FORSAKEN II - Eternal Dawn

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jarriss played Corellian Spike with Sugi, Latts Razzi, Twazzi, and Greedo at the Podracer Cantina in Mos Espa, to the sound of Gorin's flute over the wailing wind of the sandstorm. Ilum matched wits against Embo at the dejarik table. Marrok slept on the floor next to his master. Theleema and Addia passed the time at the grav-pool table with Highsinger and El-Les. And Virra threw darts at the holographic target along with Ront Byrnloo. The rest of Jabba's goons sat around, drinking.

"Bantha's Wild," said a triumphant Twazzi, laying down her cards.

"Nice hand," Jarriss said. "Too bad I got it beat. Straight Khyron." He spread his hand on the table one card after the other.

"E chu ta!" said Greedo, tossing his hand on the discard pile. "That's the fourth time you win in a roll."

"What can I say? I'm both lucky in game and war." Jarriss sipped his Bloody Rancor and then swept the winnings to his side.

"It would be less painful if you had less luck with the first and more on the second." Sugi threw down her hand and drank her Jawa beer.

"Thanks," said El-Les from the grav-pool table, waiting his turn to play.

Highsinger calculated a multiple-angle shot, banking the cue ball several times, sinking four object balls. The last sank in front of Addia.

"See, this is why they don't let your kind in places like this," said Addia, leaning on her grav-pool cue.

Highsinger said something to her in his deep, digitized binary.

Gorin stop playing his flute and listened. The modified Pau'an earphones attached to his filter mask amplified sound rather than dampen it. "I think the storm is over," he said.

"Great. Let's find your friends and get out of here," said Greedo, standing.

"We'll see you around," said Sugi, pocketing her credits.

"Not if you we see you first," said Virra, putting a dart at the center of the holographic target.

###

At the Xelric Draw, Syrran's jacket appeared partially buried. He rose to his knees in a shower of sand and pulled down the rag covering his face to breathe freely. Elynn did the same, glad the ordeal was over. Aside from a few abrasions, they didn't incur further injuries. Both of them reached out with the Force to sense the presence of the Inquisitors, but found nothing. A black, angular starship with a twin spiked nose and short wings, rose in the horizon and flew off-planet. The wounded Inquisitors had managed to escape during the storm.

"That was intense," said Elynn, getting rid of her own face covering.

"You did great." Syrran said impressed with her performance, shaking the sand off his jacket.

Elynn was flattered. She knew that as a Jedi it was wrong to enjoy violence, but she loved watching Syrran fight, and battle by his side. "I guess we'll have to call to be picked up. The speeder bikes were trashed." Elynn spotted part of one of them sticking out from the ground.

Syrran donned his jacket and took out his Hush-98 comlink. "Leema?"

"Are you alright?" Theleema's voice came up.

"Better now that I can hear your voice."

"Don't try to sweettalk me. I'm still kriffed at you for taking off on your own. Is Elynn with you?"

"She is and you'll understand why I left when I tell you what happened. Anyway, we're stranded in the desert sixteen kilometers southwest of Mos Espa. You won't believe what happened to us."