Bravado

Chapter 2
~~~~~


"Were you accompanying a Jedi?" Maul was nothing if not blunt and he spoke the name of his enemy as if it tasted foul in his mouth.

She backed away a half-step. Following him for a few brief days was one thing. This was another. It was the ship, she knew it was the ship that had drawn him. It looked like any number of Corellian crafts, but in truth was Sekotan, an organic, living ship, seeded by her clan for generations. Da'Kota had broken so many traditions and laws, she didn't know where to begin with a list of them.

"I know you can speak. It was a simple question."

"We weren't supposed to be here."

"I am aware of that. Who were you with?" Maul hadn't sensed a Jedi nearby, but if there was, he would just as easily hunt him down now as later.

Da'Kota blinked. "I can't say."

"But you can," Maul suggested, his patience growing short.

"There was no Jedi on board. I'm not supposed to be here," she repeated, shaking her head in a futile gesture. She was caught.

He saw it, as clearly as he could see her. "You were following me."

She needed time to think, time to reason a way out of what she had done.

Maul didn't give her time. He blocked the doorway, the look on his face unreadable.

"No." Da'Kota lifted her head in defiance. "Not on purpose."

"You are an Aurian Archivist, and you were following me on accident? I'm not a Jedi," he leaned forward and whispered. The effect couldn't have been more volatile if he had shouted it at her.

Da'Kota backed herself into a corner, wondering wildly why she didn't carry a blaster. No matter what happened, she couldn't let him have the ship. He would desecrate it and destroy it, and she would be responsible. "I know what you are." Her pale green eyes were wide.

"Do you?" he wondered, moving close.

"They told me . . ." she gasped as if it was difficult for her the breath. "They said I was too easily influenced by the darkness. They forbid me . . . I'm not an Archivist, I'm just . . ." Words left her.

"The darkness," he said, trying to sense if she had any use of the Force. There was nothing, like all Aurians. "Few of you have ever dared look at the darkness. Are you afraid?"

"You already know I am," she whispered. "Kill me or not."

"And I already told you; I have no intention of killing you, Aurian. You have no clue what darkness I am . . . but you shall learn." He let her flee to her quarters. Once the ship left lightspeed and he knew exactly where he was, he would deal with her. Besides her blatant fear of him, she was doing only a mediocre job of disguising several other emotions, including arousal. It was mutual.

~~~~~~~~~~

As he anticipated, they had traveled along the quadrants border rather than into the territory, leaving them hanging between systems. The ship was running at a little more that twelve percent. Days. Five, perhaps only four to the nearest port . . . but it at least was a familiar port. Once Maul cleared Security, he would have his own transportation. The Aurian had meekly provided all the information he asked then had sulked off to the galley in search of food. A decent meal, he informed her, would include real meat.

"They wouldn't let you become an Archivist." Maul eyed the meal she had set on the table. Meat, barely cooked, and something made of plant matter. Certainly different than the protein he was used to consuming. Da'Kota had either already eaten, or was simply not going to. She stood near the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

"Why?" he continued.

"I told you."

"Yes. Be more specific." He ate slowly, savoring the taste and texture of the food. It wasn't often he had the time for such luxuries.

"I challenged my Elders about a subject. They didn't see any validity in my reasoning. When I forced the issue a few years later, they disavowed me."

"That was very . . . generic," he observed.

"What do you want to know?" She was more at ease than earlier.

Maul suspected she had found a weapon. "Your personal history is of little consequence," he decided. She had no knowledge of use of the Force. "This is the offer - You will accompany me through the security grid on Salset Minor. If we pass without incident, I will allow you your freedom and your ship."

"And if we are detained?" Da'Kota moved closer, just enough for the light to change on his face so she could see his eyes. She already knew the answer.

"Your death with be quick and painless. I can't say the same for those that would try to stop me."

She nodded. "What else?"

"It is more than four days to the Salsat system. How shall you entertain me?"

***********************************