"Bastila, you're alive!" Carth started as Connan shut the door, leaning against it and glaring. His tone became concerned as he checked over her body with his eyes, making Connan bristle. "What happened out there? Are you okay? Why are you covered in blood?"
"She wouldn't get out of my way. I told her I'd handle it." Connan tattled on the Jedi instantly, leering at the brunette standing beside her. Carth raised an eyebrow at her.
"Handle what? What happened to you?" He asked again, his hazel orbs burrowing into Connan. Connan rolled her eyes and made her way to Mission, who stood next to the kitchen table.
"I'm fine, Carth, don't worry. I just hope those Vulcars don't want to get at me anymore," Bastila reassured, ignoring Connan. The woman rolled her eyes
"Seeing as how I massacred half of their team, would they cower in fear, or not?" Connan snarled at the Jedi, now sitting on the table. She knocked over the holographic flower vase sitting there. No one regarded it.
"You killed half of the team?" Mission asked, her voice brightening. "What about Brejik? Did you kill him?"
"I sure did," Connan patted the table beside her, beckoning the Twi'lek child to sit with her. "Stabbed him in the neck." She motioned the movements with her hands, remembering the deed.
"After blowing up your sword and cutting your hand, I might add." Bastila smirked.
"You cut your hand?" Mission asked, grabbing Connan's hand—which was wrapped in a torn piece of cloth from one of the dead—and inspecting it. The cut was trying to close itself up, entrapping all of the germs and bacteria with it. "I'll clean it for you."
"Or better yet I'll heal it for her." Bastila walked up to Connan quickly, reaching out for the hand. Connan jumped up from the table, on the other side and away from the Jedi.
"You'll do no such thing!" She held her now bleeding hand protectively, getting her armor even more blood-encrusted. The poor woman was feeling a little lightheaded. "I don't want any of those Jedi farces anywhere near me." Bastila placed her hands on her hips.
"I'm standing right here."
"And you're as big a farce as farces can get." Connan back against the wall. "Keep those hands to yourself."
"Well then let me clean it. No Jedi tricks, I promise." Mission took Connan's hand again wearily and opened up a spare medpac stashed in the locker. Connan relaxed her hand and allowed the child to heal her hand. Mission took out an alcohol swab and began to clean the hand, sending a stinging sensation up Connan's arm. She disregarded it.
Carth went on. "We need to come up with a plan to get off this rock before the Sith find out they're missing their Jedi."
"You mean you don't have a plan to leave?" Bastila asked. "What have you been doing all this time?"
"Well, I certainly didn't want to find a Jedi, believe me. I was hoping to just stick around the cantina. Onsai, however, talked me into finding you. Can't say I was too happy, you'll be sure. But we found you. You owe us a favor now, you know." Connan barked, cutting off Carth's answer. Carth sighed, sitting down and waiting for this next argument to die down.
"There's no need to be rude!" Bastila scolded. "I am a member of the Jedi Order and I demand respect!"
"Yeah, well I demand not being in the same room as a pompous Jedi who still looks like she works as a cantina dancer, but we can't all get what we want, can we?" Connan smirked as she heard Mission giggle.
"Why must you insist on making everything so hard?" Bastila asked.
"Jeez, Jedi, I've only known you for about two hours and you're already saying I make things hard? I thought Jedi were supposed to be passive, and not judgmental." Connan crossed her legs and smiled.
"I am not being judgmental I'm merely… merely—"
"Can't think of anything can you?" Connan asked, beaming cunningly. "See, I'm right."
"If you aren't the most infuriating thing that crossed my path then—"
"Then you'll inform the Jedi Council of my bad Republic behavior? I'm scared, truly."
"You should be."
"You don't know the difference between sarcasm and reality, huh, Jedi?"
"My name is not Jedi! That is a title!"
"So I'm calling you by your title. I only call my friends by their names."
Bastila blanched.
"Well…." Carth stood again. "We should probably get out there and look for a way off the planet."
"I would suggest Davik Kang could help." Mission held a hand up, not taking her eyes away from the healing hand. "We could steal his ship."
"The Ebon Hawk? I've heard of it. I even saw it once when Davik made his rounds. Great guy, Davik is. I'll bet he'll let us in easy." Connan planned. "Great idea, Mission!" Connan stressed Mission's name, glancing at Bastila as she did.
"You're going to steal a ship from a guy you like?" Carth asked.
"Hey, if I can take armor and necessities off of a dead guy in the middle of a battle, I can steal a ship from the galaxy's best smuggler." Connan smirked, pulling her hand away from Mission.
"But I'm not done." Mission tried to grab the hand back. "It'll start bleeding again if I don't finish it right now."
"I'm a quick healer, don't worry. Besides, we need to go find a way to get to Davik." Connan bound the cut with a fresh cloth and ran a sticky hand through her clumped hair. "Let me take a shower first, then we'll head off."
-----
"No."
"No what?"
"No way in hell I'm meeting him."
"Why not?"
"Because he's a perverted Mandalorian with hands the size of my armor just itching too see what's behind the armor! I'm not going anywhere near him!"
"Do you want to get off of this rock?"
"Yes…."
"Then go meet with Candorous Ordo!" Carth ordered. Connan crossed her arms.
"Alright, but if he touches me, I'll go after you." She teased Carth. "Mission, Onasi, you two are coming with me."
"You're not going to take me?" Bastila asked. "I'm the best fighter here!"
Connan bristled again, but held her sharp tongue. She blunted it lightly.
"I was going to leave you here incase the Sith decided to storm the apartments, you could show off your 'best fighter here' skills and save everyone, but if you're that desperate to come, then be my guest." Connan shrugged. "We're leaving, so either come or stay. Z, since you're a Wookie and these people don't agree that well with Wookies, I think it best if you stay here. Is that okay?"
Zaalbar bowed, roaring his answer. "I would rather stay here and clean up this place. Mission is so sloppy."
"I understood that, Big Guy!" Mission smiled. "Have fun." Zaalbar nodded.
Bastila closed the door behind her and jogged after Connan the others.
"So we're going to the Upper City cantina?" Mission asked nervously. "Will they allow a Twi'lek in there?"
"Stick with us, Mission. They'll let you in." Connan wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders.
-----
"Hey, that Twi'lek shouldn't be in here!" the bartender pointed at Mission dejectedly. "This is the Upper City!"
"Really?" Connan sat down next to Mission in the bar, banging the table for some Tarisian alcohol. "You're not going to serve my friend? That's not very nice." The bartender stared at Connan.
"Oh, you're back! Are you going to play again?" The bartender handed Connan and Mission the yellow ale, foaming at the top.
"If there's time." Connan answered. "But I'm looking for someone right now."
"Who might that be?" The bartender asked.
"Someone called Candorous Ordo." Mission explained. "Seen him?"
"Seen him? He practically owns the bar!" The bartender exclaimed. "He said someone might be looking for him. But he described someone looking like one of the dancer girls up there…." The bartender pointed to the stage. Connan growled.
"I'll tear that Mandalorian limb-from-limb." She threatened. "Where is he?"
"He's over there." The bartender pointed a greasy finger into another room. Connan nodded her thanks and left, Mission following closely behind.
"What did that man mean, 'are you going to play again tonight?'?" Bastila asked, joining the two with Carth at her side.
"It's a story that I really don't want to tell right now." Connan explained. She entered the room. Candorous was sitting down with a mug in his hands. She sauntered over to his table and sat with him.
"Okay, Mandy." She snarled. He cocked an eyebrow at the name. "What did you want?"
"I wanted you to come alone, but I guess you didn't get the hint." He looked over Carth, Mission, and Bastila. "Made a new friend?" He referred to the latter.
"An acquaintance only. I need to get her where she needs to go, and then I'm returning to Sa—to where I came from." Connan stressed. Candorous laughed.
"I'm sure," He said. "You need a way off the planet."
"You must be smart."
"It's a gift, I'll admit."
"Are you sure? Because I was sure I caught the stench before the I.Q." Connan snarled, waving a hand back and forth in front of her nose.. Candorous laughed.
"Not like this isn't fun or anything, but we have things to attend to." He crossed his arms and leaned back. "I can get us to the Ebon Hawk."
"Why would you want to do that?" Mission blurted. "You work for the guy who owns it."
Candorous sighed, eyeing each and every one of them.
"He hasn't been paying me what I deserve recently. I don't like being cheated, so I want off this planet."
"I don't like this guy," Carth hissed into Connan's ear quickly. "He's a Mandalorian, and you can't trust those people."
"I wasn't talking to you, Republic Soldier." Carth scowled at the name. "I was talking to your friend." Candorous nodded to Connan, who sighed, deep in thought.
"He has a name, you know." Connan spouted, breaking her own train of thought.
"So do you, I'm sure." Candorous smirked.
"You tracked me down without knowing my name?" Connan gawked.
"It wasn't hard. All I had to do was ask for the winner of the swoop races." Candorous bragged. "So are you going to tell me your names, or am I going to have to guess?"
"I suppose I could let you in. The guy Carth Onasi, the Twi'lek is Mission Vao—be nice to her. I'll know if you aren't." Connan thrust her thumb in the now-beaming Mission's direction. "And the Jedi is Bastila."
"I'm sure it should be a pleasure." Candorous cast a suspicious look toward Bastila. Connan grinned.
"So you want to hitch a ride with us?" Connan got back on topic. Candorous nodded. "Well, how would we get past the Sith quarantine?"
"I've got it covered. Davik's ship is the fastest in the entire galaxy, so once you get a hold of the target codes we can bypass the auto-targeting Sith quarantine and leave." Candorous explained.
Connan rubbed her chin.
"Can we trust him?" She asked Jishin cautiously.
"I don't see any reason as to why not." Jishin explained. She looked the Mandalorian up and down. "Though he is a Mandalorian, and a big pervert, I don't sense anything bad will happen in giving him a ride somewhere."
"Alright." Connan inwardly shook hands with her twin.
"Fine. How do we get the codes?" Connan asked out loud.
"They're in the Sith base." Candorous informed. Connan stood.
"Dammit, Mandy, how am I supposed to get inside that base?" She shouted.
"Go buy that droid from Janice Nall, the one called T3-M4. Tell her Candorous sent you, and she'll let you get it. He's got the equipment needed to get inside that base." Candorous said. "I'll be waiting in Javyar's cantina. Go there once you've got the codes."
"Yeah, yeah. You owe me. Big time." Connan snarled. "Let's go."
-----
"Hello, Janice." Connan called as she sauntered into the shop. Mission, Bastila and Carth left her there for their apartment. "I'm back!"
"Ooh! Big swoop racer! I saw you at the race!" Janice called, waving excitedly. "What can I get for you?"
"I need that droid. Candorous sent me to pick it up." Connan pointed to the silver droid farthest from her. It studied her finger and beeped its approval. "Can I get it from you?"
"Ah, Candorous sent you!" The Twi'lek clapped. "Of course! Two thousand credits and I'll give it to you." Connan faltered.
"Two thousand credits? That's all I have!" She counted up the credits in her datapad. "That's robbery. Can I make you go lower?"
"Not likely." Janice crossed her arms. "If you work for Candorous, then I expect you to have a little money on you."
"You won't go lower, then." Connan said nonchalantly. Subconsciously, her hand waved by her side.
"I won't lower." Janice repeated.
"You won't lower at all?" Connan's hand shuffled across her waist now. The Twi'lek nodded fiercely.
"I won't lower at all." Connan started, leaning backwards and raised an eyebrow. What was going on?
"Why is she repeating everything we say?" She asked Jishin. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not doing anything!" Jishin answered. "Watch when we tell her something. Our hand moves. I haven't moved it. Have you?" The twin in question held up the hand. Connan studied it.
"Not that I remember." Connan held up her own wrist, cradling it in the other hand. "Let's try it."
"So you're going to lower the price." Connan watched her hand as she spoke to Janice. The muscles sprang to life before both Jishin and Connan could stop them, brushing lightly through the air.
"So, I'm going to lower the price." Janice shrugged. "Fifteen hundred."
The thought of what happened hit both Connan and Jishin at the same time. Connan gasped, stepping backward and sticking her hand in her armor.
"Jedi trick!" The two cried simultaneously.
"D-deal." Connan slapped Janice's hand and transferred the credits nervously.
"Come back now!" Janice called.
"Yeah, sure." Connan bustled to the droid. "So, T3-M4, huh?" She asked it. The droid nodded. It began beeping in a line of whoops and whirls.
Connan chuckled. "I'll bet," She chided. "Now let's go. I need you to do something for me." She waved him to the front door. As he strode up to the front, his joints creaked.
"Wait." She called to him. He turned to stare at her. "Let's head back to my apartment, first. We need to make a plan. And I'll be able to fix those joints on you. You sound like you were thrown into the trash compactor and then taken out just before you were crushed."
The droid whooped, offended. Listening, Connan shrugged.
"Well, trash compactor, garbage disposal, almost same thing. Let's head out."
-----
The droid filed into the room and took a spot in the corner to stay. Connan stormed in and threw her backpack onto her bunk. She stomped up to the workbench and began pounding on her vibroblade.
"Got the droid." She snapped at Carth, who stood behind her in near shock. She didn't look up from her work as she upgraded the grip. "Got to fix him, though. Take me about a day. Come up with a plan until then, okay Onasi?"
Carth licked his lips nervously. What had set her off?
"Alright." He continued to stare at her as she poured her anger out on her work. "Is… something wrong?"
"No! Why would anything be wrong, Onsai?" The sarcasm dripped from her mouth.
"Well, you're snarling, and somehow, there's blood all over your blade." Carth sat on his bed, still observing Connan. She pulled her hand away from her work, and saw the blood smeared where she just placed her right hand. Connan glanced at her hand. The cut had reopened.
Anger shot through the woman again. She kicked the workbench.
"Damn," She whispered, trying to find a spare medpac. "Damn, I hate when I do that!" She kicked the workbench again.
Zaalbar came in from the refresher and growled in a low tone.
"Could you please stop kicking things?" He asked. "Either you're going to break the wall, or you're going to attract unwanted attention."
"Yeah, yeah." Connan gave up the search for a medpac and settled for a strip of cloth from her bag. She began trying to stop the blood, grunting whenever she pressed too hard in her expedition. She sat at the table, holding her bloody arm onto the surface.
Carth sighed. Something had gotten Connan stirred up like that. Standing, he walked over to the cabinet and pulled out an advanced medpac. He sat on the seat opposite of Connan and pulled her hand from her grasp.
"Here." He said, opening the pack and pulling out the disinfectant. He placed her hand gently on top of his hand. Connan watched with earnest, letting her hand lay limp inside his. He softly cleaned the wound. "You being angry at a scratch isn't going to make it better." He explained kindly. Connan chuckled.
"No, but waving my hand in front of Janice Nall got her to lower her price for the droid." She murmured harshly. Carth's ears perked.
"What?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her wound. "What happened in there?"
"Nothing much. She wanted two thousand for a droid, and I asked her if she would lower it. She kept repeating my words. I figured out I was moving my hand whenever I spoke to her. I figured that might have been the reason why she was turning into the alien parrot. So I told her she would lower the price and swayed my hand in front of her. She repeated me again, and lowered the price to fifteen hundred!" Connan ran her good hand through her hair.
"But, isn't that a Jedi trick?" Carth now stared at Connan, concern marking his face. Connan didn't try to hide the disgust on her face.
"That's what I thought. Where is the Jedi, anyway? I haven't her from her or Mission." Connan glanced around the room. Only T3-M4 and Zaalbar inhabited the room, along with Carth and herself.
"They're taking a tour. Bastila wants to get a feel for the planet before she goes masquerading around it." Carth pulled out a long, white bandage from the advanced pack. He gently started to wrap it around Connan's hand.
"Hah! That's a laugh." She barked. "Jedi aren't supposed to feel anything." Carth frowned.
"What do you have against Bastila, anyway?" He asked, securing the bandage onto her hand. He let her hand go abruptly. "You're so rude to her, it's scary. I mean, you're rude period, but it mean to do it with Bastila around."
"I've got nothing against Bastila, per se." Connan stood, stretching. "It's the Jedi I'm not particularly fond of."
"Why not? They're friends to the Republic." Carth argued.
"Well, I haven't lived in the Republic." Connan countered. Carth bristled.
"They're in the Outer Rim, too."
"I know that all too well." Connan crossed her arms, careful not to hurt her bandaged hand.
"So why do you hate them so vilely? What wrong have they done you?" Carth inquired. Connan's temper flared again.
"It's not what they did; it's what they didn't do. It's what they could have done. It's what they did not even try to attempt."
"And what was that?" Carth himself was getting a little frustrated. Connan hesitated.
"The Jedi preach tranquility; they preach serenity and peace. That doesn't mean they are the perfect precedent."
"That doesn't answer the question." Carth said.
"It didn't, did it?" Connan smirked. "Get used to disappointment."
"You're going to have to tell me sooner or later." Carth drew his own cunning grin across his face.
"Better later then sooner." Connan glanced at the new droid, who was trying to get their attention. She read the beeps that he talked. "Yeah, I'm on it. I'll go the large wrench and oil."
She left the room.
-----
"You wanted something?" Connan stared up blankly at Bastila, who stood in front of her. Connan sat on the floor, her back leaning against the steel wall and her legs drawn up beside her. Carth stood in a different corner, watching the two out of the corner of his eyes, just in case he would have to intervene anything.
"Well, yes, if you'd be considerate enough to talk to me." Bastila bowed her head slightly.
"I suppose," Connan stood so the Jedi wouldn't have to look down on her. "What was it?"
"I was wondering about you, actually. How did you manage to find me?" Bastila asked.
"I didn't," Connan popped her head against the wall a few times out of boredom, each time pulling it back to glance at Bastila. "Onsai, Mission, and Big Z helped."
"At least you have modesty." Bastila started. Connan bristled. Before she could utter any foul words, Bastila continued. "But you did most of the work. You tracked down the Beks, found out where I was, and got me out of the swoop race without the Sith noticing you here."
"So what? It's nothing new," Connan shrugged.
"Hmm… I'm sure." Bastila looked down. "Such abilities are the qualities of a Jedi. Perhaps if you were younger, we could have—"
"This conversation is over." Connan snapped.
"Have I over-stepped my authority?" Bastila sounded abashed.
"Jedi, you've leapt off a cliff as far as I'm concerned." Connan shrugged, moving away from Bastila.
"Why must you be so rude to me? What have I done to you?" Bastila argued, her anger steadily rising. Connan balled her fists together.
"You're a Jedi. That's enough for me."
"Very well, what do you have against the Jedi Order?"
"What don't I have against them?" Connan countered. Mission looked up from her blaster on the workbench to supervise the growing argument between the two.
"Easy, you two."
They ignored her
"That says nothing. As far as I know you are just power jealous." Bastila crossed her arms.
Connan's rage started up again.
"Power… jealous?" She repeated, her shoulders shaking. "You dare call me power jealous?"
"Hey, Connan." Mission ran over and laid her hands on the woman's shoulders. "It's okay. Take a deep breath."
"Yes, I called you power jealous. That's what you are unless you can give me a reasonable answer." Bastila raised an eyebrow. Connan's shoulders tensed immensely and her eyes sealed shut.
"Bastila, stop it." Carth ordered, placing a hand on Connan's shoulder. He squeezed it tight enough for her to look up at him. He smiled at her. "You're being irrational. There's no reason to be so distraught. If she doesn't want to tell you why she doesn't like Jedi, she doesn't have to tell you."
"Finally he agrees with us." Jishin stuck out her tongue.
"I am not being irrational." Bastila insisted. "I'm trying to get an answer out of her."
"Why not use your stupid Jedi Tricks?" Connan spat.
"I might," Bastila chided. Connan spun around and attempted to lunge at Bastila. Mission and Carth held her back.
"Try it and I'll rip your arms off." Connan threatened. She stood straight, and sighed. "I'm heading for the cantina. Want to come, Mission?"
"Sure, I'll come." Mission grabbed Connan's beige bag and handed it to her. Connan took it and headed for the door.
Once Mission and Connan were outside, the tears of anger tried to break through. Connan fought to hold them back, at least until they were outside the apartment complex.
"You okay?" Mission asked, staring at her friend. Connan nodded.
"Perfect."
"Liar."
Outside the apartment complex, Connan leaned against the wall, breathing in the outside air. She leaned up against the steel wall and allowed the anger to be let loose. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"That's what I thought." Mission embraced Connan. "It's okay, okay? Forget about Bastila; she didn't mean any of it."
The doors to the apartments opened and Carth ran out, stopping as he saw Connan. The woman turned around, folding her arms together and holding a hand up to her mouth.
"Connan," He started. She wouldn't face him. "What got Bastila so riled up in there?"
"I couldn't care less. She's a Jedi; she'll blame it on me." Connan's voice started breaking. She hated herself.
"We're crying in front of Onasi." Connan thought solemnly.
"Aw, hell, it probably is my fault." Connan kicked the steel wall with her thin shoe as hard as she could. She felt her toes crack, but ignored the pain. "Why, of all the things in the world to save, did I have to go and rescue a Jedi?"
"Come on, let's go and get you a drink." Mission tugged her friend toward the other side of the walkway. "Carth, go and talk with Bastila."
"Easier said than done." Carth answered. He stared at Connan, still hugging her sides and staring at the ground. He squeezed her shoulder again. "Hey," He uttered loud enough so she could hear. "Calm down, okay? It was nothing. Just a conversation with a Jedi gone horribly wrong."
Connan chuckled, gathering up the courage to look at Carth straight-on.
"Truthfully, Onasi," She began walking away as she spoke. "If I were in your shoes, the Jedi would look like millions of Saul Karaths."
THE END!
Yeah it got pretty dark at the end. But don't worry, Bastila somehow manages to become friends with Connan after a while. The next chapter they tackle both the Sith and the Exchange, and are in possession of the Hawk by the end of the chapter! Yay! ((claps))
I honestly don't know if I'm going to update Choices No One Should Make next, or Just Like Me. Then again, I should also update The Phantom Menace. So much to do, and I'm already working on another one-shot. This is going to be one BIG spring break.
Have a great spring break everyone!