Sweet Sixteen, Chapter 3: Into the Undercity

Into the Undercity

Seth pulled the Sith uniform over his clothes. The Aqualish had left long ago, and the uniforms of the Sith they'd killed were left for the taking.

Not that it did any good. There wasn't a uniform that fit Seth, what with the pants extending up to his chest and the shirt fitting like a dress.

Luckily for Carth, one of the men was the exact same size as him, but the Republic soldier still shook with anger when he was forced to wear the clothes of his enemy.

"Ok, this isn't working," Seth said. "This doesn't make me look like a Sith."

Carth nodded. "You're right," he told Seth, or rather, the pile of uniforms on top of Seth. "We'll have to sneak you in somehow."

Seth scrambled out of the uniforms and grinned. "I have an idea!

Carth watched as Seth buckled on the STEALH belt. "Are you sure this will work?"

Seth flashed him a cocky grin. "Of course! I've been watching this guard. He's as aware as a bantha."

Carth still looked skeptical.

Seth tossed him the Sith helmet. "Come on! Trust me!"

"That's the problem," Carth muttered under his breath as he slipped the helmet on.

Seth activated the belt and Carth walked up to the soldier.

"Ah, another patrol, huh?" The soldier said. "Be careful. I hear the swoop gangs are dangerous."

Carth merely nodded and stepped into the now open elevator. Seth slipped in behind him and the two headed down into the Lower City.

"Vandar, we have received word that the Endar Spire has been destroyed."

"I know, Zhar," the little alien replied quietly. "Couldn't you feel it? The mass loss of life?"

"Master Vandar, you know I am not as powerful as you are. How could I feel it?"

"You are a Jedi Master nonetheless. Perhaps you should spend more time focusing on the Living Force."

"Do you believe Padawan Shan was killed?"

"No, I can feel that she's alive."

"What about... well, you know?"

"Hard to tell. He is not in tune with the Force, so locating him will be nigh impossible."

"We should have trained him."

"No, I'm afraid he is too arrogant for that. Unless we have no other choice, he will not be trained."

"As you wish, Master Vandar."

Seth stopped in his tracks and laid a hand on Striker. Something wasn't right. He felt danger coming.

Carth kept walking, unaware that his companion was several yards away.

Suddenly, with uncanny speed, Seth leapt forward. "STOP!" he screamed, and tackled the older man to the ground.

"What in the blazes was that for?" Carth breathed, shoving Seth off.

Seth nodded at the ground in front of them. There, just inches away from where they lay, was a camouflaged trip mine. If he had been any farther from where he was, Carth wouldn't have noticed it. He'd also be dead. It was hidden skillfully. Carth looked back at Seth. "Thanks."

Seth smiled and reached for the mine. In seconds, it was disabled. "Done!" He stood and followed Carth into a dimly lit cantina, and he once again found himself in the midst of a Twi'lek.

She was a blue Rutian Twi'lek, and wore street clothes. Her face was youthful and Seth guessed she was somewhere in the middle of fourteen and fifteen. A couple of Rodians wee talking with her, and the voices rose quickly. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" the Twi'lek cried.

Seth smiled. There was nothing that could impress a girl more that bravery. He swaggered up to the Rodians and gave one a shove. "She said to leave her alone."

"[And what are you going to do about it, little boy?]"

"Who you calling little boy, bug eye?"

"[It seems they both need a lesson!]" the other Rodian said. His partner nodded, and the two whipped out thier blasters.

Seth sent Striker cleaving through the first one in seconds, but he found that the other one was being held by the throat by a giant Wookiee. He instantly shrunk back. The Twi'lek girl shot at the head of the Rodian and the Wookiee dropped the corpse onto the ground.

"What, you scared of Wookiees or something?" she asked Seth.

"Nah, I ain't scared of those guys. Unless they're rabid."

The Twi'lek chuckled. "I've never seen you before. You new around here?"

"Yeah. I'm a," Seth lowered his voice to a whisper, "Republic soldier. I was in that space battle overhead."

She gasped. "Do you know how many arrest warrants and bounties are on your head? I sure won't collect any, 'cause I'm a friend of the Republic, and you kinda tired to save my life just now, but boy, are you in danger!"

"Well thanks then. Nice to know that this planet isn't all bad."

"Well, Taris isn't really that bad. I grew up here, you know?"

"I haven't seen its good side yet. But I'm sure I will."

"You will, don't worry. I'm Mission Vao. And this is my best friend Zaalbar." She motioned to the Wookiee, who grunted a curt hello.

"Private Seth Avery at your service."

"Nice to meet you, Seth."

"Likewise."

They stood quietly for a few moments before Seth spoke up. "You guys want anything to drink?" He counted his credits.

"[YES!!]" Zaalbar said.

Mission stole a glance at her chronometer. "I don't think we have time. We're going to talk with Gadon about something at the Bek base."

"Who's Gadon?"

"He's the leader of the Hidden Bek Gang."

"Are they the ones who have been reportedly shooting people out on the streets?"

"No! Those are the Black Vulkars. Don't even get me started on those guys!" Seth noticed that her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Just asking!" Seth held his hands up in a gesture of defense. "Can you help us get into the Undercity?"

"I'm sure Gadon will know. Come on! you can come with us!" Mission grabbed Seth's hand and pulled him toward the door. For some unknown reason, Seth felt very satisfied to have her hand clasped in his, even if it was gloved.

"Follow us!" he mouthed to Carth before the cantina doors shut behind them.

Gadon Thek shook his dark skinned head. "She's not at the base, she's too valuable. It's impossible to locate her."

"There's gotta be something we can do!" Seth slammed his fist on the table.

"The only thing I can think of is for one of you to somehow win the big Swoop Race coming up. If you win it, you'll win your friend's freedom."

"Swoop Race?" Seth asked. "What is that? And what does it got to do with Bastila?"

Mission stepped forward. "The Season Opener Swoop Race is the biggest race on Taris. All the gangs participate, and the winner gets prizes from all the gangs. The winner for the past five years had been... well, the Vulkars, but that's gonna change this year!"

"And your friend Bastila is the Vulkars' share of the prize. They want to win over the smaller gangs."

"This just keeps getting better. How do we win the race?" Carth asked

"Well, first, you need to be sponsored by a gang. I can sponsor you, but you'll have to do something for me first."

"Who saw that coming?" Seth rolled his eyes.

"What do you want?" Carth asked.

"My engineers were creating a swoop accelerator, one that would make sure we would win the race. The Vulkars found out, and well, they stole it. They plan on using it in the race this year. You have to get it back!"

"What!?!" Seth exclaimed. "I've seen the Vulkar base, Gadon, and if you expect us to get in there, you're crazy. That place is locked up tight!"

"The back door isn't," Mission said.

Mission handed the papers that Gadon had given them to the guard at the elevator. After he went through them a couple of times, she, Seth, Carth, and Zaalbar were waved through.

The elevator was exceptionally large, and the ride down was very long. Seth was leaning against the side of the elevator and sharpening his sword. It was double edged, and it looked as though he polished it every day, which was, as Mission would eventually find out, the case.

"Nice sword," she said, trying to start a conversation.

"Thanks."

"How'd you get it?"

Seth looked up at her, and she was amazed at how beautiful his green eyes were. "It was my father's."

"Oh, Where is your father?"

"Dead. Along with my mother."

"I'm sorry. My parents are dead too."

"I was too young to remember anyways."

"Same here."

"So what's your story?"

"I found Zaalbar in trouble with some Vulkars one time. I got really mad at them, pretty much saw red. Anyway, I screamed, "Leave him alone you core slimes!!" and I charged at them. One of them nearly knocked me out!"

"Smooth."

"Oh, shut up. Anyway, Zaalbar wasn't too happy with their slapping me around, and he gave a big wookiee roar. The Vulkars screamed and ran off. Ever since then, we've been a team."

"And a pretty darn good one too."

"Well, it's your turn. How'd you team up with Carth?"

"We served together on the Endar Spire, you know, the ship that blew up a few days ago?"

Mission nodded.

"We were the last crew members on the Spire that hadn't either died or already launched an escape pod. So we were stuck in a pod together and I was knocked out during the crash. Carth dragged me to an apartment that he'd found and since then, we've been on this mad quest for Bastila 'cause she's the only hope for the Republic."

"Heh, and you're willing to go to the Undercity to find her? She, uh... must mean a lot to you."

"Not really. I barely know her. But Someone's gotta get us off Taris, and she's our best bet."

The elevator stopped suddenly and Carth and Seth fell down, not used to it as Mission and Zaalbar were. The sight of beggars let them know that they were in the Undercity.