Your chapter three. In which we return to Zara.

Dark Jedi—my honor guard—fell one by one, their red sabers vanishing as Jedi blues, violets, greens, and golds felled them. A girl bearing a single golden saber stepped forward, leading the Jedi despite her youth, her gray eyes cool.

"This is your weapon, baby girl." My mother smiled at me, the lines around her eyes deepening. "So fill it with yourself."

I smiled but didn't break my concentration until the last piece clicked into place. "I know."

"I've taught you all I can. You're far greater in the Force than me, baby girl. It's time for you to find your destiny."

I pulled on my cloak, levitating the lightsaber into my pack. "I know, Mama. I got my orders today—I won't let the Mandalorians take over the Republic, not when I have power to stop them."

She kissed my forehead. "May the tides of life, the Force, be with you. And remember your codes."

"I won't forget. I'd never forget." I secured my cloak with the circular pin, picking up my pack. "Bye, Mama. I'll call you whenever I can."

"Trust your visions and keep your father secret."

"I will."

Zara woke slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she probed the space around her cautiously with the Force. She slowly sat up when she sensed no threat, massaging a throbbing bump on her head.

"Good. You're finally awake. I was starting to get worried."

"Carth Onasi, right?" Zara remembered that orange jacket.

He nodded. "You got a pretty nasty bump when we crashed."

"I guess I owe you one." She was sending waves of the healing Force into her head. "Thanks."

He scoffed. "I'd never leave a fellow soldier. And I'll need all the help I can get to find Bastila—Taris is a Sith planet."

"Taris? Ugh."

"You been here before?"

"Once was enough." She muttered. "Yes, I have. I served during the Mandalorian Wars—I was part of the force that kicked the Mandies off this planet. It was a cesspit then and's pry worse now."

"If by 'cesspit' you mean very segregated, bigoted, and hard to travel around, it's not gotten better."

"Yeah, well, I didn't expect it to get better. You're lucky it's me you got, Captain, and not some airbrained moron."

"Lucky, huh?" Carth said dryly.

"I know this planet. So, what was that about Bastila?"

"We have to find her and get her off the planet."

"That's a tall order."

He grimaced. "Tell me about it. The planet is quarantined and she's most likely in the Undercity, which we can't get to because you have to be a Sith to even hit the Lower City."

"Easily solved—we get some Sith armor. Wait, isn't the Undercity crawling with those rahkghoul things?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I haven't been to this planet before. And they tend not to include nightmare monsters in the travel brochures."

"Ha-ha. So the princess might really need some help."

"And she'll be looked for. As long as we're careful, we can fly under the radar."

"Yeah, yeah, be a chameleon. Blend in. I've done this run a few times before, Captain. So, how are we looking financially?"

"I've got a few hundred credits."

"I've pry got six or seven hundred."

"Good enough." He said.

"And if we need too, dueling is an option. For me, anyways. You're a bit too well known."

"Gambling."

"Risky, but it really rakes in the creds." Zara agreed. "So, there a shop where I can sell some stuff? Looting only pays if you get your return."

"There's one across from the cantina."

"How's the 'fresher work?"

"The water's not warm, but it is clean."