Danse Macabre/Part 5

"This'll be a fun one to explain to the Temple Quartermaster when he's tallying expenses," Kenza mused as a droid lugged their purchases behind them. "Food on duty assignment, food on duty assignment, sparkly ball gown, food on duty assignment…"

Narasi laughed with her. "At least I have an excuse. 'But Master, I was just following the example set for me by a Jedi Knight…'"

Kenza snickered, and Narasi marveled at how quickly they had become friends. She knew she had absorbed a little of Tirien's detachment over the years, but something about Kenza's easygoing demeanor had cut through that like a lightsaber. Once she got past Kenza's unfailing pseudo-vision, she inspired camaraderie.

"So what's it like being a Knight on your own?" Narasi asked.

"It's definitely different," Kenza admitted. "When I was a Padawan and we got missions, I got what, and when, and where, and how. Sometimes, if I asked really nicely, I'd even get why."

"I'm about fifty-fifty on that one," Narasi quipped.

Kenza laughed. "Nowadays the Council gives me what, and that's about it. It's a lot of freedom, but it's all on me now."

Narasi considered that. "Do you do things like your master would've?"

"Not at all! My master put a lot of trust in planning ahead.  I put mine in the Force; hasn't led me wrong yet." She cocked her head; a strand of blonde hair dropped down over her blindfold. "What's your style?"

"I don't know yet," Narasi hedged. "I'm still figuring it out."

"What about Tirien?"

"…he's kind of a planner too."

"And has that worked for you?"

"Well, it works for us most of the time…though sometimes the plan falls through and we just wing it anyway," Narasi conceded. "But we've worked with Master Darakhan a couple times, and he's more of a 'just dive right in there' kinda guy, and I kinda like that too."

"Yeah, Mali's awesome," Kenza agreed. "But so's Tirien."

"Oh, definitely. We just don't always see things the same way."

"My master and I never did," Kenza said in a small, sad voice, hanging her head. When Narasi looked at her, briefly wrongfooted, Kenza tapped her blindfold, then sniggered as Narasi rolled her eyes.

"You're terrible," Narasi complained.

"Oh, I'm awful. I don't know why people are friends with me."

They laughed as they strolled through one of Pols Anaxes's antique squares—Narasi had found her cobblestones at last. Closed even to keffis, the plaza stood at the hub of half a dozen spokes, leading to shops and bistros and encircling a fountain. Children were splashing water, and bronzium figures carved in the uniforms of the Republic Army and Navy stood at the fountain's center—all Humans, Narasi did not fail to note. Long practice told her when the gazes that found her focused more on her Zygerrian features than her Jedi robes, but she was determined not to let them ruin her day. The sun was shining on Pols Anaxes, even if the Citadel did loom over the city, visible a kilometer away. Did the citizens feel protected in its shadow, Narasi wondered, or did it serve as a constant reminder of the war not all that far from their galactic doorstep?

"So you don't—" Narasi started, but Kenza laid a hand on her shoulder, and Narasi fell silent.

"Hold up a sec." Kenza looked down one of the spokes from the square. "Do you sense that?"

Narasi wondered briefly if Kenza was teasing her, but after a second she looked in the same direction, stretching out with her feelings. There was a bustle of activity along the pedestrian corridor, a hundred minds going about their daily tasks and trying to pull her attention away. But at the edge she caught the faint hint of something not right.

"…yeah, just barely…something's…"

"Off," Kenza finished, and Narasi nodded. "Let's check it out."

"Should I call Tirien?" Narasi asked, reaching for her comlink.

"Nah, we can handle it. Let's go.  Take those things back to the Citadel, please," she added to the droid, then started off at a run, weaving agilely through people who lurched back at her passing. Narasi followed, the wind pulling her robe out to trail in her wake. Looking ahead, she was plotting a path around a heavyset couple when Kenza called on the Force and vaulted right over them without breaking pace.

"'Scuse us!" Narasi called as she threaded the needle between them instead. She was starting to focus on her breathing by the time Kenza slowed to a halt outside a shipping company. A handful of Humans stood outside, some wearing coveralls with the company's logo embroidered on the breast, others just drawn by the raised voices inside.

Kenza paused at the door, leaning her head toward the window beside the frame. Narasi could only hear the hum that accompanied the disquiet in the Force, but after a moment it occurred to her to sharpen her hearing with the Force. Coughs, scratches, cleared throats, and shuffling feet exploded into audibility all around her, but through the cacophony she caught distinct voices, too.

"—me to risk my neck running this kind of…cargo, and you think that pittance of a bonus is going to cut it?"

"There are bigger things at stake here than just your paycheck, Gravo."

"Everything's bigger than my paycheck these days…"

"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself! This is about the future of the Republic.  Of the galaxy."

"You think I care about that when I have rent payments to make? I've gotta pay off my whole crew too, alimony to that damned whore, and I'm a paycheck away from being on the street.  You need to make this worth my while, or…"

"Or what, exactly?" The voice had dropped coldly; Narasi focused so hard she could hear the breathing all around her.

"Oh, I dunno," the other man replied, a snide edge in his tone. "Bet the Republic might find this last trip pretty interesting…"

Narasi sensed a sudden spike of fear and malice. "Are you threatening me, Gravo? You sure you want to go down that lane?"

"AND THAT'S OUR CUE."

Narasi flinched, staring at Kenza until she realized the Jedi Knight hadn't yelled; conversational volume was deafening at point blank range. Shaking her head, Narasi drew her perceptions back down to normal level and reached for her lightstaber.

"Nah, not yet," Kenza said, and she waved the door open and strode through. "Good afternoon! I'm Kenza Rowkwani."

Narasi followed her in, sweeping the room with a glance before fixing her gaze on the two Humans. One stood facing the desk and the other had half-risen from behind it before stopping himself. Surprise radiated out in waves, but Narasi caught a hint of fear beneath.

The man behind the desk said, "You can't just barge in—"

"I'm a Jedi Knight," Kenza cut him off; her voice was still light, but Narasi heard new steel beneath it. "What's going on in here?"

The two men exchanged glances. The man standing, Gravo, said, "It's a work thing."

"Respectfully, Jedi Rowkwani, I'm not sure that my employees' concerns are any of the Republic's business." The boss looked at Narasi. "And I have no idea why you brought that with you. This is a respectable business."

Narasi gritted her teeth. "I'm Narasi Rican. I'm a Jedi too."

"And why would the Republic find a respectable business's last run interesting?" Kenza asked.

They hesitated, and Kenza sauntered over to the desk, taking care to look up at the ceiling and down at the floor—could she see through them? Narasi stretched out with her senses, but felt no one else in the building. Kenza plunked herself down on the corner of the desk, crossing her legs as casually as she had on her bar stool when they had stopped for lunch.

"I'm the Republic!" she said with a smile. "And I'm definitely interested."

Narasi felt their tension spiking and laid her hand on her lightsaber, stepping up behind Gravo; she didn't like the way Kenza was exposed between the two men, looking entirely heedless of any risk. Gravo turned, trying to keep Narasi in his peripheral vision, until the man behind the desk finally spoke.

"Trade is becoming more difficult, Jedi Rowkwani," he said. "The Republic's embargo list is impossible to keep up with. If we tried to comply with every regulation on travel, my crews would have to zigzag across the galaxy to get from here to Alderaan.  Fuel is expensive, Master Jedi.  If we don't…abbreviate our navigation plans…"

"So basically, you passed through Sith territory to shave off a few parsecs?" Kenza interrupted.

The boss cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "I wouldn't have put it so…baldly…"

"Yeah, not buyin' it," Kenza said casually, and the boss froze. "Wanna try again?"

Narasi tried to get a better read on their tension, but it was hard to peer too deeply into their emotions without focusing harder, and she wanted to be ready to spring at a second's notice; the two Humans had been on the border of violence against each other, so who knew what they would be willing to try against Kenza? She figured Kenza had to be picking up something she wasn't, because the spike in anxiety that followed her words certainly fit.

"I…that is, Jedi Rowkwani…"

"Hey, if you don't wanna tell me, that's cool." Kenza shrugged. "I can call the Judicials and let them do their snooping."

The manager blanched. Gravo looked at Kenza, glowered at his boss a moment, then shrugged disdainfully. "Kriff that. Might as well tell 'em, Antifol."

"What?!" Antifol looked stunned. "Gravo—"

"I need to eat; I'm not putting that little Sithspit you call a paycheck on hold for a month of Judicials karking around here," Gravo spat. He looked at Kenza. "We didn't just pass through Sith territory—"

Antifol stood abruptly, but Kenza knocked him back into his chair with a thought.

"—we dropped off some cargo."

Antifol had clutched the edge of his desk, but he froze instead of rising again, looking stunned and horrified. Kenza cocked her head, but Narasi snarled through her bared teeth, "You're running supplies to the Sith?! What, weapons?"

Gravo gave her a disdainful look. "As opposed to slaves?"

A growl started in the back of Narasi's throat, but Kenza raised a hand. "Easy, buddy," she said gently, then hardened her voice as she added to Gravo, "What were you transporting?"

He shrugged. "Not weapons. Holotech, mostly.  Some holovids from our side."

It didn't sound quite as dramatic as what Narasi had been imagining, but still… "It's still a crime."

Gravo patted his stomach. "Gotta eat."

Kenza looked back and forth between the two Humans, then up at the ceiling again. Narasi tensed, not sure what the Miraluka could sense, but after a moment Kenza looked back down. "You know dealing goods on the other side is illegal."

"My business is dying!" Antifol hissed; tension radiated off him in waves.

"And you thought you might as well mercy-kill it?"

"If we close down, all my employees are on the street," Antifol whined. "And worlds change hands so easily these days that half of them aren't really Sith in any real way…"

"Yeah-huh," Kenza said. She hopped off the desk. "Well, if that's really the best you can do…"

Antifol stared at her. "Do you…are you asking for a bribe?"

Kenza stared at the ceiling, then frowned. "It just doesn't have the same effect, does it? Narasi, roll your eyes, would you?"

All three of them looked at her; feeling absurd and self-conscious, Narasi made a show of rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that!" Kenza agreed before glowering at Antifol. "I'm a Jedi, of course I don't want a bribe! But I do want a favor."

Gravo and Antifol looked at each other. "What favor?"

"You've got the contacts on the other side to make the landing and the drop both?" she asked. When Gravo nodded warily, Kenza said, "Well, then I want you to keep your eyes open. You can do it in a way I can't."

Gravo snorted and narrowed his eyes at the same time, as if he wasn't sure whether it was a joke; Narasi wasn't either. She sensed indignation and wariness from Antifol. "You want us to spy on the Sith?! Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?"

Kenza glanced at Narasi. "How many times have you dueled Darth Alecto now?"

"Twice," Narasi answered, enjoying the extreme disquiet that overtook both Humans' faces.

"Do you really want to lecture us about how dangerous Sith are?" Kenza asked. She shrugged. "If you'd rather get closed down, of course, I can go talk to the Judicials and it'll be a simple—"

"I didn't say that," Antifol cut her off. Narasi watched his hands tremble for a moment before looking at Gravo, who seemed genuinely interested in the idea. "Your own heroics aside, you're asking me to take an awful risk with my ships and my people, Jedi Rowkwani."

Narasi couldn't help but suspect that was the order of priority for him. "You already took a risk," she noted. "Might as well do something useful with it."

Kenza nodded, and after a moment Antifol swallowed. "I…we'll have to consider it…"

"You've got until I get back to Anaxes Citadel," Kenza said, starting toward the door. "I'll talk to the Intel people there. When they show up, it can either be to brief you or to arrest you.  Think fast."

She strode out the door without another word; Narasi gave Antifol one narrow-eyed glare to make him sweat a little more, then followed. Jogging to Kenza's side as the Jedi Knight sauntered back in the direction of the Citadel, she asked, "So…we're just gonna take the gamble?"

She noticed only belatedly that Kenza was on her comlink. She started to mouth an apology, but Kenza held up a hand. "Hold on." She took her thumb off the transmission stud and asked, "What was the name of the company?"

"Uh…FastLane Couriers?"

She looked back to confirm, but Kenza had already tapped her comlink again. "FastLane Couriers. Send a team down to inspect their vessels.  Try to keep it quiet if you can, but don't go halfway on it.  Jedi Rican and I will meet your main team at the spaceport."

"Understood, ma'am."

"Who was that?" Narasi asked as Kenza replaced the comlink on her belt.

"Pols Anaxes Police. Of course we're not just gambling," she said with a grin, then snorted in derision. "Holotech; yeah, right. If it's all innocuous, maybe we can work something out with Intelligence, but if not, we're gonna catch 'em at it and shut 'em down."

From behind, Narasi heard Antifol yelling at the employees outside the office. She started to turn, but Kenza caught her by the shoulder and tugged her forward. "Doooon't look, act casual."

"If they might be really collaborating, why aren't we staying with them?"

"That is a gamble," Kenza admitted. "If they could profit from being spies, they'll probably sweat it out. If not, or if they're collaborators, they'll be making calls.  I asked the cops to keep an eye on their people too.  Tug the thread and see how the web wobbles."

It seemed like quite a risk, but as she reflected on it, Narasi thought it made sense, too; it was just so completely the antithesis of Tirien's style that she had trouble wrapping her mind around it. "Do you think any of the stuff is dangerous?"

"If it is stuff? Nothing the cops can't handle.  We're going to the spaceport in case they brought anything—or anyone—back here."

Chilled by the possibilities, Narasi lowered her voice to ask, "You…do you think this is about the Chancellor?"

"Probably not, but it'd be stupid to chance it. We'll get a sense for their ships with the Force, see if there are traces of anything that shouldn't be there." She smirked. "So now you should probably call Tirien."