Mission 2: "Battle of Naboo"
Epilogue Part 8 (Final)
"A Clouded Future"
Tarrsk lay flat on his back as Dane�s padded training staff came down to touch the bridge of his nose. �Bam!� she shouted. �You�re dead.�
The look on her face angered him. She was gloating over her victory, and it was bad enough that he�d been beaten by a fourteen year old human female. Not only was she of a weaker race physically, but she was also of the weaker sex of that race. To top it off, she was only a girl. She wasn�t even fully grown. It just didn�t add up.
Dane stepped back and offered him a hand. �Good fight,� she said.
Tarrsk shoved the hand aside. �I obviously underestimated you,� he told her as he stood on his own.
�Obviously,� said Galak as he came to stand next to her. �She�s only been trained by the best. Captain Panaka is a skilled warrior. I should know. We both have trained under him.�
Tarrsk grunted. �Well, isn�t that special?�
Galak�s expression hardened. �What�s your problem, man?� he asked.
Tarrsk just looked away as he nursed a bruised rib. �Me�sa tinkin� he�sa got�n a girlie dat he�sa fightin� wit� another guy ova�,� Toba replied as he came over. �Me�sa seein� dat before wit� me�sa friend Daano.�
Tarrsk snarled at him in disgust. �If you want to know, Fishbate, it�s because I don�t think one of our team is honest. In fact, I think he might be off right now warning the Trade Federation that we�re here. To top it all off, no one here will do anything about it. They aren�t locking him up because they think he�s just a victim in this whole situation. I know differently, though. I can see the hatred in his eyes. I saw it in his eyes before when I faced him back in the slave camp. He was standing there in that cloak staring at me with those evil eyes. I know it�s him. I can tell by his eyes. They�re the same.�
Dane and the others fell silent. �Where�sa is�n he now?� asked Toba after a moment of deafening silence.
�He left,� replied Tarrsk. �He stormed out when he and Geldar got into a fight.�
The others exchanged worried looks. �This could be bad,� Galak stated plainly. �Maybe we should track him.�
But before anyone else could respond, another voice cut them off. �It�s already being taken care of.�
Everyone turned to see Rorworr and his translator enter the room. �Father says that he and the other leaders of the resistance are just as concerned as you are. They have several scouts tracking him. He won�t get far if he heads for Theed. They�ll capture him before he gets halfway there.�
They all seemed to relax a bit. �At least that�s something,� said Tarrsk almost under his breath.
�As for the rest of you,� continued the translator as Rorworr went on. �We have to get to briefing, remember? We�ve got a mission to go on, and Headmaster Dannt is already waiting for us.�
Tarrsk looked over at them curiously. �What mission?�
Dane smiled back at him. �That prison camp that your friends checked out. We�re going to liberate it.�
�You�re all staying behind to help protect the base,� added Galak. �No one told you?�
Tarrsk sneered and said nothing.
�Well,� finished Dane. �Take care of yourself, Tarrsk.�
�Yeah,� added Toba, �and workin� on da fightin� skills would�a probly be good.�
As the door shut behind the Gungan, Tarrsk picked launched his training staff at the door where the alien had just been. It slammed hard against it and fell the ground with a loud clang. Although it didn�t do any good, it made the Trandoshan at least feel a little better.
**********
Satchal spun around as a noise pricked his senses. Someone was following him, and he didn�t like it at all. Resting his hand on his lightsaber, he rounded a tree and pressed hard against it. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the Force to prepare himself for battle.
�Rest easy, my friend,� came a voice suddenly from somewhere up the path that he�d been walking down. �I�m not going to fight you. I am Rann I-Kanu. Do you remember me from the base?�
�You know,� said Satchal as he continued to press himself up against the tree. �You should keep your voice down. You never know what might be lurking out here.�
�Actually I do,� he said. �I can sense that there are three hooka birds in the tree to your left and one dancian squirrel above you. That�s just for starters.�
Satchal looked up in the tree and spotted the squirrel moving about and he shook his head with frustration. �I don�t need your help just like I don�t need the help of any of the others,� he shouted.
When Rann spoke again, he was nearly on top of the other Jedi. �You really shouldn�t shout, you know. You don�t know what might be lurking around here.� His words were light, but Satchal only ignored him.
�What do you want? Did Geldar send you?� he asked.
�No,� replied Rann. �I came of my own volition. We all care about you, Satchal, and we are all concerned about your recent troubles. Kyu Tane, Minister of Culture, has even sent several spies to keep an eye on you since you were there when his daughter was injured. They are all afraid that you are turning on us.�
Satchal turned his back on him. �Maybe I am,� he stated angrily. �I don�t know anymore.�
Rann closed his eyes as he took in the anger that Satchal was eminating.
�Satchal. I can sense your pain and anger. I can�t feel how deep it is, but I know it is far deeper than I can sense. Let me help you.�
Satchal closed his eyes to shut out the other Jedi�s words. �There is nothing you can do.�
�That is a lie!� Rann said, his voice louder than Satchal had ever heard him get before. �The Dark Side is deceiving you. You think you are the only person that has been hurt? You think you are the only person with pain and suffering in their lives? You think you stand alone? That is arrogance and pride. Let go of your hatred for this Dark Jedi that has killed your master. Let go of your desire for revenge. Let go of the anger you feel towards everyone that has hurt you. Satchal, the Dark Side only has a hold on you if you let it. Unless you let go of your own pain and suffering the Dark Side will still have a hold on you.�
Satchal turned on him and got up in his face. �You don�t understand a thing,� he snapped. �You don�t know what it�s like to see yourself kill the person that you hold so dearly. You don�t know what it�s like to enjoy killing him only to wake up and feel the guilt of having killed the man you have always looked up to as a father. You don�t how it feels to kidnap a person�s family that you�d like to think is a good friend of yours. You don�t know what its like to see yourself kill the crew of a guy that you would trust with your life. You can�t tell me that others have more pain. You can�t tell me that!�
Tears were streaming down his face as he turned back away from him and supported himself with the tree. Covering his face with his other hand, he weeped openly now.
Rann stood there silently as Satchal wept. �You�re right,� he said at last after Satchal had begun to collect himself. �I don�t know what it�s like except by experiencing your own emotions through the Force just now, and even then it wasn�t to its fullest extent. However, I do know what it�s like to experience tragedy. You see, Satchal. My parents grew up on Nar Shadaa. I was a street rat growing up in the slums. When I was only five, my parents were slaughtered before my eyes. I can still hear their cries and see their faces as they were mercilessly killed by bounty hunters who only wanted them dead because my father had accidentally gotten in their way. I was placed in an orphanage until the Jedi Council discovered me. I was somewhat old, but my master, Ali-Vor, decided I was worth training. She took me under her wing and trained me like I was her very own son.�
�That doesn�t even compare,� Satchal said angrily. �You don�t feel that guilt that I feel when I have those dreams.�
Rann lowered his gaze. �No,� he said. �I don�t have the same guilt, but mine is similar. You see, Satchal. My parents got in the way of those bounty hunters because I ran out into the street where they were. I ran away from my parents because I wanted a toy they wouldn�t let me have. Those bounty hunters killed my parents because they came chasing after me to stop me from getting hit by a speeder. In a sense, Satchal, I was the reason they were killed. It was my fault that they died. If I had not been so greedy, they wouldn�t have gotten in the bounty hunters� way, and they wouldn�t have died.�
�You were only five,� Satchal said to excuse him.
�Would that make any difference to you?� Rann stated plainly. �I know I was only five, but I still see their faces and hear their screams as I watched from a corner of the alley crying and asking some higher being to save them. I know the guilt of feeling as though you�ve killed someone special to you. It may not be the same, Satchal, but I think it�s close enough to count. The only difference between me and you, is that I knew I needed help. I knew I could not live with myself alone. Master Ali-Vor helped me defeat that guilt. Let me help you defeat yours.�
And with that, Rann stretched out his hand toward Satchal, and the young Jedi stared down at it for a moment in thought. �It�s time to be free, Satchal,� said Rann as a final thought, and as Satchal looked up into Rann�s calm eyes he took a deep breath and took the Jedi�s hand in his.
�Fine,� he said softly. �I guess it couldn�t hurt.�
Rann gave him a reassuring smile, and together, the two walked back through the woods toward the base entrance that was carved into the side of the mountain itself.
****************
Tarrsk stepped into the lounge of the base and was instantly greeted by the cheers of people inside. Looking to his left, he spotted a group of people huddled around a table. Curious, Tarrsk made his way over to the table to see Deel, Arani, and Nyarchagga engrossed in a game of Sabbacc. Actually, Deel wasn�t so much involved with the game anymore as he was involved in the betting that was taking place on the side.
�What�s all this?� he asked as he came to stand behind Nyarchagga.
�What does it look like?� said Deel as he looked at the Trandoshan with a toothy grin. �We�re having a friendly game of Sabbacc, and your friend is giving Arani a run for her money, for a change.�
Tarrsk glanced down at the table and saw the looks on both Arani and Nyarchagga�s faces. They were looking confident, but he could see the tension in their bodies. �Aren�t you two supposed to be in briefing right now?� asked Tarrsk.
Deel laughed. �Are you kidding? This is the greatest game I�ve ever seen. No one�s ever beaten Arani, and the stakes are high. It�s an all or nothing game. Who cares about briefing. We�ll let Sia-Lan and the others tell us what to do on the way out.�
Tarrsk sneered at the lack of concern that Deel had, but the Twi�lek was no longer paying any attention to him. He was engrossed in the game once more as was everyone else.
Nyarchagga grinned slyly. �Your game is up, Arani,� he said with a chuckle. �You�re going to lose the shirt on your back this time.�
Arani laughed. �You overestimate your hand, Dug.� And then she made yet another wager. �That�s my last credit, and if you win, I�ll be your love slave.�
Nyarchagga�s eyes widened in disbelief. �What?�
Arani laughed even harder. �I�m kidding. Can�t you take a joke?�
Nyarchagga�s eyes narrowed. He hated being the butt end of a joke. �Only when it�s funny,� he retorted.
�Ooo,� said Arani as her smile widened. �Good one. I only wish your hand was better than your come-backs.� She then laid down her hand.
Nyarchagga�s eyes widened in horror for a moment. Arani leaned back confidently as she smiled victoriously. �Read �em and weep,� she said.
Nyarchagga looked up at her then and his look of horror suddenly turned into a mischievous grin. He cocked his head sideways and let out a chuckle as if mocking her. �I�m going to enjoy watching you dance, my love slave,� Nyarchagga said as he burst into a belly-laugh. Laying his cards down, Arani and everyone else around stared in awe. The Dug�s hand beat Arani�s by one point. That meant that Arani had just lost everything she had.
�Whoa!� said Deel in amazement. �I didn�t think I�d ever live to see this day. I�m just glad I got out while I did.�
Arani�s face was as white as a sheet. �I can�t believe I lost,� she kept saying over and over.
Nyarchagga collected everything and stared at Arani�s expression with thought. �Good game,� he said as he offered his hand to her.
Arani looked up at him still in awe. Then, all of a sudden, she scooted out of her seat and dropped to her knees before the Dug. �I am not worthy, oh master of Sabbacc. I never thought this day would come, but now I give myself to you body and soul.�
Nyarchagga and everyone around broke out in hysterical laughter at Arani�s display of humility. �May you deal well with me,� she added and looked up with a playful look on her face. Then she too burst out in laughter and stood to her feet. Taking Nyarchagga�s hand, or rather his foot, she shook it and congratulated him once again.
�Well,� she said as she turned to face Deel. �I guess it�s time for us to go. We�ve got a mission to go on. See you Nyarchagga. Don�t spend all my money in one place.�
As she began to slip through the crowd, however, Nyarchagga called after both her and Deel. �I wasn�t playing for the money,� he said to them as they turned back to face him. Both were amazed to see the Dug pushing their credit chips into piles.
�What are you doing?� asked Arani curiously.
�I�m giving you your money back,� he stated plainly.
�But you won it fair and square,� Deel stated in confusion.
�How�s that,� said Nyarchagga. �I just happened to be the one that cheated the best.�
Deel and Arani exchanged glances. �No way,� they said. �I can�t take that back.�
�Fine,� said Nyarchagga. �I�ll just leave it here on the table and take my own money. Whoever wants it here can take it.�
And with that, Nyarchagga jumped out of his chair and scrambled across the floor toward the door. �Nice game,� he said and disappeared out the door.
Deel and Arani looked at each other and then at their money in bewilderment. Then, as they looked around at everyone else standing around, they suddenly realized that the others near them didn�t have the same convictions as the Dug. Rushing to the table, they fought off as many of the others in the lounge as they could to get their own money back.
In the back of the crowd, Tarrsk watched the Dug leave and considered what he�d done. In all fairness, he could have taken everything and left much more wealthy. Smiling, he decided that he�d underestimated the Dug in the past. Money obviously meant nothing to him.
�Well,� he said as he walked over to the serving droid to get something to eat. �I guess I should learn a valuable lesson here. You can�t judge a Dug by its devious grin.� Taking a bite out of something that looked like meat, Tarrsk gazed back toward the door where Nyarchagga had disappeared and smiled once more. �I guess I should apply that to everyone, even if it is Satchal. He might be the Dark Jedi, and he might not. Either way, I should give him a chance to prove himself.�
"Brin'tac's Decision" By Keith Robinson
(The reaction of Brin'tac to Satchel's dreams upon recovery from his injury and the subsequent discussion between them which begins a new character subplot.)
Mission 3
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