Star Wars - Tales from the Outer Rim

"Savax, Part 4: Don't Hate the Game, Hate the Players"
Girra Xel-Xux Zillar, PC (Smuggler & Bounty Hunter)
Kruluk Vekker, NPC (Crime Lord)
Laerron, NPC (Assassin)
Jalahana, NPC (Body Guard, Criminal)
Morg Nar, NPC (Criminal)

Location: Somewhere Outside New Plouton
Date: Lythe 26, 4ABY

***

Girra again awoke with great disorientation. Again she was somewhere new. Around her she could hear the sniveling and growling of beasts. She was outside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. This is getting old, she thought to herself. She looked around to see Laerron, Jalahana, Vekker, a pack of leashed Vornskrr, and three other people she had yet to have the displeasure of meeting. To her left was the Rodian Ne'Chak, nervously bobbing his head back and forth, making an irritable noise of anxiety and of his pain from the injury she had dealt him prior to their situation. To her right was the T'surr, who was also leashed and chained. He was quite agitated and raging. The other three people were a human male, an Iktochi man, and a female Falleen. All three were armed and ready for a hunt it seemed to Girra. Some entertainment, she thought drearily. The things I find myself in.

Vekker, who was now dressed in fatigues and a vest walked around in front of his captures. "Good morning," he said a bit too cheerfully. "My friends over here," he pointed to the three, "have paid good money for you to run for your lives!"

"I'd ask for my money back," Girra cracked.

"Oh on the contrary, darling," Jalahana stated. "You will run, and hopefully put up a good enough fight for these people, else you shall be devoured by these ravenous pups!"

The vornskrrs queued in with evil howls and barks of their anticipation.

"You see, you are given the chance for your freedom and lives. All you have to do is run. Make it to civilization, and you live. But you are going to be hunted.,,and I doubt you will make it to civilization as we are pretty much in the middle of nowhere," the Iktochi explained.

Girra looked around; there was nothing but trees and not the faintest sound of a nearby city or anything. Well shit! she thought. Kruluk and the others stepped onto a platform that raised them up several stories.

"You will have a ten minute start. Now GO!" he bellowed.

Immediately the three captives were released from there bonds. The Rodian took off for his life. T'surr also fled, growling in rage. Girra stood for a moment, looking to the trees, to the vornskrr and finally to her captor's above on the platform.

"You all will regret this, I promise," she vowed.

Nobody said a word, but the vornskrr growled their own retort as Girra took off at a fast pace. In what had to be less than ten minutes, a shot was fired, and she could hear the vornskrr barking and howling. They released them! she exclaimed to herself. She did not bother to look back; she kept running deeper into the forest. Ahead she saw the Rodian scrambling up a tree. Fool! Girra shouted mentally. She didn't waste any time in concern for him though. She kept running. There was no sign of the T'surr.

Five minutes later the sound of the vornskrr was picking up closer. Then she heard a blaster shot. Ne'Chak, she thought, as the sounds of several of the vornskrr were in a mad frenzy. She visualized the Rodian being torn to bits. She kept running, even as the Rodian howled and gurgled in his terrible death.

Girra ran and ran, hurdling fallen limbs, and dodging large rocks in her path. She thought she heard a stream up ahead, and continued towards the sound as the blood thirsty vornskrr grew closer and closer.

Girra splashed out from the tree line into the stream. It wasn't very deep at all, though some meters wide. She tore a piece of loose fabric from her pants, where a sharp branch had cut through. It had blood on it. She ran up the stream a ways and saw the T'surr making his way diagonally across the stream. She exited the stream and poked the fabric onto a jagged lightning struck limb, and made her way across the stream.

Hopefully they will catch the scent, and head for the T'surr, she thought. She was just clearing the stream when she heard the vornskrr splashing to the edge of the stream. She bent down to grab a sharp and jagged stone, just as a blaster bolt fizzled by where her head would have been a second before. "Damn it!" she cursed aloud. And scrambled into the trees ahead. The vornskrr did give pause, but they divided between pursuing the T'surr and Girra.

Girra jigged and zagged as fast as she could through the trees, all the while cutting at the waist line of her pants with the stone. She managed to tear open a section, and she spared a moment to stop and dig in with her fingers. She pulled out a small finger sized device; it was flat with three different colors, red, yellow and green. She pressed the green button and continued to run for her life. The device was a small slave chip; she could activate her ship, the Helix, as she did by pressing the button. The chip was also a global positioning beacon, allowing the Helix to zero in on her location, even as she continued to run. She just didn't know how far she was. She had no real idea. In any case, it wouldn't take the Helix long to find her at full throttle. Come on, baby!! she urged as she ran and ran.

To what seemed like an eternity for Girra, it had only been about thirty standard minutes. At any moment she expected the vornskrr to be on her, or for which ever one of the hunters to blast a gaping whole in her back. Girra was in the best shape of her life, but she thought this was crazy. She couldn't keep this up much longer. The direction she had been going was leading her uphill. Not good...going to slow me down, she cursed to herself.

Without knowing the general whereabouts of her pursuers, she knew she could not double back. She had to trudge forward. The incline wasn't too bad, but it burned on her thighs, and her lungs. She no longer heard the vornskrr, but that didn't make her feel a whole lot better. The incline seemed to be leveling off; Girra desperately wished for a rest, but she knew that she could not. The trees began to thin some and Girra saw open sky through the trees. She felt a knot in chest as the fatigue was getting to her.

A blaster shot splintered a small tree to her left. Girra ducked to the right, rolling on the ground and back to her feet, dodging around trees and jogged for some cover. And then she heard it. The sound of what had to be her ship. She continued running forward, heading for what looked like a clearing in the trees. She could hear the Helix roaring towards her from behind, she almost lost her breath with giddy anticipation. Another blast scorched earth and kicked up dirt behind her heels, and another, and another. She ran out past the trees and pressed the yellow button on her slave chip. The yellow button commanded the Helix to take a defensive position as it would land at the nearest site capable. She made it through into the clearing as laser bolts whizzed passed either side of her head.

The Helix roared around just past the trees in the clearing, its starboard facing the tree line as it settled low enough to the ground for the ramp to release. Girra pressed down on the red button and jumped up to the ramp hovering before her. Immediately following her command, the Helix's starboard repeating blaster chewed away at a 180 degree firing arc ahead. The tree line was ablaze in blaster fire as Girra dragged herself aboard. She jogged to the cockpit and disengaged the weapon as she slammed into her command couch. She took control of her ship, and blasted the hell on out of there for open space.

She looked out the cockpit as the Helix gained altitude, she saw no one. She punched the engines and flew on. "I'll be back, assholes, and you all will die!" she screamed aloud.

The Helix thundered up and out of the planet's atmosphere as she set an orbital course around Tae'Karada. She engaged the auto pilot and wearily made her way to her suite. She entered the room and passed out on her bed.

"Sins of the Daughter"
By: Amii'a Val'or

Location: New Plouton
Date: Lythe 26, 4ABY

***

It was cozy and warm inside the domed facilities of one of New Plouton's Botanical Gardens. It was growing colder outside, as winter set in. People of all walks of life and from any given corner of the galaxy leisurely strode about the maze-like paths of alien fauna from far off places. Some people came in from the cold of outside, a stop from their daily bustle, perhaps for a lunch break from work. There were children on some field trip, being corralled by their chaperones. Some were lovers, stealing a moment of time in their busy day for a romantic interlude.

Amii'a sat on a hover-bench watching the people around her. Especially that of an older couple and their young child. Anyone else would probably deduce that the child was their grandchild, but Amii'a knew otherwise. Amii'a wasn't there to take in the plant life. She wasn't there on a lunch break, nor was she awaiting a romantic interlude. She was spying. Spying on the couple and their young child. She watched as the man and woman showered affection upon the small girl, their eyes bright with love and approval, the smiles on their faces showing their pride and their personal joy for their offspring. Amii'a's heart sank as she recalled the affections she once knew of her own parents, the exact same look in their eyes, the exact same smile...and at the same time her heart burned with anger and sorrow, as her memories and feelings replayed the looks of betrayal, where once trust was conveyed. Where once her parents' eyes shone with approval and pride, all she could see and feel was their dismay, their embarrassment...

The little girl's name was Ro'dhina. Ro'dhina Val'or. She was the daughter of Qristoff and Narrisa Val'or, the man and woman that stood across and down the path from where Amii'a sat and watched. Her own parents, once upon a time. It wasn't so long ago, Amii'a knew, when she still had the love, the support, of being her parents' pride and joy...but that all changed with her joining the rebellion. From that day on she ceased to be their daughter, she might as well have had died, for to her parents, she was dead to them.

Look how they have moved on, Amii'a thought to herself as she watched the little family of three. Their sweet little girl, born into a free galaxy...going about their lives just as content as can be. She had thought things might have changed after the Empire fell. Her parents ostracized her for her disloyalty to the Empire, and her desire to join the Rebellion against the Empire. They were staunch loyalists to the rightful regime of the galaxy. Palpatine had been elected, given powers to create an army to protect and defend the Old Republic, having come out a hero after the Clone Wars...Amii'a herself once thought as they did, caught up in the propaganda of the New Order, blinded from the truth. But she saw the truth, why couldn't they? Why wouldn't they?

Amii'a had attempted to contact and reconcile with her parents once before, after the Rebels' victory on Endor. She had gone to her parents' home in the Yesdol District. The Empire had lost, its evil was being extinguished so that freedom could again spread throughout the galaxy, freedom for all. She had risked her life time and again in service of the Rebellion, in service for all those who had been subjugated, for her own family who blindly believed in the New Order, or at least in its supposed ideologies in contrast to the failed and corrupt Old Republic. The butler who answered the door simply told her he was sorry, that she had the wrong address, because the Val'or family only ever had one daughter, and her name was not Amii'a. She was crushed.

Her parents gathered their little girl in their arms, showering her with the love Amii'a once knew. After all I helped to fight for, the sacrifices I have made... They just turn their backs on me, the horrible daughter, the traitorous daughter! Amii'a raged to herself. They remain here, to live their life, a new life with a new daughter, amidst the freedoms I risked my life to help bring about...and yet I am still dead to them...

Her mother and father took the child by her hands, and walked with her towards Amii'a's position. They walked past her, oblivious to her presence. Amii'a rose and followed them at a slight distance. The little girl turned her head back and smiled at Amii'a, the big sister she didn't know and probably never would know.

"A Cause to Celebrate"
By Amii'a Val'or
Theen Fida

Location: New Republic Embassy, Yallyssar District, New Plouton
Date: Lythe 26, 4ABY

***

Amii'a stood atop the New Republic Embassy in the Yallysar District of New Plouton. She was flanked by a humble honor guard of New Republic Marines, and an equal number of the Chimaerian Diplomatic Corps. Guard (being an honorary guard unit for local dignitaries and visiting dignitaries). The Freedom's Venture was just landing on the rooftop landing platform. The newer model Lambda Class shuttle settled down and the ramp disengaged. From the doorway the giant Anx that was Theen Fida emerged and disembarked his ship. Following from behind was a small entourage of aides that had accompanied him on his trip.

"Welcome home, Ambassador!" Amii'a greeted as she matched his stride and strode with him from the landing pad to the turbolift. "I trust your trip to the Core went well, yes?"

Theen Fida was the New Republics Ambassador to Chimaeria, but Tae'Karada had long been called home to the towering Anx. He stood 4 meters to Amii'a's 1.5, and his bulky alien body easily out-weighed her slim and petite human form at least three-fold. But underneath his somewhat menacing alien appearance, was the kindest and most compassionate soul Amii'a had ever known.

"Yes, my dear, it went very well, I'm pleased to say," Theen answered with a huge toothy smile. "We have cause for a celebration! Yes indeed!" he beamed.

Amii'a chuckled at her friend's delight. "Wonderful. Though you know how stuffy those things are to me!" she joked. "Everyone kissing ass, only to talk bantha poodoo behind one's back the next day, after they have all been liquored up and made Nerf-asses of themselves....well, yes, a celebration is indeed in order, I could use a good laugh!"

"I see you have not taken to my order while I have been gone. You should have taken some time for yourself, to unwind my dear. Your dedication to the affairs and future well being of Tae'Karada is most commending, but you need time for yourself too," Theen chided.

Amii'a gave him a soft sad look, like a little girl who had just been reprimanded by her father. "Who else would keep the vultures at bay while you were away?!" she retorted. "I'm fine...really. And I do plan on taking some time in the near future, I promise."

The two entered the turbolift down several levels and crossed the hall to the skybridge that linked both the towering buildings of the N.R.'s Embassy. Below them the traffic of Yallyssar whizzed here and whizzed there as the day's bustle began to unwind with the setting of the sun.

"So what good news do you bring to the Outer Rim from the Core, Ambassador?" Amii'a asked.

"I have managed to set up a visit by five very prominent Coreward conglomerates, who have interests in bringing various branches of the corporations here to Chimearia. They could well bring in trillions to the economy over the next five years."

"Really? Impressive. New business is always good."

"Indeed, and of course Chimaerian sub-contractors will get the jobs when they have agreed to set up here. They will bring in their own core professionals of course, but thousands of jobs and training opportunities will be available for so many here," Theen explained. "Aside from that, the Emissary Commission has approved new funding for special interests, and the funds are being divided by need. Of course I had already prepared a report on the projects we plan to implement here, along with our current successes and there turnabouts. So we will definitely be getting our share sooner than later."

"You have always been a few steps ahead old friend," Amii'a complimented.

"And one to the side for good measure of course, and watch who you're calling old, huh?" he chuckled. "Amii'a, dear, I have a few contacts to make, be a dear and send the announcement out for a winter ball, make it for Vadris 1st. All the who-is-who are invited, whether we know them, like them, or not. And go find yourself a date...and don't come back here until a day or so after the party, you hear?" Theen acted all serious like.

Amii'a stood, looking up at the huge man, one eye-brow arched. "As you wish, Ambassador."

"Fool's Errand, Part 1"
By: Cole Slaton
Koran Darr
Laedra Vorrel
Dani
Nieme Yaresh
Talara Sorenne
Zari Zathmir
Ferrig Mullerin

Location: Jedi Temple; New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Lythe 26, 4 ABY

***

He sighed wearily. Another sleepless night. It seemed he'd not slept in his entire life. Who was the figure in his nightmares? He was there in his dreams, he couldn't see him but he could feel him. He was there, always there, waiting and watching. It was when he hit the bottom of the stairs that he heard the voices. They were muffled through the wall and for the life of him he'd never understand why he stepped over to the door to listen in.

The door was partially open; he could hear everything that was being said. He instantly recognised one of the voices - it was his master, Koran. He then heard the second.

"The other Masters agree that it's folly to attempt another rescue," the female said. She was pacing, judging from the frequency and lightness of the footsteps, but they stopped suddenly as she again spoke up. "Koran...Talara went of her own free will again. I'm beginning to think we must consider her lost to us."

"I believe you may be right," Koran Darr's voice answered. "Though, I will not give up on Zari so easily. Jae Dyn is beside herself. I had to give her a tranquilizer to calm her. I believe that Talara has had too much of a taste of what Nieme and Dani offer. I don't know if the consequences will be enough to sway her now. I believe the only way to truly get her back would be to eliminate the two demonesses."

He frowned at what they were saying. "Zari?" he mouthed without making any sound, too shocked to say anything more. He'd thought she was out training with her master; he'd not been asking about her simply because he didn't want them to find out what had happened between them. To think all this time she was... what? What were they doing to her!? He wanted to know more than anything. He felt physically sick as thoughts passed through his mind.

"You mean to cut them down," Laedra stated. There was a long, heavy sigh, then the sound of the mattress creaking under the weight of someone. "I don't understand how they could have turned like this," Laedra whispered, nearly inaudible to Cole. "I was saved once, Koran. I want to believe they can be too."

"Nieme is the key," Koran said. "If we can save Nieme, we can save them both."

"And if not, do we cut them down, too?"

"We cannot allow them to continue their reign of terror," Koran said. "Innocent people are being hurt, being killed. What other choices do we have, Laedra?"

She sighed. "None that I can see, Koran. None at all...."

Cole had heard enough. He spun around, running up the stairs, taking them three at a time. He came into his room, instantly going for the secret compartment under his bed. He took the small box out, opening it. "What's going on...?"

"Go back to sleep," Cole forcibly whispered, looking back over to his roommate. He heard the younger boy turning in his bed, moaning something inaudible before going back to sleep. Sighing with relief, Cole took the two pistols, putting them at the small of his back in his belt. "I'm coming, Zari," was the last thing he said before making his way out of the temple, vanishing into the forest.

***

The night was still relatively young and Cole knew where the best place to get the information you wanted: the streets. He'd been leaning against the wall, keeping to the shadows for the past hour, watching the same man across the street. He seemed to be the local pimp for the hookers that were lined up a short distance further down the street. He'd counted twelve all together, there were at least four at the street at any one time. Obviously he was the person to come to for some action.

Cole knew the type, seen him more times than he'd cared to, and other times for his own personal reasons. This was one such time, only the reason had changed dramatically. It was always a good idea to watch your target before moving in, get a feel of the area. Cole had spotted the two bodyguards about twenty minutes ago, standing across the street close enough to the hookers to keep an eye on them but close enough to keep their employer in plain view.

"Guards first..." Cole whispered to himself, pushing himself up from the wall, heading over to the two men across the street.

"What you doing tomorrow?" Vrak whispered, leaning against the streetlight, looking over at one of the hookers. She was roughly the right height, though it was hard to tell from the angle she was standing at, a new girl picked up only the night before. The usual bitch, no home, no family, no one who cared whether she lived or died, just like the rest. What attracted him was the innocence in her eyes; the others had lost that long ago, she still had it and he wanted to take it from her. And he'd enjoy doing it.

"Nothing much... I taped the podrace since I had to work. Gonna watch it with some drinks. Yourself?"

Vrak never got the chance to reply. His mouth opened but no words came out. His friend turned, looking at him only to stand there in shock at what he saw. Blood seeped out from his mouth, which seemed frozen open. "My god..." he whispered, turning. He saw the fist that slammed into his face, the fist that knocked the senses out of him. He was only dimly aware of the foot kicking into the back of his leg before all the lights went out.

Cole stood there, the blade of his knife covered in blood. He didn't stay to watch the second guard fall unconscious after he'd slammed his head against the streetlight. As he stepped across the street Cole looked to the right towards the girls, hoping they hadn't noticed anything. Thankfully they hadn't. They were too busy trying to get lucky tonight, all but one, it seemed, who was trying her utmost to try and look like she was interested without being interested. Cole looked away; he had more important things to think about.

"Hello..." the pimp said, smiling as Cole approached. It was the last thing he got to smile about that night. The young Padawan, not caring in the slightest if anyone found out the law or Jedi, slammed his fist in the skinny man's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He grabbed the man's long hair and neck, slamming him back against the wall. "What the fu--" Cole cut him off, squeezing his hand around his throat.

"Understand this... your two bodyguards are no longer watching you... in fact they're as far from watching you as they can get." He watched as the man's eyes looked across the street. They instantly went wide at the sight of his two men lying flat on their backs motionless. "I want information and you're going to give it me, otherwise your female friends will be finding your remains in the local river." He didn't know what he was doing, it was almost like watching it all happening on some holo-vid, watching himself from above. He could feel the Force causing his blood to boil, but he was savouring it, allowing it to build.

***

"What do you mean he's gone?" Laedra Vorrel frowned at the young boy before her shifting nervously from foot to foot. Her disapproval was not at being disturbed in her own bed, but at the news of Cole Slaton's disappearance. She glanced aside at Koran, who was tying off his robe.

Koran reached out with the Force and frowned. "Cole has left the Temple." He looked to Laedra. "Do you want to take a guess where he might be?"

She watched Cole's young roommate pointedly. "I have some idea... Now what was in the box?"

"I only got a quick glimpse..." he replied shakily. "They looked like... pistols..."

***

Cole was crouched within a tree across from their house, or so he'd been told. Zari was inside along with Tala and some other guy whose name escaped him. It was big news on the streets about the two who had them locked away in their own version of hell. Dani and some bitch called Nieme. He'd been watching their beach house for the past ten minutes, itching to go inside. The fingers of his right hand tapped against the branch; it was the only thing he could do apart from smoking, which he was already doing.

The thin cigar he'd taken from the pimp, he'd liberated four cigars and he was enjoying the second, feeling the smoke rushing through him, the smell as it wafted in front of him as he breathed out. There was nothing like it. He took another long drag of smoke, holding it before allowing it to release through his nose. The smoke stayed around him as there was no wind to speak of.

"Times a wasting..." he whispered, putting the half cigar out in the tree before sliding it into his inside jacket pocket. He dropped down from the tree and once he checked his pistols were still in place he approached the house, quietly and carefully. He hadn't lost his skills born from the street.

As he reached the door, which was suspiciously unlocked and slid open at his presence, a throaty chuckle came from the darkness. "Going somewhere?" An invisible hand shoved against his back, sending Cole sprawling onto the foyer's carpet.

Cole shook his head, whipping around to look at who struck him, but there was no one there. He resisted the urge to grab one of the pistols at his back. They knew he was here. Well least there was no point in sneaking about. The house was almost pitch black, light beamed in through the windows from the street and from the moon in the clear sky above. Passing vehicles cast moving shadows on the walls and ceiling. He had to clench his hands into fists to stop them grabbing the pistol and shooting holes in the walls. Where was she?!

"Oh, did you hear that?" the voice purred, hovering in the darkness so that its location could not be pinpointed. "He's looking for someone...." The other voice giggled. "So, a woman, is it? Well if it's a woman you're looking for, then drop your pants, and we'd be happy to oblige you."

"Sorry, don't usually fuck on a first date..." Cole replied, looking around, trying to pinpoint where the voices were coming from. "But you must be desperate if this is your idea of foreplay... have a lot to learn in that department."

A figure appeared out of the darkness. She was clad all in black leather. Her dark purple hair was pulled back into a braid and her purple skin was dusky in the lack of light, but her eyes drew focus. There was a sensuality about her, the way she moved; each gesture, each step seemed to build tension. To say that she was beautiful would be a gross understatement. The air around her seemed to warm with her passage. "Don't usually? Oh that isn't how dear Zari tells it," she said. "Oh, to hear her story, you're rather the wild one on the first date. We've been wondering when we might get to meet you, Cole Slaton."

"I've heard a great deal about you... Iron Bitch, Ice Queen... the list seems endless. But then which one are you? Dani... or the other one... What's her name?" He starting clicking his fingers, waving his hand. "Don't tell me... I'll come...ah damn it!" He tapped his finger against his chin as if he was trying to remember the name. "Nim? Mini? Nieme..." he said at least with a proud yet mocking smile.

The subject of his intended ridicule sighed wearily and finally stepped into the dim. She wore an outfit similar to Dani's, but hers was a deep red, shaded black in the absence of light. Nieme Yaresh clucked her tongue at Cole. "Our poor Zari...to experience her first time with such a dolt.... I do so hope she hasn't conceived with him... poor child."

"I'm sure she could do better... but then she has done worse... you for instance. Now where is she?" he demanded.

"Who says she's here?" Nieme countered, swaying closer to Cole as if a predator on the prowl. "And even if she were...why would she want to go back to you and the rest of those dullards at the Temple?"

"Why don't we ask her? and the others you're keeping prisoner here. To think you actually believe they want to be slaves... you have a seriously warped mind..." He stood his ground as she came towards him. He knew they had lightsabers, but did they have them right now? "And the only way you get some is by manipulating people to be your slaves. Sad really. I'm sure I could find a shrink, or doctor to help you both out. Can't say fairer than that," Cole said with a smile.

Nieme laughed heartily, coming to a stop before the boy. "My love, this one has fire!" Her smile was hungry and her eyes flaring with desire as she laid one languid hand against his chest. "You may see Zari," she husked. "But...for a price...."

"And the price?" he asked, fighting the urge to grab his pistols and plug them full of bullets. He normally had the rule of not hitting women, this was one of the rare occasions he was tempted to ignore that rule.

"Well, not a price exactly," she mused, sliding her hand downwards to his abdomen. "It's more of a....gift." Her palm had dropped between his legs and was now cradling him. "We have been interested to see what Zari's been talking about," Nieme whispered.

He leaned forward, breathing heavily against her ear. He waited a long second before whispering into her ear. "Never in a million years... even if you were the last woman on this miserable world..."

Nieme sighed wistfully, and looked past Cole at Dani. "My dear, we can't say we didn't try." She turned her lips to his ear, nipping at it. "And you can never say we didn't offer." A resonant thrum reverberated around them, and in the thick, black darkness a purple glow was cast by the spear of light emanating from Nieme's hand. She grinned against Cole's ear. "Your life is your own, and we offered to spare it. My dear...never reject an offer made by us. That has...very dire consequences."

"What? Seeing you more than once?" He faked a shudder to emphasise what he meant. "Gods forbid, I have a better idea. You release them and I'll let you live."

This sent Nieme and Dani into shrieks of laughter. "Little man," Nieme said, her voice still rich with amusement, "we do sense the Force in you...but you don't actually believe you have any chance against both of us, do you?" As merely a shadowy form in the darkness, Nieme receded into it and arched her lightsaber through the air to bring it level with Cole's chest. Its blade was a mere hair's breadth from cutting through clothing and flesh. "So...will you reconsider?"

"What? And miss all the fun?" he asked, smirking. "Last chance, ladies... You are ladies, aren't you?" His eyes were looking down at Nieme's crotch, pulling a face as he did.

Nieme emitted a smug chuckle. "More than you will ever know, foolish child." She swung her weapon back.

"Cole!" shrieked a voice from near the stairs. Standing there, naked, were Ferrig, Talara, and Zari. Zari's eyes were wide and filled with fear as she watched Nieme's blade draw back, ready to cut Cole in half.

Cole's mouth opened at the sight of Talara and Zari standing there butt-naked. "What--?" He wanted to ask her what the hell she was doing. But his eyes just turned towards Dani and Nieme, the rage grew in him ten-fold. He stepped back, drawing one of his pistols pulling the hammer back, cocking it. He did it in a single fluid motion, aiming it at Nieme's forehead. "Zari... get out of here... now..."

Dani danced forward, her lightsaber igniting as she did, casting the entire room in a deep, purple glow. She could see the amusement on Nieme's face as she saw the firearm pointed at her head. With a thought, Dani applied pressure to Cole's hand and his finger was forced down on the trigger. The gun fired, but the bullet vanished into Nieme's purple blade now held before her face. The gun flipped out of Cole's hand and toward Dani, which she casually turned to slag with a swipe of her own blade. "Play time," she purred.

"Ah... shit..." Cole whispered, pulling his other pistol out. He backed away, pulling the trigger, firing on Dani first then switching to Nieme. "Zari, what are you waiting for!?" he demanded, seeing her still standing perfectly still in the corner of his eyes.

"You stupid fool," Nieme grumbled irritably. Cole's weapon sailed into her outstretched hand. "Can't you see she doesn't want to go with you? We've shown her things you can't even begin to imagine!"

"Because of your manipulation I've no doubt..." he whispered through gritted teeth. "You two are pathetic..." He looked into Nieme's eyes, ignoring the lightsaber to his side. He knew he was dead the moment he'd felt that push in his back, sending him crashing to the carpet. But he'd make them pay.

"We've only allowed her to feel that which you're incapable of giving her," Dani said. "You talk very big, Cole, but I don't think you've earned the right to boast as you do. It's time for you to learn your true place in the universe." With that, white-black lightning arced from her hands and slammed into the center of Cole's chest. A pain, darker and colder than anything he'd ever felt in his life coursed through him, ripping a scream from his lips and sending him crashing to the floor in convulsions. She sent another blast through him, nearly bending his body in half from it. "Who's the pathetic one now, Cole? You'll make us pay, will you? Will you become a dark Jedi then? Will you travel the path as we have? Will you venture into darkness for your revenge? If that's what you want, join us. It's far more delicious that way."

He forced himself to roll over, every muscle of his body felt like it was on fire. He finally managed to turn so he could see her through the smoke rising from his clothes and body. "I'd kill you the moment your back was turned... you self-absorbed bitch... you call yourself dark Jedi? Don't make me laugh."

Nieme giggled and leaned fondly against her lover. "He's so feisty, my love. Too bad we can't keep him - he simply refuses to drop his pants!" She looked aside at Zari and pouted facetiously. "You lost your virginity to this? Poor girl..."

"Like you're any better..." Cole breathed, looking up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes as his breathing slowly came under control. He groaned as he leaned forward, slowly picking himself up. "Two little girls... if brains were explosives you wouldn't have enough to sneeze... either of you..."

"I believe the last time I heard that, I was twelve and still living on Zeltros," Dani said. "You're going to have to find more modern material if you really want to insult us." With a sly smile, Dani released some of her pheromones into the air and could see the change in Cole's expression immediately. "Oh the things we could teach you..."

His heart felt like it was going to explode. What the hell was she doing to him? No way was this the Force, was it? "Ah shit..." he whispered, half moaning because of his muscles aching, the other half for what Dani was doing to him. He felt his arousal growing, literally.

"Oh dear...." Nieme tsked sympathetically. "Zari, I believe he's going to require some help. Or, if he is no longer opposed to it, I'm certain Dani and I can manage something...."

"Get away from me, you bitch..." he spat, unsheathing the knife from under his leather jacket. He spun the knife around his hand but kept a firm hold of it, not wanting to lose the only weapon he now had. "I'd rather eat glass than look at you..."

"We all know that isn't the truth," Dani said. "But, I guess we can give you marks for trying to act like a tough guy."

"Cole," Zari screamed. "Cole! Run! Get out before they capture you! Go!"

"Shut up!" Nieme blasted and tossed Zari back into the wall with a thrust of her hand.

"Leave her alone!" he cried out, launching himself at her. He slashed at her face with his knife, the blade just managing to nick her.

Nieme clutched his wrist and twisted, watching him with amusement and growing impatience. "Not nice," she whispered icily, and turned his wrist another painful quarter. The knife fell from his released grip, hitting the floor just as Cole's knees did. "Very, very naughty, don't you think, my flower?"

"Not nice at all," Dani growled as drove her knee into his back. She grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head back hard. All sense of playfulness was gone from her voice and countenance. "I was interested in fucking you, little beast. Now, it's time for you to die, I think."

"Go to hell," he cursed, looking up at her as she pulled his head back.

Nieme smirked, raising her weapon above her head. "You first," she riposted and drove the blade downwards, on a smooth path to his chest.

"Fool's Errand, Part 2"
By: Cole Slaton
Koran Darr
Laedra Vorrel
Dani
Nieme Yaresh
Talara Sorenne
Zari Zathmir
Ferrig Mullerin
Dargus Kandran

Location: New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Lythe 26, 4 ABY

***

A blur of verdant light ripped through the room. As Nieme's blade crashed downward, it never connected with Cole's throat. Instead, the attack was deflected harmlessly away. Dani whipped around and could do nothing but scream with frustration, with anger, with hate.

Standing in the doorway were Koran Darr and Laedra Vorrel. Laedra's pink blade glowed eerily in the room, while Koran's hand stretched out to retrieve his own from across the room. Obeying his Force-given command, it leapt up and sailed back into his hand.

"Cole," Koran said, his voice very neutral, "go outside."

"Talara," Laedra called, "see to Zari." She began sidestepping into the room, towards the two padawans but watching Dani and Nieme with a keen eye. "Leave the lightsaber," she warned Nieme.

She harrumphed in response. "You first."

Cole looked from Laedra, to Koran, to Nieme and back again. How did they find them? He wasn't going to question their timely intervention; he knew when he was way out of his league. He dragged himself up. He felt like he'd just gone ten rounds with an Okaran Mikarl Master, which wasn't a pretty thing. He shuffled more than walked towards Zari. He slowly took his jacket off moaning as he did. "You alright...?" he whispered, wrapping his jacket around her.

"A little sore," Zari said softly, her eyes meeting his for a moment, then quickly looking away. She shivered in his jacket, then quickly squeezed her way into his arms.

"It's all right, you're fine, everything's fine..." he whispered into her ear, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I'm here..." Though truth be told he didn't know for how long. With Koran and Laedra here he was bound to be skinned alive when they returned him to the temple. Dead if you do, dead if you don't. But at least Zari was safe, and Tala.

"Thank you," the girl whispered and clung even more tightly.

"It has to end," Koran said to Nieme and Dani. "We can't allow your reign of terror to continue. We can't allow you to follow your every whim, subjecting our Padawans and the people of this city to your depraved desires."

"That's where you're wrong, Koran Darr," Nieme sneered. "Our desires are their desires awakened. Ask them if they don't enjoy what we've been teaching them." She raised her head proudly. "I think you'll learn that they aren't unhappy here."

"Your lawless chaos cannot continue," Koran said. "You hurt people in your quest for pleasure. And, I doubt you even care about them, do you? All you care about is the pleasure they can give to you."

"And what's wrong with that?" Nieme argued. "Laedra Vorrel hardly loves you and I bet you can barely keep your hands off one another."

"How would you know anything of love?" Laedra countered with great poise despite the accusations dealt against her. "You thrive on rape and murder.... Dark deeds that only breed evil, not love. Your path is an errant one, Nieme, Dani. You've become lost even to yourselves."

"Oh," Dani purred as she put one hand on a hip and regarded Laedra seductively, "we know right where we are and what we want. We're hardly lost. You Jedi are just so repressive...I doubt you've genuinely felt an emotion in quite some time...well, unless you consider those rather naughty emotions you had toward Liam Zaneth." She gave Laedra a very knowing look.

"Those emotions stemmed from confusion, such as you're suffering from," Laedra explained. "I was headed down a dark path and was not thinking clearly. It is no different for you."

"Oh, shut up," Nieme told them both with an eye roll. "I'm so bored of listening to your self-righteous platitudes. You're both hypocrites and have no place admonishing us for the choices we've made." With a fiery gleam in her eyes and an eager smile, she raised her lightsaber. "Now, fight or leave."

With a resigned sigh, Koran raised his lightsaber. "If that is how it must be," he said.

"Oh, indeed it does," Dani said, "and just know that when we beat you, we'll add you to our harem. Knowing what Laedra's getting from you, Koran, I am somewhat envious."

Talara...get to safety, Laedra sent to the girl mentally. Nieme grinned, evidence she had picked up on the thought, but making no move to intervene. The only action she did take nearly caught Laedra off-guard; only a pale head and chest against the black background of the unlit room sailed towards her, the streak of purple from her swinging lightsaber a phosphorescent glow behind her. They crossed weapons with a resounding crackle, sending Laedra reeling backwards into the glass-panelled wall behind. Her elbow crashed through one pane, and her head nearly did the same to another; she ducked away as Nieme launched at her again.

As Nieme launched her attack at Laedra, Dani launched hers at Koran. Her purple blade clashed against his green, driving him backward. She was fast, almost too much so. Despite the tight leather she wore, the clothing seemed to have no affect on her movements. She moved as naturally as if she wore nothing. Koran forced the thoughts from his mind, knowing just what she looked like naked, felt like naked. He closed his mind to her, using the Force to push away the pheromones he now sensed filling the air. She was using them as a weapon, trying to distract him, lull him with arousal for her. With mental shields in place, he called upon his training and turned the fight back on her. Suddenly, Dani was retreating across the room, blade acting in defense against his attacks. From where he stood up near Zari, it was very clear to Cole that when they had sparred, Koran Darr had been going very easy on him.

Sweat broke out across Dani's skin, and for a moment she felt fear. She took that fear and turned it around, calling upon it to fuel her anger and hate. She slashed wildly, shearing a lamp in two and the chair next to it followed in the next stroke. Her confidence wavered, and with Koran's resistant to her pheromones, she knew that this fight would be much more difficult than the last.

A distance beside them, Nieme and Laedra were engaged in their own vicious struggle, with Nieme in the role of aggressor while Laedra doggedly fended off the brutal strikes being dealt her. The right sleeve of her tunic was stained with blood, spreading out from her elbow; warm, red rivulets of it flowed down her arm and slicked her hand so that it was a challenge to maintain a grip on her lightsaber. Each blow caused her weapon to twist erratically, deeming it impossible for Laedra to deliver an immediate riposte. Instead, she was forced to retreat and await Nieme's next advance. The girl appeared delirious with bloodlust, laughing and growling in feral delight as each stroke landed soundly against Laedra's blade.

"I told you to leave, bitch," Nieme rasped.

Laedra leaned away from a slice aimed to sever her head from her shoulders. Recovering with an underhand thrust that clashed with Nieme's blade, she replied, "I have been called stubborn in the past. I am glad to see that I still hold that title." She kicked out, catching Nieme in the abdomen. As she stumbled, Laedra backflipped away.

Dani had taken the initiative again, and continued to drive Koran across the room. Her expression showed her deep concentration as she sought an opening, but each opening she found, Koran immediately closed off. She had realized moments before that there would be no harem consisting of Laedra and Koran. They were too strong. They'd have to be killed. She picked up a chair from across the room with the Force and threw it. Koran sidestepped and sliced it, using the Force to propel the pieces safely away. The move had been a feint, and he was a split-second behind the remains of the lamp as it flew at him. Power cords tangled his legs, and he went down. With a feral snarl, Dani leapt at him.

"Koran!" came a shout from Laedra. She dodged a shoulder-high slice from Nieme and rolled away. As she came up again, her bloodied hand shot out, extending the Force to a nearby stool and tossing it at Dani. It caught the Zeltron squarely in the back - Koran was provided with a moment's distraction to evade the girl's attack, but also gave Nieme an opening. Laedra cried out as a trail of fire was set ablaze across her abdomen. There was but a brief moment to glance down and watch the blood seeping from the gash Nieme had inflicted before she was staggering away to avoid another slash from Nieme's blade.

Koran kicked himself back to his feet, and brought his lightsaber up to defend himself from Dani's renewed attack. As he did so, he caught a glance of where Zari and the others had been. It was now empty. He stretched out his feelings and briefly managed to touch on the faint trace of Talara as they fled. "Laedra," he called suddenly. "Out!"

Laedra had no time to register relief before she drove Nieme back with a weak pulse of the Force and lurched out the door with one arm cradling her wound. She sensed Nieme and Dani following close behind. "You're not getting away," Nieme sang.

Koran could sense Laedra's pain, but he also knew that they were leading Nieme and Dani away from the direction the others had gone. "Will you be alright?" he asked quickly as they moved. "I couldn't tell how bad the wound looked. Once we can lose them, we'll need to get that taken care of."

"It's a scratch," Laedra assured him, though the droplets of blood seeping through her fingers indicated otherwise.

As stealthily as Nieme and Dani were moving, their pattering footsteps sounded thunderously loud. They were gaining on the two Jedi Masters and it was becoming apparent their battle had no ended in the beach house.

"Nieme! Dani!" came a call. It was the voice of Dargus Kandran.

The two girls exchanged looks of confusion, but Nieme returned her longing gaze to the retreating backs of Laedra and Koran. She grinned savagely and doubled her speed.

From the rooftops, he started following. "Dani!" he called again. "Nieme!"

Growling in frustration, Nieme whirled around to glare at the dark shape high above. "We're busy! Go away!"

"Yes, of course," Dargus called out. "But what of your little harem?"

Both girls were nearly horror-stricken. "Oh, no!" Nieme wailed, snatched Dani's hand, and dashed back towards the beach house.

Behind them, Laedra and Koran slowed to a stop. They sensed Dargus on the rooftop and turned to regard him. He was watching them, his face a new mask they hadn't yet seen, and his smile confounding. Laedra could hardly detect a trace of mischief in that smile. "What is he doing?" she asked Koran breathlessly.

"Not sure," Koran said. "He's playing some new game, I think. We should move. And, we should find the girls and Cole."

Laedra nodded absently, still puzzling over the odd scenario of Dargus Kandran apparently playing the role of protector. Leaning against Koran, Laedra resumed her escape with Koran.

***

"Here, here, here!" Zari called as the three of them hurried up to a public comm unit. She wore Cole's jacket and Talara wore his shirt, and both of them enjoyed the little glances now and again of his bare chest. Now, however, they'd reached their destination. She quickly punched in the numbers and waited for the answer.

"Who is it?" Talara asked as she clung to Zari.

"A friend," Zari said as the connection was finally made.

And it was a groggy one at that. "Kee--" The man coughed, then cleared his throat loudly, every sound amplified through the comm's speakers. There was a woman's voice in the background, speaking softly, but he murmured something unheard to her before addressing Zari again. "A very tired Keeve here. What do you want?"

"Keeve! Oh Keeve, it's me. It's Zari. We're...we...oh please...help. Nieme and...and Dani..."

"Zari?" It seemed to take a moment for his sleep-addled mind to focus, and once it did, Keeve responded resolutely. "Tell me where you are and I'll come for you. There's no way those bitches are getting their hands on you."

"We're...oh...it's...on the coast. It's...where are we?"

"Valiant and Prince," Talara said. "It's...near the frazzie stand."

Zari turned back to the comm. "Did you hear, Keeve?"

"I know the one. Just...stay low and I'll be there in ten minutes."

"We'll be hiding, but we'll watch for you. Oh Keeve, thank you. Thank you so much." When the comm disconnected, Zari looked around and pointed at the frazzie stand. "Let's hide behind there."

Cole eyed Zari. The way he was speaking and acting when speaking with this Keeve, even over the com-net, he couldn't help the anger grow inside him. Jealousy? He shook his head, trying to shake the feelings. He succeeded, to a point. He remembered Koran's words about the dark side, he remembered Dani and that bitch Nieme all too clearly. He was not going to end up like them. He'd rather die.

"So..." he said, leaning back against the wall behind him. "Who's this Keeve? You sure we can trust him?"

"Keeve is my friend," Zari said. "I met him on Agarra, and he and his family brought me back here. Master Jae Dyn lived with them, and...that's how they found me. His wife, she grew up on Agarra. She's my friend too."

"Nice to have friends..." Cole whispered, sliding down to the wall so he could sit while waiting for whatever transport came for them. He didn't much like the idea of calling Koran - the longer he kept from calling him, or any of the other Jedis for that matter, the longer he stayed a Padawan. What had gotten into him? He'd never acted so foolishly back in the streets. Being with the Jedis was messing with his head. Or it was the Force.

Either way it didn't make much difference. His muscles still ached, his head was pounding like torpedoes were exploding inside his brain, and the moment he was back at the temple they would kick him out. Just like all the other homes he'd had.

Zari slipped up next to him and curled her body against his. "You have me," she whispered.

He forced a smile as a thought came to him. But for how long? He looked down at his hand as he opened it. As he watched he found her fingers interlocking with his. "Why me...?" he whispered, continuing to look at his hand, not wanting to look into her eyes. "Surely you can find someone better... someone less..." he left the sentence unfinished.

"Why you? Because I like you, Cole," Zari said. "Do you want me to find someone else?"

"No!" he said a lot louder than he'd intended. "I was just... I was worried when I found out you were... with them..." He still remembered the feelings, the anger, the rage that boiled from a place he did not want to think of. All he thought of was killing those women, ripping them limb from limb. It had been so easy to sink into it, yet so hard to climb out.

She kissed him gently. "We're away now," Zari said. "We're safe."

"I suppose..." But he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Perhaps it was nerves after what had happened. He just hoped he was wrong. He ran a finger lightly down the side of her face, along her cheek to finish under her chin. "Has anyone told you you're beautiful?"

She giggled and her eyes seemed to sparkle in the sparse light from distant street lamps. "I think you just did," she said. "Thank you, Cole. And, thank you for coming to save me. It was crazy and foolish, but...but thank you."

"I'd do it again..." he said, closing his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "... in a heartbeat..." He didn't much like admitting his feelings, but Zari needed a friend, possibly someone who was more than a friend. He knew he'd go through hell and back for her. He almost had.

Zari smiled and let her head rest against his shoulder. Despite how foolish he'd been to try to go against Nieme and Dani, she was happy he was there now.

A racing speeder ground to a halt by the stand, and after the hatch was flung open, a ruffled Keeve Shivral jumped out. "Zari?" he boomed, surveying the beach's strip warily for Dargus' feral cats.

Zari raced out and leapt into his arms. Behind her, Cole and Talara struggled with the still unconscious Ferrig. Why did Ferrig have to resist leaving so much? "Keeve," she squeaked and spread kisses all over his face as she held him.

"Whoa!" He twisted his head away and held Zari back enough to look at her face. As he did, her jacket fell open to expose the unclad figure beneath. His eyes bulged and he quickly set her down to remove his own jacket, which he wrapped around her frontwards to ensure full coverage. "What the hells happened to you?!"

"They...they caught us...at the Temple...and...oh gods, Keeve. But you're here...we're safe now. This is Talara and Cole, and that's Ferrig."

Tala smiled up at him. "Thank you for coming to get us...it was...was awful there."

Keeve's eyes dropped to her bare legs, spurring a wry smile. "Yeah...I can see that. Hop in the speeder and I'll get you somewhere safe." As an addendum, he turned back towards them to say, "And someplace with clothes."

Zari scrambled into the front as Tala helped get Ferrig into the back with Cole. She snuggled into Keeve and Cole's jackets. "When we get there, we'll have to contact the Temple. I'm sure Master Koran and Master Laedra are worried sick. And Master Jae Dyn, uh, Kallia, is probably worried sick and feeling so helpless since she's pregnant."

"This is all she needs," Keeve grumbled once he was settled behind the wheel. "I swear, if that baby pops out early...." He sighed, opting not to finish the thought, and kicked the speeder into full thrust.

"Yara was early," Zari said. "And, she turned out fine, you know. She's almost walking now. It's so cute."

"You learned to climb when you were three," Keeve pointed out. "And this is hardly cute." He glanced into the rearview mirror, eyeing Cole suspiciously. "Who's the guy?"

"He's a Padawan," Zari answered. She leaned close and added in a whisper "He came to rescue us...but I don't think he knew what he was against. It was brave and stupid. But...but he's my...kinda my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Keeve scoffed at that. "You're too young. Think about finding clothes first, then you can think about boys. Got it?"

"I'm right here you know..." he whispered, though loud enough to be heard. "Stop talking about me in third-person, or at least wait until I'm not around. Bloody inconsiderate... oaf..." This time he did say it as a whisper. His muscles still ached from the two lightening blasts, he'd never felt anything like it, and hoped he never did again. His headache was back, with extra.

Keeve grinned crookedly at him. "A temperamental little thing, aren't you? How old are you anyway? You know Zari's only fourteen, right?"

"Old enough, grandpa," he replied, looking away out of the window. "Yeah, she mentioned her age..."

"Funny," Keeve mused, still smirking at the boy, "I'm actually younger than you are. So...you were saying...?"

Talara looked up at Keeve as he skillfully piloted the speeder and grinned. "You're not what you appear to be," she said enigmatically.

He nodded, his smile appraising. "True... Did your Jedi senses tell you that?"

Talara grinned. "Partly," she said. "But, you look older than Cole, but are younger...so that in itself implies there's more about you. So, do we get to know your secrets? Or will we have to tickle them out of you?"

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the girl. "You've met my wife, haven't you?" Then he winked teasingly and chuckled. "You'll hear about that when we get you all home. And then you can explain to me what the hell's going on here."

Both girls nodded simultaneously. It would be nice to find someplace safe, somewhere Nieme and Dani couldn't barge in and steal them back. Zari grinned, knowing that nowhere could be safer than with Keeve. "How long before we get home?" she asked.

"Home?" Keeve snorted. "You're just staying the night. In the morning, I plan on comming Kallia, after which you're all being hauled off to the Temple...where you belong!" He eyed Zari with playful disapproval. "I've seen how much you eat. I'd go broke in under a week if I had to feed you every day."

"Your wife may not be so happy to be rid of me that quickly," she said. "I think Shiv would like to visit a little longer, don't you? Is she pregnant yet? Oh! How's Kaysa's baby?"

Sighing, Keeve realized it would be a long night yet and punched the speeder to full thrust to escape Zari's barrage of inquiries.

Cole just sat on the back seat of the speeder. He was only half listening as he looked out of the window. So the guy wasn't who he appeared to be, big deal, most people weren't who they appeared to be. He looked down at his right hand. He could still feel the lightening hitting him, hearing the screams he later realised were his own. They had been toying with him, nothing more, nothing less. He was only alive now because of Koran and Leadra. He owed them a lot.

He sighed, though kept it was quiet. He didn't want attention brought his way, he'd had enough to last the rest of the month. He knew he should have finished that thought as enough to last a life time but a life time was a heck of a long time.

"Pain From the Past"
By Kyra Ronso
Auron Ronso

Location: MCC Galleon in route to the Underworld Station
Date: Lythe 26, 4ABY

***

The stench of humidity reached her nose. She could see nothing in front of her, because of the dense fog. She wanted to see what was up ahead, or at least where she was exactly. Her heart raced like a speeder or pod racer. She could hear her own beating of her heart.

She tried to calm down her heart, but couldn't. It was like she was putting her heart to beat faster, she then realised that she was afraid. She had already lost her husband and deep inside of her, she didn't want to die. She wanted to live so badly, so it wasn't a possibility for her to die today.

She took the blaster out of her colt and pointed to the noise that came from behind. Her heart raced more than she ever felt, she could feel her blood rush to the tip of her fingers. Her hand shook a little, as nervous as she was.

Another noise came from behind her, she twisted and glanced towards the noise, but she didn't see nothing in front of her, just a few trees and nothing more.

Kyra wanted to get out of that place, she wanted to be in a hot bath, but she also wanted her husband alive and well. Another noise came, but this time it came closer. Kyra knew she couldn't waste her shots, since she didn't know what exactly she was facing. She had to make her shots count because of her last stunt she pulled facing those guards, made her lose her second blaster and her rounds for the only blaster pistol that she had. So basically she had only one round that was inside the blaster. She also carried a vibroknife, but if the sounds that she heard of the animal or whatever it was, were sounds of something big, very big.

In the distance she heard a voice like an echo of its own voice or probably it was distorted. It was a sharp voice and a very cold one also; the voice created a chill down her spine. She now wasn't afraid; she was extremely frightened, like she was about to shit herself.

Out of nothing a scream was heard from above. She looked up and saw a figure; she couldn't see its shape, but she felt the wind in her face as it fell. She also saw two blackish eyes and sharp teeth that was aiming towards her.

Kyra then woke up and sat on her bed. She was sweaty all over her body; she tried to focus where she was, but she felt somewhat dizzy for a moment. She then realised that she was in her room at the MCC Galleon, beside her was Auron still sleeping like an angel.

Kyra felt her left leg was numb and weird a sensation on her hand. She glanced at it and saw her hand shaking. She tried to stop, but couldn't. Her leg became numb then before, her heart raced like in the dream. She got up and went to the bathroom. There she glanced to the mirror and saw that she was becoming more nervous. She got her bag up on a bench and opened a secret compartment that was in the bottom.

Inside was a sort of gun with what it looked like a sharp needle and under it was a tiny cylindrical capsule, with yellow liquid. She glanced to it, like it was her sentence of death.

Suddenly out of nothing she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She placed her right hand over her heart and her face of so much pain that went all at once. She tried to breathe, but the pain was too much. The sweat rolled down her forehead and dripped from her nose.

She quickly grabbed the gun and placed one of the cylinders in the slot. Then she placed the needle on her left arm in the opposite side of her elbow. And fired. She felt a sharp pain where the needle penetrated and she saw the liquid inside of the capsule disappear.

As the minutes passed the pain started to fade away and Kyra was able to calm down. She knew that she had forgotten about her injections. How could I? Probably the recent events of my life, who knows? Kyra thought. She then set the gun again on the hidden compartment and closed it and the she placed her bag in the same place. She glanced to the mirror and washed her face to clean the sweat off her face.

"Kyra?" Auron spoke as she got up from the bed and went to the bathroom. He smiled that she was standing there with the water running. "Can't sleep?"

Kyra looked towards him and tried even to smile, but the pain that she felt was still in her mind; she was in fact scared, but she didn't want Auron to get worried about her. "Yeah, I just have butterflies in my stomach. Don't worry, it will pass."

Auron knew that something was troubling her; she didn't want him to worry about, but it was too late, he was already worried. "Are you sure that you're fine?"

"I'm fine," Kyra said rapidly and angrily. Then she realised the way she said it. She placed her hand over her mouth and saw Auron walking to the bed angry. She walked near him and sat next to him, putting her arm around him. "I'm sorry, Auron. It just... I'm not used to giving satisfaction to people. I was too much independent and now...

"Now?"

"I just hate my job, ok. Everyone looks at me in the way that I'm the one for to blame for the death of those pilots. Its too much pressure, to me to handle at this point." Kyra gazed towards the bathroom, hoping that he bought her small lie. I should never have joined the Empire, Kyra thought angrily to herself. But the she reminded that she only was doing her job, the same job that ruined her life.

"I know that you had a rough time, but you sometimes are so cold, sometimes you are not yourself." Auron looked at her and kissed her on her right cheek.

Kyra smiled and looked at him. "I know, I guess that I'm also so damn proud, it is hard for me to penetrate all that has been happening overnight. I have pressure, to do a fine job, to show that I'm fit to fight for the New Republic, also I have to handle those internal guards that see me as an Imperial spy, monthly questioning and so on."

"That's why you volunteered to do an insane job on this mission?" Auron smiled as he folded his arms around her.

"Yeah, I guess so." She paused, she knew that Auron was hugging her, but emotionally Auron seemed far away, so far away, like she was losing her husband again, and Auron wasn't the only one so far away. Ellemiek was also far away. Kyra guessed that was one of the reasons that she volunteered for such an insane job. "Let's get some sleep. We need the rest."

Kyra lay on the bed and she kept wondering if she still had the touch to do this kind of job.