Tempted (Kotor Novelization)

Chapter 4

Carth's P.O.V.

I walked away from Sarna, glad to have a plan for how to actually get in the Lower City. Sarna was a Republic spy who had voluntarily infiltrated the Sith ranks to give us information about what was going on. She was just a Junior Officer in the Sith ranks but she and a bunch of the others were having a party tonight and there will be lots of drinking. Sarna said if Alexia and I showed up to the party, then she could get everyone drunk enough so that we could steal some Sith uniforms unnoticed. The Sith guarding the Lower City elevator wouldn't let me go down to the Lower City but maybe the uniforms will disguise us enough that he'll let us pass. I sat at the bar and ordered another (and much less strong) drink as I waited for Alexia to come back. Where was she? I hope nothing bad happened to her. Not that I... uh... cared or anything. I just wasn't sure if I could find Bastila and get off this planet on my own. I suddenly overheard some of the patrons talking.

"Can you believe that the Mysterious Stranger beat Ice? Looks like Ice finally got that stick out of her ass. The Mysterious Stranger shows some serious girl power," said a female patron excitedly. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?

"Excuse me? What can you tell me about the Mysterious Stranger?" I called to the patrons. They looked at me with startled expressions on their faces and the woman looked excited.

"Not much. All I know is she just showed up a couple of hours ago, but she already beat three duellists. Three!"

"Does the Mysterious Stranger happen to have curly blonde hair, green eyes, and a cybernetic left hand?" I had to ask Alexia about that sometime.

"Yep! And she definitely knows how to kick some ass," the dark-skinned female patron replied.

"Yeah," the male patron added. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's a Jedi. She sure fights like one."

Fights like a Jedi? I thought suspiciously. I knew next to nothing about Alexia, but I was pretty sure that she hadn't received any Jedi training. Either Bastila would have said something or it would have said so in her service records. Besides, didn't she fight with blasters? I'd have to see how she fought with melee weapons first. Suddenly, another woman (who looked identical to the other female patron) rushed towards them screaming; "Guys, guys! Guess what!"

"What is it this time, Mayra?" the male patron asked with annoyance clear on both his face and in his voice.

"The Mysterious Stranger just beat Marl. Marl, Jon. No one has ever beaten Marl except for Twitch," Mayra chirped. Jon and the woman's eyes widened. "Is she gonna go against Twitch?" asked the female patron.

"I think she will, Seraya. I mean, can you imagine if the Mysterious Stranger became Champion?" Mayra squeaked excitedly. I stood up from my seat, worried that Alexia might have gotten herself hurt or something.

"Where can I find the duelling ring?" I asked, almost positive that Alexia was the "Mysterious Stranger."

"Over there," Seraya pointed over my head. I turned my head and went the direction that Seraya was pointing at.

I went inside and saw a wall with a few view screens and saw Alexia proudly holding her blasters in each of her hands and four duellists were nursing blaster wounds. Alexia was speaking to a Hutt who was paying her at least four-hundred credits. I was no linguist and didn't understand a lick of what was going on. The Hutt was laughing a low, deep laugh and saying something in what sounded like Huttesse.

"As long as you pay me my share, Hutt," Alexia replied to whatever he said in a frosty, menacing voice. The Hutt said something else to the blonde woman though I was pretty sure that I knew what they were talking about.