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Carth Onasi Comes Home ch7

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Chapter 7
Carth Onasi

It was difficult to control his impatience. Carth focused on landing the Raptor in the Gargon port. The vessel slipped into her dock, touching down softly, and settling lightly on her landing pads. He punched a few buttons and the Raptor's engines went quiet. The sudden silence felt a stark contrast to what he was experiencing on the inside. For a moment the pilot sat and considered the situation.

Somewhere on the planet Revan and Dustil waited for him. But they could be anywhere in the bustling district with its forest of towering high rises and the thousands of people crowded into them. Carth hadn't been this close to his loved ones in years, yet without knowing where they were, he may well have still been in the Inner Core.

In the Raptor's common area his friends were waiting. Bastilla and Jolee were talking softly in a far corner. Canderous, armed to the teeth with a heavy repeating blaster at each hip, was propped against the bulkhead a grim look on his scarred face. Standing beside Zaalbar, Mission smiled brightly up at Carth as he joined them.

Catching sight of the pilot Jolee cleared his throat, "We've been discussing our plan."

"Oh?" Carth tried to keep the edge from his voice. "Was anyone going to tell me?"

"Relax," Jolee told him. "We all know you have a lot on your mind and it's a good plan, so at least hear us out. Zaalbar made the suggestion we split up. He and Mission will start their search at clinics and medcenters. Bastilla and Canderous will poke around the warehouses and whatnot. The kind of places a hard working young man might find easy work. You and I will start asking around the cheaper rental areas."

Nodding Carth considered the suggestion and found no fault with it. He did glance at Bastilla, wondering why she was volunteering to go with Canderous, but decided against mentioning it. The important thing was they started the search. 

Mission handled the docking clerk, smiling sweetly at him as she negotiated their docking fee down. Then, satisfied with the final number, she nudged Carth. He handed the credits over to the man and the group went on their way. Outside the port they split into pairs, promising to stay in contact, and urging caution. Carth looked at Jolee and fell into step alongside the Jedi. 

"You should try not to worry so much," Jolle told him when they away from their companions. "I know that's easier said then done. But a clear head will help this search more than a heart full of worry."

"Sorry Jolee, I never got the Jedi training on not having emotions," Carth said. The bitterness in those words surprised him a little. Jolee just arched a brow and grunted. Quickly Carth apologized. "I'm sorry Jolee. That wasn't fair. But, I can't help feeling worried. Somewhere Revan and Dustil need my help. And this feels like .... "

There was a moment of silence. Carth realized he didn't want to make the comparison but Jolee made it for him.

"Like Telos?" 

Tensely Carth nodded. The old Jedi let out a long sigh. 

"You know I won't promise you anything I don't believe," Jolee told him. "That said, I believe we will find them both. I can feel it."

Silence overcame them but it was not tense or awkward. Carth was trying not think that this might all be too late. He wanted to share Jolee's, even Bastilla's, confidence in this mission. But he didn't have the luxury of the Force to whisper such reassuring things. All he had were memories of Telos, a haunting reminder that he'd been too late to save his wife or his son. Gargon was his second chance to do things right.

Carth Onasi wasn't going to fail again.

- ~ -
Zaalbar

As was customary Mission handled the talking. Zaalbar noticed that when Mission choose to be she was a charming individual that was difficult to resist. Inviting and friendly she often managed to talk others into giving her what she wanted. It had helped land some lucrative business contracts. Zaalbar didn't mind if people looked at him as the heavy muscle. Mission didn't treat him that way. Back on Taris she let her mouth get away from her on more than one occasion and he'd been forced to get rough. But since the Ebon Hawk and Revan the little Twi'lek was slowly maturing. 

"Nothing!" Mission slapped her thigh in frustration. The medical droid turned and walked stiffly back to its duties.

< It wasn't likely we were going to find them at the first clinic. > Zaalbar pointed out. The pair returned to the street. Mission fished her datapad out of her bag and made a note.    

"I know, it's just," Mission sighed. "It would have been easier if we had."

Of course Zaalbar thought to himself she still had a ways to go to grow out the impatient girl she'd been they had met. They were walking on a high promenade which offered sweeping views of the large city. Together they went to the railing attracted by the sprawling metropolis. 

"How many medcenters in this district?" Mission asked absently. 

< Twenty-three. > Zaalbar replied. A large domed building caught their attention. It wasn't far from the promenade and the friends could easily see the large crowd milling around the stadium. It was lit up brightly and decorated festively. Several large projectors were displaying ghostly holograms of two men engaged in fiery combat.  

"Uh. Excuse me," Mission said turning to a group woman enjoying the view nearby. Only one bothered to acknowledge the Twi'lek. "What is that about?"

"It's Motta's newest duelist," she said in a tone that suggested anyone important would already know this. "He's absolutely the best. And quite good looking. They call him the Mysterious Stranger."

Mission thanked her and led Zaalbar away from the railing. "Dueling, what a horrible sport. Anyways. Let's get back to it."

< That name sounds familiar. > Zaalbar chuffed as they continued along to the next medcenter. 

"Oh, they always pick those horrible fake names. It's so stupid."

Zaalbar frowned. Something about the duelists name continued to nag at him, but he kept his thoughts to himself. 

- ~ -
Canderous

The Jedi hardly spoke a word to him. Canderous didn't object, he wasn't much for talking, and there was little common ground between them anyways. Though he did wish Bastilla had taken greater efforts not to stand out. Dressed in her Jedi robes, a lightsaber at her hip, she was drawing a fair amount of attention. 

Their path had taken them to a cluster of buildings, square and squat, designed not for their beauty but for their function. The people who filled the streets ranged in their species but there was one thing they all had in common. Weary exhaustion filled the faces that surrounded the pair. Many of the men appeared rough and were heavily muscled from a lifetime of hard labor. 

"Wait here," Bastilla said cooly. 

Canderous snorted, "Not likely."

"And why not?" Bastilla demanded of him. Her dark eyes glittered with irritation. 

"Because you stand out," Canderous said. Before she could argue the Mandalorian gestured towards the crowds. Bastilla's attention flickered over the sea of faces and she was met by several curious pairs of eyes. "They probably don't get a lot of Jedi strolling around Gargon. Since you blend in as well as a Rancor in a snow storm you aren't going anywhere alone."

"I do not need protection," Bastilla said. She was stiff. Canderous could tell he had her in a corner. 

"Just like you didn't need to be rescued from the Black Vulkars?"

"That was totally under control. And I had just crash landed on Taris remember? I may not have had all my wits about me at that moment," Bastilla shot back. She abruptly went quiet. Their disagreement had attracted even more curiosity. Canderous said nothing and after a moment she grudgingly conceded. "Yes, fine. Come inside with me. But I will handle the questioning."

"Of course," Canderous said. He gestured for her to lead the way and Bastilla huffed, turning her back on him. Suppressing a grin the grizzled veteran followed her into a warehouse. 

- ~ -
Dustil Onasi

All too soon Dustil would step into the arena a third time. The final time regardless of the outcome. Sai Penteg had been an easy opponent and Dustil had walked into the second match over confident. He'd come closer to death that day then ever before. The Mandalorian Dustil faced had been vicious and fast. Put on the defensive Dustil resorted to the Force, gathering the power and sending his attacker flying backward head over feet almost the length of the field. Even with that advantage Dustil barely survived the fight. 

The sudden revelation of his Force abilities had sent the crowds into an uproar. Some of the Mandalorian's supporters argued the Mysterious Stranger cheated by using the Force. Motta defended Dustil. A thorough search of the rules had been conducted. In the end no restrictions were found regarding Force users and Dustil was declared the victor.

Motta begged Dustil to sign a contract. But after the narrow brush with death Dustil firmly refused. The public wanted to adore him the Hutt explained, they couldn't stop replaying the latest fight. As soon as tickets to the next one had gone on sale they were sold out in minutes. Didn't Dustil understand, he was famous?

Sitting on a bench in a small changing room Dustil felt only small and nervous. The roar of the crowds could be heard even down here. Though it was muffled by layers of walls and floors. It did nothing to calm his nerves or ease the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

Certainly he'd experienced danger before. Korriban had been ruthless with treachery at every turn. In truth he'd been glad to get away. Excellence at any cost never truly felt right to Dustil Onasi. 

Even with Master Revan, Dustil had known danger. But he never feared it with his teacher at his side. Patiently she refined his fighting skills, coached him past his fear until the Padawan felt only peace at the height of battle. Above all that she taught him that his lightsaber was a weapon of last resort. Revan encouraged Dustil to seek peaceful solutions first. Violence was an option only when all avenues to peace had been exhausted.  

How disappointed Revan would be Dustil thought glumly. He sighed and leaned back against the wall fixing a blank stare on the ceiling. There was nothing left to do but wait. 
Carth and the crew of the Raptor reach Gargon and begin to search for Dustil and Revan. Dustil sits alone, awaiting his third duel in the ring. And he's not very confident about it.

Chapter 8: Carth Onasi Comes Home ch8Chapter 8
Jolee Bindoo
They passed into the lower slums of Gargon. Like most places where the galaxies less fortunate scraped a living together it was crowded and cramped. The streets were cluttered with trash piles, where scrawny looking strays of a species Jolee didn't recognize sniffed about. Something stood out to Jolee though. The cantinas were nearly packed to bursting. Even the street vendors who had invested in a link to the holonet were seeing a fair amount of customers. 
Shouldering their way through the crowds Carth led them into the first of the apartment towers. With distaste Jolee noticed how poorly the place was kept. Refuse and scrap littered the floor. The walls were darkened by decades of filth which obscured even the graffiti. Music and shouting leaked from behind the sealed doors, the distorted sounds thick in the silence of the corridor.
Carefully Jolee looked at his friends face and saw the man wore a grim expression. The old Jedi wanted

Chapter 6: Carth Onasi Comes Home ch6Chapter 6
Dustil Onasi
The vibroblade whistled through the air making contact with Dustil's shielded forearm. He grunted with the impact but managed to redirect the weapon away from his body. Quickly the Padawan followed with his own sword, an Echani foil on loan from Motta, and swung it upwards catching his opponent unexpectedly on the breastplate. 
Sai Penteg's breath rushed from his lungs and he doubled over with a gasp. Even with the wind knocked from him, the man was fast. He shuffled backwards bringing his own vibroblade up in a protective gesture. 
Seeing his opportunity to take the offensive Dustil lunged forward, raising his sword above his head and bringing it smashing down upon Sai's head. Just barely Sai managed to block the attack, the stadium lights gleaming off the edge of the blade a few inches from his face. Dustil saw the look of fear that filled the other mans face as the outcome of this fight suddenly became certain. 
Resolving hi
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