Lost Lives 16: A Friend Betrayed

Xierra pushed her goggles up over her head as her comlink chimed. She wondered if it was her Jedi contacts pestering her again. She'd already told them that she'd contact them once Kahan returned. What more did they want from her? Did they expect her to hold their hand the whole way through this partnership?
Sighing, she keyed the comlink.
“Hello?”
“Xierra.”
Her voice brightened immediately, assuming the playful lilt it always did when she spoke with Kahan.
“Where are you?”
“Just left the undercity, had to evade some pissed off swoop gangers.”
She smiled coyly. “Oh you do know how to throw a party don't you. Are you alright?”
“A little bruised but operational, status?”
“The Senator has been arrested and is being confined compliments of the files I managed to get from his terminal. Shouldn't be too hard for you to eliminate him.”
Kahan sounded so eager as he replied that Xierra almost felt guilty about what she was about to do to him. Almost.
“Excellent, when do we move?”
“I'll meet you at these coordinates.” Xierra said, sending the information across the channel. “Got it?”
“I'll see you there, just a heads up, I've got a friend with me.”
Xierra frowned. “A friend?”
“The Jedi who fell out of the window with me.”
Xierra's frown turned into a teasing smile.
“Oh you dog, she was the cute one wasn't she?”
Kahan snorted. “It isn't like that, see you soon.”
As the link died, Xierra put in a call of her own.
“He's coming, meet me at the usual place and wait for me.”
She killed the link before they could respond but she trusted that they'd get the hint. She had a deal to keep, and all of this had to be orchestrated very carefully if it was going to work the way she wanted it to.

“Who was that?” Aira-ty shouted as she clung to Kahan's waist.
He looked over his shoulder at her. “A friend, we're going to meet her for a little business.”
Aira-ty frowned. Kahan had gotten her out of the undercity safely, now that they were back in the uppercity she could find her own way...in fact there was no reason for her not to start fighting him here on the spot and arrest him for his crimes. Yet...she hesitated. She didn't want to arrest him she realized. He'd saved her life at least twice now and more than that, once she got past the obvious fact that he was outside the law, she actually liked his company...not that he needed to know that.
Don't I? he inquired playfully.
She glared and gave his stomach an unhealthy squeeze.
“Stop that.” she snapped. Why did he have to be so difficult?
They rode through the sprawling cityscape for a time until they reached the place where Xierra had instructed outside a little dive diner. As Kahan dismounted, Aira-ty looked at the place with a frown.
“We're meeting your friend here?”
Kahan nodded. “Yeah, these are the coordinates.”
Before Aira-ty could say anything more, a falleen female stepped out of a recess nearby and walked up to Kahan, smiling at him and casting a sultry look at Aira-ty that caused her hackles to rise as she took an instant dislike to the woman.
“Oh, she is the cute one.” the falleen said playfully. “And you spent the night with me.” she traced her finger across the front of Kahan's armor teasingly. “Should I be jealous?”
Kahan snorted. “That depends on what your idea of spending the night is.”
Aira-ty bristled and glowered at them both, but then a flash of vision struck her and her eyes widened as she jerked towards the pair.
“KAHAN! WATCH OUT SHE—“
B-KOW!

Kahan's eyes widened as Xierra drew her blaster and fired point blank into his stomach. At such close range his armor did nothing to blunt the blast from the stun bolt as he grunted and slumped against her.
“Kill the Senator,” Xierra whispered as he lost consciousness. “I will kill my sister, farewell.”

Aira-ty watched in horror as the falleen shot Kahan in the stomach and then gently lowered him to the ground. She was moving to attack the woman when a hand fell on her shoulder. She turned to find Sabor and Guo-Jia standing behind her. It was Sabor that was restraining her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked in bewilderment. Kahan's fate forgotten for the moment in her bafflement.
“We had a deal with the bounty hunter.” Sabor said. “Arresting the Senator in exchange for her friend.”
Aira-ty's eyes widened as she looked between Guo-Jia and Sabor in disbelief.
“You made a deal with that snake?” she snapped. “She just shot her friend without so much as batting an eyelash!”
“If you're done talking about me like I'm not here.” the falleen purred as she leaned uncomfortably close to Aira-ty who jerked away from her. “I believe our business is done?”
Guo-Jia nodded as Sabor jerked. The falleen smiled and returned their nod.
“Be sure to take care of him, he's a good man.”
And with that, she left the three Jedi standing there with the unconscious Mandalorian laying on the ground though Aira-ty noticed that Sabor's eyes lingered on the falleen's butt as she walked away.
Aira-ty pulled out of Sabor's grip and glowered at her friends.
“Thanks for the warning.”
“We just wanted to see this taken care of.” Sabor said.
“And get you back safely.” Guo-Jia added glaring at Sabor pointedly.
He nodded in agreement, clearing his throat noticeably.
“We thought you were dead until she said otherwise.”
“Your concern is touching,” she looked at Kahan. “What about him?”
“The Council wants him under arrest and contained until they can decide what to do with him.” Sabor said. “So that is what we're going to do.”
“He saved my life Sabor.” Aira-ty countered angrily. “You can't just lock him up.”
“The Council has the final say in this Aira-ty.” Sabor replied tersely. “Don't fight this.”
She glared back at him but said nothing. No, she couldn't fight the Council on this. As much as this all stank to space and back, Kahan was dangerous. She couldn't deny that...but she didn't have to like any of this.