The Fog of War/Part 11

"You don't, like…sense anything?"

Narasi turned to look over the city, but she shook her head. "No."

Kara shifted her weight from foot to foot; she stayed well back from the edge of the top tier walk and the forty-meter drop beyond, but she seemed much more comfortable in Narasi's presence, even alone. Narasi got the sense Kara had had—and lost to the invasion—a bunch of girlfriends along with her brother and parents. She seemed in desperate need of a friend—desperate enough to turn to a Zygerrian, even.

"Do you…is it hard? Being a Zygerrian?"

Narasi sighed. "Yeah, sometimes. Everyone assuming I'm here to take their kids or something."

"Do you ever wish you were Human?"

She made a face. "Mostly I wish Humans weren't as nasty about me being a Zygerrian."

It came out harsher than she meant it to, and she saw it in the way Kara winced. Sighing, Narasi tacked on, "Yeah, once in a while. Or a Pantoran, like my master.  Anything else, really, but Humans have it really easy."

Kara looked at her a little strangely, gesturing around to the ruins of Tarbunt City. "We don't have it that easy right now."

Narasi gave her a vexed look. "No. But I'll bet when Master Darakhan and Aldayr found the resistance, none of them asked him if he was going to enslave them."

Kara sighed, then stepped a little closer to the edge so she could half-hug Narasi and lean her head against Narasi's. Narasi found it alien; even Zilq had never been the touchy-feely type, and no one was further from that than Tirien Kal-Di. But she gave the Human girl a little pat on the shoulder anyway.

"I'm sorry we were jerks before," Kara said. "It's just so much at once…"

Narasi dearly wanted to call her on the half-apology, but inside she knew the truth she was resisting. "I'm a Jedi and I'm here to help, but…" The words tasted foul on her tongue, but she forced them out. "…but you're right to be suspicious of my people. Most of them aren't like me."

Kara nodded, then yawned. "Master Kal-Di said I should sleep."

"That's a good idea," Narasi agreed; she was a little glad for some company, but she also found herself missing alone time. She smiled to herself, wondering if Tirien was rubbing off on her. "Go on, we'll keep watch."

"Thank you, Narasi," Kara said sincerely. "For this. For everything."

Ready for it this time, Narasi returned her hug, then smiled as the Human went on her way. No sooner had she gone than Tirien appeared, and Narasi straightened. She saw the stress around her master's eyes, though she thought a casual observer would've missed it.

"Anything?"

"Nope," Narasi replied. "Kara came up to talk. No Anzati, though."

He nodded, stepping to her side and looking over what remained of the cityscape for himself. A light breeze ruffled his purple hair at the same moment it caught Narasi's Padawan braid and dragged it over her shoulder. Pulling it back into place, she asked, "What's the plan, Master?"

"Meditate on our course tonight, act on it tomorrow."

"Sooo…you came up with the plan, then?"

Tirien gave her a look, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Slejux."

"Same difference."

He chuckled once, then crossed his arms contemplatively. Narasi gave him a moment of silence, but as it dragged on she remembered where her mind had gone before Kara had come up to see her, and some of her misgivings returned. Tirien must have caught the change in the Force, because he looked at her. "What is it?"

"Master, I was thinking…all this about Darth Vandak being here…"

She hesitated, and Tirien turned to face her. "You said it yourself, Narasi. He's an extremely dangerous man, and you need to respect that.  But don't be afraid."

"Oh, no, Master, I'm not. I mean, I am, but not…I mean…"  She growled in the back of her throat, frustrated. Blowing out a breath in a huff, she forced a level tone. "I know he's dangerous, and yeah, I'm a little scared. But I'm a Jedi, I'll get a handle on it.  That's not what I was gonna ask."

Tirien let her ramble without interruption, but now he looked curious. "What, then?"

"Darth Vandak is with Darth Saleej, right?"

Understanding swept Tirien's features, and he nodded. "We were just talking about this. Yes, he is."

"So, if Darth Vandak is here…does that mean Alecto is too?"

Tirien blinked; it was obvious he and the other Knights had not been talking about that. He looked down, frowning for a moment before he answered. "I don't know."

Narasi looked at the city, then back. "Can you sense her presence?"

He shook his head. "But that doesn't mean anything. Karr Shadeez couldn't sense her presence when she was a meter away and planning to kill him.  I'd be more worried if I could sense her."

"If she's here…will we fight her again?"

Tirien's face twisted, and Narasi didn't know what to make of it; "conflicted" was not an emotion she was used to attributing to her master, but then again, she wasn't sure there was no emotion for him when it came to the Mirialan murderess. She thought back to their conversation on the Second Chance—had it really only been this afternoon?—and worried. If he was hesitant about pitting her against any Sith Lord, it would be even worse with Alecto.

Finally he sighed. "If we have to."

"I'll be ready," she said, then added hastily, "Not like an achievement. But if we have to."

Tirien studied her a moment, then nodded and looked back on the city. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. If she's here."