Leviathan, above Taris

Malak

He could taste the ever-increasing anxiety of his deck crew. His statuesque observation of the world under his control lasted for hours. Waiting for the barest scrap of news about the whereabouts of the Jedi. Her power called out to him. Whispering through the ether its desire to be used by him. If it was any other Jedi who had escaped, he would just have carpet bombed the planet to rubble. He had nursed the ever-growing anger caused by everyone's else's failures.

The five crew members he had crumpled to the floor could be replaced. His acolytes had also been spoiled by his latest teachings. No more than his apprentice Darth Bandon. Their last private training had resulted in new scares burnt into his flesh by Malaks force lighting. If he couldn't survive but a taste of his power, then the boy had no hope of usurping his title one day. There were no lack of others groveling at his boots for a chance to replace him. So many were unworthy to even try.

Finding the Jedi would be the end to so many of his troubles. He drunk in her potential during the trap to ensnare his old Master. Malak foresaw greatness if only he had the chance to open her eyes from the lies of the Jedi. Just as he saw the opposite if they didn't discover her soon.

A future he would not tolerate; if he couldn't have her, no one would.

Sith Flagship, Outer Rim (One Year Ago)

Revan

They had such hope barging in, polished on the sacrifice of so many lives, and it delighted her to destroy it. They would learn all her lessons before she killed them. Bastila stood definite on shaky bravado at the lead. A pitiful waste of talent that could be molded into something greater. The Jedi was so afraid that she wanted to comfort her. To coo gently as she wiped her tears, that she would let her live. It was just everyone else who was going to die, because she wasn't strong enough to stop her yet.

Taris, Abandoned Apartment

Aria Vercet

More strange dreams belonging to a stranger. It tormented her. Trying to comprehend it was impossible. Leaving her only able to toss and turn in her sleep. Feeling sick as she tried to grasp something reflecting in the meaning. A sick sensation crawled into her head with such pain it jolted her awake. Head splitting from the rude awakening.

They were back in the apartment. As far away from the gang war that had spilled out into the lower city as possible. Sith soldiers preoccupied with their attempts to quell the fighting gave them the opening to sneak Bastila out. An arm not her own squeezed protectively around her. Belonging to her young Twi'lek friend who still slept by her side. Trying to comfort Aria during her restless sleep. Allowing herself a soft smile she stroked Mission's head.

They had one of the only two beds available. The once abandoned shoebox apartment was now being squeezed for room. Zaalbar towered even slouched over in one corner by the door. His bowcastor tucked into his elbow. Like Carth who still awake sat in a chair with his blaster ready, aimed at the entrance. His eyes were still sharp while the lines around them spoke of how they longed to close. He glanced at her then down to Mission before coming back up to meet her gaze.

"Bad dreams again?", He asked in a low whisper. Running her hands through her hair Aria gave him a huff as an answer. Carth cocked his head to the other bed, "You're not the only one tonight."
Aria could hear Bastila's soft whimpers as the Jedi moved unable to lay comfortable. As soon as they had moved her to their base Aria had gone back out, buying the Jedi new clothes and food for everyone. They were so spent of energy, that stuffing their mouths took precedent over planning their next move. Saving it for tomorrow after a night of well-deserved rest that it seemed only Mission was getting.

Carefully removing the arm holding her down she got up.
"Get some sleep Carth. I'll take over the watch." Fixing her new lacey pink panties up as she stood. She thought it was cute how he still blushed and diverted his eyes. Even after a week of walking around in her underwear he still got shy. Carth had given up asking her to wear anything more two days ago. She gently woke up Zaalbar and put the Wookie in her bed with Mission. The soldier pinched his eyes closed grumbling something she couldn't make out. Unable to say no due to his nature, overprotective of Bastila now that they finally found her, but she
could tell there was something more.

"Credit for your thoughts handsome?", She took a seat at the windowsill. Carth chuckled amused at her calling him that and it made her smile. He scratched his increasingly unkempt stubble, "I need a shave."
"That's it? Well, I don't think Bastila would mind us borrowing her lightsaber to do it.", She teased.
"Heh No.", He softly laughed leaning back in his chair. "Finally, things are looking up for us. It's just now we need to figure out a way to get off this planet."
"You mean you don't have a plan to get off Taris yet? What have you been doing all this time?" A tense posh accent whispering joined the late-night conversation. Bastila was now sitting up in her bed clinging the covers around her. Aria had figured the Jedi would like something modest, but apparently a full-length nightgown, which was barely sheer, was still too inappropriate to be seen in.

Aria sighed before explaining, "We were trying to find you, remember? Don't worry. We'll figure something out."
Bastila glared at her hard, either due to finding her reassurance lackluster or because of her casual state of undress. The fed-up tone was thick in her voice, "I see. Now that I'm back in charge of this mission, perhaps we can start doing things properly. Like wearing our clothes. Hopefully our escape from Taris will go more smoothly than when you "rescued" me from Brejik."
Before she could respond Carth snapped, "I know you're new at this, Bastila, but a leader doesn't berate her troops just because things aren't going as planned. Don't let your ego get in the way of the real issues here." Surprising Aria but pissing Bastila off more.

She was indignant, "That hardly strikes me as an appropriate way of addressing your commander, Carth. I am a member of the Jedi Order and this is my mission. Don't forget that! My Battle Meditation ability has helped the Republic many times in this war, and it will serve us well here, I am sure."
'Is this what the Jedi are like?' Aria had half a mind to throw a pillow at the Jedi. Carth looked as if the same ideal crossed his own mind. However, he took a more mature route, "Your talents might win us a few battles, but that doesn't make you a good leader! A good leader would at least listen to the advice of those who have seen more combat then that she ever will!"
"He's right. You aren't showing much leadership ability right now, Bastila." Aria folded her arms and leaned back against the cool glass of the window.

Carth continued chastising his commanding officer. His frustrations he had been keeping in check no longer held back. "You know, I had my doubts about this mission, but I figured the Jedi Council wouldn't put you in charge if you weren't prepared. But here you are, acting like a spoiled child! You have no idea the stress all of us have been under trying to locate you, and the risks we've taken to do so!"
Bastila bit her tongue though it was clear she still wanted to argue. The Jedi took a deep calming breath and apologized, "I see. It's true that I don't have much military experience; perhaps I should not be so quick to judge. Very well, Carth: what do you suggest we do?"
"First off, we can't get hung up on who's in charge; we all need to work together if we want to get off this rock. The answer's out there, we just have to find it.", He sounded worn out, like he had been fighting too long, but the drive was still holding out in his voice.

"Well said, Carth, and the sooner we start looking the better; I've already been a prisoner of the Vulkars and I don't plan on being captured by the Stih."
"Don't worry Jedi. I won't let anyone take my Slave without a fight.", Aria gave the unamused stick in a mud a finger gun. Bastila slammed herself back into her bed with her back to them, "I'm not your slave!"
Carth gave Aria an exhausted warning look to stop her teasing, and she gave him an apologetic smile. She felt some pity for the soldier. Dutiful dealing with all the stress they gave him. Aria walked up behind his seat and leaned down whispering in his ear, "She's going to be a joy to work with."
He titled his head away, "Don't make me snap at you next…I'm too exhausted."

She didn't need to put a hand on him to know just how stiff his body was, "You've been working too hard Carth. You need a break from the stress of everything."
"A break? Haven't had one of those in…years…damn, years." He slouched down in the chair as if crushed by the weight of all his stress. Only getting stiffer as Aria put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed the muscle. She waited for him to tell her to stop, but he relented. Letting her put both hands on him to massage his scalp. Carth closed his eyes taking a deep breath. Aria gently stroked his face and ran her hands down to run over his chest.
'Fuck he has some nice tits.', She pawed at them like a cat. Feeling his nipples grow hard through the thin fabric he wore. Carth shifted in the chair as his face burned a dark red. His thighs spreading apart as a noticeable bulge began to grow, but then he suddenly grabbed her wrists.

His grip was tight. Almost painful, but his thumbs brushed softly against her skin. Carth lifted her wrists away and let go. Keeping his eyes shut tight he shook his head. Mouthing the word No more to himself than to her. She slid her hands slowly against his pulling them away. Trailing her fingers across his palms and she enjoyed seeing the reaction in how the hair raised on his neck.
"Okay Fleets, I'll let you rest.", she whispered in his ear while playing with his hair. It didn't take long before he was sawing logs with his head tucked into his chest. She was wearing him down. It wouldn't take long before the pilot let his stress be dealt with for good. After that he might finally lose the stick up his ass.

'Shame though. Looks like he's got a nice cock to ride if he'd only let me.' Aria picked up her memento from Starkiller and began tinkering with it at the workbench. Aware she was being watched by the Jedi while she worked taking it apart.
"You should get some sleep Slave."
A groan answered her, "Is insubordination just going to be the norm? Let me make this clear." Bastila got up from the bed. Casting a nervous glance before she did. The night gown moved like liquid over her body. Shaping the curves of it with each motion she made. Offering a teasing opaque window through its sheerness. Bastila came close invading her personal space with a hiss, "I am not your slave, and must you always insist on such ill-advised salacious fraternization."
Not interrupting her work on the blaster Aria snorted, "I'm sorry, but your accent just makes being called a slut sound charming."

"You're…", Bastila sucked in the air through her teeth bristling, "Impossible."
Aria smiled flashing her teeth, "I am." Fastening in the final piece of the upgrade to her blaster she began putting it back together. Tasting the simmering hate Bastila pretended she was above having. The Jedi was too easy to rattle. If not for her one unique skill pushing preemptively her to the forefront of the war… Bastila wasn't ready for such a command, but the cruelty of war fed off the bones of naivety put in charge of others. Aria finished with the blaster and set it aside, feeling odd by the thoughts Bastila inspired in her.

She felt the need to apologize, "You've been through a lot Bastila. All too recent now, in the past, and probably in the future all the same. Don't make the mistake of misunderstanding me; I respect you."
The Jedi looked surprised but didn't say anything. Aria thought of the odd dreams that she stared in.
"I've been dreaming of you."
"What?", Bastila looked as if she wanted to jump back to cover herself, but she stayed close. "What kind of dreams?"
Aria mulled over the right word to use, "Something weird happened when I first crashed in the escape pod, and again tonight after meeting you. Like a vision."
Bastila's eyes narrowed at the word, "A vision? A vision of what?"

She held her eyes searching them as if to find an answer, "Of you. Fighting a dark Jedi. Revan…I guess."
It clearly unnerved Bastila, "This is…strange. Such visions are often a sign of Force sensitivity."
"You mean?"
"I…I'm not sure.", She cut her off, "It may be that you have some connection to the Force. It would not be unheard of. When we first met, your natural talent may have fed off my own Force abilities. It is possible that in the excitement of the battle's aftermath the Force allowed you to witness one of my more intense memories."
"It sounds like you don't really know what you're talking about. You were also having one just now, weren't you? "
Clearly frustrated Bastila took a step back and ignored her question. Pressing a palm to her forehead, "The Force is complicated; even I with all my training cannot fully understand it yet. This is a matter best left to the wise Masters of the Jedi council. Once we escape Taris we can seek the guidance of the Council. If you wish. They will understand the significance of your vision…if there is any. However, I think it would be best if we all stayed focused on the task at hand right now. We can't afford any distraction; we need to find a way off Taris."

Maybe to keep her from asking again what disturbed her sleep Bastila had her turn at asking a question.
"You know I am curious. I would like to know what happened after you crashed. I'm curious as to what you and Carth were doing before we all joined forces."
"We were looking for you."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I realize that of course. But surely there was more to it than a simple search. I doubt there were flashing signs pointing you in my direction; yet somehow you found me."
Aria crossed her arms leaning on the bench, "You mean when we rescued you."
"I managed to free myself, as I recall.", Bastila smirked.
"Alone into a gang war if I wasn't there.", Aria countered.
The Jedi stepped back into her personal space, "It's more than likely they would have killed you if they didn't focus so much on me. It's probably more accurate to say that I rescued you."
"My humble hero, you didn't escape them until we arrived, as I recall."

Bastila seemed to swallow some defeat and broke their pissing contest, "…I'll admit that I probably wouldn't have been able to free myself if not for the brawl after the swoop race. I guess I should thank you for that, at least. Actually, your presence at the swoop track is what I'm so curious about. It couldn't have been an easy task to find me there. Yet somehow you managed. You also avoided detection by the Sith, discovered I was a Vulkar prisoner, gained sponsorship for the race and became Taris swoop champion. That's quite a resume."
"Wait till you learn about my undefeated climb to the top in the dueling arena. As well as some high-profile bounty hunting work to fund it all. I'm not going to feed you any false modesty. I know my talents. It's what made me such a good smuggler, and don't forget skilled in rescuing damsels in distress."
Bastila sighed to worn down to mount another bout of irritation, "Yes…well. I hardly consider myself a damsel in distress. I'm a member of the Jedi Order, after all. But I won't deny you've impressed me with what you've done."
"Stop, I'm already blushing.", she ignored her teasing.
"When you were chosen to join this mission, I doubt any of us expected this much from you. A jedi could have done such things, of course. But only by drawing heavily upon the force."

There was a faint echo of the pain again in the back of her head. For some reason there was an unpleasantness about what Bastila was broaching. She saw the same discomfort reflected in the Jedi's eyes, and Aria wondered even why she would bring it up. "I think you're underestimating us non-Jedi."
Bastila shook her head with a soft sigh, "The Force is in all of us, though for most people it is barely a measurable whisper. But there are some individuals outside the Jedi Order that we considered 'Force Sensitive'. It is obvious to me that the Force has been working through you. There is no other explanation for your great success, though I am not certain what to make of this discovery. Perhaps if you weren't, well, if you were young the Jedi might take you for training but as it is…"

The echo grew in intensity, why was this conversation gnawing at her like this? Aria felt the strong need to change the topic.
"If that's the only reason you can stomach the ideal of being rescued." Bastila rolled her eyes and stepped away to the window,
"Ah, yes, the rescue again. Very well. For what it's worth, I concede the point to you: only that one, and yet we're still stuck here on Taris." Aria joined her in gazing out the window. The planet city stretching out as far as the eye could see. It's towering skyscrapers reaching up like teeth that threatened to eat their plans of fleeing. In the night sky they could make out the lights of the Sith blockade forming the upper fangs that would come crashing down on them. It really did seem hopeless, but Aria could taste Bastila's unyielding resolve. Thinking it beautifully reflected in her side profile. "Hopefully between your abilities, my Jedi training and the skills of our companions we can find a way off this planet."

She wanted to trace her fingers up the Jedi's pretty exposed skin. Restraining herself to just let her eyes follow the soft curves of her body. Where the fabric molded itself like a second skin over the swell of her breasts.
"Don't worry, my pet. I'll free you off this world."
"But not form your insistent use of unrequited nick names it seems. I would much prefer being free of them first. As well as that way you keep looking at me."
Aria took her victory in seeing the faint heat spread on Bastila's cheeks. "I have no intentions I'm afraid, and if I were to ever apologize...I'm sure my way of doing it would go against some Jedi teaching."
It seemed the Jedi had some imagination, from the way her nipples stiffened up. She turned slightly away trying to hide them, "From what I've seen. You've done that in spades already."
"All in how I came to find you."

"I'll be sure to meditate on that, but later. It's late and I need more rest." The Jedi slipped away back to her bed. For a moment she hesitated before pulling the covers up. Like she was going to float the ideal of sharing the bed out of a Jedi's duty to share, there was nowhere else comfortable to rest, but pulled the covers up and took the bed just for herself. Leaving Aria alone with just her thoughts for the next few hours. Gazing up out of the window to one of the specs of light in the sky. One practical Sith ship that she was drawn too. The ominous thought kept repeating itself to her as she studied it, 'We don't have long.'

She went over what she had learned. They weren't the only ones itching to get off world. From the gossip she had caught over the last few days the crime organization known as the Exchange had members trying to persuade the Sith government to let them freely travel to no avail. Davik Kang, as she had learned from Mission, was the crime lord who ran their hold on Taris.

There was no telling the credits he had lost due to the blockade. If anyone was conniving a way with the means to do it. Then it would have to be him. Bastila had already listed her resume of accomplishments. Davik would probably jump at the chance to meet with her, but the only trouble was finding a way in. A non-problem as it came to be as she found out only a short time later. When a messenger tracked her down with an invitation from a Canderous Ordo.

"Ordo…", She knew the name. A Mandalorian enforcer who they had come across twice now. Once intimidating a pack of Vulkars with his mere presence into paying their dues, and the second down in the undercity leading a group of Davik's man. They ended up teaming up temporary to survive a rakghoul attack. While the majority of his group panicked and died, Ordo had showed a ferocity, no delight was the better word, in the grotesque fight that impressed her then.

He had also shown a disdain for the people he worked for. It made no sense for Davik to use him as a means of contacting her if he wanted to… The dog of war wasn't being properly satiated by his current master she suspected. The path to their goal had just become a dangerously interesting one.

Just the kind of trail she liked to take.