no longer selling them…"

"A hunter's licence?" Drake replied

"As I said we are no longer selling them…we're losing to many hunters these days."

"Is there no way to get one?" Drake inquired.

"Well there is something we could agree on…" the woman responded.

"I'm listening…"

"The Sand people are becoming a problem…recently they attacked one of our sand crawlers and we lost a great deal of equipment and personnel…if you could deal with them and bring me their gaffi sticks, I'll give you a licence…" Drake could sense the darker intentions of the woman. She didn't just want the attacks to stop, she wanted the Sand People dead."

"I'll see what I can do…" Drake replied.

"Excellent I'm glad we could agree, here's you licence and good luck" Drake took the small card from the woman and turned away.

"Sand people?" Bastila questioned, "What does she want us to do about it?"

"Commit genocide to put it bluntly…" Drake said bitterly.

"You didn't agree to it did you?" Bastila demanded worried if he would.

"Of course not…that's last thing on my to-do list…I want to avoid killing them if possible…" Bastila breathed a sigh of relief.

"So are you Czerka's new lap dog?" it was the Duros from before.

"No" Drake replied in the Duros language. "I have agreed to sort out the problem but not to kill the Sand people…"

" I see well might I suggest you try communication…" Duros stated, "you'd need a translator of their language…but I hear Yuka Laka has a droid that understands the Sand people dialect…the droid workshop is near Achorheads gates…good luck" the duros turned and left. Drake groaned slightly as his wrist communicator beeped.

"What is it Canderous?" Drake inquired as Canderous's image appeared.

"Drake…on my way to the cantina I noticed about three Dark Jedi waiting round the corner…wanna bet Malak sent them?" Canderous stated with a grin.

"All right we're on our way…don't do anything stupid Canderous" the mercenary nodded. "Come on I don't count on Canderous doing something stupid before we get there…" the party hurried to Canderous's location. Canderous was leaning against the wall, his heavy repeater armed and ready as Drake, Carth and Bastila approached.

"Well it's about time…" Canderous muttered, "They're round there…"

"They didn't see you did they?" Carth asked

"If they did…we wouldn't be having this conversation…" Canderous spat.

"Point taken…" Carth replied pulling out his two-blaster pistols.

"Alright no-one make a move until I do…" Drake ordered. The other three nodded. They rounded the corner and the Dark Jedi spotted them.

"Lord Malak was most displeased when he heard you escaped Taris alive…he has offered a great reward to whoever destroys you…"

"Good luck with that…" Drake replied calmly. The leader snarled and ignited his two lightsabre's. Drake leaned back to avoid the first sweep and then his lightsabre leapt to life, and collided with leaders second blade.

Bastila engaged the second Dark-sider; who wielded a single blade while Carth and Canderous forced the third with a doubled saber to reflect their shots.

Bastila's practice of Ataru was masterful, her lithe and athletic body well suited for its intense and acrobatic principles. She leapt over her opponent and went on the attack. Bastila used her twin golden blades to keep her opponent the defensive. She struck up with her lower blade, the down with higher blade, then up again, spinning it her grasp, she blocked a downward strike. Seizing the advantage, she rammed her hilt into the Dark Jedi's chin stunning him, and then spun round and cleaved the man's head from his shoulders. The body fell and Bastila turned to Drake's battle.

Drake aimed a one-handed downward strike at his opponent. It was parried, with incredible speed; Drake spun his lightsabre round his hand three times while spinning round himself, the blade connected with his opponents each time. As he came round he battered away a second attack, and fully blocked a follow up blow aimed for his head. Using the strength Djem So empowered him with, he shoved the man back causing him to stumble, then spinning his sabre round and turning so he had his back to his opponent, drove the sabre through the man's midsection. The Dark Jedi let out a strangled cry and slumped as the life left him.

Withdrawing his sabre Drake turned to watch his opponent crumple. Seizing the opportunity, the final Dark sider forced pushed Carth and Canderous to the ground, and leapt towards Drake.

"Drake look out!" Bastila called to him. Drake turned, his sabre ready but the attack never came.

A red blaster bolt erupted through the man's skull in mid-air as Drake watched in amazement. The Dark Jedi had a surprised look on his lifeless face as he crashed in an unmoving heap to the ground. Drake turned to see Carth and Canderous still getting to their feet, they couldn't have fired the shot. Drake looked at Bastila who was staring at the rooftop behind him.

Turning he saw the figure of a young man standing on the rooftop, a Zabrak heavy blaster pistol in his right hand, which was aimed at the spot in the air where the Dark Jedi had been. The man was too tall to be Calo Nord, as he was around 5'11 maybe 6 feet tall. The man had dark brown hair, and was wearing a long dark red trench coat, along with dark red trousers with a black boots, and a black, scale pattered shirt. He had a black hilted long sword sheathed on his back. The man twirled his blaster, and then holstered it on the back of his waist. Glancing one final time at the group, he turned and dropped from the rooftop out of sight from the party.

"Who was that?" Bastila murmured looking at Drake. Drake shook his head.

"You two ok?" he checked as Canderous and Carth stood. Canderous cracked his neck.

"Yeah…I'm good…right I'd say that's definitely earned me a drink…see ya soon, hopefully not too soon…" Canderous growled as he marched away leaving the others to watch him leave. Drake shrugged and led Carth and Bastila to the droid workshop.

A half-hour later Drake emerged from the shop, with a tall, menacing rusty brown coloured droid beside, Carth and Bastila close behind. This droid was known as HK-47 and was apparently a protocol droid capable of understanding Tusken. Drake however could see this was not any ordinary droid, as Hk held he's blaster rifle with a mastery of an assassin.

"Do you really think this droid will be useful?" Bastila demanded, the droid had already become an annoyance his bloodlust sounded insatiable.

"Like it or not Bas…he's the best chance we have at understanding the Sand people so yes…" Bastila sighed incredulously as Juhani and Mission approached.

"We took the supplies to the ship…" Juhani stated.

"Excellent, well we'll be back soon, just make sure…" Drake was cut off by a loud scream of pain. Whipping his head round, he saw a young boy no more than 8 years of age being pinned to the floor by the foot of a middle-aged man.

"Pathetic child…when I ask you do something I want done properly!" the man hissed as he pressed his foot into the boy's chest. The young child had tears streaming down his face, and looked as though he could barely breath.

"I won't do it again…I promise master…" the boy pleaded. The man laughed sardonically and stomped down a little harder, as the boy screamed desperately as the bystanders watched regretfully and some being held back by their friends.

"No you will not…" Mission looked about ready to march over and give the man a piece of her mind, as he picked up the much smaller being by the scruff of his neck. Drake beat her to it.

Drake swept past Carth and Bastila, unclipping his lightsabre from his belt. As he got closer, he pressed it to the back of the man's head, his finger on the ignition button. The rest of the party, especially Bastila watched in absolute shock at Drake's unheard of and outlandish manoeuvre. The anger pulsating from Drake wasn't something Bastila had felt or seen before and it frightened her greatly.

"Put the boy down…" Drake snarled, the man didn't budge keeping the child in the air, as the boy gaped for breath.

"This is none of you business" he retorted, Drake pressed his inactivate sabre harder against the man's skin as the crowd that had gathered held its breath.

"Put…Him…Down" Drake's voice was laced with a huge amount of venom as his piercing blue eyes bored into the back of the man's skull. The man scoffed and threw the child to the ground. An instantly terrible mistake.

Drake drove his knee into the man's kidney, with a huge amount of force. The man crumpled with a yell of shock and agony. Drake's blue lightsabre blade appeared with a snap-hiss at the man's throat. The man gulped his eyes wide with fear as the people around stared with a mixture of surprise and respect. Drake thought better of killing the man and kicked him face first into the sand. The coward spluttered and choked on the white dust as the crowd roared with laughter, apart from Drake's companions who simply stood in amazement.

"Get out of here…" Drake ordered, the man got to his feet a look humiliation and rage on his ugly features. He moved towards the boy who lay motionless on the floor, only to find Drake's blade dangerously close to a very delicate area "leave the boy, beat it!" Drake spat. The man slowly backed away and then turned and scurried away muttering something under his breath. Drake took a deep breath and de-powered his sabre. He knelt down next to the boy, as Mission and the others hurried over. Mission dropped down to opposite Drake and looked at the boy in worry.

"He's lost a lot moisture…he's dehydrated and exhausted…" Drake muttered as he ran his hand of the boys forehead, the rage he'd just a few seconds ago had vanished. "Poor kid…we need to get him to the ship…Mission will you take him?" Mission nodded.

"I'll go too…" Carth said reaching down and cradling the child in his arms, as he stood, Mission next to him, running her hand down the boys face. "Drake you did the right thing…" Drake nodded as Carth and Mission hurried back to the ship. Drake closed his eyes as a painful memory flashed over his mind and took a deep breath. Bastila gazed at him trying to work out the source of the outburst. Drake always had good control of his temper and even the smallest outburst was rare. This was extremely shocking to say the least.

"Are you ok?" Bastila whispered placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah…just a bitter memory…lets go…" Drake stood as Bastila withdrew her hand, feeling slightly hurt by his secrecy.

"Drake…" Drake turned to Juhani as Hk stood silent and waiting. "You can tell us anything you know that…" Drake smiled sadly.

"I know…just not now…come one" Drake turned. "Hk follow me…"

"Statement: Finally I was getting bored of standing around, maybe now I can shoot something" Bastila and Juhani fell into step behind them as Drake led the way out of Achorhead.

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