Chapter 26
Of Scum and Villainy
Upon the group's entrance into the dimly lit cantina, their nostrils were assaulted by an overwhelming stench of alcohol and smoke. The venue was sparsely crowded, the only patrons virtually being a couple of less-than-decent-looking men who had shifty mannerisms and rough faces. In the far corner to the right was a scantily-clad red Twi'lek prostitute who made Mission immediately look away in both disgust and shame, as it reminded her of her own mother. Bastila, Elena and Juhani looked away also, the sight being completely against their Jedi upbringings relating to modesty.
"A rather fine joint we've decided on, wouldn't you say?" Canderous smirked and chuckled from behind Kael. "Sure reminds me of Davik's old 'massage' room."
"Hmph. Not much different from the Tarisian Lower City cantinas, that's for sure," Audrey said, then noticed to her right Mission looking down and away. "What's the matter, sweetheart?"
"I…just…don't like this place, that's all," Mission stammered, reaching up over her left shoulder and ensuring that her newfound pet was safely perched there. "Makes me feel uneasy."
"We could always go back to the Ebon Hawk, if that's what you want," Audrey told her. "It's alright and you don't need to worry about it. I don't want you feeling uncomfortable."
"Nah, it's not the venue," Mission shook her head. "It's just…I dunno how to describe it…This planet, y'know? It gives me an eerie feeling. Like we're being watched."
"Hey, don't worry, kiddo," Carth assured her as he stood behind her, placing his hand on her free right shoulder. "Audrey, Big Z and I will watch out for you always."
Mission's doubt momentarily receded as she chuckled and looked back at him. "Thanks, dad."
The affectionate nickname always brought warmth to Carth's heart. Of course, it reminded him of all that he lost, but it also brought back memories of the good times. The times of peace when he could spend all the time he wanted with his old family.
"Mission, my darling," Audrey said, "if any bastard so even tries to lay a finger on you, I'll bloody castrate him."
The child gulped in fearful anticipation. "Thanks…I guess?"
"Well, there's nothing for it," Kael shrugged and started to lead the way inside the cantina. "Don't want to cram ourselves into the Ebon Hawk anyway."
The entire party followed, mindful and cautious of the few suspicious stares they received from the drunken scoundrels who populated the venue. Needless to say, the patrons were some of the worst scum in the galaxy in terms of both reputation and personal character, ranging from criminals to simple alcoholics who looked at the party with gazes ranging from simple distaste and annoyance to lecherous stares at the females among them. Mission instinctively held tightly onto Audrey's arm, looking fearfully at the sick men who weren't above eyeing the tender likes of her.
On a table to the right-hand side of the building were four unconscious men with their faces lying flat on the surface, cards and credits scattered in disorder around them while their knocked-over and spilled drinks littered both the table and the floor. Mission shuddered the moment she saw them – she absolutely loathed both pazaak and alcohol, two of the vices which completely destroyed her father and family.
The bartender who was busily cleaning glasses near a dark-garbed customer gave them a quick and uninterested stare before cocking his head in the direction of one of the larger tables in the joint, towards the left-hand side. The table contained just enough seating space to hold all nine of them, with Big Z forced to assume an uncomfortable-looking and cramped posture at the very edge of the table. A menu of food and drink items was posted on a large chalk board above the bar, as well as a message stating that customers must order at the counter, and only pre-made food left over will be served from after 8:30pm in the evening.
A fine joint. A fine joint, indeed.
The party briefly discussed what each of them preferred, the Jedi settling on simple soups while the others opted for steaks and bread items. Zaalbar, needless to say, required ample sustenance, growling for the need for copious amounts of meat. After all was settled, Carth and Audrey went to the counter to order from the bartender who appeared to be in a constant rut, while the others were left to discuss the events of the evening.
"Hey Bas, what's with the long face?" Mission said discretely in a low voice, seated next to Zaalbar while looking at the Jedi Knight who had a grumpy look. Her pet Gizka was surprisingly good-mannered, sitting contently and quietly on Mission's lap while making no trouble.
"Let's just say that our meeting with her mother didn't exactly go well," Elena explained on her friend's behalf. "We talked to her, but then Bastila stormed out, so we had no choice but to follow after her."
"Stormed out?" Canderous raised an eyebrow. "Whatever in hell's name caused that?"
"She never cared for father at all," Bastila murmured, her fist against her cheek while she leaned her elbow against the table. "I knew it. She only ever cared for her own ability to live comfortably off his back."
"But what did she actually say to you? You never told us," Kael asked.
"It's not important," Bastila said. But then, seeing that Kael's gaze wouldn't leave her, she sighed and continued. "But if you insist on knowing, mother has asked that I retrieve father's holorecorder should we ever find his belongings or his remains. The selfishness of that woman makes me ashamed to even call myself her daughter."
"Bastila, I'm telling you, you misunderstand," Elena insisted, grabbing Bastila's forearm. "Your mother cares about you. We talked to her after you left. She would never want to put you in danger just because of—"
Bastila shot back. "So now you know my mother better than I know her myself? Is that what you're telling me?"
"Bastila, I—"
"Is it?!"
Elena went silent, sighing as she removed her hand from Bastila's arm and brought it down upon the table in front of her. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to help you."
"Bastila, listen to me," Juhani said. "Believe me when I say that you shouldn't be so spiteful and judgmental towards your mother." She barely managed to avoid being intimidated into silence altogether when Bastila shot her an enraged glare. "Look at me. Do you not remember the agony, doubt and anger that shrouded my heart before Kael came and saved me from my own darkness?"
Bastila's lower lip trembled as she was about to angrily retort, but she knew that the Cathar's words had ample weight behind them.
Juhani continued. "I can feel your pain, Bastila. I felt the same way as I languished inside the crystal cave for weeks before I was saved by Kael. And when I returned to the Enclave, I discovered that my anger was all for nothing. Master Quatra had survived my attack, and so there was nothing for me to despair about – save for my own foolishness."
Bastila's shoulders continued to rise and fall as she breathed heavily, processing the anger out of her slowly. Her heart, which barely moments ago was a stiff as ice, slowly began to thaw and warm. Juhani's words were both true and serene, and the Cathar's personal experience when it came to inner conflict was not something that could be dismissed lightly.
Having calmed herself down enough, she peered sideways at Elena who still looked at her with empathetic eyes. The guilt that Elena's expression stirred inside her was unbearable. Here in front of her was perhaps the kindest woman she ever knew, one who treated her more like true family rather than a mere Padawan ever since she came under her tutelage. And she had repaid Elena with nothing short of contempt.
Weakly, Bastila shifted her hand off her face and laid it on top of Elena's on the table. Her closest friend quickly embraced her hand in both of hers, and smiled as Bastila's body sagged sideways and slumped against her out of fatigue.
"I'm so sorry," Bastila sighed, her head leaning against Elena's shoulder. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. It was wrong of me."
"It's alright, Bastila," Elena assured her. "We can all make mistakes sometimes."
"Looks like someone's tired," Audrey said humorously as she strolled back over to the table alongside Carth. "Was it truly that taxing for you to talk to your own mother?" The two of them took their places on the outer ends of the seating area, Audrey taking her place next to Bastila while Carth winced as he struggled to fit alongside Big Z.
"It was emotionally hurtful, yes," Bastila exhaled, setting herself apart from Elena and assuming a straight posture. "Even more hurtful now, as I realize that I treated her unfairly."
"You snapped at her, huh?" Carth chuckled. "Reminds me of Dustil back in the day. Must have been one hell of a reunion."
Kael then looked at Mission who looked relatively vacant of mind, staring around the venue. "Speaking of reunions, how did it go with your brother? Did you find him at Czerka HQ?"
"Nuh-uh," Mission waggled her head, then looked from the corner of her eye at a servant droid which moved in their direction from the main bar with a large tray of food and drink in hand. "Wasn't there, I'm afraid. Turns out that he jumped ship – literally. Bought himself a ticket to Kashyyyk with what little money he had left after yet another one of his bullshit get-rich-quick schemes went to hell."
"But you seem so…neutral about all this," Kael observed. "Don't you feel any…I dunno…regret? Of not being able to meet with your brother?"
Mission shrugged. "Not really. There might have been a time when I loved him, but that's long gone. I don't exactly want to jump to conclusions about him after what Juhani just told us about the background story behind her running away, but…let's just say that I'm not exactly warmhearted towards him."
Elena spoke. "But he's your brother. You should at least try to look forward to seeing him and getting answers from him, Mission."
"Either way, all I want from him right now when I see him is the truth – nothing less, nothing more," Mission said, then looked squarely at Kael. "Besides, my true brother is sitting opposite to me."
Kael smiled and looked away, embarrassed. Mission had quickly grown affectionate towards him during their time on Dantooine, treating and looking up to him like a big brother figure. He fondly remembered the numerous times she would suddenly come up from behind him without warning and throw her arms around him in a loving hug which was always welcome, especially in the days when he was most tired after lengthy combat training sessions with Bastila and Elena.
"We didn't manage to catch her brother, but we did manage to get a detailed map update on recent Tusken raids," Carth said, taking out his datapad from his inner jacket pocket and putting it down in the middle of the table. "Turns out that the frequency of the attacks has inc—" He silenced himself when he saw a multi-armed serving droid come over with two large trays full of food and another with drinks. The food consisted of local delicacies (if you could consider them delicacies, considering the standards of the venue) such as bantha steak, flatbread, nausage and various other meats, as well as simple meat and vegetable soups for the Jedi. Canderous gleefully eyed the humongous mug of beer which was laid out on the table in front of him, the beverage glass virtually three fists high and generous in diameter. The droid quickly placed the food in front of the respective party members, with Zaalbar eyeing his enormous triple serving of bantha steak with impatience.
"Tuck in," Audrey chuckled. "Tab's on Davik, as all tabs will be from here on out."
"So as I was saying," Carth said, doing his best to ignore the downright disgusting sounds of squelching and munching which came from Zaalbar's choppers, "we got a detailed map outlining recent Tusken attacks on hunters and explorers. T3 will upload this data into all of our datapads, but right now you can see them here." He gestured to his datapad which the others carefully studied, save for Zaalbar of course. A series of bright red dots were situated here and there far out into the desert, with no signs of any patterns or concentrated areas where the attacks took place.
"More to the point, this is the area that we should investigate if we get a chance," Audrey said, placing her finger on one particular point towards the east. "We didn't ask about Bastila's father by name for fear of exposing ourselves, but we asked about attacks which occurred in the week her father disappeared. Now, if I do this," she tapped the dot and a small interface came up, displaying the date, time and incident report, "we can see just where Bastila's father was taken by the Tusken. It matches up with the reports filed by his hunting companions."
"But what about the Tusken camp?" Bastila asked. "Simply going to the site where my father was taken isn't going to get us anywhere. It's the camp we need to find. How are we going to do that?"
"Leave that to me," Canderous grunted, beer dripping down his chin. "While the Cathar and I were prowling around, I ran into one of my old friends from Clan Ordo. His mechanic skills are as sharp as ever, and I bought some weapons enhancements for my blasters. Ah, and speaking of him," he reached into his jacket which he still wore, wishing to keep Varku's old armor untouched and stored in the Ebon Hawk until he was sure that the time for battle came. He pulled out what appeared to be a wristband, but one which was riddled with buttons and interfaces. "I bought these for the two of you," he handed one each to Mission and Audrey. "I know how important your damn stealth is to you two, and quite frankly the rest of us aren't trained in that sort of thing. Well, except for catgirl here," he glanced at Juhani who was seated to Kael's left.
"You said we can 'leave it' to you," Elena noted. "What else were you going to say?"
"Huh? Oh, fuck, this beer's already getting to me," Canderous grunted. "My said friend also has swoop bikes we can hire off him for a price. Discounted, given that he's my friend. I figured we might as well – don't want blondie here to ruin her sex charm and persuasion abilities by getting an uneven tan on her face," he said, grinning at Audrey who rolled her eyes.
"There's just one more problem," Kael said and looked at Audrey. "What happened with the hunting licenses? Did you get some?"
Audrey sighed deeply and stabbed at her meat with her fork. "No. We couldn't. They were all out of stock."
"All out of stock?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Considering how Czerka cares only about profits, I can't figure out why they aren't issuing more of them."
"That's the thing," Carth replied. "Hunting for hides and other collectibles and rarities is on the decline for Czerka. The cost incurred by them in importing weapons and equipment to support their hunting operations and expeditions is higher than the money they make in selling off hides and such. They're actually considering packing up and leaving, and so they've stopped issuing new licenses. The only way for us to get them is to get them from current holders."
Canderous was curious. "If Czerka really are packing up and going off-planet, then why do they give a shit who searches, who has licenses and who doesn't?"
Carth shrugged. "Protocol. No way around it, apparently. Stupid as hell, but it stands."
"We could pull it off, don't you think?" Audrey peered at him. "I'm sure we could find some Exchange slimeballs and pry those licenses from their cold, dead fingers."
Carth grimaced. "I'm not so sure about you, but I sure as hell am not keen on attracting any more unwanted attention than we're already bound to."
The party continued to eat their meals while exchanging light conversation mostly revolving around trivial subjects in order to rest their minds before the big day which was ahead of them. The little pet gizka on Mission's lap posed itself to be somewhere in the middle between being a pest and a simple and playful troublemaker, frequently nabbing at pieces of meat which hung on Mission's fork when she was preoccupied with speaking to others. They took the most out of the time they had in the cantina, but were also wary of lingering too long in the venue, opting to leave after thirty minutes. Zaalbar groaned as he shuffled off his seat, still not completely satisfied with the quantity of the food he consumed. Squishy instinctively hopped back up onto Mission shoulder as she got up with a groan, still adjusting to solid ground after being accustomed to the trembling and humming of the Ebon Hawk's interior.
With the food and drink already paid for in advance, the group were free to leave the venue as they pleased. Just as she had done when they arrived, Mission did her best to avoid looking at all the vile behavior that was going on around her, whether it be the pazaak players, drunkards or the prostitutes which infamously hailed from her own species. Every corner of the venue reminded her of her old life which was destroyed and could never be regained as she instinctively grasped onto her new mother's arm. A content smile could be seen on Audrey's face as she appreciated the trust which Mission placed in her, as well as her mutual love and affection. She thought back to the good old times in the days of her youth, when her mother would comfort her whenever she came running into her arms, fearful of the dark just like many children were.
Just maybe, she thought. Just maybe if we hold onto each other and get through all this, we might have the chance to—
"Hey, girl, where the fuck you goin'? Where's my dance?" a gruff and deep male voice growled from behind, and Audrey could feel Mission come to a grinding halt, as did she.
"What the—let me go, damn you!" Mission whined, flailing her arm about as the man held onto it tightly, his breath reeking of alcohol. His face was hardly visible due to the poor lighting, but shades of black and grey hair could be seen.
"Come on, babe, what's the problem?" the man chuckled. "Shy, are ya? No problem with that. Let me just get comfortable with ya and –" he was brashly cut off, his arm feeling the brutal force of an unyielding grip as Zaalbar roared viciously right into his face. "What the fuck?!"
Audrey immediately spun around, drawing her small folding dagger from her inner jacket pocket and holding the naked blade right against the man's neck as she hissed quietly. "Get. The fuck. Away from. My daughter."
Surprisingly, the man seemed unfazed as he merely chuckled and stared at her eyes, his voice seemingly slurred. "Hah. Daughter? I fail to see the similarities, besides the fact that the both of you are fit as hell and could use a good fu—"
"Get out of here. Leave us. Now," Audrey narrowed her eyes, pressing the knife more firmly against the man's neck. His drunken and meddling behavior was almost as infuriating as his lechery and unshrouded pedophilia, which she more than wished to end his miserable life for.
"We don't need your trouble, buddy. Do as she says," Carth warned him.
"Hah. Think you're tough, huh? You don't look fuckin' tough," the man scoffed, backing away a tiny amount from Audrey's blade. "Besides, you're not the only one who's got a group with you."
Audrey's eyes fixed themselves on those of the man's as she slightly cocked her head sideways. "What?"
"You walked into the wrong bar, princess," he smirked. "We've been watching you ever since you and your friends set foot inside this place. This is our territory. You fuck with me, then you're gonna be the one who winds up in a mess on the floor in a pool of blood." He glanced over at the rest of the party. "Well, the boys among you, anyway. As for the gals…you might be lucky enough to find yourselves on a bed instead...heheheh…"
"I'm getting tired of your crap, you son of a bitch," Canderous grunted and stepped forward, his blaster in hand and pointed right at the head of the man whose face he couldn't see in the darkness. Seeing that the Mandalorian kept up the pressure on the unwelcome stranger, Audrey withdrew her knife and retreated to Mission's side, standing between the frightened child and her predator. Meanwhile, Squishy visibly cowered and retreated to the back of Mission's shoulder. As Canderous stepped forward, the man turned to him and studied him intently, before raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"Well, well, well," the troublemaker laughed. "If it ain't the big old commander himself. Heard you were down in the dumps on Taris. Never thought to see you here, of all places."
"What the—who the fuck do you think you are?" Canderous growled and walked right in front of the man before his eyes lifted in shock. "You—you fucking assclown…"
"Xor Fett, at your service, commander Ordo," he said snidely with a mocking bow. "What's the matter? Still butthurt about Cathar?"
"Last chance, Xor," Canderous hissed through gritting teeth, the barrel of his gun pointed right between Xor's eyes. "Turn around and walk away. Now."
"Oh, dear," Xor sighed and clicked his tongue. "I really didn't want it to come to this, but…you leave me little choice." He slowly raised his right hand beside his head and gave a click of his fingers, and the previous docile bar patrons around them immediately cocked blaster pistols, aiming them at the nearest party member. "Told ya not to fuck with me. You put even a pinky finger on that trigger, and you're gonna be met with a whole lot of pain."
A cold lump of saliva formed at the back of Canderous's throat as he swallowed nervously, seeing that Xor's threats had actual weight behind them. He peered slightly back towards Kael who shook his head, opting for diplomacy rather than unleashing the full fury of the Force in the enclosed venue. With a frustrated sigh, he lowered his blaster and holstered it over his back, seething as he saw Xor smirking in victory.
"You see? Even Ordo's smart enough to avoid trouble when he can," he dismissed the seasoned veteran in a way that would certainly made Canderous want to break his neck in half had they been elsewhere with no concealed backup around.
"You…you were at Cathar?" Juhani panted and spoke to him.
"Who the hell's this?" Xor tilted his head, looking through the gaps in between the entourage until he spotted Juhani. "My, my…a Cathar, no doubt. And a fine one, at that. Why don't ya come forward a bit so that I can see you more clearly?"
Juhani stepped towards him, not because he asked, but because of her own curiosity. She still remembered the devastation of her planet as if it was yesterday, not just because of the genocide of her own people, but because of an event which resonated personally with her.
"You see, Candy? Why can't you be as good at following orders as she is?" Xor mocked, then peered at the woman who stepped in front of him. "Now that's a body I could do well with for months on end. Now…what is it that piqued your interest about your planet, honey?"
The instant she took a close-up look at the man's face, Juhani's face went deathly white and she momentarily stopped breathing altogether. In one second, all the painful memories came flooding back into her mind: the fires, the screams, the carnage and rivers of blood…
…and something else.
"You…," Juhani's eyes gleamed in the darkness as she soon began to growl and hiss with pure hatred. "You bastard! You destroyed my family!"
Xor grinned darkly and shrugged. "One person's tragic loss is another person's addictive joy. Oh boy, do I have fond memories of your homeworld. The goddamn fun I had shooting down animals as they ran. Even better was the feeling of being inside one of them as she screamed for mercy. Y'know…now that I think of it…" He lecherously spanned Juhani's body up and down, admiring her lithe figure. "I think you remind me of a bitch I enjoyed for months on end after capturing her on Cathar. I still regret selling her off after getting bored with her. I swear, you have her exact eyes. Makes me wonder if you'll be just as good as her when going down south – y'know what I mean?"
Juhani spoke no words, and yet the increasingly violent puffs that came out of her lips and the narrowing of her fiery eyes did the speaking for her. Her mind was wreaked with inner conflict as voices in her head suddenly began to torment her incessantly.
It's all right…Let it go.
Kill him.
There is no emotion; there is peace.
Rend his flesh. Cut out his eyes.
It's not your fault.
Make. Him. Suffer.
As seconds continued to pass, it was clear to Kael that if everyone stood idly by, she would soon snap with anger, doing something in the process which everyone would come to regret. Taking up the burden of ending the spat, he bravely stepped forward and stood just behind Juhani as he grasped her hand.
A sharp gasp came from Juhani as she realized who came just in time to save her once again from her own darkness. Her anger was still far from cooling down, and she momentarily squeezed at Kael's hand in frustration, making him wince but not cry out as her claw-like sharp nails stabbed at his flesh. But then, Kael's calming influence and the ever-present reminder of the consequences of her rashness – Belaya's gruesome death – made her see the light of things. Instead of giving in to her desire for revenge, she loosened her grip and returned Kael's supportive gesture by gently squeezing his hand back, letting him know that her anger had subsided.
"That's enough, Xor," Kael said with a brave face. "Leave us alone, and we'll do the same with you. Let's not turn this cantina into a graveyard, shall we?"
"Hmph. Well, I must admit that I'm…a little under the influence at the moment," Xor chuckled, then looked towards the exit. "And since you requested so politely, I think I will indeed let you go." He walked past Kael and back towards the rear of the bar, but not before taking one last look upon Mission who trembled behind Audrey. "Shame. Would have made one hell of a maid. Could have been serving me right now if it weren't for mommy, who'd do a magnificent job in her own right."
The bastard was of course referring to Audrey, but Mission felt her heart simply tear up inside after being given a harsh reminder of her birth mother's disgraceful downward spiral on Nar Shadaa. For all her flaws, Mission still deeply loved her mother, for she truly cared for her and even sacrificed personal dignity in order to feed and care for her in their darkest times.
And now, her adopted mother continued to look out for her even as the criminals in their surroundings had pistols pointed at them. True to her word that she would protect Mission even if it cost her her life, Audrey had shifted herself so that she was standing right in between Mission and a shrouded figure who had his pistol aimed straight at her back.
Right before he took his seat alongside two of his 'colleagues', Xor looked sideways at Mission and smirked at her. "See ya around, sweetheart." Then, to add further insult, he brought his hand down and briefly groped her on the bottom as he chuckled darkly. Mission felt her blood run cold as she immediately trembled and held tighter against Audrey, who was clearly incensed and tempted to reach for her dagger again.
"Now…walk away," Xor said, leaning back in his seat and sipping his beer. When he saw that Audrey was looking at him with hate-filled eyes, he leaned forward slightly and spoke again, this time more strongly. "Walk. Away."
"Come on, let's get out of here," Carth said, pulling an outraged Audrey by the arm as he led the party out of the cantina. Despite their previous banters, Canderous and Juhani now shared one thing in common – their bottomless contempt and hatred for Xor.
The air was now cold, nearing on freezing as the group were introduced to the Tatooine night temperature which was the complete opposite of its daytime counterpart. A waxing moon, virtually as thin as a nail clipping in shape, hung dimly in the sky. The minute they left the cantina, they made headway to get away from it as fast as possible, making for the Ebon Hawk. The streets were both silent and vacant, but a lingering feeling of danger haunted the minds of all of them, particularly Audrey whose faith in her own abilities to protect Mission was deeply shaken after witnessing Xor's heinous act.
"I…I want to kill him," Audrey spoke under her breath as they passed another corner, vengefully curling her fingers into a pale white fist. "Why can't we just go back in there and kill that bastard? You can do that with as much as a single thought, couldn't you?" she turned to the Jedi, looking at them with eyes full of fury.
"We're Jedi. You know we can't, Audrey," Elena crossed her arms. "Besides, the last thing we need here is to cause trouble and get into a mess with the authorities, as corrupt and inefficient as those 'authorities' may be."
"I don't care! You saw what that goddamn creep did to Mission! What he said about turning us into…into…!" Audrey swiftly turned around, grinding sand under her shoe.
"Honey, calm down," Carth said softly, holding Audrey against him by the shoulder. "Lusting for vengeance isn't going to get us anywhere."
Audrey shot back. "Heh. Rich, coming from Mr. Hunt-down-the-Admiral. Don't you feel the same way about Saul Karath? You told me several times about him."
"I admit that, yes," Carth acknowledged. "But I'm not going to risk putting all of our lives in danger just to satisfy that desire for revenge. There's gonna be a time and place for everything, sweetheart. That bastard's time will come, as is the case with all rotten scum like him. You just wait."
"It's all my fault," Mission sniffed and hung her head in shame. "I was the one who just had to suggest that we eat out instead of staying safe in the ship."
"Ha. If you ask me, there wasn't any point in secrecy to begin with," Canderous grunted, and they soon found themselves back under the archway of the docking bay gate, the Ebon Hawk in plain sight in front of them. "Who's to say that shady figures weren't watching us from the start as soon as we landed on this dusty shithole? Knowing that Xor shithead from back in the day, he's probably planning something."
"Carth," Audrey looked up at him. "I know you mean well and that you care about my emotional wellbeing, but I just can't do this. I don't want to sit around waiting to be ambushed. If that Xor bastard has a trump card up his sleeve, then I want to chop his arm off before he can draw it. Even if it means personally going back into that cantina without the four of you to back me." She looked over her shoulder at the Jedi, who were in no position to help due to their teachings.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a low, hissing voice reminiscent of a snake said to her from her right hand side, throwing the entire party into a state of alert as they readied their weapons. Before them was a man, clothed and hooded in black. A dark eyepatch concealed his right eye, while his left shone pale blue. Unruly blonde hair sprouted from the sides of his head under the hood, and the wafting smell of alcohol emanated strongly from him, even from six feet away.
"Wh—who the hell are you?" Carth demanded, pointing his blaster pistol directly at the man while standing in front of Audrey to protect her from the potential danger.
"Oh…what a disappointment," the man sighed, looking down and shaking his head. "Thought you weren't the type to forget anyone under your command, Captain Onasi."
"Wait…how the hell do you know me? Who are you?" Carth's eyes narrowed at him.
With another hefty sigh, the man drew back his hood and raised his head, revealing himself to all of them. His formerly cropped military-style haircut was replaced by medium-length hair which was disheveled and messy, and his long scar about his right eyes could be seen.
"It…it can't be," Kael murmured, pointing his finger at him. "You're…"
"Trask Ulgo. Good to see that you remember, Ensign Deren," he said condescendingly, then looked straight at Elena. "And it looks like you're doing quite fine as well."
"Ulgo?" Elena gasped. "We thought you were—"
"Dead? I guess you could say that," he chuckled darkly. "If you've been through what I've been through, it feels worse than hell."
"Why the hell are you here? How on earth did you find us?" Kael asked.
"First, I'm here for the same reason any person moves permanently to planets like Tatooine or Nar Shadaa: to get lost and never found again. Second, I found you because you just happened to enter the cantina while I was having a drink. Gotta say, it was a most interesting conversation you were having. I couldn't help but overhear that you wanted to find some Tusken settlements out in the desert."
"So what about it?" Carth retorted, unsettled by the resounding change he saw in his former subordinate.
"Fucking clueless, aren't you?" Trask smirked. "You probably don't have a single goddamn idea of where to go once you hire those speeder bikes. Well…let's just say that I may be able to help you with that. Consider it my act of duty, sir."
For several seconds, the party stayed silent, exchanging worried glances with each other and wondering whether they should trust Trask. From where he stood, the Republic deserter saw Carth and Audrey whispering to each other, as well as the Jedi between themselves before they all fell silent and keenly watched him again.
Having grown tired of pointless whispering. he then looked sideways at the Ebon Hawk, knowing it to be the party's ship. "Well, shall we carry this conversation on inside? Wouldn't want to risk being watched by underhanded spies. Believe me, this place is crawling with them."
Carth's heart began to beat wildly as his hand hovered over his comlink. Trask was not the loyal, honest man of integrity he had come to appreciate while on board the Endar Spire. He was…different. A totally changed man. In the farthest back corner of his mind, a voice screamed out to him to reject Trask's offer, in between flashing memories of Saul Karath's words and face.
But he had no choice. Finding that Tusken settlement could very well mean locating the Star Map as well as Bastila's father, if fortune was on their side.
"Very well, Ulgo," he sighed and pressed a series of buttons to request T3 to open the doors. Seconds later, the Ebon Hawk's ramp hissed with smoke and extended open, revealing at the entrance the faithful droid which quickly scurried away into the main hold. "Come with us. We'd like to hear what you can tell us."
"Certainly," Trask smiled and followed at the rear of the party, his blank face concealing the emotions which lay within.
And with every passing second, Audrey's suspicions heightened, and her hand never drifted far from where her dagger was kept concealed in her jacket.
-o-
Paying no attention to the blue tunnel of Hyperspace which wheeled overhead or the numerous soldiers who manned the terminals below deck, Vice-Admiral Krieg looked downwards at his feet, his eyes somber as he thought back to his past. He still remembered his early childhood, those days where he hadn't a friend in the world, stuck in the confines of the old military academy on Andara. He had always preferred solitude back then outside his schooling and training hours, for he was incessantly bullied and mocked by the other students come recess.
However, now that he was the Vice-Admiral of the grandest fleet the Republic had ever seen, he would personally get the last laugh. Toughened by the years of bullying and torment, Krieg had developed a peerless and burning desire to succeed and overwhelm all opposition. He still gleefully remembered the day many months ago when he defeated a Republic cruiser and captured all of its crew, finding to his surprise one of the men who had bullied him in his youth. As much as Krieg despised exposing his uniform to even the slightest bit of grime, he delighted in personally shooting the wretch over and over in the abdomen, smiling as the man coughed up blood before falling dead on the floor. Needless to say, all of his companions in the fleet suffered the same fate.
All 2000 of them.
Suddenly, the doors behind him at the far end of the bridge shifted open, stirring his ear. He remained where he stood, not moving an inch as he looked out into the vast depths of space once more, his hands joined behind his back. Whereas he wouldn't have bothered if it was any other person save for his direct superiors Admiral Karath and Lord Malak, the distinct sound of a pair of heels clanking against the metallic floor brought a sly smirk to his lips as he turned around and looked upon the person who approached.
Towards him walked a woman, ravishing in beauty and possession blonde hair and cold blue eyes, very much like himself. Her hair was long, extending halfway down her back and held together in a ponytail by a single dark band. A shoto lightsaber was clipped on the side of both her thighs, as well as small knives held in leather patches. Her dark black leather leggings had on the outer sides wide open slits from knee level upwards, exposing her luscious skin. Further adding to her seductress's look, she wore a dark and tight leather top which exposed her lower midsection and a moderate portion of the center of her upper chest with an oval-shaped hole in the design. Long dark boots with thick cylindrical heels continued to make a distinctive tapping noise before she stopped before him, a dark smile on her face.
"I heard you met with Queen Talia a few hours ago. Must have been fun," she said, her voice sultry and sweet. It didn't take a genius to know that she specialized in espionage, particularly in tasks which involved close and intimate contact with persons of interest.
"I did my duty – nothing less, nothing more. But why are you here?" he scoffed and turned back to watch the stars ahead.
"Let's just say that my contact has been…dealt with sooner than I expected. But oh, what a professional you are," she stepped in front of him, obscuring his view of space and forcing him to look at her instead. "Still, I have no idea why you didn't try to take advantage of the situation. The most beautiful and desirable sovereign in the galaxy at your mercy, and what did you do?"
"My duty comes first," he responded. "I will be grateful for whatever reward Lord Malak has in waiting for me. And even if it is another dreary campaign in some Republic backwater, then so be it."
"I'm just saying, is all," she chuckled and walked forward, marveling at the stars. "You're too professional for your own good, sticking to everything that's exclusively above the table and all that. Hell knows, you could have even fathered your own dynasty then and there. History will probably laugh at you, a man who passed up the chance to make love to a woman as beautiful as her. Isn't that right, Thomas?"
Krieg's eyes instinctively narrowed in frustration as he heard that name. "Thomas is no more. That boy is dead. How many times do I have to tell you, Celia?"
"Now look here," she chuckled. "You know I'm just taking the piss out of you. Celia is just as dead as Thomas is. But I still need my share of shits and giggles every now and then. Especially considering all the blood I have to wash out of my clothes on a weekly basis."
"Whatever," Krieg dismissed. "Just leave now, go ahead and do whatever you have assigned to you. We'll be striking in the Wayland system in approximately 15 hours, and—"
"Vice-Admiral! Sir, we have feedback!" a Sith captain called out from below deck, drawing Krieg's attention.
He immediately walked towards the officer and spoke. "What is it, captain?"
"Playback on terminal 72, lieutenant!" the captain commanded, and soon several still images came up on the screen which was closest to the Vice-Admiral. On display were pictures of none other than Kael's company standing together on what looked to be Tatooine, "Docking bay 13" engraved in large print on the wall behind them.
"Fascinating," Krieg mused as Celia came up and stood beside him, watching the pictures with an equal amount of interest. The breakdown of the group was interesting indeed, ranging from a teenage Twi'lek child to four Jedi, no less. Krieg and Celia's eyes focused on the apparent bonds and connections between the party members, in particular between the Jedi as well as the brown-haired human male who seemed to be very close to a blonde female and the young Twi'lek, with a large Wookiee protectively standing over them from behind.
"Hmph. How cute," Celia scoffed. "The little Twi'lek girl is so attached to the blondie. I would absolutely hate to see them…separated, wouldn't you?"
The Vice-Admiral did not reply, instead looking at the picture in still silence, his eyes somewhat tensing and expression curiosity.
"Krieg?" she called out to him again, this time succeeding in stirring him as he visibly responded and looked towards the captain again.
"Let him continue his task," Krieg said and returned to the front viewing platform. "Inform Lord Malak, Admiral Karath and myself of any and all developments."
"Yes, sir," the captain responded and returned to his duties in overseeing the men.
"What was that about?" Celia asked, but Krieg simply looked outward and didn't do as much as turn his head. "You just simply stood there in silence. Why?"
"Nothing," he muttered. "Go back to your duties."
"But—"
"Go. Back. To your duties," he said sternly, gaining a sigh from her.
"Fine, then," she shrugged and began to move off. "I'll see you another time, then."
"One more thing," he said, making her stop in her tracks and turn around to look at him. "You are free to do whatever is necessary to succeed in your duties while on assignments, but while you are on any command vessel, you will dress yourself more modestly. Even a simple cloak would do. I will not have you degrading the discipline of my men. Period."
A dark smile stretched across her lips before she turned and departed. "Have it your way…brother."
A/N: Really sorry about cutting off the conversation with Trask and pushing it over to the next chapter. I know a lot of you have expressed that you're dying to know how he came to turn out alive, but…meh. But next chapter, I promise!
I don't particularly like how things have suddenly slowed down since the party first arrived on Tatooine, with minor scenes like the customs and docking fee scene dragging on for what seems ages to me. I'm very keen on putting in more flashbacks of Revan and Juhani, so I'll try to pace things up a bit from next chapter onwards.
Until then, please leave your reviews!