Chapter 15
Jailhouse Blues
The proximity alarm began screeching as they sat down for dinner. Zaalbar howled his indignation at having his dinner disturbed. The intercom clicked on
"Sith patrol cruiser, they are deploying fighters." Bastila called out.
Carth jumped up his tray falling to the ground with a clatter. Food splattering across the floor. T3 wailed in indignation and started bleeping droid imprecations
"Battle stations." Carth called out.
Zaalbar reached out and grabbed Melissa's tray before she could drop it. He had already strapped himself into his seat and was busily eating from his tray with his other hand, having wedged his tray tightly between his knees.
"Good to see you have your priorities straight big guy," Melissa teased
She made her way rapidly to the nose guns, giving Carth a nod as he was busy strapping in, Bastila was promptly ignored. She slid down the ladder to her position. She strapped in and powered up the gun, slipping on her communication head set she looked at the target display to her left.
"Nose gun ready. Showing incoming in a three by three formation." She reported
"Top gun ready. Picking up another three by three formation." Terri called in
" Dorsal gun, single three formation." Canderous called in.
Carth looked at the illegal military scope fitted to the Hawk. He swore.
"Heads up, people. We have a second large form jumping in looks like a corvette. Engine cool down complete in fifteen minutes. Shoot like your lives depend on it, because it does"
Terri swore as she her tactical screen become one red mass as the corvette unloaded its complement of fighter. She started firing blindly, reckoning that at very least she will disrupt their formations, and if really lucky might actually hit something.
Melissa was firing as rapidly as he could, not bothering using the tactical screen's aiming mode, trusting more in line of sight firing than the much slower targeting system. Carth barrel rolled, a shot fired from the cruiser batteries hit one of their own craft
"Friendly fire." She breathed out.
She tapped the headset to open her channel.
"Sir, take us as close to the cruiser as you can."
"Bit busy dodging here, why?"
"If we are close; the cruiser cannot target us; the fighters will have to worry about friendly fire on their ship. Even if they don't worry about friendly fire we still win, because they will damage their own ship, tying up crew for repair duty."
"Got nothing to lose trying it." Terri gave her input.
The Ebon hawk shuddered as a series of blasts got through. The whine of decompression followed. The door to the male dormitories slammed down and the whine stopped. Carth silenced the decompression alarm. Zaalbar's growling came up the passageway as he was spraying down a set of sparking components in the crew lounge, with an extinguisher.
"Screw it, you can only die once." Carth said
He spun the Hawk in another barrel roll, before dropping the nose and twisting and weaving on a straight line to the cruiser
Bridge, Sith cruiser Marko's Fist
"Sir, the freighter is on a rapid approach to us." The tactical officer called
"Can the tractor beam lock on?" The Captain asked.
"No, sir, they are too close to lock on, our ion cannons cannot lock on either. From the angle it seems as if they want to do an attack run."
"Are they suicidal, no freighter has the firepower to do anything to our ship." The XO stated, perplexed
"Launch the last squadron, let the fighters wear their shields down and disable their engines, do not target the weapons pods we want them all alive." The captain ordered
Melissa saw movement from the main body of the cruiser tower as a large hatch was opening. A new group of fighters were launching from behind the safety of their shields. She started scything fire from left to right. Two explosions happened just outside the sheld. A third fighter going into a death roll; exploding against a dome on the hull. There was a blue flash that blinded her momentarily as the shield collapsed.
Carth spun the freighter at the last possible moment, the belly inline with the main tower. Canderous saw the glass of the bridge and opened fire.
"Epar an etyc kute, hut'uun." He shouted in passing
The bridge cringed as the lasers started walking across the plexisteel window, doing no damage. The last struck a weak spot in the mounting that had repeatedly been welded. The plexisteel shattered as the explosive decompression ripped it apart. Air howled as it left the bridge left the bridge, the crew being battered in their seats from the pull, gasping from the lack of air. The blast shield finally dropped down and a force shield activated. The officer of the deck looked to where the captain and the XO had last been standing, finding only space. She fell back onto her protocol
"Fall back to the secondary bridge, Contact the third officer, she is now in charge. Get med teams for the wounded. Let the CAG know that the bridge is offline till further notice."
The Ebon Hawke was on it its second run. The nose and Dorsal guns; plowing the road; with actual explosions rocking the cruiser. The top turret firing as fast as it could swivel. The plan seemed to be working as the near constant fire from the fighters seemed to have tapered off, allowing their shields to actually slowly regenerate. Carth split left and rolled at the main block, giving the top turret and shields a break as he spun around for another run
The ship was being shaken by the emissions of the cruisers sub light engines, Terri blindly fired into the massive engines as they passed, one blew up as they passed. The damage causing the other two engines to dim and die out; as they were hastily shut down as they were being battered by debris. The lights on the cruiser died and it began to drift.
"Yes, get some, you bastards!" She screamed in her headset.
Three smaller explosions lit the darkness as Melissa and Canderous scored critical hits. Carth was running in a straight line now. The ship stalled for a moment as they re entered hyperspace.
The mood in the lounge had been jubilant post the battle, EvenT3's warbling and beeping about the list of repairs had seemed more light hearted than its usual tone used when it complained. The mood had dropped and shattered on the floor when T3 revealed the communication logs from their last cool down stop.
"Are you telling me, they found us because Bastila ignored the communications rule?" Mission asked, angrily
T3 bleeped in affirmation and proceeded to log into the holotable. The communications log showed numerous incoming and outgoing communications. The two and from locations highlighted, Dantooine Jedi enclave and their last position. T3 left the room to continue its never ending list of tasks. Mission pointed angrily to the list
"So not only did you send a message, you had a nice chat session." Mission said incredulously.
"The messages were encoded they could not have learned anything from them." Bastila haughtily defended herself
"You are missing the point!" Carth shouted.
He was pacing the lounge, breathing deeply
"There is a reason we had a no communications protocol in place. Did you think I said this on Arkaxia just to keep you from checking your social media accounts?"
He pointed to the display.
"Origin and destination points. Repeated origin and destination points. Did you really think the Sith would not take notice of traffic to and from the Jedi enclave and go investigate the source."
"The coding is unbreakable" Bastila mulishly insisted
"Damn the coding. Look at the Galactic positional system coordinates. That is what betrayed our position." Carth hissed, coldly
Bastila looked shaken as the realization set in. She shook herself, before taking a stiff position in her chair.
"I will take full responsibility in my report of course. Now that that has been established it is time to move on."
Melissa handed over her half eaten meal to Zaalbar and stood up, turning to Carth.
"May I be excused, sir. I wish to begin repairs; with your approval, of course."
Carth sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. The relationship between him and Melissa had taken definite damage after the outburst several days prior and he was at a loss as to how to repair it. To be honest, when he found out that she had moved from the dorm, he had gone full drill instructor on her. Only later once he had cooled down did he remember the advice he was given and had promptly ignored when his temper had been spiked.
"Proceed" He said, waving a hand.
Mission was looking at Melissa in surprise as she walked to the exit of the crew lounge.
"Are you not going to say anything? She nearly got us killed!"
"What is the point? The Jedi always know better than us, so our rules do not apply. Why earn myself another mark on my record by speaking my mind? It is simply not worth it, and I will be wasting my breath anyway as nothing will be done" Melissa spoke over her shoulder
Terri winced sharply, looking to the side. Carth looked pale. The comment and the implied lack of trust had hit him hard, this is a moment all decent officers hope to avoid. The moment, when those under your command have lost all trust and faith in your command. Bastila looked conflicted
Canderous stood up and place his tray on the holotable for T3 to collect. He walked in the direction of the male dormitory
"Not going to say anything either?" Bastila sniped, defensively
"Why should I, Jetti? The kid said everything that needed to be said." HE shrugged
Mission threw a murderous glare at Bastila before turning to the mandalorian.
"Canderous, what would happen on a Mandalorian ship in a case like this?"
"She would have been shot out of hand already."
With that conversational gem he exited the room. Mission stacked her tray and left as well, Zaalbar following minutes later.
"I will be on the bridge." Carth muttered, walking away.
Bastila spoke softly.
"You did not say anything either."
" No need to, everything that needed to be said was said."
"How can I fix this?"
"Till you swallow your pride and admit your mistakes and actually apologize, you won't."
Terri finished her meal and added her tray to the stack with a slight slam and walked away; leaving Bastila the sole occupant of the room. T3 moved in from the galley and removed the trays. Even the droid seemed to be avoiding her. Bastila turned her attention to the holotable with a scowl on her face.
"I have told you many times before, that someday your face will become stuck in that expression."
Bastila looked up in surprise as a blue figure shimmered into view. The human female had the hood of her robe down, a gentle smile on her face.
"Master Kashana." She gasped
"Social niceties would require that I ask how you are doing, but it would be disingenuous of me to do so."
"You have been observing me?"
"Not just you, my dear, though I have been watching you more than the others."
"Not that being able to converse with you is not delightful…"
"But you wish for me to come to the point." Kashana smirked
"It is just that maintaining that form must be taxing on you." Bastilla protested
Kashana seemed to be settling herself in a space before Bastila. She seemed to ignore the comment Bastila had made.
"A dear friend just recently told me something I did not agree with but on reflection I found the statement to be true."
"What was this statement, if I may ask?"
"That the fault of the padawan is the fault of the master. I have failed you, Bastila, repeatedly I have failed you and I can never apologise enough for my failure."
" Master, you have not failed me, because of your teaching I am the Jedi, I am today."
"Precisely. My failure is not a small failure like how to interact socially, another thing I failed you at. In my hubris I overlooked your growing hubris. I was so proud when you manifested your ability that I overlooked that the praise heaped upon you enabled that pride that is now crippling you."
"Master?" Bastilla asked confused
"You have been told repeatedly that your gift puts you on another level than other Jedi by myself and the other masters. That was wrong. The child rightly pointed out that we as Jedi have become so enthralled in our own legend that we have lost sight of what we are supposed to be. The young woman has rightly pointed out that our lack of empathy have estranged us from those we claim to serve."
" What would you have me do, Master?"
"To make a choice to do which is right or believe in the legend you have constructed for yourself. Padawan, know this, the choices you make and the actions you take; will reverberate through the force in ways you cannot yet fathom"
The figure shimmered from view, leaving a deeply pensive and troubled Bastila to ponder over what the visitor had said and implied.
They were within the half parsec mark when the light indicating outside communications came on. Carth toggled the swith
"…ATC to incoming freighter. I repeat this is Dantooine ATC to incoming freighter. Please enable your transponder and forward your identification."
"Dantooine ATC , this is the Ebon Hawk our transponder has been destroyed recently after an attack. Forwarding identification now." Carth replied
"Identification received and confirmed, you are cleared for approach to the Enclave airfield, you are expected."
"Dantooine ATC; we have received moderate damage in the attack. Would the enclave airfield be able to assist with repairs."
"Unable to confirm, Ebon Hawk, we have been instructed to expedite you to the Enclave, further information will be available there. Sending direct flightpath data. Please maintain port speed
"Dantooine ATC, data received and proceeding. Confirming port speed."
Flashing lights marked the landing pad. Carth reduced speed on approach and deployed the landing struts. There was a slight tremble in the frame as the struts came into contact with the surface. Carth started to cycle down the engines.
Terri stood up from the copilot seat and went to the boarding ramp. There was a slight cracking sound as the seals disengaged and a whitish vapour as the air inside escaped to mingle with outside. The hydraulics whining as the ramp descended. Spotting the ground crew in their yellow high visibility jackets, she lifted her hand in a fist, the recognised sign to hold position. A light flashed green from above the hatch, indicating that the engines were disengaged. She dropped her hand.
The ground crew moved forward hoses and cables reeling from behind them. They attached them to a ship before motioning to a figure by a control terminal. The lights within flicker before coming back on; as they went to the main power source from the airfield. The whine of pumps started up and the refuelling started and the draining of the bilge tanks commenced.
Carth led the way to the edge of the landing pad, where a group of beings waited. One, a twi'lek female, was dressed in Jedi robes. The others wore civilian clothing, badges attached to their clothes. One stepped forward.
"Can Melissa Carpenter, please step forward?"
Melissa stepped forward, confusion on her face
"Cadet Second Class Melissa Carpenter, I hereby place you under arrest at the behest of the Jedi council acting on behalf of the Republic fleet. The charges are at this time limited to defrauding the Republic and the knowing dissemination of false information to government officials. You are bound by law to stand down."
Carth and Terri stepped forward angrily, the beings with the marshal lifted their weapons to the ready position, the Jedi placing a hand on the hilt of her lightsaber.
"The arrest of fleet personnel can only be done by the Shore police or the Naval Criminal Investigative Service unless duly authorised by the Judge Attorney General or the matter is for a civilian offence." Carth protested.
"Nor does the Jedi council have the authority to do so for that matter." Terri added
The marshal handed over a data pad to Carth started to rapidly read the document it contained; he slowed down as he kept going. He handed the pad over to Terri, defeated.
"It is legal."
"Why the hell does the high Admiral get involved in something so minor?" Terri asked
The marshal turned back to Melisa.
"Raise your hands and take three steps forwards and drop to your knees."
She complied and a deputy stepped forward. He unclipped her holster from her belt and handed it to another deputy.
"Any other weapons?" He demanded
"Knife on my ankle, right leg." Melissa replied.
A female deputy stepped forward and effected a body search over her clothes, before removing the knife, a sudden blow to the back forced her prone. A knee was ground in her back as her arms were ripped back, an involuntary cry of pain escaped her lips
Zaalbar howled in anger.
"Reign in your deputy! She is not resisting!" Carth screamed
The other deputies kept their weapons trained on the crew. The marshal looked at his deputy before looking back
"I am not seeing anything." He said blandly
"Marshal, please ensure proper procedure is being followed." The Jedi said mildly
The marshal motioned to the deputies and Melissa was gently pulled to her feet. Canderous spat out the nicotine stick he had been smoking. He levelled a glare at the marshal.
"Touch her again and I will kill you all, hut'uun"
Zaalbar growled in affirmation. The deputies took a step back.
"There is no need for escalation." The Jedi stepped forward
"Guys, stand down. I will be okay" Melissa said
Canderous took a reluctant step back
"K'oayci."
"I will do my best." Melissa replied.
" I will personally see to it that all proprieties are observed." The jedi said
"See that you do, Jetti, otherwise another face will get added to the list.
The deputies surrounded Melissa and began walking her towards the distant lights of Khoonda settlement. The Jedi pointed to the datapad in Terri's hand.
"If you look at the second page, you will see instructions for specialist Cazor and Commander Onassi. Knight Shan the Council requests that you attend to them in the morning."
With a half bow she turned and walked in the direction of the Enclave. The ground crew were busy attending their duties, making sure not to look in the directions of the despondant crew.
Carth slowly sat down and lowered his head into his hands. Terri was pacing in a tight circle, the datapad gripped in white knuckled hands. Zaalbar and Canderous were staring towards spun around and ran into the Hawk, She returned moments later with a footlocker. She threw it at Bastila's feet and pointed to the Enclave.
"Go celebrate your victory with your friends, you are not welcome here." She snarled
"Mission, what are you on about?" Carth asked, not looking up
"Terri said it herself. Why would the high assholes of the fleet get personally involved with a cadet? The answer is, theywon't, unless someone leaned on them. And whose boots do they regularly lick?"
" The Jedi counsel." Terri stopped her pacing
"Precisely. And who recently reported to said Council? Who has had it in for Melissa from day one?" Mission stated, viscously
Bastila took an involuntary step back at the venom in Mission's voice. The another as the other's gave her their full attention. Carth slowly stood up. Bastila turned to him
" Commander, surely you…"
"Get the hell away from our ship. You had better start walking to that Enclave, I hear it can get very dangerous out here in the dark." Carth said, coldly.
They entered the hawk and raised the boarding ramp, Leaving Bastila standing there, her locker at her feet.
The night duty marshall was seated at his desk when the group entered. He looked up from the terminal he was slaving at as the group entered. His day opposite looked at the pile of flimsies stacked high next to it
"Did someone forget to tell me it was Saturday already, Thornton?" He said jokingly
"No, Webster. Just her royal highness and the princesses doing the usual. Looks like you had fun as well. All that for one little girl"
Webster snorted.
" A little girl that runs around with mando's and wooks. Nearly turned nasty."
Webster pointed to two night duty female deputies and pushed Melissa forward roughly
"Process this. Bag and tag everything and I mean everything."
Sofia Harse was getting bored. She had been in this cell for hours, why had her daddy not collect her already? Flirting with the drunken farm hands in the cell next to her had already lost it luster, not that she would stoop that low to actually give one of them the time of day anyway.
The door to cell opened and a barefoot girl dressed in orange coveralls was pushed in. Seems the night got a little more interesting.
Melissa looked the residents of the cell over. Five she would classify as spoilt little rich girls, probably the princess the other marshal ahd mentioned. Another woman was stretched out on a cot, using her jacked as a cushion. The next cell contained a bunch of rowdy farmhands and the local equivalent of the cool guys from school. She steered towards a cot in the corner.
The black haired leader of the pack of girls said something and the others giggled slavishly.
"Hey spacer, did your last client run of with your clothes and the five credits he promised you." She simpered.
The peanut gallery went wild, the woman on the cot tensed. Melissa ignored her and kept going. The girl walked closer and stuck her finger in Melissa face.
"I am talking to you, space trash."
Melissa slapped the finger away and proceeded to the cot. She ducked suddenly and a fist swept over where the back of her head was. If the little girl wants to play, she can accommodate her. She had some energy to burn after all.
Melissa spun and delivered a return blow right to the juncture of the girls thighs. The girl screamed in pain, dropping to her knees. A Keldabe kiss moved her nose to an off centre position. Percussion blows to the ears had her losing her lunch over her expensive clothes.
The other four looked at their fallen leader in shock, before launching screeching attacks. The next cell screaming their approbation for the night's entertainment.
Teeth went flying as a reverse elbow strike was delivered. Melissa grunted as blow slipped through. She spat out some blood and spittle in the nearest face to her. The girl retreated with a horrified shriek, leaving enough space to administer a few knee strikes.
The third girl actually had some combat training, Melissa noted as they exchanged punches and kicks, the fourth had decided to cower under a cot. Melissa felt something crack as a punch to the chest got through. She hammered back and her opponents nose crunched. Both combatants stiffened and dropped as stun bolts washed over them.
The yokels yelled abuse at the marshal, but quickly went silenced as he turned the riot gun in their direction. Thornton sighed as he looked at the occupants of the cell, one lying still on her cot, one whimpering underneath hers, three groaning in pain, and two unconscious. This was going to cause a spectacular amount of work to explain, not mentioning the noise the unhappy high profile members of Khoonda's elite would raise when they see the state of their little darlings
The only upside that he could see is that maybe the little princesses may would finally learn that there are bigger fishes in the pond with them and they will not put up with their delusions of superiority. Speaking of delusions of superiority, he can actually not wait to tell Mordecau Harse to take his complaints to the Jedi council and the high Admiral, after all the prisoner that roughed up her royal highness was their responsibility.
Thornton turned to the deputies standing to the entrance to the cell block.
"Get the Doc, prepare the J eighty and J eighty eights and start contacting the parents, you can start by telling them why you did not stop this before it began."
Mission woke to Terri in the thrall of another nightmare, sweat was running down the woman's frame as she twisted and trash. Terri sat up with a shout. She rushed from her bed and ran into the refresher. Mission could her throwing up. Mission moved closer and stood by the door. Terri was hunched over the toilet seat.
Mission was glad for a moment that Terri did not have long hair as she would have been required to hold it back for her, as mandated by the girl code. Or should that be womandated. A though for later.
" Terri, can I get you something? Should I call Carth?"
Terri got to her feet, wobbling slightly. She gave an unconvincing smile.
" I am good, just bad dinner coming back."
Mission did not call her out on that lie. None of them had had the appetite to eat, including Zaalbar.
"So I have been thinking…" Mission started.
"Did it hurt?"
"No snarking at the one who came to help you, it is in the rules." Mision replied, mock indignantly
"Only if you hold back the hair of another, close proximity is required." Terri pointed out
Mission just waved her off.
"To get back at what I was saying. The orders from that sleemo Dodonna said you and Carth must stay on the ship and not contact Melissa right?
So what if I and Zaalbar go check on her and I accidentally pocket dial you from my comlink , you cannot really be held accountable if you listen in while trying to get my attention. Pocket dials are funny like that."
Terri stepped in closer and grabbed the girl in a tight hug.
"Thank you, you little brat, thank you"
Mission tensed for a moment, before slowly relaxing and tentatively return the hug. Terri pulled her closer and tightened her grip. Mission softly sighed in appreciation, before breaking away
Mission coughed slightly, a blush on her face. She tried to covertly wipe her eyes with one hand.
"Hey, who are you calling a brat?" Her voice slightly raspy
Triss Veroth was feeling slightly irritated as she made another journey to the airfields to deliver and invitation from the council, that is if a thinly veiled demand could be called an invitation. Being newly knighted, she had expected a share of make piece work, but she never expected to be a glorified comlink.
Then again, it could be an opportunity to find out why knight Shan had stumbled into the Enclave last night dragging a footlocker. Not that anyone could find out anything last night what with Shan dropping of to sleep immediately on being given a bed, nor this morning when she wake the entire dorm with her nightmare before rushing to the council chambers, This was merely to find out of concern, definitely not for discreet discussion.
She widened her focus as she approached the craft and frowned. She could sense the presence of two plus a droid, three signatures was missing. The two were lunging on the boarding ramp, their feet well inside the craft. She sensed their controlled anger, in fact it was more intense from when she left last night. She stopped before the ramp and gave a polite bow.
"Good afternoon. I bring aninvitation from the enclave council for you to consult with them. I will be acting as your escort."
The woman looked at her neutrally, radiating a cold anger. Triss wondered for a moment if the woman forgot that Jedi could sense emotions, till she saw the calculating look in her eyes. Suddenly she knew with utter certainty that her assignment had become much, much more harder.
"We are sorry to say that we cannot accede to their demands. Due to the fact, that we are under orders not to leave the ship. By order of the fleet admiralty." Terri responded.
Triss successfully hid a wince at the word demands. Clearly the message had gotten through, but they were not planning on acceding to it.
"I am certain that the admiralty would not have any quarrel if you accede to the wishes of the council"
The man snorted, derisively.
"That is not a chance we are willing to take, seeing that we have very good reason to believe any certainty you offer will be meaningless."
Triss took an involuntary step back at the venom in his voice.
"I beg your pardon, are you implying that the Jedi would renege on their responsibility?"
"Honey, I am not implying it. I am saying it."
The woman tossed a datapad at her underhanded. Triss caught it in a force grip and pulled it closer.
" Was it not last night that you gave assurances that our crew member will be treated with dignity?" The woman hissed angrily
Triss looked at the holopic and gasped. It showed a barefoot girl dressed in an orange coverall lying on a cot in a cell. A very battered and familiar girl.
The two stood up and walked up the ramp. The man pushed the control and the ramp started lifting.
" Tell your council to either come here or provide written instructions from the admiralty." The man said
Triss stood still for a moment in shock, in her experience. no one had ever demanded that the council come to them. She pulled out her comlink to contact her old master.
Webster was having a bad day. He had barely reached his home and eaten when he had been called back to the station. The office had been filled with angry parents, two of them on the Khoonda council, four battered girls and one shaking like crazy scattered between them.
Thornton was holding back a seething doctor Holloway as Mordecau Harse was trying to prevent her from entering the cell block, telling the man in clear concise and graphic basic what he could do with his threats to have her removed from her position as medical practioner to the town.
With a groan he realised that he probably ended his career by standing by Harse and denying the doctor access to the last patient in the cell. A fact that the lawyer retained by the girl's crew mates was very happy to point out to him, by listing in excruciating details how many Republic laws and regulations he had breached.
The council will probably arrange to have him executed by kath hound when the civil suit was handed to the circuit judge against his office and the council members involved on behalf of the girl. That is not mentioning the inquest from the section governors office that would be sure to follow. He did not want to think what the local press would be writing when this bombshell broke, he will never find work in this sector ever again.
He looked away with a shudder, the kath hounds would probably be more merciful than the mandalorian that has been staring at him for the last half an hour. The threat, no the promise, the man had made last night; running through his mind, the promise he had scoffed at as false bravado.
It was almost with relief that he noted the door opening and two hooded figures in brown robes walked in. He felt a lurch in his stomach as his ulcer happily reminded him of its presence. This day just got a lot worse.
Master Dorak sighed as he finished levitating the sedated girl onto a bed in the sickbay of the enclave. When his old apprentice had notified him of the refusal of the two older people he was happy to be able to step from the chambers to grant her extra authority to deal with the local law enforcement. Vrook had been ranting from the moment the message came in as was going strong still when he had left the chambers.
The ire of the doctor had been spectacular when she saw the state of the girl. Only offering the medbay and services of the enclave healers had mollified her somewhat. The last he saw was the savage look on her face as she had been talking to the lawyer. If the marshal had any common sense he would be disappearing in the night and quickly.
He turned as he heard a gasp and felt the turmoil in the force. Bastila was standing by the doorway, her face paling by the moment. She had a hand in front of her mouth as she watched the still form be swarmed by the healers. He stepped closer and her hear soft repeated statement.
"This is all my fault."