Jori awakes the next morning a meter from Loneva. She takes a moment to look her captor over. Were it not for the situation, she thinks, she would find her quite attractive. It's been years since she had a lover. She did have a one-night-stand with Darth Acina the previous month, and she did spend a month with a rather handsome Mandalorian, but both of those were meant from the beginning to be mere diversions, to be research for her writing projects. For a fleeting moment, she wonders what has become of her flings. Had Acina perished with the rest of the Dark Council? Had Malgin's clan stood against the Eternal Empire? Perhaps Loneva could find out for her.

She stands, pulling open a package of the tasteless rations. Bland food stifles her imagination. Two bites are all she can tolerate before she wanders off into the jungle, taking one of Loneva's scanning tools. There were several plants safe for human consumption. She pulls out a handful of roots, cuts down a stalk of beans, and picks several low-hanging fruits, eating one on the way back. It has a tart, thick taste, and leaves a spicy scent after she swallows. This is what she needs. Plenty more of all these plants grow nearby. She returns to the camp and finds Loneva still asleep. Even if she could escape the infernal bracelet around her ankle, turning on the Jedi would be unwise. Too many Sith had met their ends due to carelessness. They were spoken of on Korriban as examples of what not to do.

The only question is, what should she be doing with the Jedi? Should she simply fly to another part of the planet where she will not be bothered by her Force presence? Possibly. Then she remembers her brief trip on Malastare V, which Darth Vargra had ordered her to undergo. Her confidence had suffered a terrible blow when she found she had to spend entire days just finding enough to eat. That was no way to live. Vargra had used that to show her that she needed allies and underlings.

His lesson is undeniable, no matter how she tries to reason it. She needs the Jedi, and the Jedi needs her. They will need to put aside their respective pride and distrust, no matter how uncomfortable it gets. Just as she reaches this decision, the object of her mental turmoil awakens. "Oh, hello. Almost forgot you were here."

Should she be friendly back? No, misguided as their Code may be, Jedi are not fools. She would certainly be suspicious. "I thought Jedi encouraged early awakenings."

Loneva yawns. "They do. But I'm not under a Master anymore. I enjoy sleeping in."

"You can have some of that fruit for breakfast. It's quite tantalizing, and it's safe." Loneva stares at her. "Goodness, have you forgotten already? If you die, I die. Why would I poison you?"

"Good point." The Jedi stands up and bites into it. "Mmm! Now this is delicious! Where did you find it?"

"On a tree in the jungle. There's plenty more. If you'd adjust the settings on my ankle bracelet ever so slightly, I'd be willing to get us some meat."

Loneva nods, closing her eyes briefly. "Alright, it's off the anti-struggle setting. Go forth, mighty hunter."

The Sith glares at her. "I am not yours to command. I would sooner forfeit my life than submit to bondage-especially to a Jedi."

Jori can feel her blood boil as the Jedi puts a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Sithy, if you want to leave, you are free to do so at any time. Your ankle bracelet will shut off when you are more than a parsec away, and you will be able to remove it without consequence. It's nothing more than a safety measure."

"No," she says, just managing to conceal her rage, "I've decided to stay. Like it or not, we need each other, and we have a greater, common enemy out there."

"You really mean it?" Jori nods, not daring to speak another word. "In that case…" Loneva shuts her eyes again and the device falls off the Sith's ankle.

Jori blinks. "I...I was not expecting that."

"If we're gonna scratch out a living here, the first thing we have to do is trust one another," she says, patting her on the shoulder. "Why not start there?"

"That...is not what I was taught about trust. Or about Jedi. I don't know what to say."

"Then I'll give you some time to think up words while I get our holonet link established. And thanks for the fruit. It was delicious." She wanders off to her ship.

Jori stands, frozen. How could it be so easy? This goes against everything she knows about the Jedi. Loneva had said she was different, but doesn't everyone? A Jedi who could subdue her in a fight was certainly not weak or stupid, either. What could it all mean? She shakes her head. No. No more of this. Getting caught up in her thoughts was what had relegated her to the ranks of the minor Sith for so many years. Time will tell what she needs to know. In the meantime, she decides simply to go along and make the most of their joint situation. She returns to her own ship, and comes back levitating a refrigeration unit to their camp. It already has nerf tenderloin, ready to be cooked.

"What's that?" Loneva asks as she clacks away furiously on her keyboard.

"The flavor of life. Meat gives us vigor, renews our muscles, and speaks to us on a basic level. It was everything to our ancestors."

The Jedi nods. "If you insist."

Jori sets up a spit for the campfire. "Could I...could I ask you a favor?"

"What?"

"Could you check the holonet to see what's happened to Dromund Kaas?"

Loneva presses a finger to her cortical implant for a few moments. "The Dark Council has lost five members fighting off the Eternal Empire. Half the navy has been destroyed. The Republic isn't doing any better." She looks up. "I'm sorry. There's only so much I can make out. It's still quite chaotic."

"Don't bother," Jori says, "I knew it was stupid of me to ask so early." Her voice grows softer, more bitter. "I just wish I weren't such a coward. I should be there, fighting the Zakuulans off."

The Jedi walks over to her. "Don't think like that. You know your limitations, and there's no sense in you getting yourself killed for nothing."

Jori is taken aback. Empathy, from a Jedi? To a civilian, maybe, but not a Sith. No, she won't believe it. It's just Loneva trying to force their alliance. "Don't patronize me."

"Sorry." Loneva sighs, "Is there anything else you need from your ship? I'd be happy to get it for you."

"Nothing right now. Do whatever you wish." For reasons she cannot fathom, the moment Loneva walks off, Jori regrets her tone. Funny, she feels no guilt berating and threatening her droid. No, she needs to stop thinking so much. That's always been her weakness. It's why she comes up with such paranoid theories about people's whereabouts when she doesn't hear from them, or fears the worst when a friend shows up late on the few times she dares to experience Kaas City's nightlife.

Jori heads into the jungle in a perpendicular direction to Loneva's path. Perhaps it's time to learn more about the fauna of this planet. She comes across a small primate-like creature, and approaches it slowly. It chatters at her. "Hello there, little one," she says, smiling at it. "Who are you?" The creature plucks a small fruit from its tree and throws it at her. "Hey now, there's no need for that!" It screeches and throws another fruit, hitting her in the forehead. "Alright, that's enough!" She picks the fruit off the ground and throws it back at the creature. It bursts, covering its fur in purple juice. The little monkey chatters again at her and climbs higher into the tree, away from her. "Serves you right."

"Are you seriously arguing with a monkey?"

Jori nearly jumps out of her robes. "W-what are you doing?!"

"I'm going for a walk. What does it look like?" The Jedi has a smug smile on her face.

"Wipe that look off your face, Jedi," Jori orders.

"The question is, what are you doing?"

The Sith spins around and glares at the Jedi. "Yes! You win! I was arguing with a non-sentient creature a fifth my size, and fighting it on its own terms. Happy?!"

Loneva nods. "I am. This is a side of you I didn't expect to see. I like it."

Though their camp is not in need of it, and it's likely to spoil anyway, Jori begins picking more fruit. "I don't need your approval, Jedi. Only your cooperation."

"This is refreshing to see. Here, I thought that Sith were cruel, vindictive, and humorless. You proved me wrong, and I'm glad about it."

Jori stops in the middle of pulling off a budding specimen. "You...what?"

Loneva approaches her. "I said, I'm finding it easier to adjust to the idea of spending more time with you on this planet. Do you have a problem with that?"

"N-no, no, I don't."

"Tell me more about this appreciation you have for animals."

Jori clears her throat. "I'm not sure what else there is to say. I like animals. They're honest in their interactions with others, they usually mean well, and they don't bother you with stupid questions."

Loneva rolls her eyes. "Was that directed at me?"

"No! No, I didn't mean it like that," Jori says, a little too quickly. "You...haven't asked me any truly stupid questions. I'm just saying that once you understand them, animals respect your boundaries."

Loneva starts picking a handful of fruit herself. "Did you ever have any pets of your own?"

"Yes. When I was at the Academy on Korriban, I tamed a wild tuk'ata. He was my closest friend during those days. He would often bring me smaller animals that he'd killed. When I finished my daily studies, I would go to his den and train him. He knew when my mood needed improving. Most of all, he warned me when one of my fellow students was plotting to kill me."

"What happened to him?" the Jedi asks, clearly interested.

"One of the Overseers learned of him, and killed him," She opens and closes her eyes swiftly, as if something got in them. "They said my bond with him was weakening me."

"I'm so sorry," Loneva reaches a hand out to touch Jori's shoulder.

She swats it away. "Don't be. They were right."

Loneva finally puts her hand on Jori's shoulder. "No they weren't. Compassion is not a weakness. That tuk'ata was your ally."

Though she shakes her head, Jori makes no effort to remove Loneva's hand. "I should have sensed the ambush. Had I been more studious with the Force, he would not have been killed."

Loneva puts her other hand on Jori's other arm. "Stop blaming yourself. That tuk'ata loved you. I'm sure the time that he was your pet was the highlight of his life. His loyalty is proof of that."

Jori turns her head to the ground, tears dripping out of her eyes. Damn this Jedi, getting her into such a moment of weakness. She sniffs a couple times. "Maybe you're right." Without another word, Loneva wraps her arms around Jori, embracing her warmly and rubbing her back. Jori doesn't fight her. She just lets the tears flow until she's content. "We should get back to the camp now."