Bad Blood
Laura Hollis took a long, deep breath as she stood in the entryway of the cantina. The music blaring, the lighting dim, and the smell particularly pungent. It wasn't the best idea, but there wasn't really any other option. LaFontaine needed safe passage off of Manaan as soon as possible. And since Ahto City is the only surface level settlement on the oceanic planet, there weren't many places to go in search of the next item on the list; a ship.
The Jedi Knight walked into Ahto City's Medical Center and was greeted by the receptionist, who led her toward Doctor LaFontaine's office.
"Laura! You made it!" the doctor exclaimed with relief coating their features. "Come in, come in."
The blonde entered swiftly and folded her hands behind her back; standing before the doctor in excellent posture. "It's good to see you and I'd love to catch up, but I'm getting the impression you're in a bit of a hurry."
"Ya think, L? Was my holovid not clear when I said I need your force sensitive ass on Manaan, pronto?"
Laura's shoulders sagged and her arms fell loosely to her sides. "Okay, you don't have to get all grouchy on me."
A protocol droid in the corner of the room made a few beeping noises before sparks flew around his mouth. He waved one hand at the Jedi, while the other held a watering can. He was tending to the plants around the office.
"Whoa. What happened to JP?" Laura grimaced as she waved back.
"His voice box broke a while ago. I haven't really had the time to fix it. Or the credits. We've been doing some great sign language though!" the doctor tried to sound upbeat.
Laura's eyes left JP and focused on her ginger friend. "Okay. What's going on?"
They let out a huff of pent up air. "I need you to take me to Coruscant."
The Jedi raised a brow before crossing her arms over her chest. "Why didn't you just get transport off-world? I don't even have a ship, Laf."
"Well we're gonna have to find one because I sorta, kinda, need you to protect me," the ginger scientist said sheepishly.
"Protect you? From what?"
"I may or may not have made a deal with a gangster for certain elements in my experiment, and I may or may not have the payment for him, and he may or may not be coming to collect my payment... today."
Laura held her hand up to pause the doctor. "Whoa. Hold on. You made a deal with a crime syndicate so you could do further research, and you don't have the means to pay for it?" LaFontaine hesitantly smiled in return before Laura continued. "That has to be the dumbest criminal in the galaxy. Who trades before getting payment?! Especially a gangster! Trust isn't a typical trait in the underworld..."
"Told him he'd get sixty percent of the profits after I made the final product."
"And he just let you walk off with the resources?" the blonde asked, still dumbfounded.
"A Gamorrean underling let me walk off with the resources."
"And?"
"A Gamorrean."
"Are you implying that all Gamorreans are dumb? Because that's pretty species-ist-"
"That's exactly what I'm implying. Now can you get me to Coruscant, or am I meeting my watery grave?" the ginger hurried.
"And you can't use public transportation because...? Once you're on a ship, the Gamorrean can't get you."
The doctor shook their head. "No. I need you to escort me in a private transport. This isn't just some petty research, L. This is big." Their blue eyes shined. There was a determination there; a sense of purpose. The blonde was hesitant though. What could be that important?
"Why Coruscant?" she asked with the tilt of her head and narrowed eyes.
"I have to meet an old friend and give her my research. She's a member of the Senate. She'll know what to do with the results."
"The results of...?" Laura urged.
"The cure to the Galactic City epidemic."
The Jedi's eyes widened. "You- You found a cure?"
"Yes, and I need to get there as soon as possible."
"Why not just call your friend on Coruscant? I'm sure they could've helped you. Why go through all the trouble waiting for me?" the blonde didn't understand. This was spectacular news. The Galactic City epidemic was getting worse every day. People contracting the disease were sent to private sectors; forming huge colonies of the sick. They all lived out the rest of their days in segregation as the pursuit for a cure continued. Every spaceport checked their travelers for any signs of the disease. If found, they were immediately sent to a zone created just for those suffering from the sickness. It was contagious, deadly, and terrifying.
"Laura, I came to Manaan to find a cure. The planet's kolto is a potent healing resource. My Senator friend sees what goes on behind close doors. The epidemic wasn't a naturally occurring virus. I've studied it. It's synthetic. There are signs of evolution, but the same framework is there. Someone crafted a lethal illness. So I went to my friend, Perry, and she wasn't surprised in the slightest. In fact, she told me to forget I saw anything!" the doctor let out a loud chuckle. "Can you believe that? I was like, Sorry, Perr. But this isn't something I can just forget. A crazy amount of people are dying and it looks like it was someone's plan."
Laura listened intently. There was a threat this large happening? And the Jedi Council didn't know? Or maybe they did, and like the Galactic Senate, kept it secret.
"Perry isn't even allowed to discuss the disease. If Senators start talking, they apparently disappear. No one knows what happens to them. And she said it's because the Senate must be compromised. Whoever created and let loose this virus has allies in the Capital. And if Perry is heavily watched, I can't risk drawing attention to myself. I... I can't risk anything happening to her," the ginger ended softly, their head bowed to the floor.
The Jedi's brows furrowed.
And that's how Laura Hollis ended up at Slippery When Wet; a poor excuse for a cantina with an even poorer name. She needed a ship. And since she couldn't actually fly a ship, she needed a pilot that already owned a ship. And what better place to hire a pilot than the local cantina?
Okay, so there were better places to hire a pilot, but this seemed like the easiest and cheapest route to go. They were crunched for time. So dealing with a less than tolerable, probable outlaw would have to suffice.
The Jedi pulled her civilian cloak tighter around her, shielding her weapon beneath the cloth. The less attention she drew, the better. She stepped toward the bartender.
"Excuse me. Do you know any pilots around looking for work?"
The alien stared in silence, sizing up the petite blonde before turning and ignoring her completely. She frowned as a Twi'lek next to her took a sip of his beverage and chuckled. "Don't mind him. He doesn't like humans much. Karnstein and Cochrane are regularly sought out for... making shipments and the like. You should try one of them. They're at the pazaak tables in the back."
Laura raised a brow. "Uh, thanks," she answered with a kind smile before stepping away. She curiously made her way to the back of the cantina. A crowd was taking over the large room. Stepping into the back of the crowd, she leaned over to the person next to her. "Could you tell me where to find someone named Karnstein or Cochrane?" she yelled through the shouting of the horde.
"The two at the pazaak table. They keep uppin' the stakes. Cochrane has been itchin' to kill Karnstein for months now. If he loses this game, he might actually kill her!" the man explained with enthusiasm.
The Jedi frowned at the explanation. So her two choices for pilots were clearly respectable, potential employees...
She then pushed her way through the crowd, getting glares here and there, and a few cat calls that she chose to block out. When she finally broke through to the front of the audience, her eyes settled on the two players. A holoscreen lit up above the table, showing the game to the surrounding patrons.
Cochrane was a Wookiee, fists clenched and pressed firmly into the card table. He was snarling, his teeth bared. One of Cochrane's thugs stood close behind him, a hand secure on his weapon.
"Remember, Cock, this is it. Win this game and all the winnings go home with you. Lose, and I get back what's mine. Plus, I'll be taking that pretty Twi'lek girl off your hands," the brunette turned slightly and winked at the said slave girl chained in the corner.
"It's that ego of yours, Karnstein, that's gonna get you killed one day," he growled in response.
"Then I guess I'll die with a smile on my face," the brunette returned with a smirk. Laura observed her closely. She figured the woman was the safer bet for the job, but both options seemed less than welcoming. "Let's see what you got, fur ball," she mocked as she lifted her glass to take a drink.
He swung his arm across the table and smacked the glass out of her hand, hitting one of the many crowded around them.
"Hey!" the victim called out, but the Gamorrean thug behind Cochrane aimed his rifle in their direction. The audience member backed off immediately.
The brunette frowned at her opponent. "I planned on drinking that."
"I've got 19, human. You've got one card left in your hand, and the odds of you busting are high," he commented, confidence spreading through him.
"Wow, I'm impressed. I didn't think you were capable of understanding probability. Who knew Wookiees could do math?" She feigned shock before flipping a card over without looking down at the table. His eyes widened. She didn't even have to look down to know she had won. A smirk grew across her lips before sitting back lazily and kicking her combat boots up on the table. "Nice playin' with ya, Cock."
He growled viciously, rose to his feet, and flung the table into a bunch of drunk bystanders.
"Whoa there," the brunette warned with her hands out to show no offense. Her leather pants clung tightly to her body, a black v-neck t-shirt covered her torso, and a black leather vest sat on top. Her belt held two pistols; one on each hip. "Fair is fair. Now give me the credit transfer and we can all go home."
The screen was still lit in the air, above where the table used to be. Their wagers were listed through the many matches, and the final deal out button remained. Cochrane roughly brought his hand up and let the screen scan it before beeping. Credit Transfer Complete.
The Wookiee stormed away with his lackey close behind.
Laura remained as the audience dissolved back into the cantina. She watched the woman run her hand through her wavy locks before standing up and walking to the Twi'lek slouched in the corner.
"How may I serve you, master?" the female asked with fear lacing her words.
Karnstein looked down at the chains still around her wrists. "Damn it. I didn't get the key," she grumbled in annoyance. She let out a heavy sigh before reaching into her back pocket. "One second," she announced as she began fiddling with the lock. In a few seconds, the cuffs came loose and crashed to the floor. "Okay. You're free. Get out of here," she said lazily after picking the lock.
The Twi'lek looked at her in confusion. "W-what?"
The pazaak winner rolled her eyes. "I said you're free to go. Get off Manaan. I'm sure the hairy Cock wouldn't be pleased seeing you roam free."
Tears formed in the girl's eyes. "I- Thank you! Thank you so much! I can't thank you enough!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around the brunette's neck. Karnstein stiffened from the embrace before pushing the former slave off.
"Yeah, yeah. Get goin'. Have a nice life," she ended as she turned and came to a stop at the sight of Laura watching. A delicate eyebrow rose at the eavesdropper. Her eyes ran up and down the Jedi's body, a smirk forming slowly. She cocked her hip to the side and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Not that I'm complaining, sweetheart, but weren't you ever taught that it's rude to stare?" the pilot teased.
Laura felt her cheeks redden. She straightened her posture and lifted her chin slightly into the air. "I'm looking for a pilot."
The brunette narrowed her eyes. "And?"
"I heard you're for hire."
Both eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "And you want to hire me."
"Well, yes."
The pilot let out a sigh. "No can do, cupcake. I'm kinda on a tight schedule," she answered, brushing past the blonde and walking back through the cantina. Laura followed closely with furrowed brows.
"I'll pay you as much as I have upfront. All we need is passage to Coruscant."
"Then buy a ticket like all the other sightseers in the galaxy," the brunette yelled over her shoulder through the music.
"We aren't sightseers!" Laura argued from behind as they exited the bar. "We just need a fast way to get there."
"Sounds like someone's on the run," the ruffian said in amusement as the Jedi trailed behind her.
"Hey! Can you just stop for one second so I can have a civilized conversation with you?" Laura exclaimed in agitation. Karnstein stopped dead in her tracks, causing Laura to almost run directly into her. She then spun around and eyed the blonde up and down one more time.
"Civilian robes don't really hide your weapon as well as you think they do, cupcake," her dark eyes bore into Laura's honey browns.
The blonde matched her stare evenly after a moment of being caught off guard. "So you know I'm a Jedi, but you keep referring to me as a baked good?"
"You might have the pretty laser sword that can chop people in half, but you ain't foolin' anyone, sweetheart. You look as innocent as a pup."
Laura's brows furrowed. "You don't even know me!"
"I don't have to. Everything about you screams naive. Who goes to a scumbag cantina to find a pilot? Ever hear of stranger danger?"
The Jedi's nostrils flared. She took a deep breath to calm herself. The brunette seemed to find that amusing. "As you have so thoughtfully pointed out, I have a pretty laser sword. So stranger danger isn't much of a concern. As for going to the scumbag cantina, I figured it was the fastest way to find someone."
Karnstein eyed her curiously. "And none of your little Jedi friends can help you?"
"This isn't a Jedi mission. I'm doing this for a friend."
The woman stared back without offering a hint of what was going through her mind. "I have to admit, you've piqued my interest. But again, I'm on a tight schedule," she said before spinning around and beginning to walk away.
"I know a Senator on Coruscant! They'll pay you handsomely!" Laura called after her, causing the woman to freeze. She mentally cringed. The Jedi didn't personally know Perry, but Senators were made of money. Surely after what LaFontaine brings her, she'll understand the circumstances. If not, she could always fall back to the Jedi Council. This was an emergency after all.
The pilot turned slightly to stare at the blonde with narrowed eyes. The Jedi's heart was pounding harder in her chest. "Fine."
Laura let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she'd held. "Thank you! You're doing something incredibly good," she answered as she approached her.
The brunette waved her off. "I don't wanna hear that crap. All I care about is getting paid. So let's get this over with so I can get my earnings."
The blonde rolled her eyes. "We have to go get my friend who works at the medical center first."
"Hold on," Karnstein turned and stopped Laura by placing her hand on her shoulder. "Who's your friend?" she asked suspiciously.
"Doctor LaFontaine. Do you know them?"
The stared with her mouth falling open slightly. A single chuckle fell from her lips as she began to bow her head and shake it slowly. "You could say that." She looked back up to meet Laura's gaze. "They're quite the drinking partner. Always a good time," she said in amusement.
"Well, we've got to hurry up before your drinking buddy gets brutally murdered," Laura explained as she started walking off, causing the hired help to fall in step.
"What could the mad scientist have possibly done?" the pilot said in disbelief with a chuckle.
"They made a deal with a crime lord and can't pay," she answered with a heavy sigh.
"Crime lord? You mean, Cochrane?" the brunette said in alarm. Laura turned with wide eyes.
"What?"
"Cochrane is the big bad that runs the underworld here."
Laura began to shake her head in confusion. "No, they said a Gamorrean made the trade-"
"His lackey that was behind him in the cantina," Karnstein pointed out calmly.
"Oh my-" she cut herself off as she turned and started running.
The pilot caught up to her as they ran the few minutes to the medical center. They stopped outside, seeing gang members holding up reception through the entryway. They hid behind cover, regaining their breath.
"Okay, so we need a plan," the Jedi Knight began.
The brunette rolled her eyes and pulled out her pistols. "If you're scared, cupcake, you can wait here. But I'm getting paid extra for this."
She glared. "My name's Laura."
"Good for you. Let's go," she said before stepping out and firing two shots at the two thugs in view. They fell immediately.
"Are you crazy?!" Laura followed after her, pulling out her lightsaber, but not igniting it yet.
"No. Just impatient," the pilot responded as she checked around a corner. Then she glanced behind the reception desk. "Might wanna deal with that," she nodded in its direction.
Laura ran over and saw the shaking Selkath female crouched down behind the desk. "You're okay. You're safe. You should get out of here though," she said reassuringly with a soft smile. The receptionist nodded eagerly, before rising wobbly to her feet and exiting.
"See. That's why you're a cupcake," the brunette explained, earning a glare from the Jedi. They rounded the corner and before the pilot could get a shot out, Laura Force Pushed the next enemy against the wall, knocking him unconscious.
The pilot hmphed before they continued. Two more thugs came bursting out of the doctor's office. A shot was fired at the Jedi, but after unleashing her blue blade, she reflected the shot back at him. Karnstein took the other one down with two shots.
They jogged over to the door and entered. Two thugs stood in the back; one holding a rifle up at JP. The Gamorrean lackey stood in the middle of the room, holding a blaster to the doctor's head; the other hand wrapped around their throat. LaFontaine continued to try to pull the huge hand away from their neck.
"Well, well, well... Strange to see you so soon, Carmilla. You're friends with a Jedi?" the Gamorrean snorted in amusement.
"You know me... Always weak for a pretty lady," she jested back with burning eyes; her pistols still aimed and ready.
The lackey scoffed. "You're good, Karnstein. But not even you could seduce a Jedi."
"Care to make wager? Your boss seems to like those. You lost your little slave that way, right?" she mocked, satisfied after seeing it touch a nerve.
"Lower your blasters. This isn't your fight," he growled.
"Sorry, but I've been promised some quality payment. Leave breathing, or leave dead. Doesn't matter to me."
Laura stepped forward. "No one needs to die. We can talk this through. We can come up with some kind of arrangement."
"I want the credits, Jedi."
"Fine, we'll get you the-"
Three shots were fired in the air. The two thugs and Gamorrean fell limp to the floor.
Laura spun to look at Carmilla incredulously. "Did you just- You just risked LaFontaine's life!"
The pilot rolled her eyes and put her blasters back in their holsters. "The ginger doctor's fine. Can we just go?"
LaFontaine massaged their throat and tried to catch their breath. Laura ran over to put a reassuring hand on their back. She looked back up at Carmilla. "We could have tried to handle this peacefully."
"Yes, because homicidal criminals like to talk things out."
"I'm okay," the ginger breathed out to ease Laura's worried look. "Thanks, guys."
"Great. Fantastic. Let's skip the hugs and get a move on," Carmilla said as she walked toward the door.
"Don't you want to collect a bounty or something? I'm sure there's a payout for this guy if he's close to Cochrane, right?" Laura said as she helped steady the doctor to their feet.
"I'm not exactly innocent, cupcake. The only reward they'd give me are handcuffs around my wrists."
"I owe you guys a drink," LaFontaine chuckled as they brushed off their lab coat's sleeves.
"More like a few drinks," the pilot corrected.
LaFontaine turned to the protocol droid as they adjusted their coat. "Come on, JP. I don't wanna see what Cochrane plans to do to us."
"Whoa, wait. You're bringing the defected sparkler with us? Fucking hell... It's a fire hazard!" Carmilla exclaimed.
"He's carrying my results on his hard drive, Mistress Snark," the doctor argued back.
The brunette ran a hand through her hair and let out a huff of frustration. "Fine! But if my ship catches fire, you owe me a hell of a lot more than drinks." She then stormed out of the office.
They stood in a long line in the spaceport, waiting for the virus scanning machine to start up again. The doctor, the droid, and the Jedi all waited anxiously. They kept looking over their shoulders, shifting their balance from foot to foot, and ducking their faces to try and draw less attention. Carmilla stood calmly with a frown on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.
"This is fucking ridiculous," the brunette mumbled. A few technicians were seen trying to get the machine back up and operating. Looking back at her new companions, she rolled her eyes. The pilot made her way to the front of the line, getting cursed at and cursing back at civilians on the line as she passed them.
Laura watched in confusion. "What is she doing?"
"I'm guessing the technicians' job," LaFontaine answered. Two minutes later, the line began to move as Carmilla was seen walking toward them again. "Nice going, ya scoundrel," the ginger grinned.
"You fixed that?" Laura asked in astonishment.
"It really isn't that difficult," Carmilla replied with her gaze watching the line move.
"Well, I'm impressed," the Jedi admitted innocently.
The brunette's eyes fell back to the blonde. She slowly smirked. "What can I say? I'm good with my hands," she finished with a wink.
Laura frowned; a blush present on her cheeks. "You're disgusting."
The pilot's smirk grew even more. "It's far too entertaining flustering you, Jedi. I thought you were supposed to be above such emotions." The brunette walked through the scanner; a positive beeping sound permitting her to pass.
The rest followed behind; Laura eager to rebuff the pilot's snark. "I'm not a complete robot! I still feel things!" Laura then flinched and turned to JP. "No offense, JP." Sparks flew from his face as he waved her off.
Carmilla started to lead them toward the ship hangar. She scoffed. "With the amount of things you're not supposed to feel, you're basically that hunk of metal back there," she gestured with a thumb aimed at JP over her shoulder.
"You're saying anger, hatred, jealousy; those are all good things?" the Jedi Knight replied firmly.
The brunette glanced over at her as they approached her ship. "I think, to an extent, it's healthy. I'd also like to point out you forgot passion." She grinned. "Now that's one you're definitely missing out on."
Laura glared and opened her mouth to speak her mind when a voice broke through the air.
"There they are! And they're with Karnstein! Cochrane, we're on the move!" a man yelled into a com link as four thugs came running their way.
"Well shit," Carmilla spat out as she shoved the ginger further into the hangar. "Time to go!" she lazily yelled as she ran to a terminal beside the entrance. The hangar door slammed shut after a few seconds, cutting off the pursuers. "Okay, that can be hacked in a few minutes, so we need to board now." She pulled out a small device from her vest and pressed a botton. The hatch began to open.
"Did that just open by itself?" the ginger asked with wide eyes.
Carmilla smirked as she waved the remote in her hand. "It's a new upgrade. I can do a bunch of things with this little-"
The hangar door banged and they could hear blaster fire through the wall.
"Okay, leave now. Admire later," Laura pushed them closer to the ship.
The doctor stood at the hatch door ushering for JP to hurry; his fastest pace less than desirable. Carmilla flung herself down in the pilot seat and started flipping through the switches and buttons to power up the vehicle. Her eyes darted across the switchboard frantically as Laura hovered, her hand gripping the back of the pilot's chair.
The ground suddenly shook.
"What the hell was that?" the doctor exclaimed with wide eyes as they came into the cockpit. JP stumbled in behind them; sparks and smoke erupting from his head.
"I swear to God, Doc, if your fire hazard tries to speak again, he's getting thrown off board mid-flight," Carmilla growled as she saw the thugs charging her ship, blasters firing against the hull. "Shit." She then pulled down a lever. "Hold on to something," she ordered with furrowed brows as she pulled a strap. "The built-in gravity isn't exactly up to code at the moment. It'll even out when we go hyperspace. I'm gonna rush the engine a bit."
"What the hell does that mean?" LaFontaine asked incredulously. Carmilla tapped repeatedly on a button until the entire ship began to shake. The two humans ran over to the safety seats against the wall and buckled in just as the ship was flung out of the hangar, stalling midair. It then began to fall. JP was pressed firmly against the ceiling of the cockpit.
"Karnstein!" the Jedi Knight yelled as the ship plummeted toward the vast ocean.
"I know, I know! I got it!" she said as she flicked a few switches. The ship was still free falling.
"Karnstein!" Laura urged again.
"Give me five seconds!" the brunette yelled back with gritted teeth. Suddenly, the ship caught itself and boosted back into the air. JP came crashing down to the floor as Carmilla let out a heavy breath.
The doctor quickly brought their hand to their mouth. "Oh my God," they said, though muffled from under their palm. "I'm gonna barf!" They immediately unbuckled and ran toward the bathroom.
JP pushed himself up and scurried after their owner.
"They better do it quick, otherwise gravity is gonna make that puke do some nasty things," the pilot said stoically. "And I am not cleaning that up." Then, Carmilla's hand slammed on another button, holding it down until hyperspace was triggered. The energy in the air altered. Things around the cockpit began to float on their own accord. It was another minute or so until the gravity settled back down to normal.
Laura unbuckled from her seat as the brunette pushed herself up from her chair, running a hand through her wavy locks.
"Come on, cupcake. I'll give you the grand tour," she said lethargically. She led the Jedi down the hallway and stopped by a closed door. "This is my room. It's off-limits. Understand?" she said looking at her with the darkness in her eyes proving dominant.
Laura nodded. "Good," the pilot said as she continued walking. She walked her past a large open room. It looked as if it might be a practice room of sorts. "This is my little medbay," she waved her hand in its direction. Then she stopped in front of another door. "And this is the bathroom," she said hitting the door release button to reveal a groaning ginger on the floor.
"Glad you beat the gravity, Doc," the brunette commented, seeing as the bathroom walls remained puke free. The ginger groaned and waved them off as their head laid against the toilet. The pilot hit the door button again. It closed as she spun to face Laura.
"Welcome to The Lustig, cupcake." She held back a smirk, brushing the Jedi's shoulder as she went back toward the cockpit.
Laura turned and jogged after her. "Hey!" she called out, grabbing her wrist to stop her in her tracks. Carmilla stopped and looked at the hand on her wrist before meeting Laura's gaze. "Uh, sorry," the blonde squeaked, yanking her hand off of the pilot.
She bowed her head and tucked a hair behind her ear. Carmilla raised a brow at the action. "I just wanted-" Laura then shook her head and brought her gaze back to the brunette. You're a Jedi, Hollis. Act like one. She squared her shoulders. "Thank you. For helping."
The pilot then smirked devilishly. She took a step into the blonde's space. Her body was only a couple of inches away from pressing into her. The Jedi's senses went into overdrive. She heard her own heartbeat thudding in her ears. The fresh smell of leather took over her nostrils. The sight of soft lips slowly parting entranced her. She felt the woman's breath sliding across her skin. And having bitten her bottom lip from overwhelming senses, she tasted the rawness left in its wake.
"I like the idea of you showing me gratitude, cupcake." She heard the Jedi force a swallow and grinned in response. "Careful, sweetheart. You might actually feel something," she mocked with a chuckle before pulling back completely and strutting toward her pilot seat. The blonde blinked away the daze she was in as she saw the brunette flop down into her chair.
She frowned; her hands clenching into fists as her teeth gritted. The Jedi turned around and went to check on LaFontaine. She wasn't sure what just transpired, but it was best to avoid any possible trigger. The things she felt were... unsettling. She was out of control; wild. It was close to the sensation of being Force Persuaded. She was acting without her mind's understanding or consent.
And that was unnerving.