Star Wars 1. Default Chapter

Chapter One - Shadows of Things to Come

The robed man watched silently from the edge of the field as the ragged little girl, no more than five years old, crouched in the crop of grassy vegetation, gently tending the earth with a small spade and an ancient alkalinity kit. _Humph...lucky to even grow stock feed in this Force depleted soil..._ He almost turned and walked away, but something was niggling at him. He knew what it was – it was the Force calling to him to be patient and to watch. _But watch for what? Moreover, why here on Jovan this insignificant and far-flung speck parsecs from the last outpost of the Republic's outer rim?  
_  
"If yer thinking o' goin' over to talk to thet little'un, Master – I'd be keerful n'I wuz you. Thet's a mine field sorr." Sliding his hood back the Jedi turned toward the man who had stepped away from the busy procession of workers trudging the path behind him. He said nothing but looked back to the girl. "She be a mad un thet kid. Lucky but total kraal spawned mad. Be havin' a guid day therr now M'Lord sorr."  
  
_Cropping in a minefield?_ The Jedi concentrated and felt the Force swirl around him for a moment then his senses opened and the vegetation told him of the metal planted amongst their roots in the field a little under the surface. _Interesting._ He looked further afield and took note of the few blast craters that looked to have been from average plasma mines. To the amazement of those watching he crouched and was suddenly soaring through the air coming to earth again a few feet away from where the girl was turning soil. He crossed his arms and recommenced his observation from this much closer perspective.  
  
"You're not Sith." The girl spoke quietly and turned as she rubbed her hands down the thighs of her ragged trousers toward the handles of two curiously short vibroblades. "And these are cortosis weave vibro-daggers, just so you know." Her pointed glance at the twin light sabers hanging from his belt made the Jedi smile warmly as he spoke.

"Point taken my young friend. And I am not a Sith as you have so easily pointed out. My disguise has failed, it would seem; do you plan to turn me over to the authorities?" Reaching across the intervening space the girl plucked at the fabric of the black robe and clucked her tongue softly at the quality of the material.  
  
"No. No I don't. How did you jump that far? I know you didn't walk 'cos I... felt... you move real fast. Anyways...that stretch is real bad for the mines..." she cut herself short suddenly and looked frightened, nervously clutching the hilts of her daggers.

"I know they are there, child. Do not be frightened and do not move. If you understand me, blink slowly...Good. Do not say anything; but watch everything. And listen well, with the Force as well as with your ears."  
  
"You there...What are you doing in that field? We mined it half a standard year ago...How in blazes did you get all the way over there without being blown to pieces? Perhaps someone has been retrieving my mines, if so they will be dead. I will see to it personally. I..." The Sith soldier's voice dropped off suddenly as the robed man who had been in the middle of the field was suddenly surging through the air in a high arc and he felt as though his feet were standing in the landing place. Stumbling backwards, the officer looked back at the reflective surfaces of his troops' armored faces and bolstered himself.  
  
"That is how I got over there...Captain...And as to what I was doing... You did demand to know what I was doing, I do believe?" as he spoke, the Jedi had raised his hood to obscure his features again and his robe rippled around him as if in a fierce storm. As his robe flapped about, his two light sabers flashed in and out of view.  
  
"I...uh...of course not my Lord...I mean...that is..." his voice failed him again and he swallowed hard; or at least tried to for, as he was stammering a response, the black robed master had reached out a hand casually and drawn his attention to shifting soil a few yards away.  
  
"You seem rather attached to your mines, Captain. Would you care for a closer look at one to make sure no-one has been tampering with them?" The mine in question rose from the earth dripping sods of dirt as it hovered through the air toward the officer. The foot soldiers abruptly took two steps back, two very big steps. They wanted it to be patently clear to the master that they were not challenging him in any way nor were they to be associated with their officer's...obviously... insubordinate and irredeemable behaviour. With the briefest flicker of a glance, they were dismissed and formed rank recommencing their patrol of the decidedly empty pathway.  
  
"Your men seem to have given you a vote of no confidence, Captain. I don't believe they hold hope for your... continued leadership." The rippling of his robes stopped as suddenly as it had started and the mine floated to land on the outstretched hand. Experienced fingers tinkered for a moment and then the mine was casually tossed at the Captain who caught it instinctively then suddenly looked as though he wished that he hadn't.  
  
"My Lord... Yes my Lord. I... ahem... I uh" mercifully his stammering was interrupted by an upheld gloved hand.  
  
"You may leave. Now – unless you would like me to re-arm that mine? No...I thought not..." _And now, Softly..._ A slight wave of the same hand. "You will keep that mine as a memento of this occasion. You will report to no one. Your men will believe what you tell them. You can move along."  
  
"My Lord, I will keep this as a reminder of your lesson. I will speak of it to no one and my squad will believe what I tell them on my return. I will be going now, my Lord, as you have no further need of me.' The Captain saluted smartly and turned so sharply that his heel dug a small crater in the surface of the road. Once his double-stepping figure was soon a vague shape in the hazy air the black robed Jedi turned to regard the girl as she stood in the midst of the mined field.  
  
"Unless you have any pressing matters, my young friend, I think that this would be an opportune time for us both to get offworld. What do you say? Would you like to accompany a worldless vagabond and have a long chat about why you know where the mines are and can grow crops where others cannot? Perhaps you would like to know why those Sith troopers could see me but not you, and maybe we could also discuss how you knew what components you needed to construct your vibroblades and knew just how to put them together. However, time is short so you need to decide quickly and we can gather any possessions that you may have, so long as they are nearby. Search your feelings."  
  
The girl thought seriously for a moment, looking at her hard won crop of stock feed. She grimaced and flicked a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Master Jedi, I'm Abira Jin and I have all that I need." Abira shrugged and grimaced again "No-one'll miss me. My family is all gone and I never had much anyways. Unless you're gonna fly me, I'll come this way..." She started confidently stepping, hopping and leaping in a practiced pattern through the field all the way to the road. The black robed Jedi followed her circuitous route probing all the while with the Force. _Fascinating indeed. Such wild talent springing up on this poodoo of a planet. An inch or two here or there and the mines would go off...but not a single miss-step. And it is as natural to her as breathing; she does not even know to be afraid. No wonder the Force led me here._ Once she reached the road he took the lead and started walking in the opposite direction to that taken by the Sith patrol.  
  
"Abira Jin, I am Yair Wemilo. A Knight of the Jedi Order; as you have already sensed I am no Sith or Dark Jedi, regardless of the robes that I wear, and it disturbs me greatly to find your world is being run under Sith occupation. The Council must be informed but it will have to wait until we are offworld and out of interception range. My ship is not far." Within five minutes they had left the path and passed through the dense grass at the boundary of a cultivated field. The Jedi stopped walking and grinned at his young companion.  
  
"You call that a ship! I've seen bigger land speeders!" Abira muttered under her breath when Yair activated the uncloaking device on his gloved hand. The ship in question was a Jedi stealth craft with hyper drive, heavy shielding, proton cannon and military lasers, as she was soon to find out. She wasn't named 'Yair's Pride' for naught.

"It may not have reciprocating quad laser cannons, my young friend, but she does all right. She is actually very large for a Jedi ship because I wanted on board hyperdrive and a berth for sleeping and with a little carrying room to spare. That is where you fit in – and do not worry, you will have a window seat." Yair grinned as he stepped up to the vessel and grunted at the whirrs and clicks issued by the R2 unit. "Up you get. That is your seat behind mine. Back to back, the same way we Knights fight against large numbers of attackers. There. That was not so difficult, was it?" He glanced at the instruments as the astromech prepped the ship for quick take off.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Your first lesson, Abira, your first lesson. Now put on your communications helmet, it is at your feet, and strap yourself in. We need to leave right now." Just as he finished his last word and the canopy slid into place with a hiss of servomotors a small yet insistent alarm began sounding. "We may have a little company on the way out." With a roar, the attitudinal adjusters fired and the craft rose sharply into the air, immediately followed by the momentary crushing effect of rapid acceleration before the inertia dampeners adjusted to the phenomenal speed granted by surprisingly powerful boosters.  
  
"and then again, sir...we might not." Abira mouthed silently. This is definitely better than a land speeder. She looked at the instrumentation around her and noticed the lack of any switches or controls. _I guess this really is meant to be a one person cockpit...I couldn't figure out how to fly it without being able to see it being piloted. There goes my dream of learning to fly a real star ship.Oh..._ a small view screen flickered to life in front of her. On it she could watch as Yair handled the controls and she watched with interest until her lids closed and she rushed into sleep.

A red alarm light pulsed on the panel in front of him and Yair powered up the shields and sublight engines for the drop from hyperspace. He hardly noticed the starlines that replaced the hyperspace tunnel and quickly adjusted to the wake rotation effect so disorienting to those new to star travel. Ah, there it is. Punching in the coordinates for Ord Mantell he advised the astromech droid to transmit the customary landing request and waited for the planetary guidance system to pick them up and clear the vessel for landing.  
  
The noise and turbulence of atmospheric entry awoke Abira and she rubbed her face as she yawned. All trace of tiredness soon vanished in the orange- red glow of the cockpit. _A new planet. I am on a new planet. Will be on a new planet.  
_  
"Master Wemilo, Is this Coruscant?" Again she heard the smile in his voice as he spoke:  
  
"No, this is Ord Mantell, a planet in the Mid Rim. Coruscant is yet ahead of us. Here we will resupply the ship and see if we cannot find some decent lodgings and a meal before we make the last run of the journey."  
  
Abira stood close to the Jedi as he paid the docking fee and exchanged pleasantries with the port officials. She felt rather insignificant and ignorant as they spoke of recent news in the Republic of Mandalorean raiders preying on non-member worlds close to the outer rim beyond somewhere called Kessel. Credits finally having changed hands, they set off at a brisk pace through the spaceport and into the marketplace. Although strange aliens bought and sold things, humans seemed to be much more numerous and droids bustled and wheeled about doing whatever they had been programmed or told to do. Yair paused and then stopped at a stall and put a hand on her shoulder briefly. He looked serious.  
  
"I will take two of these fruits, friend. Can you tell me where I can find a clothier in the market or the city proper? I need to buy some suitable attire for my companion." The green alien looked appraisingly at the Jedi, then at the girl beside him and then over their shoulders and back at them again. His head tentacles gave a little twitch as he spoke in Galactic Basic.  
  
[In the market there is no one that I would recommend. But if you go to the east square of the city you will find many covering vendors. You may find what you seek there. They are expensive, however, so I do hope that you have plenty more credits.] Again he looked past them for a moment as he handed over the fruit and took the credits that Yair handed him. Something about him made Abira slowly close her hands around the hilts of her vibro- daggers and she...felt...the Jedi also preparing himself, but did not see him move.  
  
"Brakt ni houmaishe gen soon a kasee!" The alien words slid abruptly from Yair's lips as he tossed back his hood with a sharp flick of his head and drew his robe back over his shoulders like a cape to expose his light sabers. Whether it was what he said, the light sabers or the scarring on his face, the shop keeper swiftly turned a mottled colour and held its empty hands chest height as it took one step back, appendages twitching.  
  
"Kasi na boone crath. Nayesh hamaya sen di Sith." It said pleadingly and flashed yet another glance behind them and then spoke in Basic once again. [I meant nothing to offend you. Merely I was telling you that it will be expensive. I desire no trouble. Please, please accept my sorrow at offending the great master.] Yair grunted in response and a sudden wave of...something... flowed out from him and behind them.  
  
"Let's go. There is nothing more to be done here. It was a...misunderstanding...that will never happen again." He turned and started to walk toward the east gate without a backward glance and Abira followed at a trot. She looked up at him in wonder for she had turned to see what the alien had been looking at behind them and saw four more of its species lying in crumpled heaps groaning and shaking their heads as if in agonizing pain.  
  
"Master Wemilo, they were bad aliens weren't they?" she asked as she trotted alongside him. Will I learn to do what it was that he did?  
  
"No better or worse than many, my young friend. They were just fortunate that I stopped there so that it would be us that they chose to waylay. The penalties for breaking the law are heavy on most planets. Look at it this way; it will be a long time before they decide to think again about expanding their business repertoire." he chuckled and fell silent for some time.

"Those Rylothians will have terrible trouble concentrating on anything at all for the next few days, I am afraid, and their lekku – those tentacles – will be limp for a tenday. Most Twi'Leks you will see are either slaves or scum. I said most; note that I did not say all. There have been a few Twi'Lek Jedi and they can make exceptional scouts At least we did get good directions, for here we are. This place belongs to the family of a Jedi I trained with in my youth. Come inside, child; the vibro-daggers you can keep but I think it important for you to have new clothes more befitting your new station in life. And a haircut. And a bath. In the reverse order, I think..." he tousled her hair and smiled broadly at the Corellian woman who stared at him open-mouthed for a moment before rushing forward to take his hand, tears in her eyes. _Has it really been so long?  
_

[That is truly disturbing news, Yair. The Sith presence on Jovan needs further investigation. I was going to send you to Dantooine and there you could have left your new pupil while you came to Coruscant to appear before the Council but there is not the need to go outwards again. Bring Abira to Coruscant. I will have an initiate take charge of her while we speak. Jomei will be here to meet you and together can you both return to Wild Space to see how deeply the Sith are entrenched. I am certain that he will enjoy any news of his family on Ord Mantell... May the Force be with you, my old student, and you also Padawan.]  
  
_I must have been seen on Ord Mantell._ Yair looked thoughtful as the communicator fell silent. They buckled their harnessing while the ship was prepped for takeoff. The astromech whirred and beeped as it ran last minute diagnostics and re-routed a faulty circuit from it's orifice behind the cockpit. Yair remained silent as the adjustors fired and the whine of the engine boosters rose to a crescendo. When they broke through into the stratosphere he still had not spoken and seemed more than happy to maintain his silence._ I wonder if these Jed are all so quiet. I am just going to have to ask him, then. Hmph.  
_  
"What is Dantooine? Why was he going to tell you to leave me there – I thought I would be with you now? Who sent that message – I've heard of Coruscant – was he a member of the Jedi Council? Your teacher...yes...He was your teacher when you were a padawan. What is a padawan anyway why don't you just say student?" Abira asked questions as if she were a repeating blaster in human guise and allowed no time for response from the Jedi pilot. She craned her neck to try to get a glimpse of him as he adjusted their destination coordinates. "Well?"  
  
"That was Master Manco Manipi, of the Jedi Council on Coruscant. I would be surprised if you had not heard of Coruscant even out there beyond the edge of the Outer Rim...it is the seat of the Republic; where the Galactic Republic government operates from and the ambassadors are stationed from all the member worlds that have representation. The whole planet is one great city; the only other that I have been to that is like it in that respect - within the Republic - is a smaller world called Taris. I have my own thoughts as to why Master Manco may have wished for you to remain on Dantooine... few know of the existence of a small Jedi enclave there. It is a pleasant enough world...grassy with a mild climate similar to Jovan," Yair smiled and she could hear it in his voice as he spoke, "but without minefields or Sith troopers. There are Kath hounds, however, powerful quadrupeds that have been known to attack settlers from time to time. Now it is time to go to sleep. There is a thermo blanket in the compartment that your helmet was resting on. Keep your flight harness buckled once you have it." The Jedi lapsed into silence and Abira slowly drifted into the darkness of sleep. _You never did tell me why it's padawan...my master.  
_  
Coruscant, a gleaming orb in the mantle of the galactic core and the principal diadem in the stellar crown of the Republic loomed into magnificence on the screen in front of Abira. Yair beheld the commanding view from the fighter's pilot seat. He transmitted the approach codes and coordinates of his destination and flight path routes were quickly supplied to his guidance system from planetary control. The gleaming city teemed with craft darting like schools of flying aquatics. _I don't like this place. Yair shook his head ruefully. I never have and I do not think I ever will._ He sighed and removed his hands from the controls as the tractor beam took hold of the ship and pulled them in to land on one of the floating docking ports.  
  
Abira was almost bouncing up and down on her seat with excitement. The ship had only been landed a few seconds and already her harness was off and she was standing and twisting her head about, staring, and oohing and aahing. Yair nodded his head, remembering how it was to be young and to arrive at a new planet as impressive as Coruscant seemed. _I am setting you on a path that you may not enjoy, my padawan, but you will embrace it and you will love it. I can feel the Force bursting forth all the more within you the longer we are together. _Unconsciously, his gloved hand brushed his facial scars as he released the cockpit canopy and breathed in the fresh air. That, at least, felt good. Any breathable planetary atmosphere was a relief after so long a time breathing the processed air of a spacecraft.  
  
"Come, Padawan, you can see everything much better if you actually get out of the ship." He called from the port cargo hatch. "We have many skyways to walk the way that I am taking us. Mostly exterior ones so you will have grand views, I should think. Come along." Port staff continued to unload containers from the cargo hold and removed the astromech from his place behind the stealth crafts' cockpit. Abira leapt from the third step down and relished the feel of her new robes as they fluttered in the breeze. _This feels so strange._ She toyed with the lone, long braid that trailed down one side of her neck. _But it all seemed to make that lady so happy on...Ord Mantell. This is my second planet! Ort the third? I don't care! Coruscant – I'm here!_

Laughing aloud she raced after Yair. People smiled and nodded as they moved aside for the Jedi Knight and his padawan learner. She could not keep her eyes on any one object for more than a few moments, but continually looked everywhere as if she were trying to take in every single thing. The droid followed closely behind her as Yair had instructed it to do, if it lost her it knew to activate its tracking system which was calibrated to locate the device planted in one of the girls' vibro-daggers. Pod after speeder after pod wended their way between the towering buildings, occasionally speeding over the skyways that they were walking on, much to Abira's delight.  
  
The number of brown robes amongst those around them gave an indication that they were nearing their goal. The Jedi Temple. A number of padawan children smiled and a few waved. Abira smiled shyly and scurried after her master. _All these younger ones have hair like mine. I look like I belong._ She felt her eyes fill with hot tears and quickly dashed them away with the backs of her hands. In the Jedi Order she had found a family. Already she had been given food, shelter, clothing and the thrill of interstellar travel. And she had given nothing, done nothing. _I'm gonna to be the best Jedi ever come from the Wilds. Master Wemilo is gonna be proud of me.  
  
_   
  
_What was that?_ A single figure sat up and looked about the dormitory, hands on the hilts of the vibro-daggers harnessed to her torso. A short distance away blaster fire erupted in the night. Not too far away she could sense people dying violently and this could mean only one thing: _We've been found._ Before this thought had even finished, Abira was on her feet strapping on the rest of her weaponry before most of the other students had done so much as sit up in their beds and rub their eyes. Orvin gave her one of his usual enigmatic winks and slipped naked from his bed, light saber in hand. He shrugged and pulled a dark brown robe over himself as his utility belt floated to him from the row of lockers. When Squad leader Dodonna burst through the door he found her pulling on her robe with one hand as she opened the weapons locker with the other and Orvin tugging up his trousers as he was breaking out the emergency packs and med-kits. He flashed a grim smile and nodded to the pair, unsurprised. _They are warriors, these two. Never off guard.  
_  
"Good to see you two are ready. Everyone to the hangar now, you know the drill. I mean NOW people! We've been compromised." He indicated to the pair at the lockers. "You two take the point, I will be with the others. If I am separated from the group, you are in charge. Chandi – you pilot the second transport. PD01 has them prepped and will fly too. When we get there, you two take a stealth fighter each and escort the transports. It's the Mandaloreans. There was a Sith Infiltrator with them but no Basilisks. The Guard and the Knights have moved out already to engage them and to...cover our withdrawal." The last of his words were spoken with a sense of finality not lost on the group. Silently, they moved out. Everyone knew it would be a very tense journey to the hangar.  
  
In the darkness they could see the blaster flashes moving toward the enclave and every so often could make out light sabers slashing in the darkness as the Jedi fought valiantly against their attackers. When they heard the hiss of one igniting off to the left a few of the younger students gasped and most eyes widened with horror and surprise when they beheld the lone figure looming out of the darkness.  
  
"Go on ahead Squad Leader, you and Chandi can pilot if we are late." Orvin jerked his head to Abira and his saber rose with an angry hiss to meet that of the Sith as they engaged. They had trained long hours together and their fierce attack caught the dark knight off guard. He laughed harshly as a chunk of his body armor flew into the darkness.  
  
"Still not trusted with a real weapon, child?" Lightning crackled forth from his empty hand and scattered diffusely from near the tip of Abira's vibroswords. The dark knight's eyes narrowed and with an angry growl the Sith attacked ferociously, slashing at both of the students alternately while blasting them with savage jolts of force lightning. Orvin faltered for a moment and put one hand to his head and then fell as a sudden blow to his side registered in his brain. And then he knew darkness.  
  
"You cannot hope to win alone, child.' the fallen knight hissed as his light saber sparked along the length of first one blade and then the other. "Why prolong the inevitable? ... Put your weapons aside and I will strike you down cleanly...Oh, what's this? I can feel your anger toward me. Give in to it ... embrace it and it will make you more challenging." His words flowed on, punctuating his fierce attack. "I cannot see...why my master...sent me here against...children. HA! Good; you are capable. But I will enjoy...killing yo...urgh" his gloating voice halted mid-sentence and he clawed at his throat in horrified amazement as his saber flickered and died on the ground beside him. His feet dangled a few centimeters off the ground and his eyes widened as his own light saber flew into the now empty right hand of his opponent.  
  
"I am not a child." Abira said calmly as she slashed at his gripping hands. Head and fingers fell separately as the body crashed to the ground. "Master calls me his Padawan". Hooking the captured weapon to her belt, she ran back to where Orvin was gingerly rising from the ground.  
  
"Girl, you have a kick like an enraged Bantha...I think you broke some ribs..." he rubbed the side of his head where half of his cropped hair was totally gone and his scalp was singed and blistered. "Not that I am complaining! That was far too close."  
  
"Slap a few med packs into you on your way to the hangar, Orvin. You have to run – they are under attack. I have another one of my ideas...I know...I know don't say it. Go, they need you." She surprised them both by giving him a brief kiss on the cheek before her voice faded into the dark behind her. "Don't wait for me and take both the fighters." He stood for a moment, torn between wanting to go with her and following her urgent command that he help the others. Then he too was running through the gloom, light saber hilt dark in one hand and her discarded vibrosword in the other.

The Mandalorean raiders could not believe their eyes when a small figure dropped into the midst of them from the trees and had two men down before they returned the attack. Two more of their number fell with blaster holes in their armor and she was gone leaving confusion in her wake.  
  
"What in the name of Mandalore was that? It looked like a girl." one trooper exclaimed with a curse. His Captain looked at the four fallen men and shook his head.  
  
"She was Jedi, soldier. I have killed a few of them before this night and may kill more after it. Plant explosives on the dead and move out." The heavy troopers continued their sweep through the darkness and every so often their night vision goggles gleamed as they glanced upwards. The same trick would not work twice.  
  
_Hmmm. This Infiltrator is not all that different to the Jedi stealth fighters_ Abira focused as she slipped out of the craft and haphazardly splashed the emblem of the Jedi order on both sides as its engines whined in preparation for take off. She looked at her impromptu artwork for a second. _I really hope this works 'cos if it doesn't I'm dead._ As the canopy closed over her helmeted head and she raised the craft's shields the Mandalorean party broke from the trees firing their heavy blaster rifles and deploying plasma grenades until she saw their commander ordering them to stop. He raised one fist in a salute to the young Jedi as she took off in her captured Sith Infiltrator and headed off into the atmosphere at an angle sharp enough for him to know she was heading for space.  
  
"I see you managed just fine without me. Care to let everyone know about my new ship before I join the party...I'd hate to get it all banged up by my friends." Orvin and Chandi laughed in relief and amazement as the Infiltrator flew out of the vapour of the Mandalorean fighters and Abira's voice hailed them over the Jedi frequency.  
  
"Not a problem. Guess we'll have to call you 'Rogue One' now. You can tell me all about it later. I guess I wasn't the only one caught with his pants down tonight..." Orvin was grinning as he sent a coded transmission to the enclave refugee ships about their new escort ship and then he hailed her. "Rogue One, this is Escort One, you're welcome to join us."  
  
"Ok Jin..." Squad Leader Dodonna's voice cut in; "Good thinking there Padawan – but what is that muck you used to put the emblems on that ship? It looks messy as hell, but it was certainly effective enough. It confused those Mandalorean pilots sufficiently to make them hold their fire a little too long. That is a damned feat all on its own, Rogue One." His voice conveyed a ...sense...of pride that warmed her.  
  
"Well, you know those glitter bugs? Their eggs glow; so when I was up in the trees I grabbed a bunch of them and squeezed them into a paste. Blasted things stink like rancor breath!" Laughter came over the com channel and over it she heard PD01's clipped metallic voice. 

"That was clever, for a young human, Padawan. I do believe we can learn what you were doing up in trees later. If your ship is capable, are you ready to make the hyperspace jumps? Wonderful! I'm sending the coordinates now." The refugee ships gave that little twist ships do when they make the jump; and disappeared. A lump rose in Abira's throat as they vanished and she was alone in the expanse of space. Alone only if she excluded the raiders' cruisers five hundred kilometers to port. _If I can see them, they can see me... I've never done this before but I'd better do it fast._ With a steadiness that denied her feelings, the young pilot double checked the instruments and controls and activated the hyperdrive.


	2. The New Kid

Abira brought her Infiltrator down between the two Jedi fighters in the landing bay adjacent to the one accommodating the transporters piloted by PD-01 and one of the Jedi who had made it to the escape craft.

[Orvin, come on over 'n help me check over my ship. I'll lower the ramp. How the hell do I open it again...?] She depressed a likely button and grunted as a hatch opened somewhere. That was not the main ramp. _Hmmm..._ On her third try, she had the satisfaction of hearing Orvin's footfalls below her as he boarded her new ship.

Running a hand over the steel-grey finish, Orvin sensed a strange dissonance in the Force. _How odd. If that dark Jedi left a strong enough taint for me to feel it several days later on the hull, I wonder how Abira feels after being in his seat and in his living quarters?_ He continued up the ramp and opened several hatches on his way to the turbo lift that accessed the flight deck. He stretched and twisted his neck from side to side.

Chandi grinned tiredly and opened the canopy of her own ship. As she climbed down she immediately made for the other hangar where the pilots had opened all vents and lowered boarding ramps so that everyone could get some atmospheric air in their lungs after being cooped up in the ship for several days._ It's just as well we had the hyperdrive rings in orbit for those fighters._. _I feel sorry for Orvin in that cramped cockpit; sometimes it pays to be short! _

"Ophuchi is really too cloistered for my taste. I need a little more, well, freedom." The others looked at her with a mixture of expressions. None of them had been called before the Great Council even once; and they had been here since they were practically infants.

"You are complaining about being invited to train with the Masters on the homeworld? Does my hearing still work correctly?" The large Quianite blinked his aqua eyes with exaggerated slowness and opened his mouth in what could only be described as a gape. The small group exchanged knowing glances as one of their number cut the dark skinned speaker off as he was about to continue.

"Stow it, Tabib. Not everyone comes from a backwater pastoral planet like you."

"Actually, padawan," Abira stated neutrally "I do come from just such a pastoral and backwater planet in Wild Space. It is called Jovan and I was five when I was found and taken from the place. It wasn't great, but it was home."

"Jovan. Jovan. Hmm... hey – isn't that a place some Knights were sent to a few years back? I heard Master Jair Wemilo took a team and left in a hurry and hasn't been seen since."

"That's not exactly so. He sends transmissions to the Council, and I was called to assist on a few missions myself when I was at the Temple on Coruscant." They looked at her oddly so she explained. _Skeptical bastards this lot_. "Yair Wemilo was the Knight who discovered I was force sensitive. Actually, I was using the Force quite actively, but he is the one who gave me somewhere to go. I was his padawan learner." _So during my training I actually did go on a number of missions with him – hello kids...What a relief, good old Orvin._ The lanky young Knight strolled up, three training droids bobbing along in his wake.

"Hi Rogue. I hope you lot don't mind, but I need to give this slacker a test. Won't take but a few minutes" He grinned amiably at the mystified group of students and jerked his head at Abira. "Over there will do. Put this on." He handed her a blast helmet and winked surreptitiously. Abira's eyes twinkled as she slipped the helmet over her head. This was a game that they had played often, unbeknownst to their training masters. But that was before her first true combat. She hefted her light saber and ignited it, savouring the startled gasps of the other students. _Oh, go kill your own dark Jedi and you can have one just like it. Ouch...that hurt! _She concentrated all her attention on the feeling of the little droid circling her. _That charged bolt had a bit more bite to it than the ones we use in the training arena._ She blocked the next bolts in quick succession and grinned under the face plate as she sensed the second droid join the first. _Just like Orvin. Got to keep me on my toes._

The small group of students grew as others came outside for their meal break and noticed the odd sight of a helmeted padawan wielding a light saber, which was unusual enough on its own, against not one but two satellite droids. Bolt after bolt was met by the red blade as the student warily circled. Her skill was impressive and murmurs passed to and fro amongst the onlookers. Several of them winced as a muffled curse issued forth from the helmet. A shot had gotten through, but not from the two circling droids; it had been from a stationary droid hidden in the lowest branches of a nearby tree.

"That's not playing nice!" the girl spoke as she deflected two simultaneously incoming bolts at once directly at the guilty droid. Pieces of it showered the Knight conducting the test.

"That will be all, padawan. Secure your weapon. Very satisfactory... I did not expect to need the fourth droid, I must admit, it was merely a feeling that I had on the way here. As you were, I need to speak to your weapon master." Orvin looked thoughtful as he walked away, again with three droids in tow; the fourth lying in smoking ruins on the grass.


	3. Rogue's Return

The skylanes were teeming with Jedi craft making last minute and unannounced dockings at the Jedi Temple. Hyperspace transit hubs between Coruscant and Ophuchi, their adopted homeworld, had experienced an unusually heavy flow of craft transmitting the highest of security codes and planetary control was abuzz with speculation. Almost unnoticed in the excitement, a ship reading as the 'Guardian Knight' entered the Coruscant stratosphere for the first time in twenty-five years. There was a great deal of carbon build up on the hull, but the port authorities could pretty much make out all the lettering. The code she was transmitting was almost as old as her last visit, but it checked out and she was given clearance to dock.

* * *

The Temples' main training hall echoed with the sounds of light sabers powering off. What had just transpired had been an impressive display of weapon prowess, Force powers and battle tactics. By the time the weapon master had called an end to the duel virtually everyone at the academy who was not engaged in duties was present, and avidly watching the spectacle. The entire gathering, including a highly unusual number of Masters and Council members, regarded the young adept with respect and even awe. It was clear that she was a better fighter than the academy's Master of the Blade whom only an elite few had ever fought to a standstill. Abira Jin was the first – student or otherwise - to whom he had conceded defeat in over a century at the post. He was serious in expression and supple limbed in the way that only dancers, athletes and warriors ever seem to be.

The way out of the training ring was slowly clearing as those with duties that they had postponed silently slipped away to attend to them. Looking around at all those gathered, the weapon master indicated vaguely with his open hand as he attached his saber to his belt.

A figure in Jedi robes so dark a brown as to be almost black bowed its head at the Weapon Master's subtle acknowledgement and quietly and unobtrusively made its way out of the hall. Within minutes the figure was outside the Temple and heading for an adjacent tower. To any observer it was obvious that pre-flight systems were tended to by a droid for, as soon as the canopy closed, the 'Guardian Knight' joined a skylane.

Back in the Jedi Temple, the training hall was abuzz with subdued conversations. Across to the side, a group of very young Padawans were enthusiastically performing a fair re-enactment of the defeat of their Master. Older and wiser Padawans quickly distanced themselves from any perception of complicity, for they had quickly noticed their Master's roaming eyes taking everything in even as he addressed his opponent.

"I will speak to you in my rooms, Padawan Jin. There is a matter that we need to discuss." Silently, the two duelists passed through the spectators and into the Masters chambers. The doors closed silently behind them. After some time had passed, everyone who had witnessed the fantastic display had moved on to other pursuits and duties. Jedi at the academy did not generally have much free time, so none wasted much of it in the hope of congratulating her personally.

The post-duel interview had not gone as well as could have been hoped, for it had gone awry around about the time that she made the statement that her feelings sometimes helped her to focus her Force capabilities. '_Forbidden...it's forbidden -within the Order - Remember the code'. I KNOW the code...and the code of the Twain on top of your code you ignorant nerf herder!_ She growled audibly as she strode through the Temple entrance hall, eliciting startled glances from two nearby students. She ignored their curious looks and their shocked observations about her appearance. Her black robed form quickly passed out of view, obviously lost in her own contemplations. _Two damned hours of meditation for using emotions to fuel me in combat; more likely two hours' meditation for wiping the floor with his ass in front of almost the entire school, much less the Padawans. In the end he still had to cut my braid. _A grin danced across her face. _It was worth every minute of meditation..._Lost in her reveries, she was startled at just how quickly she had reached the hangar bay.

"Ah, there you are Rogue, it's about time; we already have the cargo loaded. Here're the delivery coordinates.' Nathifa handed a datapad to Abira and gave a tight-lipped smile, "It still strikes me as unusual to have a Jedi as my only viable smuggler to a Sith planet."

"I may transport cargo's there, but never weaponry..." Abira returned her own crooked smile. "Give me that at least. Heh heh."

"No, I'll grant you that – never armaments, my friend. Not that they're my field anyhow. Things are spicy enough in this business as it is." Both women shared a snicker at the bad joke as the datapad was checked, exchanged hands to be rechecked, and was then pocketed. "It's so damned irregular to have a smuggler that no-one will search at any port. It goes against all my instincts to load shipments openly in a hold – you know that, don't you? Handy; but bloody weird at the same time. Have a safe trip, Rogue." Nathifa smiled and Abira raised a hand in farewell as she turned and entered the 'Obsidian Knight'.

Almost as soon as she was out of the atmosphere and was prepping for the hyperspace jump the communicator light flashed. _That's odd. I wonder who that could be..._ she flipped the switch. "Abira Jin here. I'm listening." Nathifa's voice sprang to life almost immediately in Tradoshan. Not many non-Tradoshans could actually speak the sibilant tongue of the reptilian people.

[Hey Rogue – I just pinned it – your braid is gone! I couldn't figure it while we were standing in the hangar, but there was something 'bout the way you looked. - The hair and the style of your robes is different. Congratulations, kid. Safe journey – let's have a drink or ten when you get back.]

[Thanks and sure thing. Gotta jump now.] The ship seemed to twist and then disappeared in a flash of afterburners.

* * *

"Get off me dianoga breath! Overgrown wamp rat! Bubo! Mynock! Argh!" spluttered the slim, hawk-nosed man as he attempted to push the Hutt's tail off of his wriggling torso. "Rancor droppings! Urk..."

[Ho ho ho ho ho!... You talk too much human, and you scare too easily. I should crush you like the worm you are. But if I did that, who would know where to go back and pick up the stims? No, I need you alive for now,] Kare the Hutt lifted his tail slightly and brought it down heavily once again, enjoying the human's stifled gasp of pain. [in one piece and breathing enough to talk. Ho ho ho ho!]

"Squash him, slug, and I am taking my services elsewhere. Killing valuable sentients is bad business; especially when I need them to fulfill your contract." If he had a better view the human might actually have been able to tell if the sudden lifting of the Hutt's tail was due to a physical threat or merely the quiet female voice. Standing as quickly as his bruised body would allow he turned to see who dared to speak to Kare this way. _She has balls that clank! Better be holding a thermal detonator at least when you talk to a Hutt that way... _The sight that met his eyes, however, caused him to stare in utter disbelief; for what he saw was a very well built, but not too tall, human female narrowly out of schooling age. She was coolly returning his gaze with a dismissive one of her own, taking in his rumpled and stained clothes, outdated blaster charge packs and impact vest with an air of disdain.

[Ah... ho! This is the truth of the matter, Rogue. You cut straight to the heart, as usual. Iyapo here was just agreeing to guide you to where he...misplaced...my shipment of stims. We have made no agreement as to what you do with him after that. Perhaps if it is not too much trouble, you could slip him out an air lock. Ho ho ho.] Demothi Iyapo did not find it particularly encouraging that the girl merely raised one eyebrow at this suggestion as she turned her dark eyes on him once again.

"Hey – I was on my way back to pick it up when that bounty hunter disabled my ship. It wasn't my fault! C'mon, we can work something out, there's no need for the air lock!" He scowled at Rogue and drew himself up to his full height. _Hmm, she doesn't look impressed. Well – it was worth a shot Uh oh.._. "Hey, Kare, there's no need for binders."

"He's right. No binders. No-one runs from me."

[Your choice, human, he will try to run again I am sure. But that is now your concern. Bring me my stims.] The Hutt turned and slithered away with his retainers in tow. A few of the bounty hunters in the retinue nodded to the girl before they turned away. Demothi's eyes narrowed. _No-one runs from me, she says... is she a bounty hunter? Can't be; can she? They're a tight knit bunch though, and those guys did seem to acknowledge her. Only one way to find out I guess..._

_Huh – what happened?_ Opening his mouth to speak was the last thing he remembered before this blasted beeping brought him round. _I'm still alive. I'm in a ship. We either just came in or out of hyperspace going on that alarm. This is good. I can work with this. And I would be on her ship. Nice; one of the new Sienar designs. She has probably had a few mods made. I know I would've. _

"What are the coordinates, Demothi? This is where that hunter picked you up – your ship is gone, by the way – so according to your story the stims were dumped somewhere round here. Be a good fellow and tell me where they are, ok? I don't want to have to do this the other way." The pilot seat swung round and his captor smiled sweetly at him. Lightning danced across the tips of one outstretched hand. "You don't want that either."

"I, uh, that is I mean...erm...in my vest – the coords are in a chip in my vest. Erm, are those light sabers? Are you – never mind." The sweet smile turned coy as the pretty girl slid from the seat and walked over to him. As she leaned down to locate the chip with the coordinates for the stims Iyapo tried hard not to think too much about the expanse of shadowed skin that he could see due to the partially unsealed neck of her flight suit.

"You should bathe more often. Did anyone ever tell you that? I doubt it." Rogue wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You smell like a three day dead Bantha. Aah, here it is. I'll just retrieve them and we can get this over with. On second thought..." suddenly Demothi regained the ability to move "...you can suit up and go out for the damn stuff. Pressure suits're in that locker – the open one."

'I bet even you'd smell like a three day dead Bantha too if you spent an hour under a Hutt, wench. Ok – where is my thermal cutter...I might need it." _Hey – her laugh is as pretty as her...hold up there man. Settle down. Lightning on the fingers, light sabers; that kind of thing can shorten one's life..._

"I don't think you need one just yet, Demothi. If the need arises, I am sure we can address...whatever comes up."

_How did I end up out here in the middle of the Run floating round in a pressure suit collecting cargo...oh yeah. Sector Patrols. And a woman, there's always a woman. _He grinned widely as he finished collecting the stim containers. _Helluva woman she is too. I reckon I'll just have to remind myself to count my fingers quite a bit. _Some movement off to his left made him turn aside just as he was about to slip through the cargo hatch after shoving the last box through. That slight movement saved his life. He stared at the blaster scar on the hull for a millisecond then scrambled in and slammed the hatch.

[Powering up shields now. At least I have you safe on board first.] The tinny voice in his helmet carried a smile with it. _I'm too damn scared to care right now._

"Uh, thanks. I think. Are we going now?" Dem lurched into the bulkhead several times as he made his way from the cargo hold to the co-pilot seat. "Bumpy ride. Any idea who's shooting at me – umm – us?" He looked at the view screen and strapped himself in.

"Friends of yours, I should think. That looks like the ship you described to me as your missing baby. Just coming to port...now. She's keeping unfriendly company right now."

"Shavit – that IS my ship. Sunsabitchesgotmyship! Any chance we could..." he let her captain's heart fill in the unspoken question in his kath-pup eyes. Her lips narrowed and she tossed him an annoyed glance as she cancelled her accelerating evasive maneuvers.

"Since you put it that way;" she reached out to flip a solitary switch, "hang on".

The Obsidian Knight suddenly disappeared from sight and the sensors of the attacking ships as she cloaked. Dem and Rogue both had savage grins plastered to their faces as she fired ion torpedoes into each of the attacking ships to knock out their engines and op systems. Appearing in the middle of the floating vessels, the Infiltrator eased up to the Corellian freighter and closed in to dock.

"Stay here, things are going to get really nasty for anyone within ten metres of me; I am not messing around with pirates and worrying about you at the same time. Do me a favour and keep an eye on those other ships there's something out there that's bugging me... My weapons and shields are operational, but you'll have no propulsion; you have my sympathy – but not my trust. Don't make me regret this." _What am I doing risking my ass for this guy? If he had have just shut up...grr... but he had to appeal to me as a pilot. Damn it._

"Hey – if you get me my ship back and I survive Kare's contract, I'll owe you big time. Ok? Trust me. I may be a smuggler and a scoundrel, but I take my baby very seriously. Same as you." He ran a hand through his long, brown hair and gave her a quirky smile. _I really like this kid. And that is very, very bad for me, I think. _He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she checked her light sabers, strapped on a grenade bandolier and checked the settings on her blasters. _She's got sonic grenades and a Bothan squealer too? Ouch._

Without a word the young woman activated her Yusani shields and left the cabin. He heard her as she passed through the ship and he punched up the camera over the docking hatch in time to see her duck through. She had put on a dark hooded robe on the way. _Smart kid; they won't know what species or how young she is._

Abira pushed the button that activated her sound dampening unit around her waist and opened herself to the Force. Silently, she slipped through the docking hatch. The pirate now standing immobile, hand on blaster with a terrified expression on his face, behind a curve in the bulkhead had been easy. A little Force push and a free-floating flash mine that he had set as a clumsy trap on the hatch had taken care of him. Abira gestured toward him as she secured the mine. _Lights out, ugly; now let's see about your five buddies._

* * *

Hulking beside the small human woman, Kare looked at the motley collection of space pirates and the assorted gear sitting in tidy piles under the watchful eye of an impressively armed and armoured Demothi Iyapo. _So they call her 'mind-screamer', interesting. And she still uses no binders, even more interesting. I will have to make use of this one._

[Ahm-hmm. I see you have done what my hunters could not; these pirates have been raiding my ships for the last few years. You go out to retrieve a shipment and...] the Hutt thumped its tail in annoyance [...and capture the whole operation in one hit. This will be quite a profitable transaction for you, youngling. Your acquaintance from Coruscant is sending a ship and pilots for the craft that you did not choose to sell. You have good taste in vessels; I would have kept the same ones myself.]

Rogue nodded peremptorily and glanced aside watching a stir amongst the bounty hunters as one of them separated himself from the group and walked over to share a few quiet words with his former mark. She smiled at the way Demothi casually rested his hand on the butt of a Zabrak pistol, one of a pair slung about his waist.

[You can see my chamberlain for payment later. Now – come; let us get in out of the suns.] Kare's guard contingent put binders on the pirates and led them away. Rogue looked to where Demothi was overseeing the valuation and packing away of the gear they had decided was either not needed or was not valuable enough to hang on to. Shrugging her shoulders at his inquisitorial look, she turned and caught up to the Hutt as he reached the cantina. Not far from the door, Kare stopped to order a vile drink for himself from a passing servo-droid and Tarisian ale for the human.

[Quite a haul, girlie.] A lean and surprisingly tall Rodian planted himself belligerently in front of the young smuggler turned bounty hunter.

[Don't do it.] Rogue looked him over and smiled charmingly. Then she sighed as the Rodian put a hand to her chest and gave her a shove. She allowed it to carry her a few steps backwards. _I don't think I have to kill this guy. I hope not anyway. The more room the better anyhow._

[I have been hunting that scum for two years. It cost me a lot of credits. I was only a parsec away when you opened fire. I could have helped. In my view, my scanning those vessels you torpedoed while you went on the Corellian ship entitles me to a share. Here is my estimate. You will pay it, or you will die here.] He obviously expected a response other than the quiet snort of incredulity. His ear stalks quivered with anger as his datachip was dropped to the floor as she turned her back to him. [I will be paid!]

"Not today you won't, those are just costs of doing business. Find a weaker target, friend. Let me buy you a drink."

The Rodian's snarl of rage turned into a howl of agony as he clutched the cauterised stump that was suddenly at the end of his arm. Every being in the cantina froze and of all the regular sounds, all that could be heard was the faint dripping of the ale tap and the whirr of a small cleaning droid as it swept up a shower of broken tankards.

[I told you not to do it. I tell you what I will do; I will let you live. Does that sound good? If it does, nod; ok then. I will extend to you another offer; take this and have a hand fitted. If I ever see you again – just never let me see you again...]

Tucking the wallet of deca-credits into a pouch, the wounded bounty hunter picked up his hand and stumbled out into the street. Dem nodded to Rogue and surreptitiously slipped out the side door. The snap hiss of her light saber powering down acted as the switch that activated the patrons once more into a deafening crescendo of sound. Kare slithered over to Rogue with a huge smile and some half eaten rodent clutched in one hand.

[I too am considered small amongst my people. We are always underestimated, we little ones.] Heaving with laughter the hut popped the creature into its maw and chewed noisily, apparently oblivious to the human's moue of distaste. [Why you requested it I cannot imagine, but the death mark has been removed from the head of Demothi.]

* * *

Demothi looked across the breakfast nook in the comfortable quarters provided by Kare for as long as they were needed. _Overgrown slug never offered me as much as a drink._

"So, what happens now my pretty benefactor? You got my cargo and ship back and a death mark lifted from my head. I'd say I owe you." He admired the sleek form beneath the black sleep suit while she had her back to him. _Damn, girl, you could sure make a man forget his troubles_.

"Yeah yeah – not to mention getting you some pretty armour and a cache of weapons any professional merc would kill for... just remember that you owe me big time, as you put it back on my ship. Now that this sector is no good for you, I recommend that you go to Coruscant and speak to Nathifa Mieko at Hanger thirty-fifty-one. You can organize it with her team when they arrive to pick up my fleet. I have already programmed the clearance codes in your nav comp that will get you through planetary control. Be sensible, Dem, Coruscant security teams tend to shoot first and read your indent after if there is a misunderstanding. You aren't wanted on Coruscant, are you?"

"Who, me? Nobody wants me. Er, nobody else, that is. Nobody that ever recognized me anyway." He smiled lopsidedly and took a gulp of caf that burnt his tongue. He smiled at her reassuringly. _Nope, she's not buying it. Ah, the hell with it anyway. Blasted females! "Ok_ ok – no I am not wanted on Coruscant. Hell, I have hardly ever even stopped over in the Galactic Core, ok? Satisfied, woman?" Abira gave him an odd look as she turned round and brought her food over to the table to eat.

"Good enough, Dem. Good enough."


End file.
