Chapter 24
A long overdue talk
The cargo bay returned to semi darkness as the door closed behind Terri as she entered without knocking. The soft rock music being played was at a level that did not exceed the cargo bay but loud enough to make talking hard. The double bunk's position was outlined by the pink neon light strips built into the wall of the holding cabinet. The light falling onto the bed revealed a solitary figure.
She moved to the unoccupied side of the bed and sat down. After pulling off her boots she laid herself down and looked at the ceiling. To her surprise she saw a diorama of stars painted onto the ceiling with phosphorous paint. The pink lights and starry ceiling was nearly a cliché of a girl's bedroom from holodramas. Thinking about it for a moment she realised why it would appeal to the two girls who shared the space. To them it would not be a cliché but a subconscious milestone of their desires to have a family.
She was fully aware that Melissa was awake. She reached down and grasped her hand and just kept looking at the ceiling. Strangely enough she did find it soothing. Patiently she waited, actually glad as the waiting gave her a chance to deal with her own churning thoughts. She felt movement as Melissa reached for the controls above her head, and the music subsided to background noise
"I actually wanted to add a projector, so that we can also have something else to watch at night if we can't sleep, but Mission thought it may be a bit tacky." Melissa finally spoke, after a while.
"I think I know what to get you for your birthday then. She cannot complain if it was a gift." Terri replied
"Good luck figuring out the day, I don't know what it is." Melissa snorted
"Was it not the fourth of the fifth month then?" Terri asked.
"That was the day I was found with the other survivors drifting in the black. When they could find no other data than a name and surname they just gave that to me in order to complete a form." Melissa answered.
"Is there a day you would like to claim? Seeing as you have an open calendar to choose from."
"April Fools day is really starting to look appropriate"
Terri let go of the hand she was holding and wormed her arm underneath Melissa's back and neck. She pulled the unresisting Melissa onto her and held her close, now being able to rub her back. She felt Melissa's breath on the nape of her neck. Melissa snaked her arm across Terri's stomach. Terri lifted her other arm and started running her fingers through Melissa's hair.
"Do you want to talk about it, or do you just want to lie here for while longer?" Terri offered
"Just lie here, I just want a moment of peace." Melissa mumbled in reply
"Take as long as you need, I am not going anywhere."
She kept on rubbing her back and gently carding her hair for several more minutes before Melissa shifted and gently pried herself loose.
"We are going to have to call everyone in for this meeting," Melissa said
"Everybody is here already, we were just waiting on you." Terri replied
"No, I mean everyone. Us, Marina, Daria, Karana, Lance and Fay. This affects everyone. This is not just a Jedi matter, it affects my entire family. And yes, through you, I see Bastila as family. Though she still has to get my permission before dating you."
Terri blushed
"We are not like that." She protested
"Tell that to the emotions you push into the bonds. Just what were you two up to this morning?" Melissa smirked
"Nothing. We were just waiting getting ready to go to the council." Terri insisted
"Sure… pure lust from you, and you were just getting ready for the council. Try again."
"Fine; she was undressing to go take a shower not realising Juhani had jumped the line. She then just waited for her turn, that is all."
"She was broadcasting guilty delight and uh, let is call it excitement, she probably knew Juhani was already out of the room."
Terri was shocked into silence. Her ears taking on a darker pink hue, as her blush increased. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. Melissa gave a delighted giggle at having finally getting Terri speechless.
"You want to hug her, you want to kiss her." Melissa started chanting
Terri jumped from the bed and moved to the door for a hasty escape.
"You know this means war, right." Terri said, over her shoulder
"T and B, sitting in a tree, kay I ess ess I an gee, first comes love…"
"War, you little brat. War"
The crew lounge was packed to the brim with the crew and six armoured forms along with Fay. They were patiently waiting for Carth to join them from the cockpit. As an added security precaution it had been decided to hold the meeting while in geo synchronous orbit around the planet. The room and people inside had been swept by both Mission and Lancelot for listening and tracking devices. The twins as next in line for the leadership of clan Wren had accompanied Marina. Canderous should have stood with Daria for clan Ordo but had Karana in his stead with Lancelot as her second.
Carth came in closed the hatch behind him. He leaned against it and nodded to Terri to begin. She shook her head and pointed to Melissa. She motioned for her to begin. Melissa shakily rose and nervously cleared her throat.
"Good evening everyone. Thank you for taking the time to be here. As you all by now should know or have guessed a new directive has been issued by the council."
"That is true, but it does not explain the clandestine nature of this meeting." Bastila prompted
"That is because I no longer know who to trust except for everyone in this room. My friends and family, and I do not want to see any of you get hurt or killed."
The silence after that statement was absolute. Marina was the first to recover.
"An explosive statement. Would you like to explain?"
Melissa sat down again and wrung her leaned over and grasped her shoulder for a moment. Taking a shuddering breath; she looked at Juhani and Bastila.
"Firstly before we, rather I, begin need you to know that I respect both of you deeply. I know that you most likely will get offended and I am sorry for the hurt that will cause. If you want to beat me up later, I will fully understand. Please if I am way of base or it gets too much stop me and correct me or get your point in."
"That does not sound ominous at all." Mission remarked
Juhani and Bastila nodded, both looking slightly apprehensive. Melissa sat forward and sighed.
"For me there is too many inconsistencies and questions to ignore any longer. I feel like we are pawns in a game of dejarik and not only can we not see the board, we don't know how many are playing at the same time. The starting point as far as I can see it is the attack on the Ravager and the fall of Revan. Bastila, I am sorry for bringing it up, but you were the sole survivor of the attack group, yes? And taking a wild guess you were in the strike team due to your battle meditation, right. How many of the group were Master level?"
"None, we were all knights."
"And probably all junior knights."
Bastila nodded stiffly, Terri took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze
"That is the first inconsistency for me. Why not send a group of masters to deal with a master level threat? Secondly with Bastila's gift being so unique why risk her getting captured or killed if you are going to send your junior league to face the championship winner? Then we have Revan being killed when his apprentice turned on him when he had a chance, but again why not try to capture Bastila at that time for himself?"
Melissa stood up and started pacing.
"We have nearly a year passing before sending someone to track Revan's movements. Why the delay? Again why Bastila and not one of the masters who taught Revan? Surely the master would have better insight in how Revan thought and acted, why send someone that has not been taught to do information gathering on what is essentially a cold trail? Why take away an asset from your front lines where you desperately need it?"
The others nodded in assent as they followed the reasoning. Bastila wanted to say something but failed to think as to what to say. Melissa continued
"Bastila, did you know Taris was under Sith control?"
" No. I did not."
"How did you not know? Surely the captain or officer on the bridge would have told you that when the orders were given to go there."
"I was on the bridge only once, most of my time I was in meditation in the situation room."
"Who told the captain to go to Taris?" Melissa persisted
"Knight Kree informed the captain when my meditation led me to Taris. She was the knight on duty at the time."
"So she was the relay between the officers and you then?" Terri asked
"She was one of three." Bastila confirmed
"And she never reported back that Taris was under enemy control?" Melissa clarified
"No, she just asked me to continue meditating on the path ahead."
Melissa paused for a moment.
"What other information did you have to work with? Old movement reports on troops and personell of the Ravager, sighting reports. Anything except meditation and guidance from the force."
"Nothing."
The non force users were looking sceptically at the relevations so far. Terri frowned, while keeping her grip on Bastila's hand. Carth pulled down one of the jump seats as he finally sat down. Melissa kept her pacing.
"Putting that aside for now. Why dispatch three cruisers and a large contingent of knights and padawans to investigate a cold trail? Were they expecting to have to engage in combat against large numbers? We all know what happened next."
"We got our asses handed to us and lost a lot of good people." Carth stated.
"They will be remembered." Terri replied.
"Finally we get to Dantooine. Then nothing for months again. Why the delays in searching for whatever it is? Why do we get to see Revan in our dreams? Bastila was there when Revan died, sure, but I had never been in contact with Revan and Terri could have been, but with her amnesia we will never know."
The two clan matriarch sat back thoughtfully. Melissa took her seat again. She rubbed her hands in frustration.
"Now we know what Revan and Malak was here for, a map of some sort. And here the inconsistencies start again. Previously the council send a large group on wild mynock chase with no information. Now they want to send three junior knights after it. Understandably a covert search is better, but again will it hurt to add a master. Why the change in approach all of a sudden. If finding out what Revan was doing is so important why send us on a rescue mission when there are more suitable options?"
Melissa leaned forward
"An argument can be made that since we escaped Taris we have experience in evading the enemy. The problem is, they know what we look like. And there is a world of difference escaping a world by the edge of your skin and infiltrating a world."
"A good point." Carth said.
"I feel like there is an agenda being played here. Like there is a chism in the council vying for control. We have Vandar, Hissk and Kavar for us, a neutral block and then Atris and Vrook and their block. I also cannot figure out Vrook and Atris, their attitude towards us is more antagonistic than seems reasonable, they dislike me sure and the feeling is mutual. But the way they look at Terri, it is like they are waiting for an excuse to attack. And the other masters also seem to be on edge about something."
Terri let go of Bastila's hand and sat back in her chair. She ran her hands through her hair.
"You bring up a lot of good points. Then there is another question why send us after her. It is almost childish, like Atris want to say, that is right we can screw you over on a whim."
"Just who are you being send after?" Daria asked with a sinking feeling
Terri and Melissa shared a glance.
"Ashari Carpenter,her padawan and three apprentices." Terri said neutrally
Pandemonium broke out as the news came out. The Madalorian contingent was on their feet, exclamations of anger erupting from them. Melissa lifted a hand and pointed them back to their seats. Reluctantly they complied
"But it keeps getting better." Melissa added" Seems the padawan is her child. Yes, she had another one and they let her keep it."
"I am assuming they told you to keep the mission quiet?" Marina fumed
"It was implied." Terri stated
"And as such must not be discusses further." Bastila admonished.
Melissa looked Barila squarely in the eye.
"And that bring us to why I don't trust them anymore. They know my history with that woman is going to cause conflict. Do I walk away and abandon you and Terri? Taking a variable out of the equation. Do I bite the bolt and just be a loyal little tool for them, who never questions any orders. Do I betray them by taking my new family on a hunt. Giving them an excuse to have me removed? Get some justified payback for breaking a treaty? Do I betray my family? Leaving me open to be brought back into the fold. Why spend time on playing these games when they are losing a war?"
"What do you mean losing the war?" Mission demanded
"Take a look at the new knights, they are younger than Bastila was when she was knighted. It is like they are promoting them faster to fill gaps. Why the insistence of knighting Terri and Juhani before being allowed to go searching for these maps. Is it really necessary or are they trying to bind them closer to the council?"
Melissa stood up again and resumed her nervous pacing. Terri lifted her hand to bring attention to her.
"All of these are good points. I would add why is the Enclave still standing? Malak knows where it is and he knows they are training people to fight him. Why let your enemy live and grow stronger. Hitting the temple might not be achievable, but the enclave is wide open. Is it because he does not consider them a threat or is the information he is getting out still too usefull to discard?"
"Are you saying there is traitors among the Jedi here?" Juhani demanded
"On this ship, no." Melissa said" we know the enclave is compromised, recent events have shown that. Even if all the Jedi are loyal, what about the civilian staff, electronic espionage, a trained infiltrator."
Bastila and Juhani shared a troubled look. Bastila rubbed between her eyes, her telltale for sign for when she was stressed.
"As much as I would like to refute the statements, I cannot. Obviously there is more going on than what we are told or can be told for that matter. Seeing it from your perspective does raise a lot of concerns." She finally said
"What you said is true. This mistrust is very distressing." Juhani said," Yet I find myself wondering. What would you do if I were to take this to the masters?"
"Nothing, except ask you to be discrete." Melissa replied
"You will not attempt to stop me?"
"You have the right to your own decisions and opinions. It is not for me to decide those for you. If you feel it is the right thing to do, I will not stop you."
Juhani sat back and processed the answer in silence, Marina pondered for a moment before speaking her mind
"Are you fearing that the negative faction, for lack of a better description, is setting you up to fail?"
"Yes. I get the feeling the council is divided. If we fail the negative faction wins and can implement whatever plans they have. I believe Carpenter is in the negative faction, if we succeed they get an ally back who is more indebted to their cause. No downside for them and they get to see us squirm as an added bonus."
Why not walk away?" Karana asked
Melissa sighed.
"Bastila and Juhani will not walk away. Terri and I are bonded to Bastila; to walk away would hurt Bastila in ways we cannot imagine. Plus added to that fact is that we are already on Malak's scope. We cannot survive alone, and we cannot ask the clans to go to war when we are rebuilding. One minor clan is not worth risking the nation for. So we are tied to the barrels. That does not mean the rest of you cannot walk away."
Karana slapped her upside the head.
"Stop trying to be noble. You are family and family is everything. You bringing us up here was the right thing. Now let your perfect aunt get you out of your mess."
The twins smirked at Melissa.
"At least you realised that you needed someone with brains, which is why we are here." Lilith stated.
"You want to start something blondy?" Lancelot retorted
"With all the bimbos and himbos around here is it not obvious" Lillith replied.
"Himbo?" Carth voiced
Xena patted his leg
"Just sit there and look pretty. Mommy is going to get to work now."
Terri and Melissa could not help but bursting out in laughter in at his expression. Several muffled snickers also echoed through the room. Judging from the look on Missions face, the word himbo was going to get a lot of use, completely missing the point that she was being called a bimbo The tension in the room eased considerably. Marina shot the twins a look before shaking her head in amusement.
"Let us break down the problems you foresee for this mission and we can see how to mitigate it. Then we start setting up contingencies." Marina suggested
" With how badly we fear the compromise of the council is, identity would be the biggest problem." Terri started
"They know what we look like and they know what the ship looks like." Melissa added
Lance looked thoughtful as he critically looked the crew over
"So superficial changes like hair style changes are unlikely to work for those capable of doing it."
"In essence yes." Bastila replied.
Lance looked to the elder woman.
"We still have some morph left. That can take care of three. It will be very effective for Terri, right colour and she can pass as a Zeltron."
"That does have merit." Daria mused
"What is this morph you are talking about?" Terri asked
"Something clan Wren came up with for infiltrators and rapid disguise. Morph is a tablet that alters your skin colour." Lance explained
Karana pointed to Mission.
" It will not work on non humans, but I think we need to have Benny take a look. Change enough features to muddle the picture."
"Who is Benny? And why are you looking at me like that?" Mission demanded
"Benny is the ship medic and our tattoo artist in his spare time. He will be able to give us some ideas for temporary tattoos and disguises."
Zaalbar grumbled and his translator spoke
"Just saying this in advance, no one is colouring my fur."
"We can always shave you and call you a Lasat." Melissa suggested innocently" Or we can buy a few tubs of hair removal cream to make it look more organic."
Laughter erupted in the room, With a deep sigh Zaalbar pointed at her.
"I have said it before, you do not get to say anything with your ridiculous fur colour."
Lancelot suddenly gave a demented grin and started rubbing his hands together gleefully
" I know what we can do about your ship situation." He declared
"Lance, No! Bad Lance! Fay, control your man." Karana disclaimed
The twins groaned, Terri lifted an eyebrow
"I am almost afraid to ask" She said
"You should be. Lance, it has never been done." Xena replied
"I still say it can be done, now our odds are better than before." Lancelot retorted
"No one has ever robbed the graveyard, it cannot be done." Lillith insisted
"She is right. The graveyard has never been robbed." Carth added
"Thanks honey. See even the republic knows it cannot be done."
" I will not steal from the dead." Juhani declared
"The graveyard is where the Corelian Engineering Company stores the ships they cannot sell yet. Be it because the ship is experimental or the new owner has not paid for it in full. There is said to be thousands of various ships in the maw where they are stored." Karana explained
Marina gave a sharp whistle and the noise died down.
"It would be best if a full explanation is given." She pointed out
"Let lance speak before we dissect his plan." Daria added.
Lance activate the holotable's navigation map function. Isolating the Corellian section.
" Correlia the only system that can give a Nal Hutta and Nar Shadaa a run for their money for the amount of criminals per capita. It is also home to the Corelian Engineering Company. One of the busiest ship builders. They could be a lot bigger if they actually standardised their designs, if you need something built to design they are the ones you go to." Lance explained.
Manipulating the map to close up he pointed to light flashing between Corellia and Neral
"The Maw, a gravity distortion between the two planets. Unique in that it is stable, That is where the excess ships are stored. There is only one way in and one way out as far as anyone knows. The only record of where every ship is placed, is stored on Corelia two, the Orbital station right in front of the Maw."
Karana jumped in.
"To steal a ship. You need to infiltrate the station access their databanks find the ship, find the ignition codes. Get to the ship, fuel it up and fly it out before they are aware of your presence. All this while dodging the organic patrols"
"To make it better, the security systems supposedly resets every hour." Lillith added
Lance pointed to the station
"That is why you don't steal a single ship, you steal as many as you can."
He pointed to himself and Mission
"We have two good slicers for the data system, Several pilots that can be split between a few craft. And we have five Jedi to warn us if they feel someone coming and if they really want to can contril people to be helpful."
"Why not just steal a freighter at a port? That sounds easier." Mission asked.
"Then you will have the Spacer Guild gunning for you and they cannot be outrun, they are everywhere. They are the reason piracy is not more prevelant." Xena explained," Stealing from the factory will be permitted. Hell even Corsec will not go hard for you if you pull it of. To Corelians this is the ultimate challenge. Hence why they make it impossible to pull of."
"Nothing is impossible with the force as your ally." Lance stated pompously.
He held up a hand.
"This is the basic plan. We set up a shipping company on Nar Shadaa. Approahc the station as potential buyers using some of those designs Melissa found as a template for a new cargo fleet. Using the hawk we set up a distraction as we fake a blockade run to the Maw. With security dealing with the most commonly used tactic to steal a ship we split into to two groups one heads for the ignition code database and the others for the location database. We have the Hawk running around seemingly endlessly before heading into the maw and dropping fuel containers close to the edge,before bugging out. Using the confusion, the inside group steals a shuttle and flies to their ship. Using a Jedi per group to pull the fuel containers to their designated ship. The pilot accesses the system with their codes while the crew refuels. Then fly like hell and jump into hyperspace as soon as you clear the gravity well. I know this is a bit rough but it can work."
Benny was mixing the ink while looking at the image in front of him. The image was of a hart contained in the middle of a circle overlain on a rose surrounded by thorny vines spreading out to form wings, all done in black. He looked up at Melissa.
"I have to say this is a nice design, but are you sure? Unlike the henna tattoos I am going to add, this one is permanent. And unlike the henna you will feel it as it gets applied. Take your time and really think about this."
Melissa took a deep breath
"I am sure. Though I have to ask why don't you ask about the checabra I want on my upper chest."
"Having your sigil tattooed is traditional, it is a part of you that will never change. This is more personal. You have to be certain with personal tattoos"
Melissa dropped the robe she was wearing with a blush and laid face down on the exam bed Benny had set up in the middle of the cargo bay.
"I am sure, that is the one I want."
"Okay, you are the customer. Remember once I start you have to keep completely still and again there is no anaesthesia. Last chance to stop."
"Benny, please just start, I am sure."
" Just remember you get to tell the clan heads that I tried to stop you if they freak out."
Sitting down, he moved his chair closer to the bed, pulling the overhead mobile lamp to shine down from slightly behind him to ensure he had proper light to do his work. He rubbed her lower back with an absorbent cleaning gel, before laying the tracing down and drawing it onto her skin. Lifting the needle gun he set it to touch her back
"To confirm, you want it to cover half of your lower back to the sides. A medium sized tattoo in total."
"Yes."
The needle gun buzzed as he activated it. Melissa bit back her gasp at the sudden pain and kept herself as relaxed as possible, adamant to experience this without escaping into the Force to lessen the sensation.