The Quest for Absolution : Chapter Twelve

Bastila felt the anger and repulsion seething inside Taylor as she spoke to the Ithorian on the Czerka docking platform. Seeing humans as slavers was one thing, she knew the cruelly and deceit her species was capable of; but Ithorians were usually peaceful and passive beings. It disgusted Taylor that the Ithorian was a representative for the slaving operation when she had seen Ithorians as slaves themselves.

What completely astonished Bastila, was that Taylor had complete control over her anger. She didn't try to suppress it, but she still maintained complete control. Bastila had hardly been able to sense their bond since Taylor had figured out to block her; they only shared the Star Map visions. However Bastila was able to feel Taylor's anger.

"I don't need to pay your docking fee," Taylor said using Force persuasion.

"Taylor," said Bastila. "We don't use the Force for such personal gain."

"It isn't personal gain," Taylor replied. "It's not contributing credits to help Czerka enslave the entire planet." She looked back at the Ithorian. "You should go back to your office and cancel all worker salaries," she said and walked back onto the Ebon Hawk.

"The Czerka twerps are all watching us," said Canderous. "When we leave, they may not hesitate to follow us."

"That's why we need a Jedi or two to stay here and watch our backs," said Carth. "You guys can distract them or use the Force-talk thingy."

"That would be wise," agreed Bastila. "But you should have at least one Force user with you," she said.

'Taylor has been on the planet before,' said Zaalbar. 'She has a companion in the Shadow Lands. She should come.'

"I can manage that," said Taylor. "Just give me a few minutes." Taylor went into the cargo hold where she had a supply of arms she had been making during their journey. She took out a sniper rifle and began inspecting it."  She had an utter loathing of slavers, and wasn't about to leave the planet without giving Czerka some hell.

Zaalbar led Carth, Taylor, and Canderous to his village. As soon as they got there, they were brought to Zaalbar's brother Chuundar, the chieftain. Chuundar wasted no time in claiming Zaalbar as his prisoner. Taylor noticed the Czerka guards flanking Chuundar.

'Chuundar,' said Taylor in Shyrriwook. 'Why do you let the enemy flank you? Do they offer you protection that your own people won't give you?'

'You will not speak in our tongue here, outsider!' said Chuundar. 'Your tiny throat profanes our language. Leave and find the Mad Claw in the Shadow Lands!"

Taylor didn't back down from Chuundar. Carth was impressed, but was worried she'd get herself killed. Canderous stood back watching the scene in amusement.

"Zaalbar follows me on a Life Debt, Chuundar," said Taylor. "This is a sacred vow to your people. As their leader, how can you even consider forbidding Zaalbar to honor his debt? Your people will think even less of you."

'Outsiders know nothing of honor!' roared Chuundar.

"I know a hell of a lot more about it than you," Taylor replied.

"Let's go now, Taylor," Carth said softly before the situation got violent.

"No," she said shrugging him off. "The 'mighty' Chuundar is now breaking a sacred vow of the wookiees."

Before Taylor could say anything else, Chuundar had her by the neck and had lifted her a meter off the ground. Wookiee guards had blocked Carth and Canderous from her. She didn't want to use the Force either; it would only make the wookiees more suspicious of her.

Zaalbar roared as he was restrained by more wookiee guards. Chuundar pulled Taylor's face right next to his. She was holding on to the arm that had her neck. 'You will go now,' Chuundar said to her. 'But first you will feel my wrath!' With that he struck Taylor across the face with his other hand and threw her out the door. Carth and Canderous were shoved out as well.

Taylor got to her feet. "Is that all you've got?" she challenged, ready to go back inside but the two men caught her. Her voice was course from being choked but she wouldn't let it slow her down.

"A strategic retreat is necessary," said Canderous.

"You're a complete lunatic," muttered Carth.

"Hands off," she said pulling away from them.

"Why is it that you're quiet until something like that happens?" asked Carth.

"Because it pisses me off enough to say what I need to," she responded. "We should go to the Shadow Lands," she said calming down. "If we're lucky, the old man I know will still be alive."

"Hold on, runt," said Canderous. "You just got thrown by a wookiee."

"Canderous is right," said Carth. "Turn your head, it looks like his claws broke the skin on your neck."

"I'm fine," she said. "If we don't hurry Chuundar might hurt Zaalbar!"

'No he won't,' said an old wookiee walking over towards them. 'I am Worroznor, Holder of the Laws. Come to my home and I may be able to help you.'

"Why would you help outsiders?" asked Carth.

'Because the she-human once aided me,' he said looking at Taylor.

'You are worse than a wounded cub,' Worroznor growled as he attempted to treat the claw marks on the sides of Taylor's neck.

"I'm fine," she said to the wookiee who ignored her protests until he had put small patches on the cuts.

'Chuundar's claws dig deep,' said Worroznor. 'Deep into the heart of our people.'

"So how did you meet Taylor?" Carth asked.

'She was staying in the Shadow Lands with the Bald One when I went down for a hunt. I was foolish enough to think that slavers would not be in the Shadow Lands. They found me and chased me through the forests. The she-human, Taylor, saw them and distracted them. She led them into a nest of katarns that took the slavers by surprise and killed them. Before I climbed back to the village I met Taylor and gave her my thanks.'

"Does the Bald One still live, Worroznor?" Taylor asked.

‘The last wookiee hunters reported seeing him argue with the other humans who have gone down there.’

"Thank you," she said. "Do you know anything about this insane wookiee that Chuundar wants killed?"

‘Only that Chuundar only says lies.’

"I hate this thing," said Taylor feeling sick as she Canderous and Carth descended into the Shadow Lands in a large wooden lift being operated by a wookiee.

"So where's the old man?" Canderous asked.

"Maybe two or three kilometers to the south," Taylor replied. "He's been down here for over twenty years, so don't be surprises if he's a little ... odd."

They reached the forest floor and walked into the darkness of the Shadow Lands. "You know how to find this guy?" asked Carth.

"Yes, he'll tell us about the wookiee Chuundar wants dead, and he might help us get Zaalbar back."

"You don't want to forget about the Star Map," said Carth. "The reason we came here in the first place."

"I haven't," Taylor mumbled as she climbed over some roots. "Don't shoot any of the tach, Canderous," she said as the Mandelorian aimed his rifle.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll attract larger animals-"

"Bring them on!" said Canderous excitedly.

"And Jolee doesn't like it when people kill the tach," continued Taylor.

"Jolee?" asked Carth.

"The Bald One; his name's Jolee Bindo."

"Tell me how you're navigating through this jungle," said Canderous.

"I remember the trees," Taylor responded without stopping. "They're so huge that I can feel each one of them differently. We're almost there; just don't say anything to him about his house."

Carth was about to ask what was wrong with the house when he saw a light coming from a stump. "He lives under a stump?"

"It's actually bigger than it looks," said Taylor. "One more thing; if you eat anything from him, do yourself a favor and don't ask what's in it."

Taylor knocked on the small wooden door. She heard some grumbling and Jolee Bindo opened the door. "Well, you look a lot better than the last time you were on my doorstep. Come in." Jolee embraced Taylor warmly, and then led her inside, followed by Carth and Canderous.

"Jolee," said Taylor. "This is Carth and Canderous. Carth got stuck assigned on a Jedi mission and Canderous is along for the violence."

"I hope you two behave in here," said Jolee. "Now, what brings you down here, Taylor Jade?"

"I was hoping you could lend us your wisdom," said Taylor.

"Don't try to soften me up, girl."

"There's a wookiee, Zaalbar, following me on a Life Debt. We had to come here on a Jedi errand and we found out that Chuundar is Zaalbar's brother. Now Chuundar won't let him go, and sent us down here looking for a supposedly insane wookiee."

"That's a short way to put a long story," said Jolee. "Your crazed wookiee is Freyer, Chuundar and Zaalbar's father. He's sane, but you might want to be careful approaching him. But from the looks of you, I'd say you already got a wookiee mad."

"That's an understatement," snorted Canderous. "The carpet lifted her up by her throat, tossed her out the door, and she was still ready for more," the Mandelorian laughed. "She's a crazy one."

"Trust me," said Jolee. "I know that very well. You three spend the night here and we'll find Freyer tomorrow."

Carth elbowed Taylor. "I almost forgot, have you seen a type of ancient ruin called a Star Map? The Jedi have us looking for them."

"I know where the blasted thing is, but I doubt you would be able to get it to work. We'll talk about it tomorrow. I need my sleep."

Jolee went to the back of his house and slid a screen back revealing another room. "So we just spend the night here?" asked Canderous.

"You could sleep outside, but I wouldn't recommend it," said Taylor.

"Tell me again how you know this man," said Carth as Canderous made himself comfortable near the door.

"I was in some trouble, and Jolee let me hide here for a few months," said Taylor. "I first met him when I was Kavar's padawan. He wanted to check on Jolee, and brought me with him."

"Why does he stay down here?"

"It's his business," said Taylor. "I don't really know for certain. If you're so curious, ask him."

"Taylor, about what I said the other day about you ..."

"Can't an old man get some sleep in his own home?" Jolee yelled out. "Be quiet!"

"I'll mention it later," said Carth softly. He noticed Taylor remained awake as he tried to make himself comfortable on the floor. He wondered if she did it just to avoid dreaming. He really needed to talk to her and apologize for what he said; comparing her to Revan and Saul when they were on Dantooine. He was way out of line, the only thing she had done was help him.

Carth woke up to see Jolee going outside. Curious, he followed the old man.

"You're up early sonny," said Jolee.

"I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Taylor?" asked Carth. "She's ... difficult to understand. She mentioned she spent some time here a few years ago."

"That she did," said Jolee. "I found her half-dead on my doorstep. When she got better she asked me it I'd rent her my house!"

"Seriously?"

"Oh I'm serious," said Jolee. "She was ready to be a hermit and spend the rest of her life down here. That was the day I kicked her out, of course. It's not good for a young person to want to spend the rest of their life alone. Taylor's had more than her share of pain, but she's too young to give up."

"Just how young is Taylor?"

"She's twenty-four."

"But she acts so much older! And Bastila is a year older than her, and is a padawan."

"Taylor and Revan learned abnormally fast, part of being a kiffar. Both were made knights at seventeen, or so Kavar told me when he came here after the Mandelorian Wars began. As for Bastila still being a padawan, she is only one in name. With the war, there's no time for the Jedi to conduct proper trials. But being a Jedi robs a kid from a normal childhood. They're made to control themselves and meditate when others their age are running and having fun. That adds years of maturity to any Jedi, and Taylor was in the middle of a bloody war. War takes away a person's spirit, you should know that. She was forced to grow up before her time. Then that brother of hers ..."

"I get what you're saying," said Carth.

"Who's saying what?" Taylor asked, coming out.

"Just talking about you, dear," said Jolee.

"So you're telling Carth my deep dark secrets?" she asked sarcastically.

"Force no," said Jolee. "Don't terrify me with that, child!" Taylor smirked at the old man and went into the forest.

"Shouldn't you stay closer ..."

"She knows her way around here, son," said Jolee. "Relax, we've got a long way to go today. And just so you know, I decided last night that I'm coming with you when you leave."

Taylor was walking near a stream not far from Jolee's house when she saw the shadow. It was the shape of a human man. Who else could be down here? she thought staying out of sight.

Then she heard it speak. "Taylor," it spoke. "It's me, the Jedi didn't kill me. I'm back!"

"Revan?" Taylor said cautiously approaching the person in the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"The same thing you're doing," he said. "Trying to clean up my mess. You told me once that if I ever wanted to change, that you would be there for me. I need you Taylor."

Taylor wasn't sure if this was a trick of the mind, or if this really was her brother. "Let me see your eyes," she said. Revan came up close to her where they could see each other's faces. Taylor smiled when she saw they were the same deep blue as her own. When she left Revan, his eyes were a sickly yellow.

"Let's find the Star Map," he said. "We'll look for the wookiee too, and free your friend."

"Jolee and ..."

"We can work faster with just the two of us," Revan insisted. "We'll be done before they can get started. Let's go!" Only thinking that her brother was himself again, Taylor took off behind him into the Shadow Lands.

"Taylor should have been back by now," Carth said to Jolee. "She knows we have to get moving."

"Hmm," Jolee muttered. "I wonder if she might have found Freyer already, but he lives deeper into the forest."

"Where's Jade?" demanded Canderous as he walked out of Jolee's hut. "She's holding us up."

"I think she started without us," said Carth.

"But she promised me large and aggressive predators!" said Canderous.

"Maybe she was just talking about you," Carth remarked.

"That's enough kids," said Jolee. "Don't know how she puts up with you two. We'll just follow her. Eventually we'll run into her."

"Why would she start out on her own anyway?" asked Carth.

"Not sure," said Jolee. "But this forest has a darkness in it. Probably comes from that Star Map. When the Force is tainted by a thing like that, it can play tricks on a Jedi's senses."

"Revan," said Taylor loudly as she followed him through the Shadow Lands. "The people I came with might worry if I don't check back."

"By the time you get back to Jolee's house, we could have already found the Star Map," said Revan. "We'll run into them on our way back."

"But what will they do when they see you?" asked Taylor. "Not all of them are going to believe that you won't hurt anyone."

"You believe me Taylor."

"I can tell. I've been around you enough to tell if you're sincere."

"You still don't sound so convinced, Taylor," said Revan. "I just want us both to forget what happened after Malachor V. Then things will be the way they used to."

"Things can never be the way they used to, Revan," said Taylor. "You've done a lot of damage. Maybe if we kept to the Outer-rim systems -"

"No," said Revan loudly. "We will not hide. You suggested it once before you left me; you suggested we leave after the Mandalorian Wars and go someplace where we wouldn't have to worry about the Force. You ran anyway though."

"You gave me no choice, Revan," said Taylor beginning to worry about Revan's words. "You wouldn't let me go, you only caused me pain."

"You needed a little pain to strengthen you. Even now, you tried to run from the Jedi, and even from yourself. You're a coward, Taylor," said Revan, igniting a red lightsaber. "I hoped you had grown over the past years, but I was a fool to think better of you."

"No," said Taylor. "I was the fool to think you were actually telling me the truth. I know I'm a coward Revan, but at least I'm not a power-hungry beast."

Revan came at Taylor with his lightsaber. The two fought almost identically and their lightsabers locked. "Can you kill me, sister?"

"If I don't, you'll just go and cause more death."

"True, but can you kill me?" Revan leapt back and tossed his lightsaber aside. "Kill me now, then. Hurry before I decide to leave and reclaim my place as the Dark Lord."

Taylor looked at Revan. She began to strike, but an image of a younger Revan that she had loved came into her mind.

"Pathetic," Revan sneered. He called his lightsaber to his hand and stabbed it into Taylor." Taylor felt the lightsaber, but Revan began to fade. He had been an illusion. But if he was, then why did she feel like a lightsaber had gone through her. She looked at her stomach and it was unhurt. What the hell was happening? Just go back to the others, she thought, looking around cautiously.  She couldn't believe what a fool she had been, following somebody she knew to be dead.

A moment later, she felt huge footsteps coming towards her. A monster came out of the brush and roared at her. Jolee had once told her that he thought that a Terentatek may have a nest in the Shadow Lands. It would have been attracted to Taylor by the energy from the illusion now surrounding her.

She leapt out of it's way quickly. Speed was the only advantage she had on this thing. Immune to the Force, and a hunter of Jedi; these beasts had killed Jedi far more skilled than her.

Taylor watched it's heavy movements while staying out of it's reach. She threw her lightsaber at it and managed to hit it's eye. The thing's skin was like durasteel armor; the only weakness seemed to be it's stomach.

Taylor jumped behind it while it screamed in pain from the blow to it's eye. Before it could turn, Taylor rolled beneath it and drove her lightsaber up into it's gut.

The Terentatek let out one last roar and fell on her releasing a foul green gas. Taylor was trying to push the beast off of her when somebody lifted it off her completely.

'You have killed the Beast', said a wookiee that stood before her. 'The mightiest of wookiees have failed to kill it.'

'Are you Freyer?' Taylor asked in Shirriwook, getting up slowly.

'Do you hunt me as well?' the wookiee asked, clearly surprised that she spoke his language.

'No,' said Taylor. 'I came here with Zaalbar who follows me on a Life Debt. Chuundar won't release him, and he sent me down here hoping I would kill you.'

Freyer looked at the Terentatek and pried an ancient blade from it's stomach. 'Bacca's Blade may give me the support of my people once again.'

"Freyer!" Taylor heard Jolee yell in the distance. He was with Canderous and Carth. If Canderous or Carth knew she had been led out here by a hallucination, they'd think she was even more crazy.

"Where the hell have you been?" asked Carth.

"I just thought it would be a good idea to get a head start," she said nervously.

"Dammit, Jade," said Canderous. "I would have loved to kill that thing." He looked at the dead Terentatek.

Carth was about to question Taylor, but Jolee put a hand on his shoulder. "Not now," he said to Carth softly.

"We're not far from the Star Map actually," said Taylor. "And Freyer thinks he might be able to gain support of the wookiees with a blade he found."

"Then let's go find the Star Map, and then we'll discuss how we can help Freyer," said Jolee, looking at Taylor carefully. He could tell she had a good scare, and it hadn't been from the Terentatek.

Activating the Star Map was easy enough. It accepted Taylor as a close match to Revan when it analyzed her in combat. After recording the coordinates, they discussed the Czerka situation with Freyer back at Jolee's hut.

'With Bacca's Blade, more of the people will support me,' he said. 'I can climb quickly to the village, but you will have to return the long way.'

"There will be Czerka guards and wookies that support Chuundar on your way to the village, Freyer," said Jolee.

"The old man's right," said Canderous. "You need somebody to watch your back."

"Somebody with quick Jedi reflexes," added Carth.

"Someone young with good eyes," said Jolee. All of them looked to Taylor.

"I have a hard enough time trying not to vomit on that fracking lift," said Taylor.

'You are small enough that you wouldn't slow my climb,' said Freyer. 'It may be difficult to hold on to me though.'

"I know," said Jolee and he began to rummage through a large trunk. "I've got one of those things you use to carry your cubs around the trees in," he said to Freyer.

"I'm probably too big for something like that, Jolee," said Taylor.

"Nonsense," he replied. "You're no bigger than an average cub. I found it!" Jolee took out something woven together. He unrolled it and opened it up.

'This will work well,' Freyer commented. 'It will take me a day to climb to the village. The lift takes about a day and a half. You can join us in the village when you arrive.'

Freyer went outside followed by the others. "Oh hell," Taylor said softly, looking up. Heights weren't a problem for her, she merely didn't like the lack of support from being carried by a rope operated lift. Being attached to a moving wookiee wasn't an improvement.

Taylor stepped into a stiff sack that came up to her chest. Freyer put his arms through some straps attached to it and fastened another on his waist so she was on his back securely.

"Have fun," Carth smirked at Taylor as Freyer prepared to climb.

"Shut up," she replied.

"We'll see you two tomorrow," said Jolee has he Carth, and Canderous began to make their way to the lift.

'Ready?' Freyer asked Taylor.

"As ready as possible," she replied dismally.

'It surprises me that you speak my language,' Freyer said as he began to climb.

'I can't speak it for long lengths, I don't have the size throat that your people have. Chuundar was offended that I spoke it; if it upsets you I won't.'

'No,' Freyer replied. 'Chuundar's sense of honor is wrong.' Then Freyer grabbed a vine and tested it's strength. 'Hold on'.

"Wait you're not going to - Ahhhhhh!" Taylor yelled as Freyer swung to another tree. This was going to be a long ride.