Brinna woke up early the next morning, much to Bastila's surprise—and, truth be told, much to Brinna's own surprise. After her tiff with Carth in the cockpit, Brinna had spent some time angrily pacing the cargo hold before she finally felt calm enough to go to her bunk and attempt to sleep. When she had walked into the bunkroom, Brinna had known that Bastila was about to say something disapproving to her and Brinna channeled her energy into fiercely and none too politely telling Bastila via their bond to leave her be. Brinna had felt Bastila's astonishment at the vehemence of the warning and then she had sensed a withdrawal as Bastila closed herself off to Brinna and their bond. That was fine with Brinna; she didn't like Bastila in her head anyway.
"You and Carth had another fight, didn't you?" Mission asked her as she dressed and clipped her lightsabers to her belt.
"I'm done, Mission," Brinna said tiredly.
Mission gave her a skeptical look and Brinna was annoyed.
"I'm serious about that. He's made it clear to me that he doesn't like me trying to learn more about him so I'm not going to try anymore. To hell with him. I have other things to worry about."
"If that's what you think is best," Mission told her and Brinna could hear the doubt in her voice.
Without saying another word to Mission, Brinna left the bunkroom and headed for the common room. She had meant what she had said to Mission. The truth was that her nerves felt like they were scraped raw. Her compassion had made her foolish on many occasions and she was now convinced that this was yet another. It was time for her to focus on what was really important: her mission.
The only person in the common room was Canderous and Brinna was relieved. At least she knew what to expect from the Mandalorian. He had little use for feelings so there was no sort of inner turmoil pent up inside of him, for which Brinna was very glad. She needed to be around someone who was not so complex, someone whose motives she understood and who said exactly what he felt without compunction.
"Aren't you the early riser today," Canderous said. He was pouring himself a mug of caffa but he handed it to Brinna instead and then poured a second mug for himself. "Princess must have put the fear of death in you."
Brinna snorted. "Do you really think me that weak?"
Canderous grinned at her. "Of course not. Actually, I think you're up already because you just didn't want to listen to her nagging you again."
She didn't give him a direct answer to the question but he could read her well enough to know what it was and he let out a low chuckle.
"You delight in dissension amongst the ranks of the Jedi, don't you?" Brinna accused him, unable to suppress a smile of her own.
He nodded his agreement.
"I suppose I should allow you that much. After all, for all your disdain of the Jedi, they certainly made short work of you during the war," she taunted him.
"Why don't we go outside and you can say that to me again," Canderous challenged.
Brinna waved a hand impatiently. "I may have further need of you, Mandalorian. No sense in killing you just yet."
Canderous chuckled again and handed her a plate of food. She carried it over to the table and sat down and he followed her shortly.
"Will I be cooling my heels again today?" he asked her.
"Sorry, Canderous, but yeah. I have to take Bastila with me to the ruins and Carth's already in a twist so I'll have to take him along too. However, I promise that the next time I need to run around killing things you'll be my first choice."
"How touching," he said sarcastically, taking a long pull of his caffa.
"Nothing pleases me more than being nice to you," she said sweetly, patting his arm.
Carth walked in just in time to catch the interaction between them and Brinna did not fail to notice the quick frown that crossed his face. She felt a petty flash of satisfaction that she'd succeeded in provoking his displeasure.
"Well, isn't this cozy," Canderous said, taking a casual bite of his food. "A Jedi, a Mandalorian warrior, and a Republic soldier having breakfast." He placed an undue amount of emphasis on the word "soldier," earning himself a glare from Carth.
"That sounds like the start of a really bad joke," Mission said, walking into the room with Zaalbar in tow.
"Mission, why don't you try swindling a few credits out of Canderous today? Maybe a little Pazaak will keep him busy," Brinna suggested.
"I'd like to see her try," Canderous said smugly.
"I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you," Brinna told him. "She's very sneaky."
"I'll be glad to prove it to him," Mission said.
"You're on," Canderous told her, reaching across the table to give her hand a quick shake. "But your little pet droid better not be anywhere near the table."
Mission scowled and Brinna couldn't help but smile. It seemed her suspicions about T3's presence had been right on the mark. At any rate, she was glad that Canderous and Mission would be spending some time together. While Brinna wouldn't exactly suggest to Mission that she should look up to Canderous as a role model, she was glad that the Mandalorian would be around to keep an eye on the young Twi'lek. She was secure in the belief that he would be able to keep her out of any trouble.
Bastila joined them, shooting Brinna an icy look as she carried her plate and mug over to the table. Brinna smiled lazily at her and let her know via their bond that Brinna's affairs were none of Bastila's business. Bastila stonily informed her that anything affecting their mission was her business. Now Brinna was mad. She told Bastila in no uncertain terms that what was happening with Carth was not affecting their mission in any way, shape or form. For once, Bastila was smart enough to keep any further opinions on the matter to herself.
Breakfast was something of a tense affair. Brinna was giving Carth the cold shoulder and the tension between her and Bastila was nearly palpable. Carth kept shooting dirty looks at Canderous, who met them with an insolent smile. Mission and Zaalbar kept their attention determinedly fixed on their plates.
When they were finished eating, Brinna looked briefly at Carth, giving him a terse nod that told him he was to come with her and Bastila. Though she was angry with him, she felt that she owed it to him to bring him along on the exploration of the ruins. She was sure he was impatient to return to the fleet and she felt responsible for his continued presence on Dantooine. He had saved her life on Taris and for that she figured she at least owed him the courtesy of bringing him along on what looked to be an important mission.
It didn't take long for the three of them to reach the ruins. There was something foreboding about the place and it raised gooseflesh on Brinna's arms. As she approached the door, she felt very strange. It was exactly as she'd seen it in her dreams, giving her the unnerving sense that she'd already opened it once. She could feel the dark side of the Force thrumming through the ruins and it called to her, trying to beckon her to surrender to its insidious embrace.
"I can't believe they sent Nemo here alone," Brinna said quietly. "The Council underestimated the power of this place."
"They are not infallible," Bastila said, startling Brinna. Brinna had never before heard her say anything less than positive about the Council and she turned to study Bastila with a surprised expression.
"No one is infallible," Bastila replied, almost defiantly.
"Let's get this over with," Brinna said, turning back to the door and opening it.
They stepped inside, their feet kicking up small clouds of dust as they moved. The atmosphere was heavy and so laden with the dark side that Brinna could see even Carth was affected by it. They stepped through another door and came upon a droid that promptly began speaking to them in an unrecognizable language. None of them understood it and when Brinna expressed that to the droid, it switched to an antiquated form of the Selkath language, which both Brinna and Bastila understood.
The droid then launched into a long and confusing narrative about the Builders, the Star Maps, and something called the Star Forge. Though Brinna tried probing the droid for more information, it soon became clear to them that it had been programmed with a limited amount of information and it could not offer her any detailed information about the Star Forge. Brinna was disappointed because as soon as the droid had mentioned the Star Forge, she had instantly known that it was what Malak and Revan had been seeking when they had visited the ruins four years ago.
Brinna asked the droid how someone could gain access to the Star Map and the droid told her that she would have to prove herself worthy. For the first time, Brinna noticed a body lying next to the droid. It was horribly still and Brinna knew that Nemo had rejoined the Force. She only hoped she would not soon be following him.
When they had obtained all the information they possibly could from the droid, Brinna turned and led them into a room to the east of the droid. They were immediately attacked by another droid and the three of them sprang into action.
The droid was unlike any Brinna had ever seen. Though it was fashioned from ancient technology, it was far more powerful than most modern droids Brinna had encountered. Whoever the Builder race had been, they had been possessed of phenomenal intelligence and amazing technological prowess.
After a rather prolonged battle, the droid lay in smoking ruin. There was a computer console at the back of the room and Brinna immediately headed toward it, ignoring the pain from her wounds. Bastila used the Force to heal the three of them as Brinna reached the machine.
The language on the screen was unintelligible and Brinna stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do. Finally, she shrugged and spoke to the machine. Carth and Bastila stared at her with strange looks but it worked; the screen changed but it was still unintelligible. Brinna could see a slot at the bottom of the machine and she dug her datapad out of her pack and plugged it into the receptacle.
Once more the screen changed but this time the words were in Basic and Brinna could understand what they said. It seemed to be some sort of riddle that was easily enough solved. When she was finished, the screen flashed and then a message appeared noting that one of the seals had been broken.
"Looks like a good sign to me," Brinna said, retrieving her datapad. "Let's head to the west room. And this time let's be prepared for attack."
They moved over to the western room and, sure enough, they were attacked by another droid. This time they were prepared, though, and it didn't take as long for them to destroy the droid. Once again, Brinna headed for the computer console as Bastila healed them. Brinna followed the same procedure she had with the machine in the eastern room and another riddle appeared. She answered the riddle swiftly and was rewarded with a message telling her that the other seal had been broken. From the central room they heard the sound of a door unlocking.
"Well done," Bastila complimented Brinna.
Brinna nodded in acknowledgement and they returned to the central room, where the droid informed them that they had proven themselves worthy of entering the last room in the ruins, the room where the Star Map lay. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at this redundant piece of information but she didn't say anything as she led Carth and Bastila to the last door.
Fortunately, there was no attack droid awaiting them on the other side of the door. Instead, there was a structure that was familiar to both Brinna and Bastila, who'd already seen it once in a dream. They exchanged a look before approaching the structure and, just as in the dream, it opened up, a black orb rising from its center and whirling in a dizzying orbit before beams of light extended outward, forming the Star Map.
It was strangely beautiful to behold and the three of them stood staring silently at it for a moment. Brinna was transfixed as she picked out familiar planets and systems on the map. She spotted Deralia and felt a wave of emotion that she quickly pushed aside. Bastila was picking out planets as well and Brinna focused her attention on the other Jedi.
She quickly saw what Bastila saw; the map was incomplete. Though it showed most of the galaxy, there were key pieces of information missing, pieces that most likely revealed the whereabouts of the mysterious Star Forge. Bastila picked out Kashyyyk, Tatooine, Korriban, and Manaan on the Star Map and commented that Malak and Revan had been known to visit those worlds. She speculated that they might be able to find other Star Maps on those planets. Carth was skeptical but, for perhaps the first time, Brinna found herself agreeing with Bastila. Bastila was anxious to report their findings to the Council and Brinna agreed that they should head for the Council chambers immediately.
They made swift progress back to the enclave but before they entered, Bastila paused and looked at Brinna with an appraising glance. Brinna raised her eyebrows and Bastila asked if she could pose a few questions to Brinna. Warily, Brinna agreed to the exercise expecting a serious grilling but, to her confusion and surprise, Bastila merely asked her a bunch of mundane questions. Brinna answered them honestly but when Bastila asked about her age, she grew impatient and told Bastila that she was sure Bastila had already found that information in her service record. Bastila then proceeded to tell her that the questions had been part of a test that had allowed her to ascertain that Brinna was honest and that she took the questions seriously, which she took as a good sign. Brinna stared at the other Jedi in disbelief and then in consternation as Bastila announced that she was not happy to be linked with Brinna, to share a bond with her that allowed them glimpses into one another's minds. Sarcastically, Brinna thanked Bastila and then took a jab at her by asking Bastila why she was so preachy.