Zen's lightsaber bounced off of his head, though he had no reaction to it other than carelessly catching it when it fell. "You owe me two hundred credits, Iisska." He turned and bounded off to the ship, angry that he lost a bet. While Quin followed him, Nyrette and Cheshik stayed back to help Iisska to his feet and to the ship, leaving a couple thermal detonators on a timer behind them. They would be back at the ship and under protection of Cheshik's blaster and two automated turrets by the time they went off.

__

Sterling couldn't rest. He paced back and forth in Trinity's simulated cabin, wanting to desperately return to his body. Sighing, he went outside into the night-time simulation. His mind couldn't calm down after all that had happened. That might be because of the state of his mind when he powered down, but regardless, he was worried. He felt guilty about the crew jumping into a damn HK droid factory on the worst planet in the galaxy all for some stupid power core. 

The crunch of pine needles under foot amidst the dew on the grass and dirt reminded him of Kashyyk, it brought back a lot of good memories. A few years back, he was sent there under Radon's order to eliminate a Czerka arms dealer that was trying to cut into Radon's own business. The time of his arrival was complete coincidence as there was a Kashyyk hunting party about to descend into the shadow lands to hunt the same arms dealer. Though they didn't trust droids, recent interactions with the Republic worked in Marquis' favor as he looked like a Republic nobleman's personal droid.

Taking a turn, he came up to a large pine tree and sat down against it. His hand felt something odd and he grabbed it, holding up what came to be a pinecone. He tested the fully matured cone's needles and toyed with it, pulling the various leaves back to reveal the interior. He chuckled a bit as he realized how akin the Pinecones and many of the plants on Kashyyk were. Both were extraordinarily hardy and thrived off of the world around them. 

The group's descent into the Shadow lands was, surprisingly, tame. The wookies were very kind and respectful, though mistrusting of outsiders. They had a forty mile hike to get to where the arms dealer was and they took the time to show Marquis how wookies stalked prey and how to pick out sacred wookie sites. While not exactly important information, it shed a little culture onto the droid, whom had previously mostly learned culture from books and extranet. The group had found the Czerka compound after a couple days hike and to this day, Marquis had an enormous respect for the wookies. The group he was with refused to use blasters, so instead they used wookie-sized longbows with titanium tipped arrows. Though the wookies may be large and heavy, their group of fifteen was never once detected. Masters of stealth, they had gone in, silently killed the guards, disabled the security droids, and strung up the arms dealer in less than an hour. Even though Marquis had gotten several kills of his own, the wookies were the stars of the show and he had to be honest: He was jealous.

Closing his eye's shutter, Marquis relaxed, letting the aroma of the pine trees and the grass waft into his sensors. "Everything will be fine," he finally concluded. Sometimes, even honed killers have to let allies do some killing...or all of it, depending on the situation.

____

Hugging his blaster rifle, Cheshik sat on top of the ship, using it to keep himself upright. Every bone in his body wanted him to just fall back and enjoy the rain that was washing over his scales, but he had to keep watch. His eyes were a little glazed over as he stared into the darkness, lost in thought. The crew would be pushing off for the HK factory tomorrow around noon so that they could arrive by nightfall, and Cheshik couldn't sleep.

Originally, Nyrette was supposed to keep watch for the night, but she was exhausted after yet more nightmares and Cheshik offered to take her place. He felt sorry for the girl, she was under constant mental attack, but she showed no fear. If Cheshik hadn't notice her stumble heading out of the hanger, she would have been steadfast and stood up the entire night, further driving herself into a hole. She reminded him of himself, but younger. He was turning fifty standard galactic years old in just a couple weeks and now, Iisska could start calling him an old fart, regardless of him not even being halfway through his life cycle yet. He could still say he had a lifetime's worth of stories though.

"Hello, Quin." He said then, smelling her as she climbed the side of the ship to join him. She was somewhat shocked to see him, as she was expecting to trade with Nyrette now. "No. I let your friend catch the...as you say, "Zees". You are welcome to join me." She obliged him and sat near him with a blaster in hand.

"I am the...erm..."Green with envy" of you, Quin. You are young and at your peak." She looked at him and cocked her head, asking what he meant.

"When I was younger, I was a lot like you and your..."special friend"...Nyrette I mean, though I wasn't some spy. I was a soldier on my homeworld: Hsskor. I made life in the Strategy corps. Do not be fooled by name, it is simply flashy title for group of T'doshok that attacked back door while brothers and sisters hit front door. I was no better than other soldiers, I simply refused to die. Not many people know that T'doshok had proper army and groups. We were not always monsters and gangsters you know us as. We were once proud, honorable hunters. We took great pleasure and honor in hunting for Jagganath...until Trade Federation came."

He shifted a bit, getting comfortable. He tended to ramble when he was talking about his life, and unfortunately for Quin, she stumbled his life story. "Federation...they come for "allies" but we refuse, so they choose to make slaves. We did not have luxury like republic. No cruisers or battleships or destroyers, we had fighters with drives of hyper tied on. We swarmed enemy with wall of death then jumped on enemy ship to...swarm with wall of death. We did not have people to defeat federation, and they instead overwhelmed us. My home was taken in less than year. They enslave people, force them into service. Week after home was defeated, left with son on stolen barge. Slipped past defenses, went to  Not long after the planet was sacked, I stole a federation ship and left my home. Had friend on Rishi, stayed there for year, but hunters came. Proved worth to them and joined crew to make money for son's health. Spent three years with crew, made name for self, sent money to son."

He looked over to seen Quin concentrating on him intently. He figured his story would put her to sleep. He smiled internally, but continued. "You may know already, Hsskor reclaimed by republic, people 'freed'," He quoted with his fingers. "They put into debt by republic, many left to support family, hunt for money and not Jagganath...did same. Dishonor Jagganath, disgrace son, bathed in blood, became living weapon, lost sight of universe for two decade. Hear of Trade Federation attacking Rishi in war, return to find son missing, MIA as soldiers called it, spent month on planet looking. Return to mercenary life, drift ever since." Quin nodded as he finished his story. She asked about whatever happened to son. "Do not know. Assume with Jagganath now, still trying to earn points in name of son and Jagganath. Still too far off." She nodded, understanding.

"Thank you for listening, Quin. Few put up with my kind, would prefer shoot and forget. You are good Jahumba...friend."