Chapter 27
A walk through the … Never Mind!
Carth looked at the three still seated on the ground with a not amused expression
"What is it with Jedi and sewers. I swear every developed planet we go to we will see the sewer system firsthand." He complained
Melissa waved her hand
"Hello. Non Jedi here. They did not want me in their little club remember."
"You took part in that little séance or whatever that was. You count as a Jedi." Carth said waving her off
"Better start checking the locker rooms for uniforms or coveralls. It would be best to look official when we walk out of here" Terri suggested.
Taking their bags they started leaving the lock up. Melissa glanced at the terminal standing in the corner.
"Give me a moment. I want to check on something. I will meet you in the locker rooms" Melissa said
"Okay, just don't take too long." Carth replied
Five minutes later she walked into the locker room.
"Find what you were looking for?'' Carth asked
"With this city being as small as it is I took a chance to see if they were linked to the town council mainframe. I got full schematics of the sewer system."
"Good thinking, the last thing we want to do is wander down there without an idea of where we are going." Carth complimented her.
He pointed to a locker.
"Can you open that one for me? I ought to find what I need in there."
"And you are thinking that one, why? There is at least thirty lockers in here."
"The name on it. Jack Summers. Nice masculine name."
Melissa shrugged and her lightsaber blade flashed through the lock.
"Could you just not pick the lock?" Bastila objected
"Bas, we are escaping legal custody, a little malicious damage is not really going to add to our criminal records here." Terri remarked, slashing another locker
Melissa looked into the locker she sliced open and started giggling. She reached into the locker.
"Carth, this locker is definitely for you."
"Could not go wrong with a name like that." Carth said, not paying attention to the giggle
She pulled her hands from the locker and started swinging a red lace g string and bra set on her fingers.
"Looks like your size and colour too."
The locker room looked as if a hurricane had ripped through it withiitems scattered on the floor and doors ripped open, the smell of molten metal filled the air. Melissa tugged on the uniform shirt she was wearing, the shirt and trousers uncomfortably tight. She feared that the buttons might pop at any moment.
Following the very useful directory signs they moved to the back entrance, the lock offering no resistance As Terri cut through it. The backyard had three patrol bikes and two transporters standing in the open.
"Going to need a slicing kit to get through the locking systems on those." Terri remarked
"Or we can just use the keytags." Bastila replied
She pointed to a glass covered board from which the keytags where clearly visible. Carth hammered an elbow into the case and the glass shattered.
"Which ones do you want?" He asked
"All of them. We can use the bikes for ourselves, can set the autopilots on the transporters to go for a drive out to the countryside. If any of these have got trackers that should buy us some time." Terri replied
Mission had had a momentary anxiety attack as seemingly the entire police station approached the diner they were using as an observation post on the police station. Judging from the tensing she noticed from her companions that they were as uncomfortable as she was. Some of the tension eased as they settled down in the scattered booths and started placing orders. A man in an officers uniform placed several credit chips on the counter to pay for a round of caf before heading for the door.
"Sir, how long are we to stay out of the station for?" One constable asked
"The captain said he needed several hours, so go back at midnight. If there is any problems contact me, otherwise I will see you all on shift change."
One Constable was looking out the window. She jumped up from her seat. She pointed to movement close to the station and called out to the officer
"Sir, did the captain also say he was going to take all our vehicles and uniforms?"
The officer approached the constable to see what she was pointing at. Three patrol bikes exited before the patrol vehicles, the riders wearing poorly fitting police uniforms, one bike carrying a fourth in clear violation to standard operating procedure. The group roaring off on the vehicles before the officer was halfway to the door
"Back to the station, now." The officer ordered.
The four watched the officers dash across the road, the diners staff pressing up against the other window toget a good look. Canderous's comlink chirped a message alert tone. He read it and stood up
"Back to the ship, Captain wants to load the new cargo now. Seems he wants an early departure."
"But we just ordered." Zaalbar's translator complained for him
Canderous turned to the waiter.
"Please change our orders to take away, I will go pay for it now."
"Right away sir." The waiter replied, heading to the kitchen.
They found Melissa waiting for them at boarding ramp, judging from the engine sounds the ship was standing by for take off. Sets of blue lights were rapidly approaching the airfield. Melissa started lifting the boarding ramp as they rushed closer and stepped in.
"All aboard, lift off." Melissa said into the intercom
" Everyone grab a seat, this is going to be rough. Gunners to the turrets" Carth replied.
Carth lifted of and started retracting the landing gear at the same time. Bastila muted the external communication as the air traffic controller uselessly demanded that they power down and land. There was a chime as the shield sensors reported a slight drop. Checking the rear camera Carth noted that they were under small arms fire from the police vehicles that had rushed onto the field. He pushed the throttle to full forward and lifted the nose to gain altitude. Bursting through the athmosphere at full throttle strained the shields, a red sheen enveloped the ship as they rushed away from the planetary gravity well. The scope started making noise.
"Six ships coming in fast, five clicks out." Bastila reported
"Too little too late." Carth replied activating the hyperdrive
The technician at the Lothal air traffic control looked at the monitor as momentary blip flashed on the screen as the hyperdrive sensors on the satellite net picked up activity, The motion sensors picked up a slow moving object, nothing came back as an electronic ping was send to the location. He toggled the alarm button by his desk and yawned. Though thankful for the overtime he was displeased at having to come in after having left two hours earlier. The night crews having been taken into isolation for questioning after the freighter had busted out. His supervisor walked closer. She too looked disgruntled at having had her evening plans disrupted
"What do you have, Eric?" She asked
"Hyperdrive sensor pinged, no electronic feed back and slow movement on motion sensors. Think it may be a purgill."
"Ping it again."
He sent the command via the terminal and it came back as no electronics detected. The supervisor noted the time and results on her datapad.
"Mark it as a purgill, just keep your eyes open. The bosses are going to be jumpy for days."
Melissa and Terri were standing by in the engine room as the ship started shaking as they entered the gravity well. The room lit by the headlamps they were carrying. Both grabbed onto the rails by their positions as the shaking increased in intensity and grabbed onto the breaker switches as they waited for the command to restart. The rest of the crew was staged in a line from the cockpit to the engine room to relay verbal orders as they were in complete electronic blackout. Zaalbar hanging on the controls as he was the only one with sufficient strength to keep the ship in line manually without the assistance of hydraulics. Carth keeping a close eye on the hull colour as they approached the planet, the white heat signature increasing in intensity as they closed in.
"Now." He shouted.
He moved to his seat as he heard the order being shouted to the engine room. The lights flickered as the power was restored. Zaalbar was hanging on to the controls for dear life as the bucking on the controls increased. Carth engaged the shields before igniting the engines.
They dropped through the atmosphere in a corona of light. Carth pressed the nose down in a rapid descent before pulling up at the last moment and activating the repulsor coils. The sonic boom they created audible throughout the ship. He kept the craft as low as he could as he steered for a ravine they had picked up on the planetary map. An alarm started screeching as the docking port door was momentarily opened and closed
Reaching the ravine Cart rapidly landed and switched off all electronics. Trusting the ravine walls to hide their heat signatures. He heard the boarding ramp being lowered and the sounds of three patrol bikes exiting the hold followed by the sound of the ramp lifting. Mission walked into the cockpit and sat down in the co pilot seat
"They are gone." She reported in
She kept swinging side to side in the chair as she looked out at the viewport at the slowly lightening horizon. The only noise being the ticking of the slowly cooling engines. The noise was shattered by harsh bleeping and clicking and an electronic screech as T3 was reactivated and it made its displeasure known at having been powered down.
They found what seemed to be an abandoned workshop on the edge of Lothal city. Terri cut away the lock on the back entrance and walked through the dusty building to the workshop doors to open them. There was no power supply to open the door as she pressed the button. She extended her hand and leaned into her connection to the force and started lifting the heavy door. The three patrol bikes were pushed in and the door lowered.
Grabbing a broom Bastila cleared some space on the floor of what had been the office. Melissa stood by the window and provided overwatch using the build in optics of her helmet as Terri , Bastila and Juhani tried using the force to locate their targets. Bastila and Terri having taken on their green skinned and red haired appearances, Juhani had decided on dyeing her fur back to her original colour. All three of them were wearing coveralls and backpacks.
Noting the crowd of early morning commuter crowd thickening Melissa moved over to where the other three were seated in meditation.
"Time to go."
No one reacted as the Cathar girl entered the diner with two green girls and made their way to a table. Moments later silence descended as the door opened and a fully armoured Mandalorian stood in the doorframe. The figure paused as she assessed the room before making her way to the counter and taking a seat, a bounty tracking fob was dropped on the counter, the light on it slowly blinking. A long barrelled scoped rifle was unshouldered from the back and placed upright by its owner side. The helmeted face turned to the waitress standing nervously behind the counter
"Caf and two of your breakfast specials, please."
"Would you like one packed for take away?" The waitress asked, tapping in the order to the counter terminal
"No, I will take both at once."
"Are you sure, miss? The portions are quite large."
"Yes, I am sure."
Two seats from the armoured figure a being was starting to shake and sweat buckets, stealthily it reached under its jacket and stopped as a blaster was pointed at its head.
"I am not here for you today, drop your weapon, pay for your food, walk out and start running. You may not be so lucky tomorrow." The armoured figure spoke.
"And if I don't?" The being tried to bluster.
"Then I will drag your corpse to the police station after having breakfast and collect whatever pitiful bounty is on your head."
Several credit chips and a holdout blaster dropped onto the counter before the being rushed for the door. The figure holstered her blaster. The waitress scooped up the credits and slowly pushed the blaster towards the armoured figure.
"Keep it, a girl needs all the protection they can get." The figure spoke
The waitress picked the blaster up and pushed it into a pocket of her apron before taking a jug and pouring a mug of caf and placing it before her client. She was surprised at the age of her client as the helmet was removed and placed on the chair next to her. The client ran a quick hand through her short red hair before pulling the sweetener dispenser closer and pouting some into her mug. A few minutes later plates of food was put in front of her, not one of the other clients remarking on the fact that she had been skipped to the front of the line. She dug in with gusto.
"More caf? Looks like you have been skipping meals." The waitress tried to make conversation
"Yes please. No I have not been skipping meals, wearing metal plate has you burning calories like you would not believe."
Melissa was mopping up egg yolk with a piece of grain bread when the door to the diner opened, the waitress having moved off to deal with more customers. Using the reflective surface of the caf dispenser she waited till the grey clad figure was close before spinning slowly around in her chair.
"Can I help you officer?" Melissa asked
The Sith officer stopped her advance on being addressed. A momentary expression of surprise was quickly suppressed.
"We have had reports on a dangerous criminal being present at this location." She said
"I will not say no to picking up another bounty while I am forced to be here on this rock, I am barely breaking even with my current hunt." Melissa replied
"I believe they were referring to you." The officer responded
"I do not recall breaking any laws here. Is it illegal to have breakfast on this planet?"
"Most citizens would not be able to differentiate between a criminal and a bounty hunter. May I have information on your current hunt? And your name?"
Melissa shrugged
"I cannot see any harm in telling you. I am Jaina Caldara clan Visla and I am hunting a party of six. The primary bounty is on a local from Lothal. He skipped on a large debt on Nar Shadaa. He was seen with this group leaving Nar Shadaa with what was supposedly a research group from Coruscant university. Problem is one of the dock workers recognised one of the researchers. He was the sole survivor of a unit that had been abandoned by their Jedi commander on Tellavera. The worker was dead certain the leader of the group was the one."
" I am supposed to believe you are capable to take on five Jedi?"
"No, I am my clans scout. I find them and call in the rest of my clan waiting on Corell. If they are Jedi we get paid the standard bounty per head and I get the primary bounty as a side payment. If they are not we can hand them over to the base and intelligence can sweat it out of them as to why they were here. Either way I and my clan get paid."
The Officer nodded at that.
"Make sure not to start anything in the city confines, we will not be tolerant of disturbances." The officer ordered
"I cannot guarantee that. Bounty hunting is never predictable. However it will not be me kicking anything off, if someone decides to be stupid" Melissa replied
"I doubt the citizens of Lothal will try anything."
"There is always one idiot. Fair warning, I am not the only Mandalorian here nor am I the only one hunting this group. I spotted Bella Ashari this morning."
" I am not familiar with the name."
"Togruta. Does not care about a body count to get to her marks, rumour has it your big boss keeps her on retainer."
"If she is hunting the same target as you, what will you do?"
"Assuming she has not killed me, politely get out of her way and leave the planet."
The officer gave her a final nod before turning on her heel and leaving. Melissa turned around in her chair and finished her meal. She laid several credits next to her plate to pay for her meal and leaving a large tip. Standing up she picked up her rifle and attached it to the mag plate on her back. She swept her hair back before placing her helmet on and walking to the door
Melissa was lounging against a wall in an alley before the other three joined her. Pulling her lightsaber she cut through the maglock keeping the manhole in place before lifting the manhole cover. The other three took a step back as an aroma drifted up from below
"Okay we can confirm that is a sewer." Terri remarked
"You sure, I can't smell a thing." Melissa replied
"How can you not smell that?" Juhani asked
"Hermetic seal and toxin filters. Helmet for the win" Melissa replied
Terri gave Melissa a sharp nudge to the back.
"Since you can't smell it you get to be on point."
Melissa motioned Bastila to turn around. She rummaged in the top of the backpack that Bastila was wearing and pulled out a roll of plastic and another roll of adhesive tape. Her lightsaber added to the items in her hand
"Need to wrap up first, unlike all of you I cannot just discard my clothing once we step out. There should be enough plastic for all of you too" She said.
Climbing down the ladder she paused to attach a light to her helmet before cycling the vision mode to night vision. She sank to mid thigh before touching surface. She swept her rifle barrel down both ends of the tunnel. Bastila was down next, the datapad with the map attached to her left forearm, respirator making a hissing sound as she breathed in a nd out, Juhani the third down, she gave a low growl through her respirator as she touched surface. Terri came last pulling the manhole into position as she climbed down. Bastila placed her hand on Melissa shoulder with Terri placing a hand on Bastila's shoulder. Juhani was in the rear, her eyes adapted to see in the dark. Bastila refered to her map, a tentative location had been marked
"We need to go west for three miles. Take the first passage and keep going, we turn left at the seventh junction from here."
Melissa pushed of and started moving wading through the muck. They kept pressing on, no one having any inclination to stop for a rest break. Melissa kept sweeping for Movement as she progressed. In the distance she could see the faint glow of a light and she switched of her helmet light.
"Light ahead." She spoke softly
"Map shows a janitorial station." Bastila replied as softly.
"Time for a position check." Melissa suggested
Bastila closed her eyes and concentrated.
"Straight ahead." She said after a moment.
"Going to scout ahead." Melissa told her
She crept down the tunnel keeping to the tunnel wall. The janitorial station was surrounded by a small wall acting like a moat, a light by the door marking its position. Melissa switched to thermal vision and saw a huddle of red and blue in the room. She tapped her comlink button on the helmet.
"Got two signatures on thermal, no movement. Move up."
It took a few minutes for the others to reach her position. Terri sat down on the wall and swung her legs over.
"I think it is best if Bastila, Juhani and I make contact first. Seeing an armoured mandolorian might set them off" She said.
"Fine, I will keep and eye out, open comlink channel two so I can hear what is going on."
The occupants of the room jumped up and attacked the moment the door opened. Terri braced herself against a weak force push and stepped further into the room. A human boy and girl in their mid to late teens stood with their backs against the wall, the boy holding a screwdriver threateningly. Terri lifted her hands to show they are empty
"I am Terri Cazor, we are here to rescue you."
"We do not need rescuing." The girl burst out," We are not going back to the order and we sure as hell not going near her again."
"Can we at least talk about what is going on here?" Terri asked," we have food if you are hungry."
The two looked between each other, shaking their hands. Terri stepped to the door.
"Melissa, can you step in here." She called
The two teens relaxed on seeing the armour and the boy slowly lowered the screwdriver. Melissa faced Terri
"So much for you being the friendly face for first contact." She teased
"Whatever, just get in there and talk to them."
Melissa sat herself down on a workbench against the wall.
"Before we start I have a few things to tell you. My name is Melissa Carpenter. Yes the same surname as the master who brought you here."
The girl looked at her with growing unease, Melissa noted the point of the screwdriver slowly lifting
"Are you related?" the girl asked
"She gave birth to me and then abandoned me shortly thereafter. Have I met her before? No, but I have heard some things, I assume she is a large part of your statement about not going back?" Melissa replied
"Where did you grow up?" The boy asked
"State orphanage on Alterra in the city of Toprawa. We are here because the high council wants her found for some reason. Or it could be that Atris and Vrook thought up the mission to screw with me and the others." Melissa stated
"Can you describe Atris?" The girl took over
"White hair, stiff back. Looks like she has a pole stuck up her ass and an attitude that wants to make you smack her on principle." Melissa answered
The girl looked to the boy and nodded. He lowered the screwdriver completely.
"I am Victor Shalell and my companion is Luna Agara." Victor introduced them
"You already have my name. Terri also introduced herself. The others with us are Juhani, no last name, and Bastila Shan. Bastila is nominally in charge due to being the only knight here." Melissa replied
"Your companion, Terri, mentioned food." Luna stated
Terri tossed two meals ready to eat at Melissa who caught them and handed it over. The two fell onto the food immediately, eating ravenously. Melissa motioned to Terri to throw another two meals over. They ate the second meal a lot slower.
"Can you tell us how you wound up in the best smelling place on Lothal?" Melissa asked after a while
Luna swallowed the last of her second meal.
"In a sense it began in the temple. As you can see Victor and myself are a bit old to be apprentices. The simple truth is we are both weak in the force, we knew it was going to be a short matter of time before we get shipped off to some Agricor world. Then we committed the ultimate sin, we fell in love and the masters found out." Luna began
"We had been called in separately to the council for reassignment and had been told we were to be shipped to different worlds. We were planning to make a run for it when we were approached by padawan Arthur Carpenter." Victor continued. "He told us there was a way to stay together and that his master was willing to help us to do this."
Luna sat down against the wall
"We were sceptical, but we had nothing to lose but each other. We met with her. She said that she was leading a research opportunity in the outer rim that could take years to complete. If we went with her she could hide us from the council. With her having a child and keeping him we thought she had a way to hide us as she had hidden her son." Luna said
"But there was a catch?" Terri asked
"Not one we saw immediately, when we got here we left the ship and moved to a compound belonging to the children of Gaia. She said it was to hide better while we did our research. At first everyone ignored us, then slowly they become like servants the entire sect." Luna explained.
"She and her padawan had been meeting with the leadership of the sect daily since we got here, the other apprentice, Thalie Snager, would follow Benedict around the whole day and stand guard while the meetings were going on, the two of us were left largely alone." Victor continued
"With the attitude change of the sect, we became suspicious and started hiding in the church nave during their mandatory services. Master Carpenter would stand in front of the congregation and speak to them using the force to tell them that they were there to serve her and her son firstly, then other Jedi, She would always have a crystal staff in her hands. Whatever it is, it is powerful as we had trouble resisting her words. When we confronted her she said that her son as to be the father of the new Jedi order with her as high master"
"Did she say how she was planning on creating her new order?" Bastila asked
"We were brought along to provide children for her order, she told Victor to breed as many as he could on the cultists. She said she had agents in the temple to send those who fell due to their lust for others to her to provide her with more children for her order, but only if they were human." Luna continued.
"We ran away that same night, we were trying to get to a freighter to stow away to get of the planet when the Sith caught us. I saw Arthur being paid by the Sith as we were led past. He sold us out to them." Victor stated
"They kept us in the garrison in separate cells and questioned us daily. Sometimes they got a bit rough if they felt we were not cooperating." Luna took up the tale
Luna hunched in on herself and Victor pulled her closer to him as she started to cry softly. Melissa started feeling ill as she realised where this tale was heading, the other three were looking pale as well.
"How bad did it get?" Terri asked gently
"There was a captain named Von Helm that had taken an interest in Luna. It was the first time I was able to use force persuade. I used it to get him away from her before he could do what he wanted. I ordered him to release us. We have been hiding down here for days now."
Melissa looked down at her gauntlets and noticed a blue spot on it. Following the spots trajectory she noticed a drone hanging in the air, she swung up her rifle and fired. The drone exploded in a burst of fire. Then she felt it. Cold Amusement. She pulled the two away from the wall. Moments later a red blade flashed through the wall where Luna had been seated. The four surrounded the two teens while standing in the middle of the room
"Time for me to go talk with my aunt." Melissa said with forced cheerfulness
"No need to come out, Kitten. Aunty is right here."
Bella was standing in the doorway, idly playing with her unlit lightsaber. Melissa noted she was not wearing a rebreather, seemingly unconcerned with the air she was breathing in. She looked appraisingly at Melissa
"Aunty Bella normaly does not like that type of armour, but the kitten looks nice in hers. How is the arm, feeling better?"
"Could have done not being cut, but I learned from it." Melissa replied
"Then the kitten already knows she has to play better next time." Bella airily stated
"You can be certain I will get better, though I get the feeling you did not come here to have a chat with me, as nice as it is to catch up."
"Yes, Aunty is here to take care of the naughty children. Really, kitten, you should get better friends."
The two teens turned paler than they were before. Melissa stepped closer to Bella, blocking them from direct line of sight with her body.
"Aunty Bella you did hear that they wanted to leave the naughty temple and its rules. And they ran away from her, so does that really make them naughty?" Melissa asked
"Are you trying to trick your poor aunty, kitten?" Bella hissed
"No. I am pointing out things you already know. They are not worth pursuing. It would be like killing the waiter for delivering the wrong meal to another table. It does not impact you."
"Why should I give them to you?"
"Because they told you where to find her. They are not your enemies and they are too weak to play like we do. It would be disappointing for you to kill them. If it makes you feel better, consider them to be fifteen years worth of birthday presents."
"Are you going to keep them, like pets?"
"If you will let me. After all what are employees but pets you pay to stay around?"
Bella touched her lips in thought before smiling in agreement
"Aunty agrees. You can keep them, but you have to clean up after them."
"Thank you Aunty." Melissa replied.
"Shall Aunty see her kitten at her mothers new place?" Bella asked
"I believe we shall." Melissa replied
"Good, Aunty shall let you watch her play with the bitch. Someone has to show the kitten to really play. Aunty will even let you kill the other naughty children. Toodles."
Bella hopped over the wall and started skipping along the tunnel. Melissa let out a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Hearing the respirators working hard behind her she felt the others relaxing
"We need to get these two to the ship before that thing changes her mind." Terri said
"I believe she will keep her word for what it is worth, but you are right it is past time to leave." Bastilla replied
Melissa turned to the two teens
"I am not going to make the decision for you. You can come with us to our ship. I was not kidding about making you employees, I can find work for you if you are really sure you want out of the order. Or we can take you to the surface and let you take your chances from there."
The two teens had a silent conversation
"We will go with you to your ship. Everything else we can talk about later" Victor answered