"You're certain the slave knows nothing?" Baras asked.
"She's not a slave," Mau'te replied.
That was intense, Vette thought. She didn't think an apprentice could talk to his master that way.
"You're certain the girl knows nothing?" Baras amended.
"I didn't take her with me," Mau'te said.
"And returned injured," Baras said.
"But alive and successful, and with her skills still available," Mau'te said.
Baras looked Vette up and down. "Too brittle for my taste. But, if she knows nothing, I won't pursue it. Mind you, some of my information is valuable."
"Too valuable for Imperial Intelligence," Mau'te said.
"Yes, Apprentice. Quite true." Baras sat back in his chair, ignoring the groaning spy on the torture rack. "Now then, tell me about this bounty hunter."
Vette held her breath.
"How did you hear about him?" Mau'te asked.
"You're my apprentice; it's my job to know. Who is he?"
"My cousin. He's trying to get into the Great Hunt. He asked to train with a Force sensitive. He needed the skills."
"He's Republic," Baras said.
"Not anymore," Mau'te said. "Now he's a bounty hunter."
"Any other relatives you'd like to mention?"
"Avoid my brother," Mau'te said. "He's mine to kill."
"Now that sounds like a Sith."
"Is this why you called me in?"
"No," Baras said. "The Council requested you for a particular job because of your work with the droids. You showed initiative, prowess, and strategic thinking. And, the commander at the building site said you seemed very knowledgeable."
Mau'te shrugged. "My father is a cybernetics engineer."
"He said you were right," Baras said. "Someone used a virus on them. They were cover, so Darth Tytonus could land her troops. We believe she is working with Grathan. He still has troops in Kaas City loyal to him."
"And they will attack from within," Mau'te said.
Baras nodded. "Precisely. Meet with my apprentice, Dri'kill Ba'al. He's my covert operative in Grathan's compound. Ba'al claims to have made a key discovery."
Mau'te asked, "Do you know the nature of this discovery?"
Baras shook his head. "Ba'al only communicates in predetermined signals. He was to find Grathan's exploitable weakness, and today he sent the success signal. Use this weakness to get Grathan to call back his troops."
"If we kill Grathan-" Mau'te began.
"No, Apprentice. His troops may have a standing order to attack."
"Too bad. I would love to fight a Darth."
Baras chuckled. "No doubt someday you will have your chance to try-one way or another. Now then," He turned back to the Republic prisoner. "Where were we? Oh yes..."
"Vette?" Mau'te said. The little thief was missing. "Vette?" He looked around the landing pad. At last, he reached out with the Force and sensed her behind a fuel tank. He held out a hand, and the tank slid away from her. She scowled at him and stood up. "Why do you hide every time I say 'speeder'?"
"Because you drive like a maniac!" she told him.
"I drive using the Force," he said. "I could drive blindfolded if I wanted to."
"Don't tell me that! I don't want to think you're driving blindfolded." She climbed into the speeder. "Did I ever tell you I have a fear of dying in a fiery speeder crash?"
"Possibly," he said. "I'm starting to lose track of them."
"Very funny."
He pulled away from the platform at twice the normal take off speed. Vette let out a squeak and gripped her armrest. He darted through the traffic as if he were following a practised course, passing the other speeders like they were stationary objects. Vette squeaked again. Finally, he pulled away from the traffic toward the southern jungle, and Vette let herself relax.
"Will Mako and Ter'viro be okay?" she asked.
"The Mandalorians care about the connection, not the Sith. The worst the Mandalorians could do is keep him out of the Hunt."
"Right. I think you told me that. I'm just surprised Baras knew."
"It's perfectly normal," Mau'te said. "He wanted to keep me off balance, maintain control."
"Right," she said again. She took a few breaths. "Am I going to die after this?"
"No," he said. "This action has the approval of the Council. They care if the coup is stopped not how." He looked over at her. "The last mission might have resulted in some embarrassment. This mission will bring Baras nothing but praise. Rest assured, I wouldn't bring you if I thought he would kill you after."
She took a breath and said, "Please watch where you're driving."
"Sorry," he said and turned back.
They reached a massive wall and landed near the gate.
"What does this keep out?" Vette asked.
"The really dangerous things," Mau'te said.
As they approached the gate, Lord Hexid called out and walked away from a line of apprentices.
"Lord Mau'te," she said. "Good to see you. Five to three our last fight. You're getting better."
"You know some interesting techniques," Mau'te said. Vette frowned and looked away.
"You really should join us some time, my dear," Hexid said to Vette. "I don't mind sharing."
Vette attempted a weak smile.
"Lord Mau'te," Hexid said. "I heard Grathan has been naughty, and here you are. Exactly the person I'd send. Will the fun be here?"
"Kaas City," he said. "Most of it."
"Then I'll rush back," she said. "I hope to have you at my side. We'd turn them to ash." She turned back to the apprentices. "The rest of you, this is what an apprentice should look like."
"Yes, ma'am," one of the females said.
Hexid gave her a look. "Get ready to move out," she said to them. "We'll be training in Kaas City for the rest of the day." She turned back to Mau'te. "If you can't make it back for the fight, I'll see you after. You know what a good fight does to me." She looked Vette up and down. "My dear, the things I could do." She returned to the apprentices without waiting for a response.
When Mau'te and Vette reached the gate, an Imperial captain stopped them and activated scanning remotes.
"Hold your position, please," she said. "The remotes are scanning you now." She watched the readout from the remotes. "Identity confirmed. Welcome, Lord Mau'te. I'm Captain Sarnova. Sorry for the delay. Council's orders. Security at the Wall has been put on high alert, but I was told to expect you. Give you what help you need. I'm hoping you'll fix our Grathan problem."
"The exact nature of my mission is need to know," Mau'te said.
"Of course, my Lord. How may I help?"
"I need a map of the estate and isolation."
"Of course," Sarnova said. "Strategy room. I'll have it cleared out for you."
Once the room was clear, Vette took control of the holographic map. She zoomed in on Grathan's compound and started analyzing the terrain.
"Where do we need to go?" she asked.
Mau'te tapped one of the buildings.
Vette nodded. "Warehouse." She rotated the map, shifted it, and started tapping it, creating red dots outside the compound wall.
"And those are...?" Mau'te said.
"Probable sensor locations," Vette replied without looking up. "Lord Grathan had some good engineers. This is a solid design." She started tapping inside the compound. "Those are security stations," told him, still not looking up. "What's here?" she asked, circling an area near the river.
"A pack of sleen."
"Could you get through them?"
"Probably."
She continued searching the terrain, finally zooming in on a location where the hills surrounding the compound came close to the wall.
"Could you jump that?" she asked.
He estimated the distance and said, "Yes."
"Could you get a rope?"
"Of course."
She nodded and traced a yellow line across the hologram from their location to the point on the wall.
"That's it," she said, looking up. "Best I can do."
The route was simple and direct, avoided the sensors and the guards and any serious risk except the sleen. And they wouldn't raise an alarm. If she was right, she'd earn her keep. If she was wrong, she'd go back to being a slave.
"Let's get that rope," he said.
He misjudged the distance a little and needed a running start, but he made it to the wall with a minimum of noise. Vette threw him one end of the rope. He tied it off, and she climbed over to him. He let Vette take the lead to the warehouse, following her instincts carefully. They reached their destination without a hint of discovery. She sliced the lock on a security door, and they slipped into a poorly lit corridor. Vette started down the corridor, but Mau'te held her back.
"You did well today," he whispered. "I'll make sure Baras knows."
Vette nodded and turned her attention back to the corridor. She tried to look professional, but Mau'te could sense the relief from her. He considered warning her that her emotions were too loud, but relief was too vague to draw attention.
The warehouse used mostly droids with a few guards near the main entrance. The droids were programmed to ignore a Sith Lord, and their movements made Vette's job easier. They reached Ba'al's office quickly.
"You must be the operative Lord Baras sent," Ba'al said with a sneer. "I thought he'd choose a stealthy assassin, not some senseless savage."
Mau'te, in his crisp uniform, looked anything but a savage. He smiled at Ba'al and said, "I have a job to do."
"Fine," Ba'al said. "I'll rise above my discontent-for now. Grathan is a rogue Sith who has defied the Dark Council. Locked away here, he's been untouchable."
"No one is untouchable," Mau'te replied.
Ba'al continued, "Lord Baras wants to let Grathan know he can be reached. I suppose he wants a spectacle, or he wouldn't have entrusted such a blunt and tactless animal."
"Is that your best? Jibes that would be weak coming from an acolyte?"
Ba'al scowled at him. "After a year undercover, I've discovered the way-Lord Grathan has a son!"
Mau'te rolled his eyes. "A year and that's all you got? Maybe in another year you can find out his shoe size."
"He wears boots, smartass," Ba'al said. "Injure Grathan's son, leave him on the verge of death. That would send a message. But, be careful. Grathan's son is strong with the Force. He's been trained in the ways of the Sith since birth. You'll have your hands full."
"I doubt that," Mau'te replied.
Ba'al smiled. "All right, maybe underestimating your foes works for you. I managed to hack a special spike that will get you inside Grathan's private quarters. But first, you're going to have to knock out some surveillance stations so you aren't seen entering the quarters."
"Sounds straightforward enough."
"Yes," Ba'al said. "We wouldn't want to tax you with anything too complicated."
"Let me guess, Ba'al," Mau'te replied. "You're upset, because Baras sent you to watch and sent me to act."
The seething in Ba'al's eyes said everything. "If you don't destroy the system before entering the private chambers, you'll never make it. Locate the monitoring stations around the compound and, stick your lightsaber in them. Think you can handle that?"
"Should be easy," Mau'te said.
"Return here when you're done. Try not to screw it up."
"Fine," Mau'te said. "While I'm gone, get started on that shoe size thing."
Once they left his office, Vette said, "I kind of like his attitude."
Mau'te shook his head. "I thought you had higher standards."
Vette took the lead again, and they reached the main building without notice. They hid behind a stack of crates while Vette searched the building for the best entrance and tracked the movements of the guards. Just as she started to move, Mau'te grabbed her and pulled her back. He held her close while listening for something.
"What?" she whispered, harsher than she needed to. She wanted to get her mind off of the feel of his arm around her. Protective, strong, firm but not painful. "What is it?"
"I thought someone noticed us, but no alarms." He let her go.
"Maybe we're not the only ones here," she said. "This guy's got a lot of enemies."
"Very true," he said. "Whoever they were, they're gone."
Vette got them into the building and to the first monitoring station. Mau'te reached for his saber, but Vette held his arm.
"I could slice this easily," she whispered. "A lightsaber hole might draw attention."
Mau'te sighed. "Ba'al and I will have a talk later."
Vette finished with the console, and they moved on. She took the lead again, finding utility corridors and unused passages like they had signs leading the way. Mau'te clouded the minds of the few people they encountered, though not without effort. Grathan trained his people well. They felt safer once they reached the private chambers. Only a few trusted servants would be allowed there. Ba'al's security spike fit only a few doors in the area. Mau'te picked the closest where he sensed occupants.
"What do you think?" he whispered to Vette, handing her the spike. "Will this thing actually work?"
Vette examined the spike, shrugged, and shoved it in the slot. Mau'te shook his head and sighed.
A young man, barely twenty, looked up from a desk. "Mother," he said to a woman nearby. "A stranger approaches."
"You don't know the half of it, kid," Vette replied.
"I am Cellvanta Grathan!" the woman declared. "How dare you enter my son's room uninvited! Who are you?"
"Lord Mau'te," he said with a nod. "Your husband overreaches himself and must be taught a lesson. Don't worry. I'm not here to kill anyone, but a severe injury to your son will teach your husband he is vulnerable."
"You'll have to kill me first," Cellvanta said. "Beelzlit, take cover!"
"No, Mother-I stand at your side. Attack!"
Mau'te jumped to Beelzlit's side, putting him in front of his mother. He disarmed the boy quickly and shoved him into a wall, stunning him. Cellvanta attacked like any mother defending her cub. Mau'te blocked the attack, exchanged a few blows with her, and twisted her weapon from her grasp. Cellvanta fell back, her hands in the air. Beelzlit struggled to his feet, but his mother shouted him down.
"We're no match for him," she said and turned back to Mau'te. "I haven't seen such skill since Malgus." She looked Mau'te up and down with as much appreciation as fear. "What did my husband do to demand this response?"
"Darth Tytonus has landed troops outside the expansion district," Mau'te said. "Your husband plans to support her."
"That fucking bitch!" Cellvanta spat. "She's been after my husband for years. She finally found a way to get his attention. What is my husband's role in this?"
"He still has troops loyal to him," Mau'te said.
"They will attack from within," she said. "Tytonus and my husband will have seats on the Council, and I will be left to rot here." She lowered her arms and seethed at the thought. "There is another way. Kill my husband."
"I can't kill him. He must order his troops to attack Tytonus."
"And so he shall," she said. "Just hear me out. Long ago, my husband was nearly beheaded-now, he cannot exist without his helmeted mask. Everyone knows this. Kill Lord Grathan. My son will wear the mask and assume his mantle. I know my husband well enough that I can guess some of his commands. I can order his men to retreat from Kaas City. His commands to attack Tytonus would be too specific. They would know something was wrong."
"Removing them from the fight would be enough," Mau'te said.
"What will be your reward?" Cellvanta asked with a smile.
"The chance to prove myself against a Darth," he replied.
"Excellent," she said. "You won't regret it. Lord Grathan deserves to die. With this passcard, you may enter Lord Grathan's secret chamber. But be wary of him. There are few as attuned to the dark side as he."
Vette said, "Um, I don't think I like the sound of that."
No guards or servants stopped them on the way to Grathan's chamber. He kept his private quarters truly private, suggesting resources of some value. Mau'te didn't care. He cared about the impending fight.
"My uninvited guest finally arrives," Grathan said as Mau'te and Vette entered the room. "Your feelings betray you, youngster. What's more, your unshielded mind has revealed your accomplice-my loving wife."
"Her unshielded mind," Mau'te said, nodding toward Vette.
"Sorry," she said.
"Don't worry about it," Mau'te said. "You're still practicing."
"Another naive youngster who's fallen under my wife's influence," Grathan hissed through the heavy mask.
Mau'te tilted his head in amusement.
"Cellvanta is a user, child," Grathan continued. "She's obsessed with power."
"I haven't surrendered my will to her," Mau'te said. "We made a bargain. Nothing more."
Grathan laughed, a strange, mechanical sound that chilled Vette to her core.
"You and my wife obviously have a death wish." Grathan drew his saber. "I will grant them both." He ignited the purple blade.
Mau'te smiled, ignited his own saber, and charged. Vette fell back. Mau'te had told her not to attack. Grathan might kill her accidentally.
Grathan and Mau'te exchanged a few quick blows then stepped back and circled each other.
"I sense no fear in you," Grathan said. "Are you stupid, or merely uneducated?"
Mau'te's smile deepened. "You can't imagine what I am."
"I am Lord Grathan. I stand in open defiance of the Dark Council. I see before me a primitive, callow puppet who's wandered into the wrong room. Who are you to think you can kill a Sith Lord?"
Mau'te shifted his stance. "Let me show you."
The fight began. Grathan was experienced, even brilliant, and strong with the Force, and Mau'te didn't seem to care. Vette had seen most of Mau'te's sparring matches. She suspected he'd been holding back, learning from his opponents. Now she saw him in a real fight. Grathan dominated at the beginning, attacking rapidly while throwing lightning and debris at the Twi'lek. Mau'te blocked or redirected all of it and learned his opponent's tactics. Finally, Grathan used three attacks at once to unbalance the younger Sith Lord, but Mau'te slipped past them and struck, injuring Grathan's leg. The Darth stepped back to recover, but Mau'te never gave him the chance. He attacked relentlessly, eagerly, breaking through Grathan's defenses and turning aside his attacks. Grathan amplified his speed to a point where Vette could barely follow the blade, and Mau'te matched every move, smiling the whole time. He beat Grathan back, knocked his blade from his hand, and stabbed him through the heart. He pulled his blade free, stood over Grathan, and shuddered, like an addict with a fix.
Vette turned away. He could treat her right, never calling her a slave. He could protect her from Baras. He could even be nice to Mako. Then he did something like this, and she remembered what he really was.
Mau'te put away his saber and turned around. "Best not mention this to Baras," he said.
"Right," Vette said. "I guess he can't imagine what you are either."
"No, he can't," Mau'te said. "And it's best for both of us if he doesn't."
They left Grathan as he was and started back.
"So," Vette said, after a moment. "Purple?"
Mau'te held in a laugh. "Yes. It is the only color used by both Jedi and Sith. It's a little complicated. I'll explain it to you if we're ever on Tatooine."
Cellvanta met them with a smile. "I sensed my husband's death. Lord Grathan is no more."
"Your husband's troops?" Mau'te asked.
"Contacted the moment my husband died," Cellvanta said. "Ordered to pull back. They'll shrug it off as Sith politics." Cellvanta examined Mau'te carefully. "Perhaps we should discuss our alliance."
"A moment, mother," Beelzlit said. He turned to Mau'te. "Tell me, do you know anything Vereta Fraabaal?"
"Alive and well and with her father," Mau'te said.
"What about the mercenaries that kidnapped her?"
"Returning her to her father is hardly 'kidnapping'," Mau'te said.
"I don't care," Beelzlit said. "Do you know of them? Could you kill them for me? Could you recover Vereta?"
"Beelzlit, please," Cellvanta said.
"No, mother! I will have retribution."
"You're a fool, boy," Mau'te said. "The Admiral already hates your father. Do you want him to add you to the list? Go to him respectfully. Let him think you're some doe eyed fool, a potential operative within your father's compound. You'll get the girl and an ally in the military."
Beelzlit thought carefully. "And the mercenaries?"
"Probably expensive, and probably gone," Mau'te told him.
"He's right, Beelzlit," Celvanta said. "That slicer was the best I've seen. They couldn't have been cheap. Besides, they were just mercenaries. There was nothing personal in it."
"Very well, mother, I will bide my time." He looked at Mau'te. "And I will consider more strategic avenues."
"Very good, Beelzlit," Cellvanta said. "Get your father's mask, and dispose of his body. I have some things to discuss with Lord Mau'te." She turned to Mau'te. "Lord Mau'te, I have always been attracted to power, and you have a great deal of it. You also freed me from an inconvenient husband and put me in control of this house. Let me show you my appreciation." She approached Mau'te with clear intent in her eyes.
Vette looked at Cellvanta with shock and disgust. "You're not seriously considering this?" she said to Mau'te.
Cellvanta raised a hand toward Vette and said, "I dislike your attitude, girl." The air tightened around Vette's throat, and she began to choke.
Mau'te grabbed Cellvanta's wrist, freeing Vette, and glared at Lady Grathan. "Wait outside," he said to Vette.
"Fine," Vette said. "Whatever you say... master."
Vette curled up outside the door and thought, asshole. She heard a few minutes of murmuring from the room then a sound like a belt striking flesh followed by Cellvanta screaming. She looked at the door, not quite believing the noise. Another strike and scream followed, then another, then a sound from Cellvanta that might have been pleasure or pain, then definitely pleasure, then maybe Force lightening, another scream, and more pleasure. The noises continued like that, back and forth, for almost an hour. At last, the door opened and Mau'te emerged, smoothing his jacket into place. Cellvanta followed him in a robe, wincing with every step.
"Miss... miss... miss Vette, was it?" Cellvanta said. "I'm terribly, terribly, terribly sorry about choking you that way. That... that was wrong of me. I see that now. After all, you helped Lord Mau'te with my little problem. I should have been a more gracious host. Oh, I have something for you." She took a ticket to a spa from her pocket and handed it to Vette. "I get these whenever I go into the city. Wife of a Darth, and all that. They're really very good there. They've gotten me... to relax on more than one occasion. It's not much of an apology, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. And, Lord Mau'te, my quarters and everything within will remain open to you. If you'll excuse me, I need a good soak." She closed the door.
Vette looked at the ticket, then at Mau'te, then back at the ticket. Mau'te seemed to be glaring at nothing.
"I didn't like her hurting you," he finally said.
"Right," Vette said.
"After all, you're my associate. It reflects badly on me. Obviously."
She blinked at him. "Yeah."
"How's your throat?"
"Better," she said.
He nodded. "Drink some water. It helps."
"I did," she said.
He looked at the ticket. "I've heard about that place. They are supposed to be good. You should take Mako. I'm sure she'd enjoy it."
"Yeah. Mako. Is that okay?"
"You're both independent contractors. It should be fine." He looked at her then glared at nothing again. "We should go."
They reached Ba'al's office in good time. Vette's stealth was as good as ever, but she seemed oddly distant.
"Took you long enough," Ba'al said. "I'm surprised you survived. So, is it done?"
"Grathan got his message," Mau'te said.
Ba'al sneered at him. "Doesn't say much for Grathan's security forces if a clumsy clod like you was able to bang into his private chamber and injure his son."
"Still upset that Baras exiled you here?" Mau'te asked.
Ba'al narrowed his eyes. "You're not talking to one of Baras's Imperial peons. I'm his apprentice, the same as you."
"I'll grant you're his apprentice, and I do find your empty chatter amusing."
"You'll find my lightsaber a bit sobering," Ba'al said, drawing his weapon. "Killing you will solidify my cover here. Baras can replace you easily."
"What a surprise," Mau'te said and drew his own saber.
Ba'al stepped back. "You don't know the half of it." He hit an alarm button on his desk. "Intruder! Everyone, to me!" He ignited his weapon and attacked.
Mau'te held off Ba'al easily while Vette rolled behind Ba'al's desk. A group of soldiers ran in, and Vette started firing randomly at them to throw them off while Ba'al and Mau'te fought. Half the soldiers returned fire, and the other half focused on Mau'te. He was forced to block and fight simultaneously, but he seemed to enjoy the challenge. Fine for him, but she was outnumbered and outgunned. She hit one soldier, but his armor absorbed the shot. One fell from a deflected shot, and another one was injured. And Mau'te, the asshole, was obviously holding back. Vette ducked and fired as best she could, but she was used to Nar Shaddaa security not trained soldiers. When she poked her head up for a look, a ricochet hit her shoulder, and she fell back screaming.
"Vette!" Mau'te yelled.
Ba'al laughed. "First your companion and now- ahh!"
Vette heard a body hit the floor. After that, the sounds were blaster fire, the sweep of a lightsaber, and an occasional scream. The blaster fire ended, the saber deactivated, and Mau'te leaped over the desk. He picked up Vette and ran from the room.
"I can walk," she said.
"I'm faster."
"I don't need this."
"Shut up," he said. "I'm saving you."
He ran to the speeder landing on the roof of the building, killed three more guards, an took the nearest speeder. Vette curled up in the passenger seat, clutching her arm, vaguely aware their velocity.
"Slow down," she said. "We'll crash."
"Trust in the Force."
"Fuck the Force," she said. "I want to survive."
He looked at her then reduced speed.
"And don't tell me to shut up," she said. "Don't just say 'shut up' like that."
He drove for a while then said, "I'm sorry I told you to shut up. I'm not sorry I carried you. I could get us to the speeder faster. You were in pain and might have had trouble running."
She thought for a while and said, "I was in pain because of you. You were holding back."
He glared at her for a moment then looked forward again. "You're right. I'm not used to having a partner. I won't do that again."
They reached the hospital, and he parked near the emergency door. He leapt across the speeder and reached for her.
"I can walk," she said, pushing his hand away. She climbed out of the speeder, wincing with every step, but walked on her own into the hospital.
Once inside, Mau'te called for help. The medical team leader looked at Vette and said, "We don't usually treat slaves here."
Mau'te grabbed him by the throat and growled, "She is not a slave!"
"Of course, my Lord," he replied and nodded to his team. "We'll get her help right away."
Vette was lowered into a chair and taken away while Mau'te watched and seethed.
"Terribly sorry about that, my Lord," a nurse said to him.
"Right."
"It's not a serious injury," she said. "We've seen a lot of them from the expansion district. Those droids don't have very good aim."
He looked at her. "If you say so."
"It's painful, so they'll sedate her, but she'll be ready to go tomorrow."
"Thank you."
"Do you want me to look at that, sir?" she said and nodded at his arm.
He looked down and saw a lightsaber mark on his left arm. "Oh. Yes."
She took him to a free room, got his jacket off, and started to work. "Trouble with another Sith Lord?" she asked.
"Not anymore."
She nodded and continued working. When she was done, he said, "I need to report in."
She said, "Of course, my Lord," and left.
Mau'te took out his holocom and connected to Baras.
"Apprentice!" Baras said. "Grathan's troops have retreated from the city. Without their interference, Tytonus will fall by the end of the day. Well done."
"I am your servant, Master."
Baras tilted his head, looking at Mau'te's arm. "Are you injured?"
Mau'te nodded. "Ba'al didn't appreciate competition."
"I wondered why he missed his last communication," Baras said. "No matter. He can be replaced. How did the girl do?"
"Got us in without notice," Mau'te said. "She would have gotten us out the same way if not for Ba'al."
"So, she has proven her worth at last. Very good." He looked behind Mau'te. "But where is she?"
"Injured in the fight," Mau'te said. "We are at the hospital. They tell me it's not serious."
"Excellent, Apprentice. Both of you have earned a rest."
"With your permission, Master, I would like to join the attack on Tytonus. I would like to face her myself."
"No, Apprentice," Baras said. "You have earned your rest. Besides, you're not yet strong enough to face a Darth."
"Of course, Master," he said and switched off.
Mau'te arrived the next morning just as Vette was dressing.
"Hey!" she said, spinning around.
"Sorry," he said. "Technically, you are wearing your bra."
"Whatever." She let her arm dangle and pulled her jacket sleeve up and over her shoulder.
"Do you need help?"
"No," she said. She pushed her healthy arm into the other sleeve and shrugged the jacket on. "Thank you, by the way. For... saving my scrawny ass."
"It's not scrawny anymore," he said. "In a good way. The exercise is working."
"Oh." She started closing the jacket.
"Let me see it," he said.
"What?"
He turned her around and pulled the jacket away from her shoulder. He made a show of examining the wound, but she caught him checking out her chest and glared at him.
He shrugged. "I never said your tits were scrawny."
"My tits are not a subject for conversation."
He looked at them again. "That's too bad." He examined the wound more seriously. "It's not as bad as I thought."
"No sleeveless dresses, I guess."
He shook his head. "In the Empire, an injury like that earns you respect." He pulled the jacket over her shoulder then stopped. "This is your armor?"
"Yes."
"This is what you call armor? This is tissue paper with thread."
"Whatever," she said and picked up her guns. He saw them and took one from her.
"Did you bypass the first three induction coils?"
"They were sparking," she said.
"They were sparking! So you reduced the power output by fifty percent. You may as well have been spitting at them. Where did you get these, anyway?"
"From a guy," she said. "On Nar Shaddaa. He didn't need them anymore. I didn't get him that way. I just found him."
"And on Nar Shaddaa, you don't ask. I remember." He handed back the pistol. "I'm getting you better armor and weapons."
"I can't afford that," she said.
"I'm buying it. You can't do your job if you can't stay alive." He glared at nothing again. "Let's go."
That night, Vette sat alone nursing her shoulder and scanning the holonet for Twi'lek slaves. Still nothing. Hutts didn't keep the best records of their slaves. An alarm went off, and she took her next pain pill. Pain pills good. Broken clavicle bad. Lord Hexid bitch.
The things I could do.
Fuck you. I mean, don't fuck you. I mean... forget it.
Mau'te walked in, and Vette shut off the holonet.
Vette said, "I thought you were with Lord Hexid tonight."
"I beat her five nothing and came home. How's your shoulder?"
"Still hurts."
He nodded. "When you're ready, we're going to start training together. You don't know how to work with a partner either. At least not like this."
"Yeah," she said. "That makes sense."
He was glaring at nothing again.
"I was going to work with Mako on slicing until then," she continued. "If it's okay for me to see her, I mean."
He nodded and glared. "I won't go easy on you."
"I won't hold back if you don't."
His glare softened a bit. "That's fair." He went to his room for the night.
You can't imagine what I am. Vette tried not to. She turned back to the holonet and continued her search.