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Author's Notes:

Tails of the Old Republic is a crossover between the Sonic the Hedgehog universe and the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game.

Sonic and all related IP belongs to SEGA/ Sonic Team
SW: KotOR and all related IP belongs to Lucas Arts/ Bioware Corp
No copyright or trademark infringement intended.

Series rated "Web-14" for violence, mild language, and suggestive themes.

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Upper City Taris — Shield Tech

There was no mob waiting for them as Tails and Carth left the apartment this time. The apartment complex was quiet , and the only sign of life was only a single janitor cleaning the floor. There was lingering evidence of yesterday's battle, but it had been mostly cleaned up, and there were no traces of the dead Sith, their battle droids, or Ixgil the Duros. Nearly reaching the elevator, the duo spotted a green Twi'lek setting up a kiosk right in the hallway, up against the wall. Tails and Carth were surprised the man would choose such an unlikely place to set up shop. The Twi'lek noticed them, and wiped his forehead on the back of his sleeve.


"Well, hello there!" he greeted them. "I don't see to many of your kind around here, whether Human or... or... uh..."


"Mobian." politely responded the four-foot-tall vulpimorph. "I'm a Mobian."


"I see! Most of the residents in these old, run down apartments are illegal aliens. My name's Larrim, by the way. You want to look at my stock? I know my kiosk isn't much to look at, but my prices are reasonable, and my merchandise is sound."


"Um, sure," Tails replied. "But, if you don't mind my asking... why are you setting up shop in the middle of the hallway?"


"Oh, I'm just a wandering salesman," said Larrim. "I move from place to place, seeing what I can sell until I've worn out my welcome. It's not easy being a Twi'lek in Upper Taris. Or any part of Taris, for that matter."


Larrim the Twi'lek observed Carth's and Tails' weaponry, and thought for a moment.


"I know it's really none of my business," he said, "but you look like the type of persons who might want to purchase one of those new energy shields. They're the latest thing, you know; very high tech."


"Energy shields?" Tails echoed, his interest captured.


"When you use one, it surrounds you with a radiant aura-particle mesh that absorbs blaster bolts. Pretty handy in a firefight. The shield even helps protect against lightsabers, or so I hear."


The memory of Tails' near-fatal encounter with that Dark Jedi played through his mind. Tails shuddered.


"The shields aren't perfect, of course," the Twi'lek continued. "They can only absorb so much energy before they burn out, and ion blasts will take down your basic dueling shield pretty quick."


"Can I see it?" Tails asked eagerly.


Larrim considered his request, then dug the item of interest out of a locked cylinder. He handed it to Tails. The dueling shield looked like a white, metallic arm guard with adjustable straps. It had four buttons on its surface, and something that looked like particle emitters and an electroplasmic field generator, only far more advanced than anything Tails had seen before.


"... Facinating," was the only thing the teenage Mobian could utter, his eyes transfixed on the object.


Seeing Tails in his own little world, Carth Onasi stepped into the conversation. "Are you sure this thing's functional?"


"Of course! I don't sell junk," Larrim replied, somewhat hurt. "I haven't much more to say, except that I've managed to get my hands on one of those shields. It isn't cheap, but it could mean the difference between life and death."


"How much?" Carth asked.


"Three hundred credits," came the glib reply.


"I'll take it!" Tails declared suddenly.


Carth turned his attention to the twin-tailed fox, and said, "Uhh, Tails, we only have three hundred and fifty-five credits left."


"But... but... I've got to have this! I've got to find out what makes it tick! Besides, I expect to be making more money at the cantina anyway. It's not like we'll be broke."


"Very well, and I know we'll need all protection we can afford. Pay for it."


Tails got out his datapad and transferred the credits.


"Thank you! See you around, and come back if you need any equipment. I've got some merchandise you might be interested in."


Tails and Carth proceeded to the elevator. Once inside, Tails handed the dueling shield to the Human.


"Here, you should take for now. It's too big to fit on my arm properly, and I'd need to hack on it when we return to our hideout. Besides, you might need it more than I."


"Are you sure about that?" Carth asked, accepting the item. "I've already got some decent armor on, and you're choosing to forgo armor and shielding altogether."


"True," Tails replied, "but the only armor I wear is my Tornado VII combat mech, which I sadly seem to have left on Mobius. I still have a speed advantage, and if I truly need protection, I can use my tails as shields."


Carth just cocked an eyebrow, uncertain how to respond to his furry companion. He latched the dueling shield around his left arm.


He duo stepped out of the elevator and into the apartment lobby, then walked out the main door. The morning sun was just barely above the horizon, and a thick mist obscured the city  levels immediately below them. It was a beautiful sight, and Tails suppressed a tear. It had been a long time since he saw a beautiful morning on Mobius; most of his homeworld was smothered in black smog and was raining soot.


Carth and Tails passed by Dr. Forn's medical facility and Kebla Yurt's equipment shop, and the fox got to thinking about his official "military" relationship with his Human companion. Tails had been awfully rude to him a couple of times, and the Republic officer, while annoyed, didn't really say anything in reprimand.


"Hey, Carth..."


"Yes?"


"Um, what exactly is our official relationship to each other? I mean, I figure you're my superior officer and all that, but I... erm, my brains are still kinda scrambled from my, ah, 'head injury'."


Tails felt silly for using that lame excuse, but he didn't want to let on just how clueless he was right now.


"Oh man," sighed Carth. He looked around for potential snoops, then answered, "Technically, we're from different chains of command. I'm a lieutenant commander within the Republic Navy, and you were recruited as a scout within the Army. Though, from what I've seen of your fighting skills, I'm surprised you didn't sign up as a soldier."


Tails squeezed his eyes shut. "Killing people isn't exactly my cup of tea, sir. Unless its Robotnik. Him I want to flay into bloody dollrags."


"I don't blame your desire to avoid killing," Carth said thoughtfully. "I've seen so much death in this war, it turns my stomach. But who's Robotnik?"


"... A very evil man," Tails replied.


"Hmm... well, to continue answering your question, I have tactical command here, but it's just the two of us right now. And don't start saluting me or calling me 'sir'; I don't want unnecessary attention drawn to us."


"All right," Tails said. "And... I apologize."


"Huh?"


"For being jackass to you yesterday. I'm sorry."


Carth waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I was expecting behavioral anomalies after our crash; and besides, I don't have a brig to throw you in anyway," Carth replied with a chuckle. "I need you at my side, and I'm not going to reprimand you for every infraction like that. Just don't make a habit of it, OK?"


"Agreed," said Tails.


The Human and Mobian approached the cantina, and the bouncer only sniffed in disgust at the sight of the "pet". Tails just rolled his eyes as he crossed the threshold behind Carth.


The cantina was as dark and ill-ventilated as before, though there were fewer patrons here in the morning hours, much to the relief of Tails' nostrils. He and Carth sat down at a table in the main dining room. Nithya, in full waitress uniform, strolled up to their table, her face beaming with enthusiasm.


"Well, good morning you two! How my I be of service to you?"


'By not drooling on me, thank you', Tails thought to himself. He tried to forget yesterday's awkwardness, but failed. His face felt warm.


"What breakfast entrees do you have?" Tails finally asked.


"Would you like to hear today's Carnivore's Special?"


Tails ears perked up, and he said, "Certainly!"


Nithya giggled, then said, "Today's special is two flame-broiled fish smothered in garlic, onions, and hot peppers, dressed with sour cream, and sided with mashed sweet potato and gravy."


Tails had to slurp up his saliva before answering, "How big are the fish?"


"Oh, about a half-meter each."


Tails' eyes watered. "I'll take two plates, please!"


The girl smiled, then asked, "What would you like to drink with that? Oh, that's right, you don't drink alcoholic beverages, do you? In that case, your options are still only water, fruit juice, or spicy vegetable juice. Sorry."


"I'll have a tall glass of the spicy vegetable juice, please."


"Very well," Nithya said. She turned to Carth and asked, "And what would you like, sir?"


"I'll just have some hot cereal with fruit, thank you."


"As you wish. OK, I'll be back shortly! Don't go away!"


As Nithya sauntered off, Carth looked at Tails.


"Were you chronically starved on your planet?" he asked.


Tails sighed. "Carth... you have no idea," he replied.


Tails got up from the table pushed in his chair. "I'm going to check with Ajuur," said the Mobian. "He said some new duelists were coming in today, and for sake of time, I want to set up the matches as soon as possible. Like you said, the faster we find our 'package' the less likely we'll find her hurt. Then we can get off this rock, right?"


"That's right," Carth agreed. "I'm glad you're thinking ahead."


Tails ambled over to the room where the fat slug was continuously parked, and walked up to him. Tails tried not to let the Hutt's disgustingness ruin his appetite.


"Ah! Mysterious Stranger, you've returned! I knew you'd come back. They all come back! You fought well last time. People like you, Stranger. They bet lots on your last fight. They'll be more in your next fight. You get ten percent, as always."


"Good morning to you too, Ajuur." said Tails. "Did the new duelists arrive yet?"


"Oh, yes! Three of them: Ice, Marl, and Twitch, the best fighters currently in competition! They arrived last night. They are quite interested in meeting you, Stranger!"


"I'll fight all three at once."


The fat slug seemed stunned. "Whaaa...?"


"Eh, what I mean is that I don't want any break between them. I'll fight all three in immediate succession, with no rest in between." Tails explained.



"Are you serious?" the Hutt gurgled. "That's crazy! That's mad! That's... going to make me rich, ha ha ha!"


The Hutt waved his degenerate arms up and down wildly, and his fat face disappeared into bloated dimples of laughter. The teenager crossed his arms and looked away, trying desperately not to get grossed out.


"Oh, I can see the credits rolling in now!" Ajuur exclaimed. "Yes! Everyone will be watching this match! Everyone will be betting wads of cash! To see an epic showdown between the three best duelists on Taris, against one little Stranger! I'll pass the word along, furry one, and be ready in two hours! Don't you dare disappoint me!"


"I'll do my best, nothing more." Tails replied with a slight bow.


The fox returned to the dining area, and found Nithya setting their food on the table. Tails pulled his chair out, and found a large pillow on top of it. He looked at Nithya.


"That's so you can sit up better," she explained. "I keep seeing you peering over the top of the table, I thought I'd give you a little lift."


"Um, thanks." Tails said.


"You're welcome!" she said, smiling. "Enjoy your breakfast, gentlemen!"


And she walked off.


Tails hopped up on his seat, and found himself nearly at Carth's level now. He appreciated the cushion.


"So what's new?" Carth asked.


"My next fight is in two hours. That'll give me plenty of time to eat and digest. I think we can move on after that."


Tails picked up a sanitizing wipe, and cleaned the surface of his gloves.


"Don't you remove your gloves when you eat?"


"No," Tails replied. "I only take off my gloves or boots when I bathe and when I sleep. To a Mobian, shoes and gloves are like... your pants and underwear. I don't take them off in public."


"That's interesting, to say the least."


Tails examined his food. Four plump fish, each about a half-meter in length, assaulted Tails' nostrils with their savory aromas. Drool flowed freely over his jaws, and he dug right in. Tails chewed deliberately, extracting all the flavor he could before swallowing. The boy tried not to eat too quickly, but he was having a hard time holding back his more animalistic behaviors, and he was ravenous. Fifteen minutes later, both plates of food had disappeared inside of him, as had all his juice. He leaned back in his chair, both arms behind his head, and sighed contentedly. His stomach gurgled happily. He closed his eyes, and just listened to the sound of his own heartbeat.


"Is there anything you can't eat?" Carth asked curiously, still working on his cereal.


Tails laughed. "Well... I'd have a hard time eating a robot, and I won't touch carrion. But anything else is fair game. My stomach will break down just about anything. Flesh and bone, fur and feathers, teeth and claws, hooves and horns: I've digested them all. Even seemingly 'indigestible' plantstuff like hard seeds and stony pits all break down. Heh, my belly doesn't know the difference between any of that stuff. It all turns to soup and gets absorbed."


"How?"


"Well... my stomach has always been hyperchlorhydric, so I've never had much trouble digesting stuff."


"Hyper... klor... what now?"


"Oh, hyperchlorhydric? It means having an abnormally acidic stomach," Tails explained. "My gastric juice is actually twenty percent hydrogen chloride by weight, giving it a pH of nearly negative one, strong enough to break cellulose down directly into simple sugars and polysaccharides. I was rather surprised when I found that out... even my stomach enzymes were optimized for the extreme acidity; normally stomach enzymes denature at a pH that low. Never mind that my stomach isn't dissolving itself! Once diluted by food and stuff, my stomach typically maintains a pH of zero to zero-point-five. But in addition to that factor — given the unpredictable nature of my food supply on Mobius — I genetically engineered special strains of bacteria and archaea to live in my gut, to produce additional enzymes, surfactants and emulsifiers, and organic solvents to aid digestion... no matter what I eat. It was a survival necessity... as were a number of other 'upgrades' to my person."


"Oh," said Carth, not really comprehending.


Carth considered for a moment, then looked at Tails. "You don't... eat other Mobians, do you?"


"WHAT?!"


"Well, I mean, I don't know much about you, or your planet or people, and I was just wondering. You look a bit like an animal, and I just wondered if you ate... other animals."


"I'm not a cannibal, Carth" Tails replied with irritation. "And I don't eat other sapient beings. There are two classes of Mobian: sapient and non-sapient. I'm an example of one species of sapient Mobian. I know I exist, I have feelings, I can build tools, and I can can make detailed plans for the next ten years of my life. Non-sapient Mobians are basically your brainless animals. Biological automatons, in my opinion. Those are the only ones I ever eat. My people, of all species — whether of herbivoristic or carnivoristic tendencies — all take life very seriously. We consider life sacred, and the taking of life is a very serious matter indeed. Only in self-defense is the killing of another sapient Mobian excusable, and such cases are exceedingly rare. Even the consumption of the lower animals for sustenance requires thoughtful consideration, especially now that Planet Mobius has such little life to go around."


"I'm sorry, Tails. I didn't mean to offend you."


Tails sighed. "Its...OK. I didn't mean to go on a mini-rant, either. It's just that... would you have appreciated it if I asked whether you ate other Humans? Or even Twi'lek or Duros?"


Carth choked a bit, then replied, "No, certainly not."


There was an awkward silence. Carth finished his own food , and the table was cleared. For several minutes, the only sound from their table was the occasional churning noise from Tails' stomach. Carth decided to get up.


"I'm going to see if I can gather any more data. Good luck with your match."


"I'll be careful," Tails replied as the Republic officer left.


Tails sat there in his chair, absent-mindedly drumming his belly with his fingers. Memories of Mobius kept flooding his mind. He recalled his first awkward encounter with Sonic the hedgehog, and then their fast friendship and their first adventures together. He remembered meeting Dr. Robotnik for the first time, and what a goofball of a villain he used to be. Dangerous, but a goofball nonetheless. Tails remembered what a beautiful paradise Mobius used to be. Then Robotnik eventually became serious in his campaign for world domination, and Tails watched Mobius burn. Nearly all major population centers were turned to slag, and his people were turned into badniks, robians, or were simply murdered. The great ecosystems of Mobius were polluted or destroyed.


But Ivo Robotnik didn't stop with Mobius. When that freak Chaos Control transported Robotnik and half the Freedom Fighters to his own homeworld – Earth – the madman sought to conquer it, too. The Terrans weren't so technologically backwards as the Mobians, and they put up a much stiffer resistance to Robotnik's mechanical armies. Tails still saw countless slain. Stalled on Earth, Dr. Robotnik resorted to summoning ancient powers like Perfect Chaos, Dark Gaia, and Tabuu to do his dirty work for him. Each plan backfired, and the Mobian Freedom Fighters were left to clean up his messes, sometimes at terrible cost.


When the lot of them had returned to Mobius, nothing had improved. Robotnik's nephew "Snivley" had been allowed to run amok for four years, and without Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, the Freedom Fighters who had been left behind on Mobius were overwhelmed, ceding territory to Robotnik's empire almost daily. There was a brief respite as Ivo wrested control from his nephew, but then the Metarex came and caused trouble. And when that crisis had ended, Dr. Robotnik started his campaigns against Mobius afresh.


Tails shook his head, and got up from the table. He was drowning in his thoughts, and the sour atmosphere of the cantina was making him ill. Tails exited the cantina and stood outside, soaking up the fresh air and bright morning sun. Tails felt a little more cheerful and significantly less "emo" after a few minutes exposure. He hated dwelling on bad thoughts, and he hated what bad thoughts did for his moods and his relationship to others. Tails wasn't an escapist, but he did try to dwell on the positive as much as sanely possible. For example, Tails couldn't imagine himself abandoning Mobius while Robotnik was still a threat, so he concluded that both Ivo and Snivley Robotnik had to be dead, or at least neutralized in some way. Tails fantasized what gruesome fates they might have met, perhaps at his own hand. Unfortunately, the boy's brain failed to conjure up the desired memories to confirm or refute his speculations.


Tails leaned against a guardrail looking over the lower levels of Upper Taris, wanting desperately to take to the air and explore the city for himself. He knew he could fly now, but he knew what sort of attention a fox flying with his tails might attract. He would probably get shot at by a Sith patrol, and both he and Carth would be hampered in their effort to find and rescue the Jedi woman, Bastila. And Tails would hate himself if he allowed such carelessness to get someone killed again.


The Mobian continued sunning himself for another half hour. The remnants of his meal were assimilated into his flesh, and his stomach returned to hard, compact muscle. With only forty minutes remaining until his scheduled match, Tails returned to the cantina, waving cheerfully to the stuck-up bouncer.