Chapter 4: The Student

"You take me to the nicest places, Jas. I'm so thrilled to have come along."

Jas Dar Bynn rolled his eyes as he stepped over a rusting drainage pipe.

He kept his calm, despite the sarcastic complaints of Mirax Fallenstar.

This place wasn't his idea of pleasant either.

"Well," he replied, "I didn't ask you to go with me on Nar Shadda. Which was a shame, I think you would have enjoyed going through the same extended de-con that I went through."

The bounty hunter smirked.

"No thanks," she said sweetly, "I did the whole bald thing once, never really looked good on me, and besides…"

She did a quick spin and a lady-like curtsey.

"A gentleman should be willing to walk through dark places for a lady, don't you think?"

Jas returned her smirk.

"You're a lady? Well…that is certainly news.

She playfully cuffed him on the arm, but was quickly drawn out of their banter by the sound of a large machine kicking on, putting them both on their guard. The last time that had happened, the two had needed to run. They had been between two malfunctioning power couplings, and had been nearly electrocuted.

Nothing down here seemed to work right, and the most basic of device seemed two seconds away from turning into a full-on death trap.

The Wreck's lower levels were hardly safe, but the two had had little option but to come down here.

If Tynnes, the new head of the Syfo group, was to be believed, there was a lost Jedi hiding down here somewhere, and he would tell them nothing further about Targo until that Jedi was gone.

So…here they were, Jas and Miri both.

They both hoped that they were not too late.

IOI

After the battle in the warehouse, Jas and his allies had been surprised when the Quarren finally emerged from his hiding place. Tynnes had said almost nothing since they had gotten here. He had not tried to defend his employer, instead he had chosen to squeeze himself into an opened cargo container.

Now that the fighting was over, he saw an opportunity, perhaps.

Both Hylla and Quire Ko had started to draw their blasters, but Jas had stopped them.

"Wait," he told them.

He had not come here to kill everyone in sight. He was on mission.

He still hoped to salvage something from it.

Despite a bit of ink on his tunic, the result of a nervous reaction when a Quarren was startled, the creature seemed none the worse for wear. He held up his hands to show them all that he was unarmed.

"There is no need for further violence," he began.

He turned and bowed to Jas.

"Mister Cooper, forgive my late employer's transgressions. He was…out of control to say the least."

"That is one way to put it," Fallenstar said with a frown.

If Tynnes took exception to her statement, he didn't even acknowledge it.

"I see no reason for us to continue hostilities. I'm sure we can reach both a beneficial and profitable understanding. We are both reasonable beings, I'm sure…"

The Quarren's mouth tentacles curled, perhaps his version of a smile.

"…we can reach some kind of arrangement."

Jas frowned.

He briefly considered asking Hylla to blast the creature, but immediately dismissed that idea.

As Tynnes had said, they had come here for information, not violence. Plus, Jas stood to lose much more if hostilities continued.

The Syfo group controlled the Wreck, if they killed Tynnes, there would be no one to call off the various enforcers and thugs that might be waiting to hear back from their boss. Their leaving the Wreck would likely turn into a running battle. It was possible that they might make it out, but not without taking some casualties along the way.

Jas saw the chance to avoid that, his Jedi training, and his experience as an advisor for Cooper took over.

Je dusted himself off and smiled at the Quarren.

"I understand what it is like to try and advise an employer whose mind is set on violence," Jas began, "Sometimes, cooler heads prevail, and sometimes they do not."

He bowed respectfully.

"As I informed your late employer, I came here to do business, not to be violent. I'm hoping that you and your allies will see the value of the former over the latter."

Fallenstar came up behind him.

"So," she began, "If you would be so good as to call off any reinforcements that might be on their way here, we can avoid any further…loss of life."

Fallenstar grinned at the Quarren, it was the smile of a hungry predator.

Tynnes got the message.

"But of course," he replied holding out his arms innocently, "I will answer what questions I can for you, and…there will be no attempt at retribution for this…most unfortunate series of events."

He looked at the two Mandalorians.

"If you desired a change of leadership in our organization, my friends, you could have approached me. We might have been able to work something out, there was no reason for the chaos that has gripped station, which I assume you had a hand in.

Tynnes shook his head.

"We could have come to an understanding."

The two Mandalorians said nothing.

They likely took exception to him referring to them as friends, not that he blamed them.

Jas fought the urge to laugh.

He had to give it to the Quarren, despite his decision to hide during the fight, he did have some gall. He was also a fast thinker, ambitious, and not without audacity. He saw the chance to take control of his group and he had not hesitated, even when surrounded by people who could have just as soon blasted him as look at him.

He was not stupid this one, Jas realized. He recognized that Jas and his friends were in a possibly bad situation, and used it to his advantage. They could have taken him hostage, but that may not have worked, some overly ambitious thug might just try and shoot through his superior to prove his own strength, by leaving Tynnes alive and ready to take control of this organization, they not only got a second chance to get the information they desired, but Jas was able to avert a conflict between the Wreck's forces and his own group.

He had no desire to drop a gang war on Coop's desk, not if he could help it.

No, Jas was more than willing to bargain.

He was as much a businessman as a Jedi Acolyte.

He could play the business man when he needed to.

"I'm willing to talk if you are, Boss Tynnes," he said bowing respectfully, "Though…before we begin, there is a matter that we need to take care of first. Two Jedi visited this station before us. If you could tell us what happened to them, we would be most grateful."

The Quarren made a coughing sound, perhaps showing a sense of nervousness.

"I assure you, Mister Cooper. I had nothing to do with what happened to those Jedi. Syfo acted alone, a point that I hope you will be able to stress with your Republic allies."

"Of course," Jas promised, "But I will need to hear what happened, just so that we can remain on the same page of course."

"Of course," the Quarren agreed.

Tynnes hissed slightly.

"Syfo acted rashly. I advised him to answer the questions that the Jedi had, but he thought that they were trying to make him look weak. "He depressurized a full section of the station to make sure that the Jedi didn't escape, but even in that, he failed."

The new boss of The Syfo Consortium shook his head.

"The two knights were killed, but the student escaped, and has continued to vex our operations since. It was most unfortunate."

Jas blinked.

What?

"A student?" he asked.

"Yes," Tynnes replied, "A third Jedi remained aboard the Republic ship, one of the master's students, I think, he managed to evade us before he could be taken into custody."

"Or killed," Fallenstar said with a frown.

"Yes, or killed."

Mirax Fallenstar glared at the Quarren, her hand began to drift to her lightsaber.

It was not hard to guess why.

Jas knew his friend's story, how her own master was murdered while on a mission, a mission that resulted in her being abused and tossed away to die.

She no doubt saw many similarities between her and this Padawan.

Jas put his hand on her shoulder, he could feel her anger, knew it was starting to bubble, and would likely explode on the Quarren.

"We can be of service to you in this matter, Boss Tynnes," Jas promised, "We can take this Jedi student from your station, and assure the Jedi Council that you were cooperative in our investigation, and are not at fault for what happened previously."

Fallenstar looked at Jas, he saw that nervous twitch in her eye, he remembered from their fight on Corellia, he could sense her pain; her desire to lash out.

"Jas," she said, "We can't…"

"We won't abandon this Jedi Padawan," he assured her, "No Jedi should go through that."

He gave her a sympathetic smile.

"No one should."

She winced and took a deep breath.

She got his meaning.

She had suffered, yes, that was true, but…she could prevent this Padawan from going through what she had gone through.

No one had saved her, but she could save this one.

It might aid in her healing, if nothing else.

She nodded.

"Okay," she said, sounding more like a scared girl than the warrior he knew her to be, "Okay."

"Thank you," he mouthed, and turned back to Tynnes.

"So," he said to the new crime lord, "Where is this Jedi?"

Jas smiled.

"We are ready to help."

IOI

"You think he is still alive?"

Jas nodded, he sensed something…not an easy thing on such a chaotic station.

It could be another Force user.

He hoped it was.

The Jedi had fled into the station's lower levels after the two masters had been killed. Tynnes didn't know exactly where he was, but he had a good idea. Several security cams had gone dead since the incident, and the repair crews that had been sent down to check them out had not returned. When Syfo had sent in enforcers, they had not come back either. The only thing that the gangsters had found was a severed arm still holding a blaster, an arm that had been cauterized when it had been removed.

Jas was fairly certain what type of weapon had done that. Though the savagery of the kill did concern him.

What if this Padawan had fallen down here. What if this Jedi student had given into his anger and rage?

That would make this meeting that much more complicated.

Jas hoped not to have to fight the student. He hoped that the Jedi would be reasonable, and would simply come with them.

Jas sighed.

Mondar had not mentioned that the knights had brought a Padawan learner along. Maybe he hadn't known, or the two Jedi had not reported that the student was coming with them, either way, it was a problem that they needed to deal with.

He hoped that those dealings would be peaceful.

Fallenstar had said little to him during the journey down here, despite the rare sarcastic comment. He had hoped that he had not offended her. He understood her feelings, but sometimes you needed to take feeling out of the equation.

That last thought almost made him laugh.

Says the man that has sworn to save the two women in his life, and kill the bounty hunter that took them

Oh yeah, he was really good at taking emotion out of the situation.

Fallenstar glanced over at him, perhaps picking up on his feelings, his realization of what this mission to save Val and Vess really meant to him.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"About what," he replied, using the Force to open a rusted over hatch. The two moved through it, just avoiding something dripping from above.

Fallenstar paused as they came to the other side.

Her expression was thoughtful, almost sad.

"When we save Val and Vess. What are you going to do? What are you going to say to them?"

"What do you mean?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"You know damn well, what I mean, Jas. I've seen the way that they look at you. The way they BOTH look at you."

Miri shook her head.

"All you have to do is choose, that is what I'm wondering, which one?"

Jas frowned deeply.

He really didn't want to think about this right now.

He had been holding together by focusing on finding them, putting that mission ahead of anything else, after they were safe…well…

He would have a whole list of things to think about then.

If Fallenstar realized that she didn't show it, she continued to watch him refusing to move further.

"You and Val would be good together, I think," she continued, "You would give her a chance to have more than just her work. I think she would benefit greatly from you being in her life."

Her smirk returned.

"Then… there is our dear little Vess. All you would have to say was: "I want you," and that sweet girl would be so happy that she would go into hyperspace…without a ship."

Fallenstar smiled at the thought.

"Either would, or could, make you happy."

Jas continued to frown as he avoided being dripped on by a pipe that was leaking high above, it might have been his imagination, but he thought the puddle on the deck beneath it was smoking.

This was a time to stay focused, not be discussing such things.

He sighed.

"What you say…it could be true, but at the same time…"

He pursed his lips.

"Maybe there is a reason that Jedi don't seek out relationships. Maybe the pain involved is worse for those we try to get involved with. Maybe…maybe it would be the best if I made the choice not to make the choice."

Fallenstar glared when she heard that.

"Do you seriously believe that?"

"Maybe."

Her glare intensified.

"You are starting to sound like a Sylvaranite, Jas; trust me, that is not a good thing."

He looked over at her.

"I'm a what?"

"A Sylvaranite," she answered, "Don't tell me you never read the works of Master Sylvar, she was a Jedi Knight during the War of Exar Kun. When she became a master; she pushed for the whole Jedi Order to abandon having relationships, and to have no attachments to others, she claimed it was better for our people to dedicate ourselves to the Force and nothing else."

"Are you sure she was wrong?"

"She had her own reasons to make that call, Jas. Her mate had been an ally of Exar Kun, he apparently died in his service, either in battle or was executed for a failure, history on the matter was never clear, but the point was that Sylvar's people mate for life. She knew that she would never have another, and so she sought to make sure that no Jedi would have to risk feeling that pain. Her reasons may have been out of a desire to help, but…"

"Even if this is so," Jas countered, "She wasn't the only Jedi that pushed to abandon attachments."

"Yeah, she was helped by her friend and Jedi Grand Master, Nomi Sunrider. Master Sunrider was a great Jedi, but she had also lost lovers. She had had a husband that died in battle, and the rumor was that she had been a lover of Ulic Quel Droma before he turned. That she never forgave him for what he did during the war."

Fallenstar shook her head.

"Jedi are mortal beings, Jas. They sometimes make choices in moments of pain, and go overboard in trying to prevent things from happening again. By cutting ourselves off from others, we are only hurting ourselves, how can we feel compassion, if we avoid loving, if we hold everyone in our lives at arms-length?"

He gave her a cold look.

"Are you really the person to be talking about this, about why it isn't safe for a Jedi to have attachments, after what you did?

"Jas…I…"

"You were there," he reminded her with an angry hiss, "You were on Corellia! You were there when Prynn was…"

Fallenstar winced at the memory.

"I never did apologize for that, did I?"

"Are you sorry for what happened?"

She winced again.

"I…I have no excuse…I…I wasn't in a good place back then, Jas. I…I wanted to die, and I don't think I even understood why."

She took a shuddering breath.

"I…I hadn't been a hunter for very long. I didn't want to hear any words of sympathy. I certainly didn't want the council trying to tell me how I should feel after Master Vima died"

She shook her head.

"What happened on Corellia, when I was offered a chance to hunt a Dark Jedi, one that had done so much damage, I figured that I would not only be able to make a profit, but also have a chance to pay for my failures. You remember what happened. I wanted you to kill me. I would have gladly died…just to end the pain that I was in."

She shrugged, she radiated tension through the Force.

"I did what I could to protect your girl, what happened later, I'm…I'm sorry for that too, but I think…you and I both understand something."

"And what is that?"

"People in your life, they save you, they don't condemn you. Yes, there is strong emotion, but people can help you. It is the fear of loss that drives you towards the darkness. That isn't love, that's greed. You lose people, I know that better than most, but if you're around people, people that see your pain, and can be there even if it is just to offer a kind word, that can save you. Only when you walk alone do you take the chance of falling."

He gave her a curious look.

"You sound like someone who is speaking from experience?"

She gave him a sheepish grin.

"Did Captain Cooper tell you how he recruited me?"

Jas shook his head no.

"I was trapped on some no-name rock. The True Justice had been damaged on the hunt, and I didn't have enough credits to get it fixed. I tried to scrounge up some work, but the people of that place didn't like bounty hunters, they barely tolerated me buying a room for the night, much less a hot meal."

She sighed.

"Days turned to weeks, and still…nothing. I was down to my last few credits when the Captain found me. He mentioned your name, so…I thought he had come for revenge…he didn't."

The memory made her smile.

"He offered to pay my debt, to help fix my ship and to get me off that rock."

"And you repaid him by killing Tyntas?"

Miri frowned.

"I repaid him by making sure that both he and his wife would not be threatened again. I'm no assassin, Jas. I spent my time on Ord Mantel watching, waiting for Tyntas to step away from his guards. I planned to take him in, there were enough bounties posted on the guy to easily make it worth my while, but…then it happened."

"What happened?"

"I was in the cantina one night, listening. Tyntas was meeting with some Republic ship captain, trying to recruit him for a special job, to test his capital ship's weapons on lightly populated world. He mentioned Pee Bee…I think you can guess what the scum lord wanted."

Jas nodded.

He did.

"I…I didn't see any easy way out of it. If I took Tyntas in, he would likely figure out who hired me, and that wouldn't have stopped anything. So, I…I acted. I'm not proud of it, but I did it."

She sniffed and gave him an angry look.

"so…If you want to keep blaming me, fine, but I thought you deserved to know what happened. I didn't go there planning to kill anybody, but…it happened."

And by doing so, he realized, she had likely saved some lives. Tyntas had died, and with no one in his organization to carry on his wishes, Pee bee had likely been spared what might have come."

Jas gave her a sad look.

"I don't blame you. I've done my fair share of things I'm not proud of."

She gave him a grateful look.

"Thanks…I…"

"All we can do now is try to be better. We can start here, by finding this Padawan, getting him back to the Republic."

She nodded grimly.

"I want to be better," she said, "I'm not sure that I can be… but…"

"You can," he assured her, "There is no try, not in this."

His assurance made her laugh.

"I'm starting to see why Val and Vess like you so much."

He shrugged.

"All people make mistakes."

He led the way, trying to find the path through the Force.

He took comfort having her at his back, his Jedi sister.

We can be better, he thought.

I know we can.

IOI

"No way. No."

Jas looked at the path before them, it was not a pretty sight.

One of the septic pipes had broken, the slurry from inside it run down and had pooled turned the next T-Junction into a river of foul-smelling water.

Jas wrinkled his nose as he stared down into it. This he realized would not be pleasant.

Fallenstar glared down into the water, shaking her head.

"I'm not wading through that."

"This is our path," Jas reminded her, "Can't you sense it?"

"Yeah," she said, still shaking her head no.

He sighed.

They didn't have time for this.

"If you have any ideas, I'm open to suggestions."

She looked around, and after a quick glance upward, she grinned.

She leapt into the air and hooked her fingers around a long stretch of metal grating.

He nodded.

Okay, he realized, maybe they didn't have to wade through the muck.

After Nar Shadda, he was more than willing to avoid that.

As he watched, she began to move hand over hand, her long legs only inches from the sludge below. The grate ended before it reached the other side, but if they took a swinging leap, they could make it without getting covered in filth.

It was worth a shot, it was…

The attack came with almost no warning!

A long muscular tentacle rose up out of the muck, and hooked Fallenstar's thigh.

With a surprised yelp, she fell, vanishing beneath the fetid water.

Jas didn't hesitate, he leapt in

The water churned, as if something alive. A long meaty stalk with a large red bulbous eye rose from the muck, its cold gaze focused entirely on him.

Jas swung out with his lightsaber, severing it.

The water exploded with thrashing, a massive creature turning the path before them into a swirling mass of liquid death.

Somehow, Fallenstar managed to find her way to the surface, she tried to cry out, but the thing had begun to coil around her, and despite the loss of its eye, it didn't want to let go!

"JAAAASSSS!" she gurgled out; her cry cut short by the thing trying to squeeze her throat.

He tried to get in closer, to slice the thing off her, but something hooked his leg as well.

He cut through the water, turning the brown sludge red.

The tentacle lifted the bounty hunter up and slammed her against a mass of pipes. Fallenstar hit hard, she ceased struggling, and the creature wrapped it's tentacle even tighter around her.

Jas Dar Bynn tried to leap anew, and cut her free, but he felt his own leg get hooked again!

The monster had not given up.

It wanted him too.

He stumbled as it tried to coil around him as it had around the girl. He sliced at it again, but this time it wrapped around his arm trying to pin it to his side.

No, he thought.

NO!

He…

VMMMMM!

The shadows blazed with bright blue light!

He heard the sound of a lightsaber finding its mark, he smelt burnt sewage, blood, and a strange keening sound filled his ears, the cry of something just beneath the water.

He was flung back, and hit with enough force to make stars explode before his eyes.

He found himself laying on the deck plate staring up into the cold darkness.

The sound of thrashing water faded; it returned the quiet gurgle they had heard when they had first entered this section.

He took a coughing breath.

What in the name of the Force?!

He sat up slowly, Fallenstar crawled out of the muck beside him. Her blonde hair slicked down against her neck, she coughed and fell, rolling on to her back.

"Miri?" he called out.

"Miri?"

"What?" she spat back, "What…was that?!

"A dianoga," a deep growling voice replied.

A shadow fell over them, a large one

Jas tensed and looked up.

Damn.

He had been expecting a young man or woman.

He was wrong.

The padawan stood almost a good head taller than him, or would if Jas had been standing, he was broad shouldered with a flat smooth face, and two large tusks jutting out from his lower jaw. His body was covered with a pelt of thick dark blonde fur.

Dark blue eyes peers down at the two half drowned hunters. The lightsaber he carried was so thick Jas doubted he would be able to wrap both his hands around it, yet the creature held the weapon easily in one massive three fingered hand. The loin cloth he wore was encircled by a Jedi utility belt, his light brown robe marked him as a Padawan, not to mention how his fur was braided just beside his right eye.

A Whiphid, Jas realized.

That likely explained why the Syfo boys had been having so much trouble, even without the Force Whiphids could be fierce opponents.

He took a deep snuffling breath.

"I'm V'Lek," the large Whiphid Padawan informed them, "Are you hunting me?"

"Yeah," Fallenstar replied.

V'Lek growled and started to raise his lightsaber.

WAIT!"

Jas held up his hands, recognizing the need to speak quickly.

Fallenstar's mouth had almost gotten them killed.

He would try and prevent that in the future.

"We've come to rescue you," Jas said quickly, "We've come to bring you home."

The alien didn't turn off his weapon, but he didn't strike either.

He sniffed the air again.

"The Force is strong in you; I can feel its presence."

Fallenstar coughed.

"Is that all you can sense, I thought you Whiphids could smell an enemy's intent."

The Padawan growled and shook his head.

"We do have a good sense of smell, but right now…I wish I didn't."

"Why?" Jas asked.

"Because you both stink, I would much rather be anywhere than down wind of this place."

Fallenstar cackled.

"I…imagine that we do," she looked over at Jas.

"Looks like we are even for Nar Shadda."

"We're not even close," he replied.

She laughed despite the muck that had gotten everywhere.

Jas looked up at the alien.

"My name is Jas Dar Bynn, this is my friend, Mirax Fallenstar."

"Hi," she said trying to squeeze the sludge water out of her skirt.

Jas tried to smile.

"We're here to help.

V'Lek radiated surprise as he turned off his lightsaber.

"You…you are Jas Dar Bynn?"

"Yes."

The padawan bowed respectfully.

"It…it is an honor to meet you sir."

"It is?" Fallenstar said, "That is news."

"Miri," he hissed.

The hunter laughed, which was probably all she could manage right now.

Considering what they had just been through, if she didn't laugh; she would likely have cried.

They had gotten lucky, if V'Lek hadn't come along…?

Jas tried not to think too hard on that.

At least we found the Jedi. Tynnes would be happy about that, and provided that they took the Whiphid with them, he would tell them what they wanted to know about Targo Sei.

That information was worth it, it was what he needed.

One step at a time, Jas thought.

Hang on girls.

We're coming.