Zira Darkstar

**A/N** ^.^ Yay! I am glad to hear that people are still interested in reading this! Thanks for the review Adrianna for the imput and for noticing that. As for Bastila, I've always seen her as sort of a haughty, pretentious woman, but she'll start acting more like the Bastila everyone knows around the time she actually gets introduced. =P
**As always: Beta'd by ~Envy~**

Chapter 20

The next couple of hours went by as one path lead to another. The trio continued to follow Mission’s lead, and along the way, they found a Sith patrol party who attacked them for being suspicious, a dozen more rakghouls, a slaughtered Sith patrol who still had a few useable doses of the rakghoul serum, a dead woman matching Malya’s description still clutching her journal, and finally the entrance to the sewers.

Zira had taken up the lead as they had entered the sewers and, like the rest of the Undercity, it was infested with rakghouls. Despite the creatures’ strength, and thick hides, the group had come to discover that they lacked in intelligence. Often, they would scramble about in confusion if they were fired upon from range, and up close, Zira found their attacks to be easy to anticipate.

The stench of the sewers was as one would imagine. The waste of billions of inhabitants in the cities of Taris, all combined down in the cesspit. Zira was almost positive that she’d lost the ability to gag, as she’d done it so many times, as they moved through the hexagonal tunnels. The walls were a dull, copper color. The only redeeming feature of the trip was that at least there were maintenance walkways that were centrally located into each tunnel. These walkways spanned over top of rivers of filth, the thought of which caused Zira to gag. Hey, what do you know? Still have that… lucky me. She bitterly thought.

Periodically spaced along the route, were long spherical chasms that the walkways circled. What lay below, Zira didn’t know and didn’t care. The tunnels were sectioned off by large doorways that seemed in ill repair.

As they’d spelunked further into the disgusting caverns, the ‘wildlife’ began to change. Gamorreans began outnumbering rakghouls, working in small sections to guard corned off sections. “And this is where I first saw the Gamorreans before. They treat this section of the sewer like some kind of home.” Mission explained.

“Lovely…” was all that Zira could respond with.

Gamorreans themselves were nearly as disgusting as their habitat. They stood nearly two meters tall, with thick oily green skin and pig-snout faces. Their ripped cloth and mix-match armor did little to cover them. For the most part, they all seemed content to wield axes that were native to their home world. The weapons were brutal when they connected, but they just made them clumsy and wild. Like the rakghouls, Zira and the others found the Gamorreans to be easy marks that were easy to confuse and even easier to dispatch.

After what felt like hours, they came across an access way that was actually locked. Zira looked over the pathetic security system, and couldn’t help but shake her head. Within seconds, she sliced the doors security system and the machine’s automated mechanisms kicked in. The door opened into an open, wide room. Inside the den, they could see a half dozen Gamorreans lounging about on beds, chairs, and watching a flickering holo-vid.

The stunned aliens reacted with a speed that Zira wouldn’t have thought possible of the fat, repulsive creatures. They launched upwards from their seats and drew up their massive axes. One in particular hefted a double-axe, grunting and squealing commands at the others. Zira recognized the high-pitched screeches as the Gamorrean language, as he snorted out, “Kill them all!”

Zira launched herself into the room, the two Gamorreans nearest the door both trying to slam their heavy weapons down at Zira. Her rush put her past the arcing weapons, and both cleaved harshly into the metallic floor. She couldn’t look back, not with so many opponents. Racing toward the leader she knew she would have to trust Carth and Mission to deal with the ones she’d bypassed.

Instead, the brunette thrust herself upon a third pig-beast as it came up from a ratty, discarded recliner. The axe in its hands never even had a chance to try to arc downwards as Zira unleashed a wild, viscous flurry of blows. She spun the light, sharp vibroblades in her hands in a fluid looping pattern that cleaved the muscles in the beast’s thighs, triceps, and throat. Its shrill voice garbled and gurgled as blood bubbled from its throat. Falling backwards into its recliner it’s weight toppled the dilapidated piece of furniture.

There was no time to relax from the momentary victory, as Zira quickly found out. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a massive blade swiping towards her. She brought her blades up in a cross pattern, hoping to parry the wild, powerful swing, the blades catching just under the axe-head. Zira put all her strength into trying to hold her ground but the force was intense, and the Gamorrean’s powerful swing lifted her clean off her feet and pitched her to the grating.

She tumbled backwards and rolled across her back and up into an unsteady crouch. Dread washed over her as she saw the massive leader winding back with his double-axe to take a swipe at her. Zira was lucky that she hadn’t landed any closer to him than she did, the lower blade arching close enough to her face that she felt the wind from it along her nose.

She exploded up out of her crouch, and turned the tips of her blades into the chieftain’s chest. Both blades sank into flesh as if it were water, burying to the hilts. She’d managed to slip under the staff part of his weapon, but now she was laid flat across the stinky creature’s chest, and inside its arms. The screech he yowled out made her think she’d go deaf, and he released his grip on the weapon causing it to clatter to the floor.

She wasn’t safe yet, however, as it wrapped its arms tightly around her and began to crush her in its powerful grip. It was all she could do, just stay conscious as the massive beast’s arms compressed her ribs, her armor doing little to protect her. “Drop your weapons!” He grunted and snorted out, barely perceived by the helpless Zira.

Zira’s vision began to go dark at the edges as she fought for breath. Carth. Help me… please… She pleaded internally. Just before she slipped off into unconsciousness, the grip on her released and she felt herself spun around like a rag doll. The oily arm looped its way under her throat, applying just enough pressure to keep her from fully recovering. Zira’s vision slowly cleared as she gulped down lungful after lungful of air, and she saw Carth standing over a pair of dead Gamorreans.

He didn’t have his blasters, and he was holding his arms up in the standard ‘give up’ stance. “Calm down, big guy. We just want the Wookiee and we’ll leave.” Carth said in a calm voice.

Zira felt the Gamorrean pull her closer, hoisting her up by the neck and waist as another of its huge arms looped around her midsection. She could feel its hot blood gurgling out against her back, and she realized that she must have lost consciousness for a brief second, as the swords that should be there: weren’t. “You have got some nerve coming into my home and demanding anything!” The squeals and grunts behind her resounded through her body.

“You’re right. We shouldn’t have come seeking trouble, and I’m sorry. We saw the weapons and reacted hastily. Let’s cut a deal. How much do you want for the Wookiee slave?” Carth asked carefully.

Zira suddenly felt a lump pressing against her clothed bottom. A lump that was growing against her. Gross… is he getting… There was her gag reflex again, interrupting the thought. She could feel the creature holding her tightly against its growing member. He chortled mockingly before responding, “All the credits you have on you and a trade. You drop your credits on the ground and leave. This girl stays with me. Once you are out in the tunnels, I’ll release the Wookiee and send it out.”

Zira looked pleadingly to Carth. He wouldn’t leave me. Would he? Not after all we’ve been through… He wouldn’t just abandon me after all that…

She watched Carth unclip a pouch from his belt and drop it onto the floor. “Okay. You have a deal.”

His words made Zira feel as if her stomach had dropped out of her body. She stared in disbelief as he began to back towards the door. She moved her hands up to the creature’s arm and tried to pull, but it was hopeless. The chieftain was vastly superior to her in terms of raw strength, and she didn’t even get its arm to budge. The hand holding her aloft by the midsection moved up her body and began to cup her breast roughly. Zira tried to call out in pain, but the arm clinched around her throat again, cutting off the cry. Her abductor pivoted to keep Carth directly in front of him and Zira between them.

The undulating member pulsed at her bottom eagerly, and the Gamorrean’s shrill chuckle began to rock her body again, as she was sprawled limply across the creature’s bulbous stomach.

Zira closed her eyes to try to stem the flow of tears that threatened to escape her. He’s doing it to protect you. He’s trying to save your life. He has a plan. Doesn’t he? No. He’s abandoning you. Why shouldn’t he? He barely knows you. His mission and Bastila are more important. The pessimistic voice in the back of her mind returned, squashing her hope in seconds. You are helpless. Alone. Just as you deserve to be.

The whine of a blaster discharge split the air and Zira gasped, expecting pain. Instead, the arms around her throat and chest went limp. Zira dropped the short distance to the floor and landed shakily on her feet, gasping and panting for breath.

She started to fall to her knees, but Carth’s arms were suddenly around her, holding her upright. “Are you okay?”

Zira looked up at him, and all her doubts dulled in her mind. Here, in his arms, she was safe. She knew he would never abandon or hurt her. His wide, chocolate depths locked onto her navy blues as she clutched to his chest. “Carth…” She panted breathlessly.

Mission’s voice came from behind her, instantly reminding her of the Twi’lek‘s presence. “Wow! That was a close one!” She exclaimed happily.

Zira looked over to the girl who was standing behind where the chieftain had been holding her hostage. The muzzle of her heavy blaster pistol still smoking as she held it triumphantly. The head of the Gamorean chieftain had been blasted from behind, and energy left little of its face intact. “Mission…?” She asked, feeling a bit dumbstruck.

She nodded enthusiastically, “Good move turning its attention over there Carth! Never would’ve had time to activate my stealth field generator and slip behind it if you hadn’t! We make a pretty good team!”

Carth seemed to tune out the girl as he looked Zira over carefully. “How are you feeling? Anything broken? Can you move?” he asked quickly, in a worry induced panic.

Zira smiled slightly, “I feel fine. No, nothing’s broken. And I can move just as soon as you let me up…”

Carth’s cheeks instantly took on some color. Did… he just blush? He let go of Zira with a quiet apology and stood up, trying to cover himself with a cough. Zira watched him closely.

Once again, Mission was talking. “Hmmm… look at this. This is one of those old style manual locks. No computer codes or nothing. The sewers is the only place you’ll see one of these on Taris. You can’t use conventional security spikes on these old locks but don’t worry. I’ve come across them before. I’ve rigged up a little device that should do the trick.”

Zira sighed and righted herself, walking over to the disgusting creature that’d held her captive for a moment. On the ground beside it, she found her vibroblades. She picked them up, her upper lip curling as she smelled the foul blood upon them. “Gross…” She muttered to herself and walked towards the door.

Mission had already pulled a strange looking device from her pack and was interfacing it with the door. She inserted a small metal looking key into a slot and pushed a few buttons on the hand-held device. With a triumphant grin, she reached up, grabbed hold of the device in the metal slot, and turned it. “That should do it!” called her overly cheerful voice.

The lock released, and after she pulled her ‘key’ from the slot, the door opened. Inside was a wild tangle of matted brown fur. The creature stood there growling, baring its fangs and claws for a moment before it stopped. The familiar doe-eyed expression returned to the Wookiee and he barked out in his native language, “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Mission.”

Mission ran over and threw her arms around him. It was somewhat humorous, as she only barely came up to his waist. Her relief-filled words were muffled by Zaalbar’s fur, “I’m glad to see you too, Big Z! You didn’t think I’d forget about you. Mission and Zaalbar, together forever!”

Zira smiled at the sight, putting the repulsive images of what would’ve happened if she’d been left alone with the chieftain aside. She leaned one of her vibroblades against the doorframe and pulled a piece of cloth from one of the Gamorreans that had been blasted in the chest. She started to wipe the foul blood from her blades as Zaalbar barked quizzically, “Who’s that with you?”

Mission turned away from Zaalbar to look back at Zira and smiled brightly, her arms still around the Wookiee’s waist. “These are my new friends, Big Z. Without them, I never could have got you out.”

Zira finished cleaning the first blade as Mission explained and switched them out, working on cleaning the second. She smiled warmly to the pair, “Good to meet you, Zaalbar. I’m Zira Darkstar.”

Zaalbar looked a bit shocked and tilted his big, fuzzy head. “You know the language of my people? That is rare among your species; I am impressed. You have saved me from a life of servitude and slavery. There is only one way I can ever repay such an act: I will swear a life debt to you.”

Zira was stunned, and stared at him agape.

Apparently, she wasn’t the only one. Mission spun and looked up at him so fast that her lekku lifted away from her head. “A life debt? Are you sure about that, Biz Z? Think about it carefully. You better be sure about this.”

Zaalbar looked down at her sternly, “I am sure, Mission. This is an issue of great importance to me.” His attention refocused on Zira, who’d barely managed to close her mouth, “Because of our great physical strength, Wookiees are being used as slave labor on our own home world. They see us as brutes and animals to be exploited. Over the years, slavers have taken many of my people; we must always be on guard against raids against our villages. When the Gamorreans captured me, I thought I was doomed to a life of servitude. I have been saved from such a fate, and the only way I can repay that is through a life debt.”

Mission looked to Zira, her young face just as awestruck and confused as Zira felt. “Big Z’s swearing a life debt to you. Wow, this is major. Do you realize what this means?”

Zira had heard of them, but she wasn’t entirely sure she understood the concept. From what she did know, these life debts were little different from the slavery he seemed so grateful to avoid. “It’s some kind of loyalty vow, isn’t it?” Zira asked carefully.

Mission was quick to explain, “A life debt is the most solemn vow a Wookiee can make. It means he’ll stay by your side for the rest of your life. Wherever you go, whatever you do, Zaalbar will be with you.”

Zaalbar moved around Mission and walked over to Zira. His loud, boisterous voice barked out nobly, “In the presence of you all, I swear my life debt. Forever after, I will be by your side, Zira Darkstar. May my vow be as strong as the roots of the great Wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk.”

Zira frowned, feeling a strange sense of guilt wash over her. “I don’t suppose there’s any way I can get out of this?”

Mission sounded a bit offended as she closed the distance between herself and Zira. “Sorry, but there’s not much you can do about it. Zaalbar’s already sworn the life debt and it’s not something they can just take back. This is a sacred, irreversible vow. I guess that means you’re stuck with me too. Wherever Big Z goes, I’m going. I almost lost him once; it’s not going to happen again.”

Zira’s mind replayed the capture briefly, and she smiled. The idea of having the two of them to watch her back was comforting and she nodded, “I’m glad to have you aboard, Mission.”

Mission wrapped her arms around Zira in a tight hug. Zira awkwardly returned the gesture, and Mission stood up, smiling at her. She left her hands on Zira’s shoulders, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. “So… I guess I still owe you a secret path into the Vulkar base. That was the deal, wasn’t it? Don’t worry; I know a backdoor into that scum den!”

Zira smiled again and nodded to her, “Good. The sooner we get there the better.”

Mission and Zaalbar split up and searched the chamber, Mission’s most active muscles instantly going to work again. “I better come with you. The Vulkars put up a force shield to keep the sewer dwellers out. I’m one of the only non-Vulkars on Taris who can get you past it. I can’t remember exactly how to get there, but I know it was somewhere here in the sewers. Over to the northeast, if I remember right. I just hope the rancor monster isn’t still there.”

Zira had all but tuned her out when suddenly that last part yanked her attention back to the girl. “Whoa, nobody said anything about a rancor monster!”

Mission shrugged and used her device again to open a strong box, “There used to be a rancor monster that made its nest in that part of the sewers. Pretty much eats anything it can get its claws on. That thing is huge! Luckily, rancors aren’t too bright. I was able to sneak past it before, so I’m sure we’ll figure something out. That is, unless you want to change your mind.” While talking, she unlocked the box and began to rifle through it. She pulled out some useful things, including a modified bow caster, which she offered to Zaalbar.

He walked over and claimed the weapon, and offered what Zira assumed to be the Wookiee equivalent of a smile to her.

Zira looked to Carth, whose grim expression mirrored her own feelings. “That’s not really an option. Let’s go.”

Mission’s bright, wide grin did little to quell the feeling of dread within her. “Okay then, off we go. Like I said, somewhere to the southeast. Just look for the force shield and we’ll know we’re there.”

Zira quirked an eyebrow, “Northeast?”

She stopped and looked back, “Huh?”

“You said it was in the northeast, and just now you said it’s in the southeast.”

Mission looked confused a moment. Her hands moved up to pull her lekku back over her shoulders and she shrugged. “Northeast, southeast. Something like that. I’m sure it’s to the east.” She started walking off, her lekku lightly bobbing as she did.

Zira sighed and looked to Carth. “Great. It’s like the blind leading the blind.”

Carth chuckled and walked up to put a hand on her shoulder. “Never a dull moment, is there?”

Zaalbar stepped up to loom behind them, barking in a defeated tone, “You have no idea.”

The trip across the sewers was just as gross and arduous as Zira imagined. At least she understood how Mission stayed safe. Rakghouls, Gamorreans it didn’t matter. Zaalbar was a powerful fighter, and often closed upon the creatures with his massive paws. He was also a wonderful shot with his bow caster, for when the monsters and pig beasts were too far away to reach.

Despite her aloofness, Mission led them through a tangle of mazelike tunnels that seemed to expand at random. As they went along she would tell them to wait and move up to disable and recover land minds that’d been placed in the sewers. She explained that as the frequency of the mines increased, the closer they were getting to the Vulkar base, and sure enough, they came across a security terminal linked to an energy field.

Mission spun on her toes, arms and lekku both extending to length as she did. Her bright smile seemed unwavering, “You won’t be able to get that computer to lower the energy field unless you know the proper codes. Lucky for you, I’ve got them. I picked them from the pocket of a Black Vulkar who had a little too much to drink in the cantina one night. Here, let me get that energy field for you.”

To no one’s amazement, the shield lowered and she motioned to the opening. “Viola!” The young girl drew her blaster again and started into the maw.

Zira, Carth, and Zaalbar followed her into the unknown. Getting ready to face a Rancor… and for some reason, I’m not even worried. Zira confidently thought to herself.

The group fought through a gaggle of rakghouls and Gamorreans in the upper sewers, which begged the question: What good was that energy field anyway? Their trek led them through to a few dead-ends, and they found a few more out-cast corpses packing journals that seemed important. Zira and the other’s policed all those, just in case, and finally followed the pathways to a long, descending walkway.

At the bottom, they saw a bloodied, dismembered arm wearing Hidden Bek colors clutching a datapad. Mission covered her mouth and paled a bit at the grotesque horror of it.

Carth waked over, extricated the pad from the hand, and read it aloud to the group. “We have synthesized a substance with an odor that resembles a favorite prey of rancors. If we place the bait properly, we can lure the rancor into eating something lethal enough to kill it.” He recited before frowning and speaking gravely, “He gave his life to give someone this information… perhaps we can use it.”

Zaalbar knelt beside the arm and sniffed it. He tilted his head quizzically, reaching down to pull a few vials out of a hidden pocket in the sleeve of the jacket. His nose wrinkled as he held them out towards the group, barking out in his gruff language, “I think I found the synthesized odor he spoke of.”

Zira nodded and took them from him, her eyes turning back towards the door. “Carth, Zaalbar, wait here. Mission, you and I will use our stealth field generators and scout it out. Maybe we’ll get lucky…”

Carth looked as if he was going to object for a moment, but decided not to as the pair went into the rancor’s nest.

Inside, they came across a pile of corpses that it looked as if the rancor fed upon it often. Zira looked across the expanse to see the massive creature sniffing at something in the distance and poking it with one of its huge claws. The creature was easily ten meters tall, with dull brown skin. Its hands split into four fingers, and were each imbued with long powerful looking claws.

The creature resembled a hump-backed human in Zira’s opinion. Though its mouth could probably have fit her and Mission both in a single chomp. That thought caused a brainstorm in Zira’s mind. “Mission.” She whispered to the girl. “Go back to the others; I’ll be right behind you.”

Zira was thankful that Mission’s response was just a quiet, “Okay.” It proved to her that the girl DID in fact have the ability to be silent when the situation demanded it. Wonder if I should just tame that thing and keep it around as a way to keep Mission quiet… She playfully thought.

As she mused at the idea of having a pet rancor, she quietly tugged the body of a Twi’lek from the pile. He looked as if his head had been stepped on, and judging by the smell, a few days ago. Zira slipped her rucksack off her shoulder and pawed through it, casting a few worried glances to the preoccupied rancor. Inside she found a frag grenade.

She carefully took the grenade and fastened it to the dead Twi’lek’s belt. She then pulled a small bit of string from her suture kit in a medpac and wove the thread through the grenade pin’s ring and to the floor. She did it several times to make sure it’d be strong enough to hold, and made sure to position the grenade so it would pull straight.

After the grenade was rigged, she pulled out one of the synthesized odor vials from the dead Bek and cracked it open. She dumped the entire content of the vial on the body to spread the pungent scent along the Twi’lek’s entire corpse. She then quietly made her way away from the body, and picked up the last of her medpac. Leaving the small kit open, she tossed the pack over near the body and its contents clattered noisily along the metal floor.

The rancor responded immediately, turning to survey the source of the sound. The massive beast lumbered over and started sniffing the air. The odor was wildly effective, and the creature greedily scooped up the Twi’lek. Sure enough, he gulped down the body in a loud, single gulp.

Zira watched form a distance, praying that the pin left the grenade, as she wouldn’t have many other chances. Then, her prayers were answered. The explosion inside the beast could be heard and seen easily from Zira’s vantage point. The massive beast spewed it’s innards in a gruesome, bloody spray and keeled forward onto its stomach. It barely twitched as it laid there to die.

“Sorry it had to be this way…” She muttered quietly to the fallen beast.

Zira keyed her com, “Coast’s clear…” and stood up from her cover. She rolled her shoulders and looked to where they had to go next. Now, nothing stood between them and the Vulkar base, and Zira was itching to thank a few of them for their attacks in person.