"Delivery Boy"
By: Raxis L'ygr

Location: The Windsor Hotel - New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***Early Morning***

Yawning, Raxis was thrown from his slumber and stirred in the bed. Last night, Pala had elected upon her own initiative to warm and was still draped over his body in the bed beside him. To Raxis' suprise, she was much more energetic and untamed than Raxis had assumed for an uptown Bazaar employee. He thought at first that he would control, but last night Pala herself merely took what she wanted and wouldn't stop, and was very happy with the results.

Raxis let out an inaudible chuckle and fumbled on the nightstand for a cigarra and a flare-stick. Lighting it, he nestled back into the bed and ran his eyes over Pala's form. It, after all, wasn't every day that Raxis could overlook a lithe, naked female laying next to him. Pala was fast asleep and dreaming with a coy grin upon her face. Barely covered by the bedsheets, her naked hips and breast were exposed to the cool air of the hotel room, and her carefully designed hair was a mess. Her eye makeup hadn't been removed before sleeping and had run down her eyes a small amount, and it made her eyes look like black sockets. Pala definitely had that look of a woman who'd just been fucked to the ends of her stamina, and Raxis was happy to oblige. After all, Raxis bombed Weibran the night before and deserved some R&R.

Dragging off of the cigarra, Raxis ran a hand through her teased hair, and exhaled smoke skyward with a sigh. The girl couldn't afford to see him again, he knew. He would remind himself to stop by the Bazaar and say hello from time to time, but could not allow this girl to get close to him. Was it the other way around? He didn't think it to be the best idea for himself to get too close to a girl either, for the sake of his own sanity and her safety.

Starting to become jaded, Raxis deftly slipped out of the bed without interrupting her slumber. To replace his lost form, Pala stretched her arms out with a whimper and pulled a pillow close to wrap her arms around. She was very beautiful, which added to Raxis' torment. He'd been responsible for killing people with his own hands, but would never allow it to happen to a companion simply for being involved with him.

He was in too deep, and couldn't climb his way out no matter how badly he wanted to.

Raxis began to get dressed and finished the cigarra, never taking his eyes off of her form in the bed. Perhaps she would forgive him. He didn't wish he had to do this to yet another woman who'd found warmth in his charm.

Grabbing his gear and his datapad, he placed a rose on the nightstand, and left a hefty credchip underneath a note that read:

"I don't expect you to understand, Pala...but it is for your own good. I will see you again, but for now I insist you spend a few days relaxing and pampering yourself at my expense. I'll stop by the Bazaar within three days."

Raxis leaned over and kissed her eyebrow, and then slipped out the door without a sound, and began to head to the marketplace. Today he was going to send some mail to Jadda the Hutt, and end what he assumed to be the confusion of who actually hit Weibran that night. He made his way to the café and sat for his breakfast, and typed his second note for the day that read:

"Bad Nickname-Boy had to sit down, and I didn't want him to, so I lit a fire under his arse. My tribute to you. If you wish to contact me, contact Guild-ID X4553.123"

Raxis yawned and left his contact information for Jadda and sent the message. The contact information he gave, intelligently, was an alias. Few of the hunters on the GuildNET had only one account with the system. It was smart to collect your jobs and mail on an alias, and it was even smarter to have a third. Raxis...had four. Now, all he had to do was wait. Today, however, he felt compelled to spend his day at the cantinas and shops along marketplace row. Perhaps there he'd be granted the freedom from his burdens for an afternoon.

---

"Cantina"
By: Syan Daywalker - Bounty Hunter
Wil "Crusher" Wessel - Mercenary (NPC)
Aliwe Wynn - Waitress (NPC)

Location: Spaceport, Thanatos
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

The ship field was quiet today, as if the Empire had suddenly declared a holiday. But there wasn't really an Empire anymore. Not without an Emperor. It was a reality that would take a long time to sink in, but when it did, more chaos would erupt like a festering boil. Today, Death-Day-1, was subdued. The tension in the air was palpable, oppressive, as if everyone was holding their breath to see what would happen on Tae'Karada. Three choices presented itself in the hands of the Empire: to withdraw, to remain as is, or to tighten their hold. Syan couldn't hazard a guess as to which it would be. But then he was not inclined to either. The outcome would matter little to him. Those in charge would always need someone to do their dirty work.

Traffic would ease, for a while, depending on what happened. It was already being felt on that field of ships. The berths were emptier than usual, with less sentients milling about. Even the droids ambled aimlessly, as the usual influx was non-existent. A scuffed-looking Rendilli-Surron Starlight Freighter sat motionless under the flood lamps. A TL-1800 sat here, a VCX-820 there, and an XS-800 filled slots among a petty mixture of ships. Sitting, as queen of her little hill, was an old bruiser Nella 342, getting refueled and pumping off wastes that caused the air under her to vibrate with methane.

All of this, Syan could see out of a dirty flexiglass picture window in the front of a stamped-out cantina on the fringe of the landing field. Something clunked lightly on the table and felt cold against his hand. The glass was filled nearly to the brim with a garish concoction that swum in a suspension of green and orange liquids. Citrus slices of thorange fruit garnished the edges, and a bobbing sweetberry floated in a bed of sugary foam.

"What's this?" Syan asked, looking up at the item's deliverer. He hesitated to refer to it as something so palatable as a drink.

The waitress looked at him in tired consternation, mixed with something he didn't immediately recognize. She was attractive - though not overly tall, she carried something of a regal bearing in the oppressive surroundings. She had pinned up loose, wavy curls the color of rich earth with the stylus for much-used order pad. The sheen of a hot morning's work accented her tanned olive skin and hazel eyes slightly lighter than his, almost a green copper watched with some interest.

Finally, she deigned to answer. "It's a drink." When his reply was not forthcoming, she went on, "It's a Happy Landing. A lot of the spacers drink them. I've never seen you in here before, so you qualify for Orto's new customer surprise plan."

Picking up the glass, Syan shifted it to the edge of the table and put it down again. "I didn't order this. I ordered water. Take it back."

Something of private amusement twinkled in the hazel eyes. "Can't handle it? You don't need to worry, it's mostly sugar."

Tired of the game, Syan returned his gaze to the grimy window and grimier spaceport. "Take that away, and bring me the water that I ordered," he repeated, slowly, as if lecturing a child.

More amusement twinkled in the waitress' eyes, and she slipped into the chair opposite him. "We seem to have gotten off to a bad start, you and I. I 'm Aliwe Wynn, of Corellia. And you are?"

Syan looked out of the corner of his eyes at her. He couldn't make a scene. "Thirsty."

Aliwe was about to say something else and he lifted his hand to silence her. Through the caked dirt and grease, he spotted a small light in the distance, skirting over the desert. A quick look at his wrist chrono confirmed the time he'd gotten from the informants, so he stood quickly.

Syan flipped a small credit chip to the table as a tip, but snatched it back in mid-air as quickly. He hadn't actually drunk anything. No reason to throw away money. A moment later, he slipped out the door, heading through the afternoon shadows toward his stashed gear.

The oblong fighting craft slowed over the spaceport as it extended its landing gear. The unusual VGK-3 Shooting Star came to a rest haphazard on the slot, more by intent than accident. Battle scars crisscrossed the hull, and streaks of atmospheric entries swept backward from the intakes. Painted sloppily under the cockpit were the words "Random Chaos" in Aurabesh. The ship was imposing, fast, and bristling with weaponry.

The hatches sprung up and opened, freeing the occupants.

"I told you, word is this planet's like the rest of them. One second away from total meltdown," the burly man said, unfolding from the ship's piloting cockpit. Wil "Crusher" Wessel was a man of well over two meters tall, weighing a wall worth of stones. His clothes were bought a size or two too small, emphasizing his physical proportions. The swagger with which he moved once dropping to the tarmac below his ship spoke volumes on his confidence.

His partner was a fidgety little Aefan known only as "Frix." The orange-skinned alien was strapped with equipment, nervous, but reputed to be a crack shot and an expert equipment man. Crusher had chosen well.

The pair looked around the near-derelict spaceport, finally coming to rest on the man standing in the shadow of a nearby freighter.

"Hey friend, help you with something?" Crusher asked. His tone was anything but friendly, and his hand was resting conspicuously near the blaster rifle slung over his shoulder. "There's nothing to see here, you should just move along if you know what's good for you."

"I don't like this one bit, Crusher," Frix added. "He smells funny. Kinda... dangerous."

Crusher snorted. "Yeah, well we're dangerous too, Frix. Don't forget it. Hey stranger, I said move your ass, before we move it for you." Crusher Wessel unslung the blaster rifle and advanced toward the man standing in shadow. The glimmer of something long and silver gave him pause. The air hissed in reverse, like a sharp intake of air, and the end of his rifle fell to the ground with a tinkle, rolling to stop against Crusher's boot.

Syan Daywalker exploded out of the dark, sheathing the sword once more. Crusher Wessel fell back into a defensive stance, much to his credit. He was prepared to be attacked. Syan ignored him, taking on instead the little Aefan with the blaster pistol that was drawing a bead on him. Shafts of hot red light arced out to kill the bounty hunter. They missed, taking bites out of a nearby freighter.

Aefan anatomy was a little peculiar, but convenient. The step through heel kick to the lower abdomen was enough to deflate his unilung and trigger a cardio spasm that would either knock him out, or kill him. It didn't particularly matter to Syan, which. Crusher had been faster than anticipated. A heavy blow struck Syan from behind, forcing him almost to his knees. "You should have just gone away, bounty hunter." A second blow rained down on the bounty hunter, this time bringing him to his knees. But the motion was intentional. Bracing his feet, Syan spun and closed the small gap. Double fists drove into the muscled abdomen like pile drivers, forcing the wind out of the bigger man and shunting him back.

Syan rose, pivoted on his feet, and fell into a side stance, facing his prey. "This will go much easier if you come quietly," Syan Daywalker advised him.

Crusher sneered sadistically. "Easy ain't my thing, dirt bag." Again displaying the uncanny speed, Crusher roared forward, grabbing Daywalker's armored chest plate and pushing him back. The two fell to the ground, behemoth bodies crushing the ground underneath.

A hammering fist came down at Syan's head but hit the ground instead as he dodged it. The second missed as well. Knuckles bruised or broken, Crusher reached instead for the black man's throat. The hands were as big as a bear' s and twice as strong. They wrapped around his throat like a vice, but Syan ignored the feeling. He had a good thirty to forty seconds before the choked off blood would affect his ability to think. Syan used the time. He brought his knee up between them, bracing it against the man's chest, pushing him back. Crusher's grip tightened, threatening to pop the bounty hunter's head from his shoulders. Before he could do that, he used the gap between them as conduit for his arm, thrusting upward, fingers back, with his heel smashing straight into Crusher Wessel's nose.

A roar of pain pierced the ticking, hammering, drilling heartbeat of the spaceport and Crusher Wessel stood up, clutching at his face. Viscous red blood peeked from between his fingers and pooled at the bottom of his hands, draining down his arms and dripping to the floor.

Syan Daywalker rose again before him, black leather coat pooled around him. He reached inside the coat and produced a pair of stun cuffs and tossed them to Wessel. "Put these on, and it'll stop right now."

"I ain't puttin' shit on!"

A one-two strike of punches swung out from Crusher at Syan. They were full of power, but ill aimed due to the water in his eyes. Syan sidestepped them and kicked him firmly in the stomach, using Crusher's own momentum to double the blow. Crusher's head down, Syan dropped his leg behind him, and pivoted at the hip, bringing his fist down on the mercenary's head behind the ear. Crusher let out a wet grunt and dropped like so much baggage.

He caught some movement out the corner of his eye. Frix was reaching for the dropped pistol. Syan grabbed one of the silver throwing darts strapped to his leg and flicked it backhand into Frix's palm. "There's no bounty on you, Frix. Consider yourself lucky." As Frix screamed in agony, Syan reached down to pick up Crusher by the belt. The man sagged, and at his size it was difficult to get him over the shoulder. Once he did manage it, the bounty hunter unclipped the small communication device from his belt and brought it to his lips.

On command, Aesir rose from behind the rows of hangers like a gem among the garbage. The dirty buildings reflected on her mirror finish, but did nothing to detract from her. Way up in the cockpit, AC-18 piloted the ship on thrusters and repulsors only and set it down a short distance from Syan. The underside panel opened and slid out, allowing the boarding ramp to lower to the ground.

"Oh you got him, Master Syan, how good for you!" Eighteen rejoiced as she appeared on the ramp. She descended it and looked him over. "I trust he did not injure you?" A part of AC-18's programming was to serve as a nanny for small children, and she never quite rid herself of that role, even after knowing what her new owner did for a living.

"Nothing serious, Eighteen. He dropped a pair of my stun cuffs. See if you can find them. They're expensive."

Eighteen's cobalt receptors looked over the field, and then she nodded. "I see them, Master Syan."

As she shuffled off to get them, Syan looked back to make sure Frix was not near his gun. But he had abandoned the weapon, and was crawling back toward the Random Chaos. So Syan shifted the package on his shoulder again and continued up the ramp. Before disappearing inside, he was filled with an overpowering feeling of being watched. Nothing. Frix was still scrambling for the ship; Eighteen had retrieved the cuffs and was on her way back. None of the other pilots were looking at him.

The cantina.

He concentrated on the grimy window, and the lenses he wore magnified the image. There, clearly outlined, was the waitress. She had a small smile on her face. She knew he knew she was there, but didn't move. Her smile turned into a grin, and she gave him a quick thumbs up before disappearing from the window.

Syan frowned to himself. Crusher groaned a little and stirred, so he drew his blaster and stunned the merchandise back into unconsciousness.

---

"Shedding Masks"
By: Raxis L'Ygr
Laedra Vorrel
Liam Zaneth

Location: Yellvin District, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

The air seemed lighter somehow, just as the sun seemed brighter and less occluded by the eerie gloom that seemed to have prevailed not so long ago. In fact, only a day ago. Then, the Empire still stood and the living contradiction of everything the Jedi sought to uphold - justice, harmony, pacifism - was ongoing with his campaign to rid the universe of every last one of her kind. The Emperor's dreams of mass genocide had almost resulted in their decimation, but with the Empire fallen, they now had a chance of rebuilding the balance that had been upset for so long.

Laedra could almost sense the pervading calm coming from those she passed on the street, and in the Force, all was tranquil again. Although a new struggle had begun for them, it was one filled with great hope and anticipation, one they wouldn't have to endure, but would welcome voluntarily and greet with renewed optimism for the future of her kind.

She and Liam wanted to wait until the Imperial presence on the planet had completely disappeared before venturing out in full Jedi attire and declaring themselves openly, as their kind had not been able to do for so long. The feeling was liberating and brought a sting of tears to her eyes. Persecution had almost drowned her soul in despair and hopelessness, but it was free again, as were her kind. In time, they would both be able to soar again.

Liam's eyes scanned through the crowd of the New Plouton street. He saw no sign of Dargus Kandran, nor could he sense him. He could only hope the man who had fallen victim to Kandran's blade was making a recovery. If Liam had been a few more meters away, he knew the man would have died as Kandran's blade cut him down. And, now Dargus was out there, free to do as he pleased and considerably stronger than when Liam had last met him. And, trained. Someone had ventured to train the man in the Sith arts. The level of danger had risen higher, despite the death of Palpatine.

"Do you have many things you need to get," Liam finally asked, breaking the silence they had shared since leaving the Temple.

Laedra looked down at the bags in her hands and shrugged. "I believe I'm done for today. But you've hardly gotten anything at all. I'm beginning to think you did not come out here today to shop, Liam."

"I needed to get out," Liam said. "After confronting Dargus. The man is supposed to be dead, and not trained like that. I am finding it difficult to focus my thoughts with that knowledge. He had Sith training, Laedra. Someone rescued him, and trained him even more into darkness."

Laedra's once carefree and optimistic mood was quickly tainted by Liam's reminder of what he had encountered at the ball. Frankly, it frightened her. "He is one, Liam. He will not pose a threat at this time. We are rebuilding faster than he can gain a grasp on his new abilities. When the time comes, we will defeat him."

"I know," Liam said with a nod. "It's just hard to wrap my mind around." He glanced to the side and noticed a store. "Oh, I need to grab a few more power cells. I want to rig up some better lighting around the perimeter of the building, and then a few more cells for some of the remote sensors."

Laedra laughed softly and rested her hand upon his shoulder. "Now, that's the spirit. I'll be waiting for you out here."

Liam laughed. "I'll be back in just a minute," he said, and with that strode off toward the store with the power cells.

Laedra watched as Liam disappeared into the electronics store, then turned and leisurely strolled alongside the many shops lining the street. She made certain not to stray too far in case Liam returned, which was a good idea on a day like today. She would get lost within the crowd very quickly if she was not careful. The streets were unusually busy, with pedestrians buzzing about excitedly. It almost appeared as if they too were in a celebratory mood, one she could identify with.

The purchases in her hands were brushed against and batted by fellow window shoppers upon their passing, and deciding she'd rather not see her goods tumble to the floor and get trampled upon, she hefted them up into her arms. It seemed, however, she'd misjudged how truly safe they would be, cradled in her protective embrace. One especially bustling citizen oblivious to the fact there were others occupying the same physical space he wished to dominate shouldered past Laedra forcefully. Her purchases were extricated from her secure grip and plummeted to the ground.

If the day weren't truly a beautiful one, she would have internally cursed the man, but the shock of what she felt emanate from him all but banished any foul mood. It was merely a tingling in her skull and through her limbs at first, but once she opened her senses fully to the Force, it flared within her mind like the beaming rays of the sun. He was Force sensitive, not to an extreme, or anything she would have detected were it not that he had made physical contact with her, yet it was there. She had no way to be certain, but his abilities felt untapped, wild and untamed. She wondered if he was even aware what powers dwelled within him, waiting to be released.

While her mind wandered, so too had the stranger, almost out of view. Laedra shifted her gaze between her purchases lying scattered on the ground, the store Liam was shopping in, and the man. With distance between them now, she no longer felt him through the Force. Yet, he was one of her kind, and now that their chance to fully rebuild had come, they needed every Force sensitive they came across.

Her final decision was made as the man receded into the shadows of an alley, his black cloak billowing behind him and finally consumed by the darkness. Even if he could not be trained, at least she would gain an even greater sense of hope in knowing there truly were more of her kind than she could have anticipated.

Showing the impulsiveness she always detested in others, Laedra started down the sidewalk in a sprint, abandoning Liam and her purchases for the stranger. At first, she weaved her way through the milling pedestrians, bumping into the odd one here and there, then resorted to using the Force to physically clear a path for herself. She approached the opening to the alley cautiously at first, but her urgency was spurred as the man reached the end and turned down into another darkened corridor, leaving behind his streaming cloak as a trail.

Should I call out to him? Laedra shook her head in frustration and decided, instead, to start forward after him. Her feet plodded through thick puddles of rank and fetid water...at least she hoped it was water. Every sound echoed in perfect clarity and was amplified by the narrow space created by the two buildings on either side. Sprinting would have roused the man's suspicions and most definitely alerted him. Instead, she moved carefully and as deftly as was possible considering the urgency with which she pursued him.

She turned into the corridor she had last seen him enter...and into which he apparently disappeared. The corridor stretched for meters and appeared to bifurcate into two more corridors, one on each side. He couldn't have cleared the distance in such short a time without her having heard his footsteps hurrying away. That left Laedra wondering where the man could have possibly gone.

She sighed regretfully and wandered into the alley. She listened for a separate pair of footsteps. There were none. He had managed to elude her, intentionally or not, which would have infuriated any other person, but through the calming effect of the Force, it merely irked Laedra. She would have to find another prospective ally to chase away in some dark alley, and would now have to return to Liam and explain to him why street urchins were making away with her neglected purchases.

***

Concealed above on a nearby building's fire escape, Raxis eyed the woman like a hawk to its prey. Why did this market girl choose to follow him? Raxis shook his head with a smirk, looking down the mere twenty feet he had to leap to reach the ground, and judged the distance. If this woman were merely mad for her dropped packages, he would soon get the point across nice and clear.

Raxis grinned like a cheshire cat and leaped from the fire escape. His flight was silent, and to Raxis' pleasure she would most likely be startled and in his control. He chose the location of his landing, dramatically a puddle to alert her attention. He was going to enjoy this moment very much, and he was sure that she wasn't.

Laedra heard a loud splash behind her and quickly whipped around. Standing before her was Raxis, as he had just finished his landing. Crouched low with one knee propped, and the other leg outstretched to the side, his form was venomously low to the ground. His left arm was empty and digged palm down into the murky water of the alleyway to brace his landing, and upon his hip rested an empty holster. Conveniently, his right arm was concealed both beneath the folds of his cloak and the mass of form his body created against the cool water. What rested in that right hand, unbeknownst to the naked eye but to the trained mind, was a blaster. Taking a moment to let the mood settle in, Raxis' green eyes blinked from behind his porcelain mask, and his words echoed through the alleyway.

"Yes?" Raxis said, thankful that the mask was doing so well to hide his grinning face.

Instinct dictated that Laedra unsheathe her lightsaber now and give the man a reason to banish all menacing thoughts from his mind. But rationality forced her to remain still and give him a placid smile instead. "Impressive," she said with bow of her head. Her eyes glanced up at the fire escape, then back down at the man. "Perhaps, from now on, I should look up more often."

Raxis remained in his low perch, keeping his weapon behind him. He creened his neck to the side until the joints popped, and swiftly shrugged his ponytail over the left shoulder. The ponytail swayed in the puddle of water slowly. Again, Raxis blinked. "Perhaps from now on you shouldn't follow strangers into dark alleys, girl," he said with a slithering voice.

"Nor should you barrel down a busy street, throwing unsuspecting citizens from your path as you go." Laedra kept her gaze firmly on him now. What she had sensed of the Force in him earlier was but a gentle stirring now, even at the metre distance that separated them. He was not Jedi, but that had become apparent through his overconfidence and what she believed was desire to do her harm. It was foolish to chase him into a darkened alley, she knew, but now that she was here, she would concentrate on leaving unscathed. "Are you a thief?" she asked bluntly. "That is what the mask is for, is it not?"

"You were in the way. Is that what this is about? Packages? I wouldn't assume so, being that if they were so important to chase me that they'd be unimportant enough to leave them for the rabble to steal on the streetside. Look where it's gotten you now," Raxis replied.

He rose from the ground, practically sliding up from his position lithely, still keeping his right arm out of her view as he stood sidelong to her. He moved with a feline grace, and his eyes never left her form.

"Are you a thief?" Raxis replied coyly.

She followed the stranger with her eyes in silence, not willing to dignify his question with a reply that should have been quite obvious. With surreptitious movements, she began sneaking her hand beneath her cloak until the cool metal of her lightsaber's hilt pressed against her fingertips. His gaze was threatening, and empathically, she could sense he was prepared to strike if provoked. She was hesitant now to continue with the discussion she had planned, to confront him with knowledge of his Force sensitivity. A man who was willing to attack a supposedly helpless victim could only do further harm if made aware of the untapped power he had at his disposal.

"There is no need to feel threatened," Laedra stated gently. "I followed you because I had mistaken you for another. If you will excuse me..." She stepped forward to make her timely exit, still keeping her eyes fixedly upon his.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa wait a second, lady," Raxis chimed, whipping his cloak about to reveal a newly filled holster as he stretched his hand out in the universal hand signal to stop. He was now empty handed, and his sleight of hand had fluidly slid the blaster back into his holster. "Two things, get that hand out of that robe, and tell me who sent you. You from the family?" Raxis remarked in a monotone voice as he moved to step into her path.

Laedra stared at the blaster she had not detected before. She kept a frown from turning down her lips as she mentally reproached herself for being so careless and missing such an obvious detail. Slowly, she obeyed his request and let her hand fall to her side again. Someone as careless as she was proving to be had no right to bear a lightsaber.

She sighed gently upon returning her focus to the man and shook her head stiffly. "I have no family. Forgive me if I startled you or provoked your fears, but I must be going now." Laedra fanned her hand across his field of view and intoned, "You will let me pass now and will have no memory of this incident once I have departed."

Raxis tensed and blinked slowly, grabbing her wrist from the air as she waved. He was obviously moved by the mind trick, and appeared to have had to struggle to avoid its embrace. A mere glint of apprehension filled his eyes, as he decided to take a gamble. "Fasssa mm'Bass Teelo grindit tas?" Raxis said, in a language that sounded slightly like the one of the Hutts. He was obviously testing her.

Laedra recovered quickly from her momentary surprise. It appeared she had underestimated his abilities. Whether he did so intentionally, he had resisted her Force suggestion, and her attempt to bend his will had only placed her in a more dire predicament. She put up no struggle for the moment, and narrowed her eyes at him quizzically. His attempt at Huttese was an awful one at best. She remembered nights spent learning linguistics from Master Ina, who taught her the basics of some of the more common vernacular from throughout the galaxy. She shook her head slowly in a show of confusion and replied, "Yanooth rass Grvess m'bahl."

Raxis stood there for a moment with his iron grip on her wrist, the momentary lapse of response revealed his obvious confusion, and his eyes remained unblinking. His unused right hand extended his fingers, and brought them back into a balled fist with the audible cracking of joints. His pale fingers extended from the ripped holes in the fingers of his gloves and waved quickly near his hip. Raxis emitted an emotion of extreme confusion with strong seeds of apprehension now, and any trained eye would have noticed it as he lingered on the decision to grab his blaster.

"Nassa Toolath vass T'cherr Fass!" Raxis demanded forcefully as he began to lose his cool. The woman, to him, was now a mystery, and for the sake of his peace of mind he needed to know why she could speak Huttese if she claimed to not be one. His grip on her wrist tightened.

"I told you," Laedra replied in standard, keeping her voice steady and bereft of emotion, "I have no family. I do not work for anyone. Now, please release your grasp and move your hand away from that blaster. I do not wish there to be a confrontation."

"Do I look like a fool? Why did you follow me here, then?" Raxis growled as his eyes narrowed to reveal his pale skin beneath the mask. His grip was becoming increasingly tighter. "Did Jadda send you to check me out?"

A lone bead of sweat fell from Raxis' forehead. His mind was still racing with exhaustion from what felt like his mind being kicked with a steel toed boot. He kept his right hand loose near his blaster belt, and swore at himself in his mind as he felt the blood rushing back to his skull with a painful headache. His temples began to throb, and with each passing second he felt something radiating off of Laedra's skin. It felt like fire, and Raxis was being consumed by it.

Still, only the lone bead of sweat dropped, as Raxis remained cold, silent, and motionless.

"I do not know this Jadda you speak of." Laedra's brows furrowed in a slight wince as the constricting grip around her wrist became more than simply uncomfortably. The man was paranoid and his emotions were becoming awry and confused. She exuded a rippling wave of Force energy to calm him, but it appeared only to make him increasingly agitated.

"You do not even know it exists within you, do you?" she asked quietly. "It is like a pent up creature, lashing out within you, yet you do not know how to set it free. It's maddening, isn't it?"

"What?" Raxis questioned, becoming lost within the conversation. Confused, yet feeling something make a strange kind of sense, his loss of grip gave her just the moment she needed, as his hand neared closer to his blaster. He felt as if something was wrong, as if he was in a dream. His head continued to beat like a fleet of drums, and time to him had crawled to a standstill.

The man looked stunned and his focus wavered just long enough for Laedra to extend her arm towards his blaster. A tendril of the force lashed out from her fingertips and secured itself around the blaster. The man's reflexes were incredible, despite his momentary distraction, but he was not quick enough to retrieve the blaster as it sailed past his outstretched fingers and deep into the alley. "You will not require that. I merely disposed of it for your own safety."

"I won't be your bounty!" Raxis growled as he went on the defensive, now fearing that someone had noticed him place the bomb on Weibran's throne. He snapped his hand back and threw a lightning fast palm strike at Laedra's solar plexus, only to feel her block his attack at the wrist. Realizing that his opponent was skilful he advanced forward with a flurry of punches and knee strike combos as the two began to fight in the alleyway. Raxis, however, wasn't as fast as she was, for she seemed to be able to block every single blow he threw at her.

Finding what he thought to be an opening in her defenses, he jumped into the air with a spinning kick that was powerful enough to send her flying, and missed it on purpose as he prepared to combine the feint with a well placed kick. Landing from the spinning kick on the floor of the alleyway, he sent a spinning trip to her legs. Laedra, however, was faster than Raxis and collected his boot in between her two hands, and sent a flooring straight kick to his stomach, sending him skidding across the wet floor of the alleyway.

Soaked and now fearing that he'd met his match, Raxis flipped himself off of the ground with a kippup, sending water all about, and resumed a fighting stance. He stood in silence, watching her.

Laedra hadn't met such an equalled combatant, aside from the huntress, who had had the Force to enhance her skill. The man, as far as she could detect, was acting on pure, unadulterated strength and skill, which seemed to make him even more dangerous in her mind. If he could hone what Force abilities he had, he truly would be a threat. "Please, stop this. I did not come here to fight you. I am not a bounty hunter."

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. If he chose to attack, thinking her guard down, he would be surprised to discover she didn't require physical sight to anticipate his movements. Laedra pondered deeply for a moment, upon the future of the Jedi and their Order. There was nothing to be feared now. The Emperor had fallen. Being a Jedi was no longer an immediate death sentence.

She opened her eyes again, deciding their reintroduction into society had to start somewhere. "Don't be alarmed," Laedra said softly as she pushed back her cloak to reveal the metallic hilt of her lightsaber clipped to her belt. "This is why I followed you."

Beneath the mask, the color drained out of Raxis' face with a shiver. It was merely a few days ago that he read about Jabba's death at the hands of Luke Skywalker. It was said that he carried a lightsaber like the one she wore, and that he was part of an ancient order that was no longer existent. With a shiver again, Raxis was reminded that he too had been a part of Jabba's regime on Tatooine at one time.

"I see how it is..." Raxis said as he approached. "Tracking down the man's old group to finish the ones that got away if they don't willingly let you hand them over to the rebels? I'm no fool, lady...but I'm not going to live that way."

Raxis knew he was in trouble and hopeless, and answered the only way he knew how...to fight his way out.

Rushing forward again, he began his move of desperation. He sent a fist flying towards her throat as she spun behind him to completely dodge his blow. Laedra moved to put a shoulder lock on Raxis by grabbing his shoulderblade from behind, as Raxis sent an elbow behind him to block her hands. Dancing again, Raxis was fending off her attempts to subdue him with his back turned to her, and was wearing himself out trying to keep up with her. Spinning, he sent a kick low towards the side of her knee, which she blocked by stomping on the arch of his foot painfully. With a grunt, Raxis started back-pedalling while sending foot and fist in her direction. Confused and misunderstanding, Raxis kept attempting to defend himself, while trying to avoid shifting his weight onto his aching foot.

The fight escalated to an aerial performance of duelling kicks and sweeps, as the two acrobatically parried each other's attacks. Raxis, however, was starting to tire as he pushed his weary muscles to their limits to merely block her attempts to subdue him. With a grunt, he spun and planted his leg atop a nearby dumpster, using it for leverage as he rocketed himself from it to crash a flying kick into the back shoulderblade of Laedra, and rolled to land behind her. Laedra spun just in time to block a blinding kick sent towards her face, slammed an open palm into his jaw, grabbed his leg, and sent a kick to sweep his other leg from beneath. To place the icing on the cake as Raxis fell, she spun and sent a kick square to his chest. Raxis soared across the width of the alleyway and collided painfully into the back of a dumpster, falling onto his hands and knees.

Breathless, Raxis looked up from his mask to see her before him as he coughed and fought to bring air back into his lungs. A small trail of saliva and blood fell from the rim of his mask as he knelt on one knee helplessly.

"I never meant to..." Raxis coughed as he fought to catch his breath. "I swear I never killed a rebel. I beg...mercy...I'll pay you whatever you want..."

Laedra took a moment to infuse herself with a settling and invigorating wave from the Force. It troubled her that even now, her kind was viewed upon with enmity and hatred. It was another goal of hers, now, to inform the public and dispel through education how false the popularly held notions about her kind were. It was the Empire's doing, and she would help to undo it.

She gazed down at the man, his back rising and falling heavily as he sucked in lungfuls of elusive air. "My kind do not kill unless there is no other option. We do not take it upon ourselves to administer vengeance or justice through murder either." Laedra swept back her cloak and held out her hand to the fallen man. "I am not your enemy. I, in fact, have no idea who you are. Please... Take my hand, and I will explain everything to you."

Raxis was silent as he gasped for air. Facing the floor of the alley, he swept his mask off of his face and slid it into one of the folds of his tunic, and spit blood onto the ground. There was something about the woman he trusted, and what it was remained to be seen. For the moment, the allegiance that she offered seemed more appealing to him than yet another day attempting to impress the Hutts. With a sigh he attempted to wipe off some of the gravel, mud, and rainwater off of his glove...and took her hand without a single word.

With ease, Laedra pulled the man to his feet and met his gaze with smiling eyes. "This is much better," she commented. "Now...may we talk like civilized beings? If it would make you feel more secure, you may retrieve your blaster. I will not attack you when your back is turned."

"Thank you..." Raxis sighed as he limped over to his blaster, shoving it back into his holster. "I know a place that's quiet, and would prefer being on my own ground if you'd allow?"

"I accept." Laedra smiled. "I should perhaps contact my associate first. I left him in rather a hurry earlier without informing him. Perhaps I could meet you at an agreed location."

"Fine," Raxis grunted. "Windsor hotel in 30 minutes, room 323," Raxis said as he walked off, rubbing his sore face.

"Very well..." Laedra called back quietly as the man once again blended into the darkness.

She began wiping away the discoloured slime that had splattered onto her cloak, and seeing it as a futile effort and not one she wished to engage in with her bare hands, she sighed and let her hands fall to her sides.

She had no idea why she agreed to meet with the man, the stranger who had only moments ago attempted to take her life. Of course she wanted to change the misinformed opinion of her kind he seemed to hold, but on another level completely unrelated to this man, she endeavoured to make him a symbol of her Order's rebirth. If she could gain acceptance by a man who wished nothing more than to kill her at first, then feared her for what she was, perhaps her kind could thrive again.

Laedra laughed softly at how daunting the task seemed now and began retracing her path back to Liam. She would have to conceal from Liam the meeting with this man, but she would do so only because she couldn't risk losing his fragile trust this soon and showing up with a stranger would certainly accomplish that. For the sake of the Jedi Order, she had to confer with this man and show him the truth that had been obscured by years of Imperial propaganda. For the future of her kind, she would succeed.

Laedra found Liam waiting on one of the street corners near where she had last seen him. A medium-sized box rested on the ground at his feet and he stared off into the distance at the signs and pedestrians filling the streets. His senses detected Laedra as she approached and he eased himself away from the street lamp he'd been leaning against. He turned toward her and raised an eyebrow.

Laedra sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "A street urchin made off with my packages. I had only set them down for a moment..." She stopped before Liam, masking herself with the Force so he would be unable to detect the fabricated nature of her explanation. "I chased the man, but there must have been a secret entryway he knew about."

While his senses could detect nothing but stark neutrality from her emotions, Liam noted the shifts in her body language and the minute adjustments in her eyes. She was lying. He suppressed a frown. That he picked up no emotions told him she was masking herself from him, and it immediately made him alert, dropping his own mental defenses into place. It saddened him that she would do such a thing to him. In that instant the closeness they had gained vanished like the water evaoporating off the Tarkayze Sea. He finally nodded. "We'll have to get you new things then," he said. "Come on. We should be getting back to the Temple soon."

"I was thinking, rather, Liam," Laedra said abruptly, "that perhaps I could remain behind for a while longer. I wanted to do a bit of sight seeing and it would be rude of me to force you along."

"I'll go with you," Liam said. "We've only got one speeder here, and it would be more trouble for me to return to the Temple and then return to the city when you are ready." Which excuse will it be, he wondered. How will she get out of associating with him, having him near while she conducts whichever illicit deal in which she's involved?

Laedra kept her expression neutral and searched the ground again for inspiration. Subterfuge was not an ability she had mastered, and with Liam, deceiving him was utterly difficult. "Do you think that wise, Liam? I mean...Yelara... We wouldn't want her getting ideas, and staying out longer than we planned, she might begin to suspect something."

"I'm not returning to the Temple without you, unless you do not plan on returning to the Temple," Liam said, his expression growing cold. She was trying to manipulate him now. He forced the anger from the surface. "Very well. I'll just wait here on the corner. Go do what you need to and find me here when you're done. I hope you have a good time...sightseeing."

Laedra felt the sting of Liam's statement and knew it would require profuse apologies and explaining to mend things when they returned to the Temple. She said not a word, afraid her voice would not hold up, and bowed at Liam. "I will return in an hour. Good day, Liam." She turned on her heel and left immediately.

Liam watched Laedra go and wondered if, after this, he'd even be able to allow her back into the Temple. She could be off hiring a gang of thugs to storm the Temple and kill everyone there. And to think I almost fell for her, Liam thought as he surreptitiously moved off after her. He'd stick to the shadows and find out what sort of treachery she was involved in. The woman would not destroy the Temple, not after everything they'd gone through, and not with the Empire finally dead. He couldn't take the chance. She was up to something, and he had to find out what it was.

---

"Masks of Truth"
By: Raxis L'Ygr
Laedra Vorrel
Liam Zaneth

Location: The Windsor Hotel - Yesdol District, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

Lying. Laedra had never lied in her life. She'd been trying to convince herself that she hadn't deceived Liam, but had merely covered up the truth until she could reveal to him why she needed an hour alone in the city.

As she came upon the grand hotel structure, she stopped. It looked far too expensive for a common criminal to afford. Laedra laughed softly to herself. Because he was a common criminal was precisely the reason he could afford such luxuries.

She approached the large staircase leading to the entrance and began mounting, but something gave her pause - a slight disturbance in the Force, nothing more powerful than a light, gentle breeze. She expanded her senses, opened her mind to the Force, but what she'd felt just a fraction of a second ago was gone. Perhaps it was the man she was here to meet, but upon first assessment, his abilities were too weak to be detectable from such a distance.

Or perhaps you're getting paranoid, Laedra.

After this was over, she resolved herself to go back to the Temple and regain the focus she thought lost to her. Then, perhaps, she would find herself be able to avoid further encounters with strangers who wanted to kill her.

With a resigned sigh, Laedra continued up the stairs.

***

From across the street, Liam Zaneth had detached himself from the shadows once Laedra had entered the building. He couldn't help the suspicions that suddenly found their way into his thoughts. Duplicity wasn't one of the traits he would have ascribed to Laedra Vorrel, but he was seeing that trait displayed in her now. He could think of no reason why the woman would need to spend any time in this of all districts, but here she was. By her own admission she'd only been on the planet for a very short time, and she wasn't the type to delve into such a place without some other motivation.

There was something more going on here than he could assess at the moment, but she was potentially putting the Temple at risk. The Empire may have fallen, but there were still many others out there who would gladly rid the galaxy of Jedi Knights. He wanted to trust Laedra, wanted to more than anything, but with this deception he knew that it was too dangerous. The chance that she could be some dark agent now made him sick.

He crossed the street toward the building and sent his senses outward to determine where she was. If she were to spot him, he would not be able to find out what she was doing here. As he glanced inside, he noticed she had already fled up the stairs. With one last look around outside, Liam Zaneth slipped inside to follow Laedra to her destination.

***

At first, Laedra couldn't reason why the man at the front desk grinned at her the way he had when she asked for directions to the stranger's room. After signing her name to the visitor's list, and seeing the name of a female next to the stranger's room number, the man's smile took on an entirely suggestive meaning. At least she knew one thing about the strange man - other than he was a criminal who had wanted to murder her - and that was that he enjoyed female companionship from time to time.

The corridor she was passing through was lined with pedestals atop which rested ornately carved sculptures. She tread upon a carpeted marble floor that was designed with the hotel's sigil of a newly blossomed flower bearing the name "Windsor" in the centre. Pretentious and overdone was all Laedra had to say about the entire building.

She came upon the door bearing the number 323, which appeared to have been overlaid in gilt, but didn't doubt that it was actually gold. Laedra straightened out her cloak, even though no amount of adjustments to her clothing could have made her look presentable considering the splotches of mud and dirt still upon them. She looked up and down the corridor, somewhat self-conscious about being seen entering a strange man's room, and quickly rapped on the door.

Raxis was smoking a cigarra, overlooking the pedestrians three doors down as he heard the rapping on the door. Leaning against the railing lazily, he thumbed the door to open, and looked over his shoulder to greet her. Still in his dirty clothing, with a slightly bruised jaw, Raxis gave a nod. "You're awfully prompt..." Raxis began as he sighed and crushed a rose in his hand and threw it into the trashcan. "Don't mind the mess, last night was a little rough."

A blush involuntarily coloured Laedra's cheeks at the implication of the man's statement...reinforced from reading the sole female name connected to his room, as well as the leer she received from the desk clerk. She stood in the doorway, watching him from the distance, and feeling quite trepid about entering. "Forgive me if I came too early. I can wait outside until you are ready for me, if you wish."

"No, no...come on in and make yourself comfortable. I wouldn't want to invite another beating," Raxis said with a chuckle and pushed a wheeled chair in her direction, as he kept staring down to the street below. With a grunt, he rubbed his side and winced before returning to his cigarra. "I'm assuming your associate didn't mind you coming here alone."

"I...did not inform him as to my destination." Laedra moved into the room and heard the hiss of the door closing behind her. She looked about the room for a moment, then to the chair offered her, which she refused. Even she knew it was not wise to trust a strange man who had also attempted to kill her. "I did not injure you too badly, I hope. If you like, I can alleviate some of the pain for you."

Raxis turned and looked at her from the corner of his eye and took another long pull off of the cigarra. Yawning, he pulled his tunic off over the top of his head, and hopped over the back of a chair to land in it. On his right abdomen was a large green bruise, and it looked quite painful. Taking a moment to stretch out his wiry frame, Raxis nestled into the seat and scratched the tattoos on his arms. In plain view, an Imperial logo rested in large black ink on the top portion of his right bicep, and Raxis was making no attempt to conceal it or his naked torso.

"Please, sit. I don't know what this is about but it beats getting into a tussle," Raxis muttered as he reclined in his chair, lifting his arms above his head to stretch his form while taking yet another drag. "Bruises teach lessons. I'll be fine."

The Imperial tattoo he wore as an emblem, and one he displayed almost proudly, caused a pang of despondency within her. Even now, with the Empire fallen, its presence was still to be seen. Now, she had little hope they would ever truly be rid of their influence, and the man's tattoo served as a symbol of the permanent effect they'd had on the universe.

Laedra moved to the chair finally and sat upon it stiffly. She folded her hands in her lap, but was prepared to retrieve her lightsaber if necessary. "Fighting," Laedra began thoughtfully, "need not be the only recourse when confronted by an opponent. If you had allowed me to explain myself in the alley earlier, we would not have come to blows."

Raxis cracked open an eye to look at her, nodding. "I agree. Fighting is less of a way to do business, but you have to look at it from my position," Raxis began and bitterly tapped his tattoo. "A person like me and a person with a reputation for killing people like me can put a man on edge. You don't even know what I am do you?"

Laedra's gaze remained upon his tattoo. He scratched at it again, attempting almost to excoriate it into non-existence, but from the grim emotions he was exuding, she didn't think physically erasing signs of his past would free him from the memories of it. "You wear the Empire's mark," Laedra replied, "but that says nothing of your allegiances. And as for me, it would appear you have no idea who I am either."

"Correct on the first part, I don't owe the Empire anything," Raxis said as he nodded slowly and continued. "But I'm assuming that the laser sword you have makes you allied with the people that cut down Jabba. Which is why I was under the assumption you were coming to haul me in to the alliance. Am I wrong?"

Raxis avoided eye contact and smoked his cigarra, while flexing his sore muscles and idly scratching the front of his chest. "Or are my assumptions foolish?" Raxis added in before giving her a moment to reply, and mindlessly clamped his hand over the tattoo to conceal it.

Laedra tilted her head pensively to the side, but her eyes remained on the man's without her gaze faltering. "I have heard the rumours of Jabba's death, but I do not know the people involved. One of them, I have heard, was a Jedi, and as far as I am concerned, his actions do not reflect justly mine or those of any other Jedi I have come across. I do not know the particulars, but if this Jedi did kill the Hutt, then he must have had no other options."

She sighed softly and quickly looked away as her eyes fell to his bared chest. Even after encountering Liam in the same lack of attire, she still found herself flustered. She rose slowly and paced before the man while keeping her attention upon a large painting on the wall. "I do not work with the alliance. Until this week, I was alone, striving to be the Jedi my Master taught me to be. If I came across injustices, I intervened only as a mediator without directly interfering. Which would explain why I am quite out of practice in combat situations."

"Well thank my lucky stars," Raxis mused, trying to lighten up his poor mood. "I might not have even gotten a hit in. So what did make you follow me if you're not another hunter and not with the rebels?" Raxis said, standing with her, and moving to look out the window while continuing the conversation. His back was turned to her, as he made an honest yet silent effort to show her that he wasn't on the defensive now. He looked over his shoulder a moment to get a full look in at her, and returned to watching the rabble below meander about like busy ants.

"A feeling," Laedra stated simply. She arrested her slow gait and turned to stare at the man from across the room. "I believe you may have felt it too."

"Yes, something in the market and then again while we were fighting. It gave me one hell of a headache. I think I might be coming down with something," Raxis said over his shoulder to her, making his best attempt to be nonchalant about the situation. "What do you think it was?"

"What I know it was." Laedra moved silently and carefully towards him then lightly placed her hand upon his shoulder. "Don't be alarmed," she said quickly and softly. "I just want you to close your eyes for a moment and concentrate. Do you feel that? It's the same from earlier, isn't it?"

Like an abused dog, Raxis reluctantly closed his eyes. After but a moment he nodded, and moved away from her slowly, rubbing his shoulder. Looking off into the window he stared at the skyline of New Plouton for a moment before looking back to her. He let out a slow sigh and looked up at her. "What's this about?" Raxis asked with a hushed voice. He was trying hard to keep her out of his personal space, and almost seemed melancholy because of her sympathies.

"The Force," Laedra replied casually. "And it flows within you. Did you not realize it before?"

Raxis huffed a cloud of sweet cigarra smoke from his nose, and turned to face her instead of looking to her over his shoulder. He pushed himself to stand directly in front of her, the toes of his boots touching hers, and grinned slowly.

"You mean....to tell me...that I'm sort kind of untapped Jedi?" Raxis mused. "Me, a bounty hunter, is supposed to be some avatar of good in the world? Who would have thought that?" Raxis sighed and the the musing look in his eyes returned to the saddened look he was wearing earlier, and he promptly moved back to the window to stare down at the street.

He was visibly confused and tormented, and no matter how hard he tried to hide it he failed...so he gave in. He wasn't one bit angry, but he just couldn't hide it anymore. "That's not very fair," he began, speaking calmly and staring down at the street. "But then again nothing ever was. So what are you trying to tell me specifically, that you want me to be some sort of Jedi?"

Laedra moved forward with a sigh and leaned against the frame of the window, following Raxis' absent gaze to the streets below. "I am not exactly certain what I intended by following you into that alley or coming here today. I am not asking you to shed your past ways and devote yourself to the Jedi Order... When I sensed you today, there was...a confusion I felt, and an uncertainty. Perhaps that is what led me to you. There is much of those feelings in the universe, now that the Empire has fallen. People are lost and disoriented... I guess I merely want to help you find your way, just as I am trying to find mine."

Raxis let out a sigh and looked back to Laedra. He was now searching for answers to questions he'd been asking himself aimlessly for years, and amongst the clarity he felt strife while he battled to clear his racing mind. Flipping the cigarra out of the window, he slid the door shut and sat back down in the chair.

"Ok, so it's a bad life constantly having to worry about who's going to backstab you, but I highly doubt anyone would ever forgive a former stormtrooper let alone a bounty hunter. I wouldn't even know where to begin, do you?"

"Well... By giving them reasons to forgive you," Laedra said serenely. She stood with her back to the wall and watched the man sitting in his chair and seemingly drowning there in guilt and hopelessness. "Is forgiveness what you truly want? Is that why you left behind that life? You are not in a uniform, so I assume you abandoned your post. What made you leave?"

"I was posted on the Death Star five days before it was destroyed..." Raxis chuckled. "I know it's not funny but I figured that it was enough luck for a lifetime."

He moved to sit forward in the chair and rub his chin, letting out another deep sigh. "Forgiveness isn't the issue. I killed my father when I was young in self-defence, and never had a family. After I was self-orphaned I went wherever I could to stay alive. You don't know what it's like having to wonder if the Hutts are going to decide you're useless day in and day out. It's either you stay useful or you die quick, and it's impossible to stop. Sometimes refusing to work is a call for death. Like I said, it's not forgiveness, but an ability to hide from the Hutts and well...now...Weibran," Raxis remarked, somewhat grinning at the mention of Weibran.

"That would explain your reaction to me in the alleyway." Laedra moved forward smoothly and settled into her chair again. "I guess speaking fluent Huttese only heightened your paranoia. Forgive me for that. While I may not be an expert in human relations, I am well versed in many other subject areas."

She folded her hands into her lap and watched him in silence for a long moment. "You believe yourself in danger still? And will you kill all from your past who attempt to intrude upon this new life you've set out upon?" Laedra laughed softly. "In fact, hardly a life if you're constantly fearing it will end at any moment."

"Kill? No, I don't horribly enjoy killing. Most of what I did was collections and bring people in alive, but that usually meant that they were killed by the Hutts. Either way you look at it there's a risk, but with them there's only a matter of time till they ask me to kill a child...and then I would have to refuse. It's not something I prefer at all, but no one can hide forever. Han Solo had money he needed to repay Jabba and he was sent back to Jabba frozen in carbonite. I saw it with my own two eyes..."

Raxis stretched his bared torso again, clawing a nail down the tattoo. "I've wanted out for a while, well over two years, but I'd either have to fight or hide. Like I said, no one can hide forever. It's like I said...I've had a pretty bad hand ever since I was born."

"But you do not have to let it set the tone for your entire existence. I too was raised practically parentless, but I chose to pursue the path of the Jedi." Laedra shifted forward in her seat and found his downturned eyes with hers. "What do you want to do with your life? Believe me, you have many options. If you have a true desire to be something other than what you've been forced to be..." Laedra sighed, a moment's hesitation, then she added, "I can help you."

Raxis locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity, and then he finally spoke to break the tension. "Swear to me this isn't a trap."

"I can only give you my word..." Laedra lowered her head and laughed softly. She glanced up at him again and extended her hand to him. "Laedra Vorrel. It may be easier to place your trust in me if you at least know my name."

"Yes, it most definately would," Raxis replied with a grin and shook her hand firmly. "Raxis L'Ygr." He smiled and backed away from her to keep the distance comfortable. For the first time in years, another person was acting caring towards him, and he was starting to feel a little claustrophobic with the notion. Again, he diverted his eyes. "I'll have to contact some people. I might have a place that I can go, but I'm doubting some Jedi would sleep under the same roof as a person with my history."

"I'm afraid I cannot yet openly associate you with until I've conferred with a fellow Jedi. As I said, I did not tell him I was meeting you," she added quickly to stay any alarm she may have elicited. "I came alone...which was the first gesture of goodwill, Mr. L'Ygr. Today, I saw your potential because of your Force sensitivity, but the path of the Jedi would not be for you. Yours is one entirely different from the one I've chosen. I would like to help you discover that path, and perhaps along the way, I can show you how to use the Force to help silence those demons that dwell within you."

"I've got to sooner or later. They're starting to consume me. I won't let people close because of the danger it puts them in," Raxis said as he stood, stretching his muscles again and moving to stare back down at the street. In a way he was getting as close to his new ally as he would allow himself, obviously showing his fears of being close to another human. "Time will tell. We all die sometime anyway. I'd probably have better luck trying to take the crime families down myself. I just took one apart last night as it is."

Raxis shrugged his shoulders upwards and pressed down on the window sill, stretching his sore shoulders and arching his back. He couldn't hide his restlessness and pondering. "I'm tired of having to worry," he added.

"Now you know how the Jedi have lived since the Empire began obliterating my kind." Watching Raxis was beginning to make her just as jittery as he was. She too rose and wandered towards him. "What will you do to change things, Mr. L'Ygr? You cannot continue to go around detonating explosive devices beneath the thrones of crimelords." Laedra grinned and added, "I doubt the majority of them own a throne, first of all. And second of all, I cannot condone murder. I realize you may see no other choice, but perhaps I can help you find those other options. And perhaps in time, you will not have to isolate yourself from others, as I have for so long." Laedra paused in self-reflection for a time, then added, "It gets...lonely, doesn't it?"

Raxis turned and looked at her, sighing as he locked eyes with her. "Yes," he nodded. "Very lonely." He couldn't break the gaze for a moment, and felt a little lump in his throat, then forced himself to look away. "When should we meet next? I have to make a few connections before I get this started, and have to think to myself for a bit."

"Perhaps in a day or two. You will be unable to contact me, so we should arrange a location now. You may choose the place, Mr. L'Ygr."

"Here," Raxis replied. "I'm going to stay in for a few days, so I'll be here at all hours. Come by anytime."

"I will do so." Laedra watched Raxis in silence, opening herself to his emotions and feeling the internal struggle he was battling with two opposing sides of himself. It pained her to be on the receiving end of such despair, and imagining a person having to live with such hopelessness dwelling inside was almost unbearable.

Stepping lightly and quietly, Laedra moved forward and gently placed her hand upon one of his haunched shoulders. She felt him subtly flinch at the touch and as she turned him around to face her, she tightened her grip so he wouldn't shrink away. Laedra smiled at him softly to dispell his apprehensions, then with her free hand, she cradled his swelling jaw. "Don't be afraid," she said quietly as her other hand went to his bruised abdomen. "You won't ever have to be afraid of me." Laedra closed her eyes and fed rippling, therapeutic waves of the Force into her hands. The Force sought out Raxis' wounds and administered its healing powers to the purple bruises on both his face and stomach.

Raxis watched in awe, and felt the Force working through him as small tendrils of energy washed over his abdomen. Within moments, the pain faded and the skin returned to normal. Raxis had never witnessed an act of the Force, and was floored with actually being able to feel it. He soon realized that all of the emotions and predictions he'd made over the years was a byproduct of the Force within him. Slowly and in a perculiar manner, it was all starting to make sense. Alas, he could do nothing more than stand there with a gaping jaw.

"Thank you..." Raxis said, as he forced himself to speak. He closed his eyes, finally feeling himself relax, and leaned back against the window.

Laedra opened her eyes with a deep breath and stepped back. "Consider that a second gesture of goodwill," she said. "Until our next meeting, Raxis." Realizing he was rendered oblivious to her presence by the display of Force healing she'd demonstrated, Laedra decided to relieve him of her presence. Saying nothing to allow him to absorb all he had experienced, Laedra tapped the keypanel by the door and disappeared into the corridor so Raxis L'Ygr could contemplate his future.

***

Liam watched from the darkness at the end of the corridor. He had heard the steps approaching the door, and quickly moved to blend himself into the shadows. Once Laedra was in the corridor and the door was closed, he stepped out into the light. "I've heard this is actually one of the best sightseeing spots in the city."

Laedra stopped and bit back a gasp of surprise. That he'd been masking himself was the only explanation she had as to why she hadn't detected him before...spying, no less. She slowly turned to face him and spoke in a whisper. That last thing she needed was to compromise the trust she'd built up with Raxis. "Please... Let's discuss this outside, Liam."

"Very well," Liam said and moved forward, hand beneath his cloak and resting on the hilt of his lightsaber. "Outside is best."

"I realize I owe you an explanation, Liam...as you do to me. You followed me!" she said in a hushed tone. "Why?"

"You lied to me," Liam responded in an equally hushed tone. "At the end of the day, I need to take you back into the Temple and I needed to know you can still be trusted. I needed to know why you lied and what you were hiding...before it could destroy what I'm trying to build."

Laedra stopped again in the corridor and looked at Liam in astonishment. "How could you even think that, Liam! I would never do anything to harm you or the others. The only reason I kept this from you was so I could gain someone's trust. I hadn't realized in doing so, I would lose yours."

"You lied to me, Laedra," Liam said. "What did you think would happen? You deliberately told me a falsehood, rather than entrusting me with the information. You deceived me, you tried to manipulate me, and you made the choice not to trust me. And, yet you say you would never do anything to hurt me or the others."

"I'm sorry, Liam. I merely didn't want you to get involved in something that you would not have approved of, and something that would have caused you to think less of me." Laedra could do nothing but hang her head low and wrap her arms comfortingly around herself. "Would you like me to leave the Temple?" she asked quietly. "I do not want to force you to keep me there if you believe me a threat."

"Tempting," Liam said quietly. After a moment, he sighed. "Whatever you were involved in with him pales when put up against the realization that you don't trust me and are unwilling to confide in me. Realizing that the closeness we've achieved over the last couple days doesn't actually mean anything...it hurts. I thought we had...something...something more... I misunderstood... I don't believe you're a threat and I don't want you to leave the Temple if you still want to be a part of it..." He looked at her, the pain in his eyes unmasked.

Laedra glanced up at Liam and, stricken with the tortured expression on his face, she closed her eyes. "I was doing what I thought was best," she whispered in despair. "We have a chance to reintegrate ourselves into society... I thought starting with a man like this would be a way to test the waters." Laedra swallowed back her shame and regret and opened her eyes to meet Liam's gaze. "I fear I may not be the best addition to your Temple, Liam, not like this. I do not think I could be there and everyday be confronted with the pain I now see in your eyes. If there is no way I can make up for what I did...then perhaps I should not return to the Temple. For your sake."

Liam held her gaze. "Why-- why didn't you trust me, Lae? Why didn't you tell me? If you needed to go alone...but, you...you didn't trust me. All I want to know is why."

Laedra sighed deeply and shook her head ruefully. "I am not used to trusting, Liam. I have lived for almost 14 years on my own, and that does not lend itself well to developing one's ability to trust. Why did you think I was so upset when I discovered about the Elisia girl? It was because I almost trusted you and felt myself foolish for doing so after learning that you kept it from me. That is why I couldn't tell you this, and that is why, perhaps, I am a liability to everything you hope to achieve with the Temple."

Liam nodded. "So I cannot escape my past," he said sadly. "I will always be the failed Jedi who took advantage of his student. I will always be the Sith apprentice forced to hunt down and destroy Jedi. I will always be the dark warrior who sought out his own Master to cut him down. No matter how far I come, I'm always just what I've always been." Liam shook his head and turned away. "I see now that trying to seek redemption was a futile gesture, and one I can never attain since my own kind will never see more than my crimes."

"That is untrue, Liam," Laedra said firmly. She shed all inhibitions and placed her hand upon his shoulder. A chill emanated from him, one that propagated through her blood to encompass her entire body, but she didn't pull away. She stepped in front of Liam and tried to meet his gaze, but his eyes were fixed to the ground. "If what you've done pains you, then you have already travelled far down the path of redemption." Laedra sighed and cupped his chin with her free hand. She raised his head until his piercing blue eyes were gazing into hers. "I am the last person you should look upon to serve as a judge of your progress and achievements. I am hardly an exemplary Jedi, Liam! I...cannot trust my fellow Jedi, I've almost gotten killed twice because I was careless..."

Laedra felt her breath grow shallow and rapid as her fingers touched Liam's cheek, but there was no warmth for her there. That was reserved for Yelara, the woman he truly loved and the only one he ever would. "What kind of Jedi am I when I lost complete focus from just one look at you, from just one smile? Hardly one at all, I think."

Liam let out the breath he'd been holding and closed his eyes for a moment. He opened them to meet her gaze once more. He reached up and brushed his hand over hers. "It makes you human," he said. "And that's not such a bad thing." He couldn't help smiling as their eyes remained locked. "We've both made mistakes, and we have to learn from them. We can still help each other, Lae. I want you to be able to trust me, and I'll help you stay alive. Who else will I be able to find to train my son?"

"And if he's as difficult as I imagine he will be, I doubt you will have very many volunteers." Laedra finally allowed herself a smile, and even managed a laugh. "I think at the rate I'm going, I require your assistance to avoid becoming a casualty of my own recklessness, and I also need to stay around long enough to make up for lying to you." Laedra furrowed her brow in consternation. "You must forgive me, Liam. I...I just can't bear to know you're disappointed in me."

"Promise to trust me from now on," Liam said softly. "Promise me that and I'll forgive you gladly." He took her hand into his and held it. "And, from the sound of it, you really need someone to watch your back."

Laedra watched for a moment, her hand cradled in his and was aware of the other gently pressed to his chest. At that point, she didn't think she could refuse him anything he asked of her. "I promise," she replied, uncertain whether her voice actually made it through her constricted throat. "I will trust you, Liam, if only to gain your forgiveness."

"You're forgiven," Liam said softly. His heart was pounding in his chest, just below where Laedra's hand was touching. "I don't think I could stay upset or disappointed with you, not for anything." He held her gaze in his as they stood. "We should probably go re-buy the things we bought today. I think they'd wonder if we both showed up empty handed."

Laedra nodded her head in speechless assent, mesmerized by Liam's impenetrable, yet warm gaze. The hand upon his chest soon found its way to his cheek again, caressing it lightly, in opposition to the fierce throbbing of the blood in her veins. "I really do enjoy shopping with you, Liam," she said breathlessly. "I'm in fact glad I lost those packages. Anything to have extra time alone with you."

Liam nodded. "Let's go get you some more packages, Lae," he said. "And, I need to get more power cells." He started along with her, and without thinking about what he was doing, raised her hand to his lips.

Laedra savoured the sensation produced by Liam's lips upon her flesh and wished he would keep them there forever. "Perhaps we can start this day anew," she said softly. "Maybe we can make a fresh start too, Liam." She twined her fingers with his and smiled warmly. "However, I believe I rather enjoy arguing with you, Liam...especially when the outcome is just like this."

Liam smiled. "As long as everything's like this in the end, I like it too," he said. "Though, we could always just skip the arguing. Come on, let's go replace that shopping and reacquaint ourselves with each other."

"Gladly, Liam." Laedra looked down at their hands, fingers laced together and arms entwined, and added softly, "More than gladly."

"Me too," he said. They started out into the street, and off toward where they could repurchase all that had been lost in the mad rush of the day. "So, I'm going to assume Raxis, the guy inside is a Force talent," he said. "And, you were trying to get him to join up with us. Does he sound like he may be interested..."

As they continued walking, they spoke quietly about L'Ygr, the future of the Temple, and anything else they could think of.

---

"Reunion, Part 1"
By: Raxis L'Ygr - Bounty Hunter
Tralesha Zibel - Smuggler
Gort Donovan - Mercenary
Ronan Dayre - Slicer

Location: Kappa's Kantina/Tralesha's Apartment - Yallder District, New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

"Are you freakin' kidding me?" Ronan hushed excitedly. "She was one of them? Oh my gods...this is so...weird."

"No, I'm not joking," Raxis began as he threw his heavy boots up onto the table and sipped his Rodian Ale. Ronan had been silent ever since Raxis told him that a Jedi contacted him, and that she had become his ally. Raxis had been chain smoking since that afternoon, and had called Ronan for an emergency meeting. After three hours of racking his brain over the concept by himself, he simply needed a friend's advice. "I wouldn't joke about something like this, you know that. We've been friends for too long for me to lie."

Ronan shook his head in amazement and looked up with a slightly confused look on his face just as Raxis felt a tap on his shoulder.

Smirking, Raxis set his drink down and turned to look at the newcomer. Expecting to see a peddler of some sort, he smirked and spoke as he turned. "What do you want, now, Doolo?" ge sarcastically remarked.

Just before recognition set in, Tralesha punched him in the face as hard as she could, knocking him out of his seat on to the floor with a resounding thud. Reaching into one of her plethora of pockets she removed a credit chip and flipped it at him. "Next time try calling me."

By this point, the only thing that could be heard was the disjointed playing of the band as they tried to ignore the scene developing in front of them. Fully knowing that all eyes were on her, she turned to walk out like nothing happened.

Whistles and applause came from nearby tables, and Raxis peeled himself off of the floor rubbing his jaw. Sliding back into his chair he downed a huge gulp of the Rodian Ale.

"Ok, Ronan...fess up. How long did you know Tralesha was here and did you tip her off to our meeting?" Raxis said with a chuckle, pocketing his new cred-chip.

"I had absolutely no idea she was even in the sector, honestly," he insisted, holding back a laugh and spreading his hands palm up as only Ronan could do. "You might just want to go talk to her before you wake up one morning with a love letter pinned to your chest via a dagger through your heart. Looks like her punches have gotten better too...."

"Okay," Raxis groaned. "I'm going after her. Keep your communicator online, I'm going to be calling everyone together tonight. I want to plan something."

Grabbing his cloak and flipping a cred-chip to Ronan for his tab, Raxis fled his spot at the table to trail Tralesha back to her home.

***

Outside, Tralesha leaned against the cantina wall on the right side fully knowing that Raxis would try to follow her. As always, she was right and a few moments later he walked out of the building, stopping just a few feet in front of her to see where she had gone. Waiting precisely five seconds she tapped on his left shoulder delicately.

"Gods, I'm getting careless," Raxis sighed. "Tralesha I..."

"Yes, you are, and do I really want to hear this? I don't want any excuses." Standing with her arms folded beneath her breasts to keep her hands from shaking, Tralesha was tired and hungry and only wanted to relax, but seeing Raxis in the cantina after almost a year made her want to scream. He always did have a way of showing up and making things complicated for her, whether he knew it or not.

"Well, I'm assuming you did want to hear this. You were out here waiting for me and it was important enough to scrap me over," Raxis said as he moved to lean against the wall beside her, and moved to take a look at her knuckles. "Did it hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. And I figured just waiting here would be easier than having you following me home. You should have told me that you couldn't make it." Tralesha, hiding her knuckles she was almost positive were broken, made sure that he couldn't hear the pain in her voice. She had decided after not hearing from Raxis for a couple months that she wouldn't give him that kind of power over her again. That, and she was sure that if Gort saw even the hint of a tear in her eyes he'd kill Raxis.

"Yeah, and you'd probably be dead if you did stick with me..." Raxis muttered. "Now will you let me see that hand?"

Sighing, Tralesha held her hand out. Her knuckles were swelling and already starting to bruise. "Like I said, I'm fine," she said, avoiding Raxis' eyes. "Let's just go inside. I need a drink."

"Let's go somewhere quieter. I doubt Ronan wants to listen to us argue," Raxis said with a chuckle. "Besides, we need to put something on that hand."

Sulking, sore, and tired, Tralesha led the way silently to her apartment not far from the cantina. She couldn't decide whether she believed him or not, but she was sure that he wouldn't leave her alone till he had justified himself. Tralesha silently hoped that he would bruise badly from her punch, although he deserved it.

With a sigh, Raxis opened the door for and held it open for her. He couldn't help but notice how well she'd grown in the last year. Was he a fool for hurting her? Silently, he again cursed himself for having his ethics. In the business he was in, the women he had dated had just enough a chance of being fed to Rancor as he did. He really wanted to stop torturing himself like this. Walking her to a sofa, he helped her sit and moved to the kitchen to soak a cloth in cold water to place over her knuckles. He fixed the two of them some Rodian ale, and then sat across from her. He let out a sigh and just watched her for a moment, waiting for her to speak.

Tralesha flexed her hand, slammed her ale, and motioned for more. "So explain."

"I was protecting you, Tralesha," Raxis began, sipping his ale. "You started with the rebels and I was working for the Hutts. Being the large bounty there would have been paid for a rebel smuggler, I couldn't allow you to be seen with me. All it would have took was for one of Jabba's goons to see you and you would have been grease."

"That didn't keep you from getting in touch with me now did it? So you were working for Jabba, it's not like I wasn't doing things for other people. Besides, that's part of the job, and why it pays so well...it's called hazard pay. Why can't you admit that you screwed up and that you're sorry? If you are, why didn't you try to find me after Jabba died? Or did it just not occur to you? Thanks for trying to keep me alive, but I think I can do that on my own."

"Oh sure. I suppose you would have rather had to risk getting the three of us skinned by some bounty hunter? Trale, the Empire was paying 1200 credits a head! I left Tatooine because of it."

Raxis grumbled and lit a cigarra, leaning forward in the chair to take a drag, and continue making his point. "So an ex stormtrooper and one of Jabba's goon bounty hunters is dating a rebel smuggler. Which one of us would have gotten the better treatment if caught? I'm sure some of Jabba's men would have loved that after they got through Gort and I. You never did work for the people, and you don't know how much they spy on each other! I was trying to keep an eye on you, and I've been here since a week before Jabba died!"

"The point is you could have gotten in touch with me and told me something was going on and that you'd be gone for a while and you didn't. Don't get pissed at me for feeling slighted, I have that right. You ever thought that maybe I thought someone made you a mark and that I needed to find your sorry hide before you were killed? But, no, you couldn't bother with a note under the door." Tralesha leaned back with the beginning of a migraine. "It really doesn't matter anymore, does it? You did what you did for your reasons and I dealt with what I had to deal with. It's done."

Raxis chuckled. "If I left a note under the door you would have come looking for me, or opened the door in my face and kicked it in."

She caught herself trying to laugh and hid it hoping that Raxis didn't notice. "Well, probably, but then I looked for you for a while anyway...granted not as hard as I could have, but that was because I was angry."

"Well I am, in fact, truly sorry. Things have been strange lately like you wouldn't believe, and I want to make sure I'm forgiven. I'm actually trying to have friends again," Raxis said with a grunt, and he slid down into the chair to recline. "Strange like you just wouldn't ever believe."

"Try me and we'll see about this friends thing. I'm not going to commit to forgiveness till I have some time to think about it," Tralesha said as she started to take off her boots and get comfortable. Looking closer at him she could see that things had been difficult for him for the past year, and felt a paying of sympathy that she quickly pushed down without much success. "You're not going to believe it," Raxis started, and set his drink aside as he looked up to stare at the ceiling. "I met this Jedi girl, and she claims that I have the Force within me and wants to help me find a better life while training me how to wield it."

The absurdity of Raxis's statement made her laugh. "You have what? Oh that's classic, who woulda thought that an ex-goon of Jabba's would end up being able to use the Force? I bet his embers are rolling in the sand. So, if, and I mean IF, this is true what are you going to do?" Then mumbled under her breath something about the girl just trying to get in his pants.

Raxis let out a sigh at the sound of her disbelief. "See, I told you. What am I going to do? Well I'm sick of putting my life to chance with the guild and the Hutts, but I'm thinking it really depends on who's going to help me or not." Raxis sighed and covered his face with his hands, and allowed himself to actually appear as being under the amount of pressure that he was. "But she unquestionably was a Jedi. She used the Force to heal a bruise she gave me."

Tralesha gave a sigh in return and gave in. "All right, I forgive you. Stay away from the Hutts. See if Ronan can forge you some ID stuff, and stay here for a while. Train or whatever, I'll help you. BUT, you have to tell me EVERYTHING that happens, large or small, and none of this, 'I left to keep you alive' crap. You can sleep here on the sofa."

As she was talking she tried to understand why she was doing this for a guy that left her high and dry and gave up. Sometimes, she told herself, you just do things out of stupidity. She knew she was going to get it from Gort the first chance he got too. Tralesha didn't even know what her feelings for Ronan were anymore. There was a time that she thought she was falling in love with him, but who knows how many women he'd done this to. When they were dating she knew he was in a high-risk business, so was she. She never asked any questions. It was safer for both of them that way, but now she wondered if that wasn't naive of her. She decided she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, not in this or any other lifetime. "Who else do you have in mind for this help?"

"You, Ronan, and Gort to start. Yeah, I've already got Ronan working on the documents, and I've got more than enough cash to give me a place to stay. I'd hate to interrupt you and Gort's time together," Raxis teased. "He's so protective of you I might wake up with a vibro in the neck."

"Only if I asked him to." Winking and only half teasing, Tralesha retorted. "And honestly, I'd feel better having you here where I can keep an eye on you." What she didn't say was that she wanted him there because she had missed him, more than she was even willing to admit to herself. "Besides, Gort and I have had the last year to be buddy-buddy. He won't mind." Then looking behind her at Gort's bedroom door she yelled, "Will ya Gort?"

"Will I what?" Gort called from the back bedroom.

"Will you mind if Raxis sleeps on the sofa for a little while?" Tralesha replied.

For what seemed like an hour of silence, Gort remained silent to make sure his lack of pleasure with the idea settled in. He fought with himself to tell her no, but he couldn't do it. "No I don't mind, as long as he doesn't come in my room without my permission," Gort noted, and then promptly closed his door.

"Great," Raxis began. "Seems Gort will be eager to do the vibro thing," he said as he winked back. "Okay, deal. I'll make sure you stay updated and I'll sleep on the sofa. This is really going to put a wreck on my sex life," Raxis joked as he immediately started laughing and sticking his hands out in front of him in a halting pose. "I'm just kidding."

"That's right. I'll not have you bringing any of those Rodian woman you're so fond of here. The smell after you're done with them wouldn't come out of my last sofa so I had to trash it."

"That wounds me. Rodians?" Raxis flirted back. "I hope Gort doesn't mind that I sleep in the nude now."

"Sleep in the nude and you might get a vibro blade in a much more sensitive area than your neck. Either that or you might just wake up with a Rodian next to you out of spite." Tralesha got up and took the damp towel back into the kitchen and flexed her hand a couple of times just to make sure nothing was broken. The flirting felt so natural, but she didn't want to be sucked in again, not like before and she could feel the familiar pull to do just that. She knew Gort wasn't happy with her, but what was she supposed to do? Raxis really seemed to be sorry for what he did to her. Gort would just have to deal with the fact that she didn't have feelings for him like he did her. That was another mess, Tralesha felt badly about not caring for Gort in any other way but friendship, and he refused to talk about it saying she was just being silly. But Tralesha knew better. She needed a distraction, and bad, so she decided shopping was the perfect thing.

"Well, guys, I'm going shopping. All this craziness makes me want to buy things. I'll be back in a bit."

"You want some company?" Raxis looked up at her and asked. "It's been a year..."

Looking back at Raxis, light flashing of the silver in her eyes, she let a coy smile caress her lips falsely promising something interesting and purred, "Are you willing to carry the bags?"

"Sure, as long as I don't have to hold them with my jaw, Wookie-fist," Raxis flirted back.

With a look of astonishment Tralesha almost kicked him. "You know, if I weren't a lady I'd have my foot in a very uncomfortable place for you right this second. Dirty little..." Then unable to hold back her laughter Tralesha broke into hysterical laughter.

With a smile, Raxis grabbed his cloak and ushered her down to the marketplace uptown.

---

"Reunion, Part 2"
By: Raxis L'Ygr - Bounty Hunter
Tralesha Zibel - Smuggler

Location: Yesdol, New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

Raxis hailed a minicab speeder for the two of them, which promptly sped through the skies of New Plouton. Dusk was coming, and the skies were filled with breathtaking shades of violet and rose. The cab, however, was filled with the noxious aroma of a driver who desperately needed to bathe. Even on a terraformed world, the humidity could take its toll on a transport driver during a twelve-hour shift in a small vehicle with no functioning coolant system.

To the luck of Raxis and Tralesha, the driver was an efficient one, and had them in the shopping district within ten minutes. Raxis tipped the driver extra, and escorted her down the ramp and onto the paved street. He took a moment to scan the nearby stores, and his eyes widened as he realized where he was.

Looming before them was the Bazaar that he bought clothing from before the masquerade ball. "Hum, Trale. We don't want to shop here," Raxis sounded out.

"Why? I shop here all the time, and you wouldn't believe the discounts I get. Not to mention, the girls here are really sweet," she replied as he made a beeline for the doors.

"No no no no no please?" Raxis said as he made his best effort to grab her hand.

"Quit being a wimp!" she said as she grabbed his hand and yanked him into the store.

They stepped into the carpeted foyer of the Bazaar, and Raxis promptly moved his eyes to the floor. Within moments, a petite blonde employee turned the corner and smiled.

"Hi, Tralesha, welcome back. Who's this you've brought with you?" Pala began, and suddenly stopped herself as her eyes fell on Raxis. She had a look on her face that only a woman could recognize, and it was asking what Tralesha was doing there with him.

"Oh, you mean this?" Tralesha said as she put her hand on Raxis' shoulder. "He's my husband, but that's old news. I guess it's been a while since I last came in here." Tralesha knew what she was getting into, and Raxis knew that she was about to make him pay.

Tralesha couldn't hide her grin as Pala stomped towards Raxis, blushing and growing furious. "Oh I was that important was I, Hutch?" Pala seethed.

Tralesha very slowly moved her arm away from Raxis' side and moved to stand beside Pala, glaring at Raxis. Raxis had to stand before Jabba once, upon a famed platform that led to the equally famous Rancor pit, and even then he didn't feel so much turmoil.

"Wait just one second," Tralesha said with pursed lips. "What's this about?"

"Hutch here, thought it best to attend the after party to the Masquerade Ball without you, Tralesha," Pala noted.

"Define after party," Tralesha seethed.

"I meant to say infidelity party," Pala hissed.

"Oh really?" Tralesha said as she slowly spun on her heels to face Pala. Tralesha growled and slammed her fist into the bridge of Pala's nose with a soft, wet crack. Pala flailed her arms as she was sent sliding across the floor into a mannequin display of woman's evening gowns. Blinded with tears caused by the pain of being punched in the nose, Pala passed out beneath the pile of clothing.

"Tralesha, I think we should go," was all that Raxis could mutter before being blindsided by Tralesha's spinning backhand that knocked him to the floor. "Damnit, girl! It's not like we were."

"I think it would be best if you waited for me at the apartment, Raxis," Tralesha grunted.

"I did the same damned thing to her that I did to you, Tralesha," Raxis said as he sighed and stood up. "Fine. I'll go to the apartment and wait, but don't think that it's been easy for me to have to live like a damned ghost." He then turned on his heel and slowly walked out the door, muttering an obscenity under his breath.

---

"Reunion, Part 3"
By: Raxis L'Ygr - Bounty Hunter
Tralesha Zibel - Smuggler

Location: Tralesha's Apartment - Yallder District, New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

Three hours later, Raxis was sitting on the sofa of the apartment in the darkness, as Gort lay asleep in his bedroom. He now understood the pain that he had caused himself and others to be needless, and was sitting alone again. Tralesha was a girl that he really did like when they dated, and would probably still be together if he hadn't made the decision that he did. Deep inside, it hurt Raxis to see firsthand the problems that he'd caused her, and was starting to forgive him for it all. If he didn't change his ways, he would truly end up old and alone, if not dead at an early age.

The door opened quickly with a hiss, as the light from the hallway fled into the room. Silhouetted against the hallway was the form of Tralesha, carrying a multitude of parcels from what appeared to be a successful night of compensation shopping. She rummaged through the bags and set two small boxes on the armrest of the sofa that Raxis was sitting on, and placed a single large box in front of Gort's door before disappearing into her room.

"She's doing a good job at making you feel guilty," Raxis said quietly to himself as he sighed and picked up the boxes, and then laid down on the sofa with them on his chest. Slowly, he flipped open the boxes to find a new set of clothing in the same box as a small bottle of salve for his bruises. He couldn't help but chuckle, because he'd almost expected an "I'm sorry" to be amongst the crow she intended him to eat. In the second, smaller box, he found a wrist pad that included a hologram mapping system that could detail his location on the streets of whatever city he uploaded it to. He couldn't help to crack a grin, but the gifts made him feel even guiltier. He sighed and rested his forearm on his head, and closed his eyes on the sofa. Bruised, battered, and adorned with gifts he soon found himself about to drift off to sleep.

Tralesha crept from her bedroom door and moved to the foot of the sofa to loom above Raxis silently. She picked his feet up off of the sofa, and slid underneath them to rest his feet on her lap as she began to unlace his boots. "Damn shoes as always," she muttered carefully as she slid them off of his feet and to the floor.

Raxis let out a grunt, and writhed a bit as he pretended to be sleeping. Resting back into his position tiredly, he laid in silence with her in the dark.

"I know that things haven't been easy for you. You've always had your demons, and I think it's been tough on the both of us. I really missed you," she whispered, thinking that her words might go unnoticed in his sleep.

She moved the boxes off of his chest to the floor, and pulled the blanket off of the back of the sofa. Placing the blanket over him to keep him warm, she started to rise, but found Raxis' feet pressed into the armrest beside her to hold her down. To her surprise, Raxis had been awake the whole time.

"Forget I was a bounty hunter already, Trale?" Raxis said with a grin. "I missed you too."

With a silent chuckle, she pulled his legs off of her lap and rose. She rolled her eyes and leaned over him, and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you in the morning," she said quietly, and then turned and walked into her bedroom. "Goodnight, Raxis."

Raxis lay awake there for a half hour, as a long forgotten feeling of joy flowed through his body. He was already starting to prefer this new life to his old one, as he felt a soothing calm in it that he had never felt. He now had three friends, which was the largest number of friends that he'd ever had, and he'd never expected them to care like they decided to. All in one week, he'd learned that the Empire had fallen, that he had the Force within him, and that people were willing to be his companions.

"Just stay on the sofa, Raxis," he warned himself. "Do not try to go into the bedroom. I repeat. Do not. Go. To the bedroom."

Little did he know, that in the bedroom, Tralesha was laying on her bed propped up on her wrist, idly wondering if he was going to follow her.

It took them three hours of waiting and arguing with themselves, but they finally fell asleep out of exhaustion.

***

Tralesha woke early the next morning and took a hot shower. After washing herself with lavender scented soap she had bought the night before she just stood there feeling the droplets of water, like thousands of tiny fingers, massage her body. She couldn't get the image of Raxis with that trollop from the shop out of her mind. "What's your problem Tralesha? You can't expect a single person to just go without for a year because you want them to. Just because you did doesn't mean that he had to. It's not like you even knew where he was, let alone talked to him," she quietly admonished herself.

Tralesha took a deep breath of humid air then turned the water cold for a few moments before shutting it off. She carefully slid the towel off the rod and wrapped it snugly around her bust. Wiping the moisture off of the mirror with her hand she wondered why she was doing this to herself. What she had felt for him was a long time in the past, she had lost, and that was life. Putting her right foot on the counter she began rubbing some of the new lotion she had bought with the soap into her slightly chilled skin. As the scent of musky vanilla rose from her flesh she lost herself in memories of his touch.

"Why can't I just blow him off like she could every other man in the outer rim?" she thought to herself.

Finished with the lotion, she gently brushed the few tangles from her hair and just studied the face staring back at her from behind the glass of the mirror. Tralesha started putting on her makeup and realized she didn't recognize herself anymore. Maybe it was a time for her to change some things in her life too. With each deft stroke of her hand she became more and more resolved to make Raxis fall in love with her. Making sure that no matter how close Raxis got to her there was no way for him to tell that she was wearing any, she smiled to herself. "He has no chance."

She returned the towel and let the cool air of the apartment caress her bare skin as she walked to her closet. Choosing a deep green silk robe from her closet the smile on her lips widened, the perfect color to make her eyes spark. She knew how to make a man want her, and by the end of the day he wouldn't be able to get her out of his mind.

Tralesha adjusted her robe so it clung in all the right places and showed a vast amount of skin, but was careful to make sure that no matter how she moved he never saw too much. Men were more drawn to looking when they thought they might get an accidental peek at certain portions of a woman's body than if they were freely shown. With one last look in the mirror she winked at her reflection and quietly walked out of the room.

Raxis was still asleep on the sofa so she went into the kitchen to make breakfast for the three of them. Tralesha made sure to make just enough noise to wake Raxis and moved with calculated oblivious sensuality. She wanted to give him the illusion that he was watching her in secret.

Raxis' eyes lidded slowly to the sounds and smells of breakfast being cooked, and rolled onto his side on the sofa. She hadn't woken him on purpose, so he lay with his eyes barely open so that he would appear to be asleep from far away. He pulled the blanket up over his shoulders and stretched his muscles weakly, and then caught sight of her in her robe. He fought the instant urge to rip open his eyes to get a better look, and cracked a grin for a nanosecond before reassuming his pose.

Soon, breakfast was finished and Tralesha made her way over to Raxis to wake him up. Leaning over the sofa, she shoved Raxis on the shoulder lightly. The robe opened slightly as she leaned over, revealing most of her breast but hiding her nipple within. Closing his eyes the rest of the way after catching his glance coyly, Raxis grunted and fluttered his eyelids with the shove.

"Morning," Raxis said with a grunt.

"Morning sunshine. Ready for breakfast?" Tralesha quipped in an overly spastic manner as she padded over to Gort's door to find a note taped to the wall beside it.

"Oh, yeah," Raxis started as he peeled himself off of the sofa. "Gort left early, said he had somewhere he wanted to be." Raxis stretched his weary bones and rubbed the back of his neck that was sore from sleeping on the uncomfortable sofa. "When did you start cooking breakfast?"

"Oh, not too long ago," Tralesha said with a smile, and padded back into the kitchen.

"Good gods," Raxis said to himself as he flopped back down onto the sofa, and draped his leg over the back of it. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Nothing at all. Could you sit in my couch right? You break it, you buy it."

"I don't think a meteor storm could break this sofa," Raxis mumbled as he pulled himself to sit upright against its armrest. Pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, he sleepily rested his forehead against his knees and sighed. "How'd you sleep, Trale?"

"Quite nicely actually. You planning on eating before it gets cold?" Tralesha called from the kitchen. "So, what do you have planned today? Anyone interesting?"

Raxis was about to mention the meeting with Laedra, but then decided to not mention it at the moment as she finished her statement. "Nothing at all. Obviously not shopping, that's for sure."

He made his way into the kitchen and sat across from her at the table, and began to shovel in his breakfast stormtrooper style.

"Wow, the manners that run in your family must be impeccable." She chuckled as she crossed her legs and began to pick at her food.

The color seemed to drain from Raxis' face, and he let out a sigh and went silent.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Tralesha asked.

"I don't have any family. I took my father's face off with a blaster after he stuck a vibro in my mother's heart."

"I'm sorry," Tralesha said softly as she moved to sit next to Raxis and place a hand on his shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better I cut my father's face off before I left home too."

Raxis let out a soft sigh, and patted her hand softly while shoveling the rest of his food in. He knew that times like this were one of the dangers of having friends, and they would often say something on accident that would remind him of the past he'd fought so hard to forget. "It's okay. You didn't know."

Tralesha ran a few fingers through his hair and nodded. "Yeah, but just because I didn't know doesn't mean that I don't care." She then moved to side beside him again and finish her meal, remembering to cross her legs in his peripheral vision. She rose her bared foot to nudge him in the thigh softly. "So, what do you want to do today?"

Raxis couldn't help but lift an eyebrow softly. "I'm not sure really. I've never been on house arrest before. I figure that sooner or later the Jedi's going to be getting into contact with me, and I still want to talk to the three of you in private. Other than that, I was thinking I'd use your floor for push-ups."

"House arrest? Who said anything about house arrest?" Tralesha said with blinking eyes.

"Well, I'm supposed to be here to stay anonymous right? Shopping is a bad idea now, too," Raxis said with a laugh. "Why don't you just put something to plan and let me know if you want to go out and do something, otherwise I was considering spending a day lounging around?"

"Technically you are my guest," Tralesha said as she took his plate and moved to insert them in the auto wash, bending over slightly to do so. "So what would you like to do today?"

"Doll, I used to track down people and take their money for fun. I think it's a little safer if you make the plans."

"Ooh, just what I had in mind today too," Tralesha said sarcastically. "You're ruining all of the fun, Raxis."

On that note, Raxis got out of his chair and moved to the floor beside the kitchen and began doing his morning push-ups. Bare-chested from the night before and face down on the floor, he began his routine while continuing the conversation. "Well a day inside doing nothing beats the hell out of dealing with the Hutts. I'd be a Star Destroyer's weight in spice that he's looking to have a talk with me ever since I blew up one of his rivals. Did you hear about the ball a few days ago?"

Tralesha found herself staring, and shook herself out of the trance. "Oh, yeah, yeah I did."

"Then why don't you choose? After all I'd like to give you a few more opportunities to knock out my teeth," Raxis said with a grunt as he rapidly continued his workout.

Tralesha moved across the floor and sat on the arch of his back while he worked out, adding her weight to the burden. "Well this is a first, feeling a man underneath me ever," Tralesha said with a laugh.

Raxis immediately lost his concentration and fell to the floor with her atop him, shaking his head clear for a moment. "What do you mean, 'forever'?" Raxis said aloud as he subliminally fought the urge to roll over.

"Well, I do have an imagination." Tralesha chortled as she gave him a slight bounce, and padded off towards her bedroom to get dressed.

Oh man, Raxis thought to himself as he rolled over and turned his head to watch her walk away. It was obvious to Raxis what she was feeling, and he was starting to feel an intense urge to take her back into his life. First he would have to make sure she was willing to go with him on his new journey, and was also a little afraid that she would deny him and was doing all of this just to make him suffer in her own cute manner.

"Planning on shower today, stinky?" Tralesha called as she walked into her room, leaving the living area in a ghostly silence. She didn't offer to leave the room while he showered, nor did she pause at the door to let him in. All that remained was an empty door, and Raxis' imagination.

Pulling himself off of the floor, he made his way to the bedroom door and knocked quietly. "Yeah, I was going to shower if you didn't mind," Raxis called out. It was more of a question than a statement.

"Well, then get in and shut up," Tralesha called from within.

Reluctantly, Raxis moved inside of the room slowly and made his way to the refresher. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tralesha dressing for the day. Her bare back was turned to him as she combed her hair with her jumpsuit hanging unzipped off of her waist. On her hips, a small black thong with thin sides rested, and she seemed to either not notice or care whether or not she was seen. He bit his lip with a sigh and moved into the refresher. To his misfortune, the refresher had no door and was open to the bedroom. He quickly undressed, leaving his clothes in a pile, and climbed into the shower.

It wasn't long before he heard a knock on the wall from Tralesha. "Knock Knock! I'm just coming in to get something. It'll be just a second," she said as she crept into the refresher. Through the opaque walls of the shower, Raxis could tell that she hadn't gotten any more dressed than she had when he last saw her. She snaked up to the basin and grabbed something off of the counter, and left promptly.

"Nice ass," she called from the bedroom.

"What?" Raxis called over the roar of the shower.

She moved back to the refresher, brushing up against the door of the shower softly and rattling the handle a bit. "I said, nice ass."

"Oh." Raxis started as he felt himself blush. "Thank you?" he said with a chuckle, which was again more of a question than a statement.

It wasn't long before Raxis finished his shower, and he turned the faucet off. Soaking wet, he tried to dry his eyes while reaching over the stall to the rack to find that there was no towel available. "Uhm, Trale?" Raxis called. "Can I have a towel please?"

Chuckling, Tralesha strode into the refresher with her flight suit zipped to just below her navel, and she was holding a towel. "Yeah?" she said, holding the towel just beyond his reach. "What do I get for it?"

"Well, I already gave you a down payment on two of my teeth," Raxis replied.

Smiling, Tralesha lifted the towel above her head and dangled it back and forth.

"You drive a Rodian's bargain, Trale, you know that?" Raxis said with a chuckle.

"Well you do have a thing for Rodian women," Tralesha teased, as she folded her arms with the towel in hand.

"I'll get you for that one of these days, girl," he taunted. "Can I have the towel?"

"Promises, promises," Tralesha flirted and tossed the towel onto his face, and left the room.

Raxis quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, and opened the shower door. He moved to the basin and propped himself over it to leer into the mirror as he brushed the hair out of his eyes. He never thought he'd have this much fun in a woman's company, and found this game of cat and mouse to be slightly appealing. It was obvious to both of them that it would take very little to bring them back together, but something was holding them back. He let out a deep sigh. Unfortunately, he had let his guard down.

From out of nowhere, Tralesha's hand sneaked around the wall and ripped the towel off of his waist and ran into her room.

Raxis could only chuckle, and then found himself starting to relax. She was no danger to him, and he was no more a danger to her than her profession was. With a grin he shrugged, and resumed his hair brushing ritual naked, as he decided to start playing the game back.

Tralesha laid back on her bed, her face towards the ceiling with her eyes closed.

"I was going to thank you for the gifts last night, Tralesha, but you skipped off to bed so quickly. I apologize, and thank you for very much for them," Raxis voiced from the refresher.

"Yeah, well I figured you'd need new clothes. You never buy anything for yourself," Tralesha mused. "Are you a woman, or are you done yet?"

"Yeah, I'm done. If Gort catches me walking like this in the living room and beats me to a pulp, you're responsible."

"I'll kiss them and make them better," Tralesha joked sarcastically.

"Well, for your sake and mine you'd better hope he doesn't try to shove a forcepike up my ass," Raxis replied with a chortle.

"Oh, alright I'll get your clothes," Tralesha said as she pushed herself off of the bed and padded towards the living room, making sure that she got a quick glance into the refresher before she left the room.

---

"Training Day"
By: Kal'Aran - Jedi Master
and Aurra Sgall - Jedi Padawan

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

She closed her eyes and breathed in, clearing her mind and focusing on her surroundings as she had been taught. It was strange that she was able to see things and notice small details that were not there. It was as if sound and scent got stronger and she could feel the smallest changes around her. It was strange and yet easy to understand since the Force was everywhere.

She could feel the walls surrounding her, the plants and the sand on the floor, the open skylight and a small breeze in the wind. She could also feel her master, Kal'Aran, who was nearby watching her and reading her every move as she concentrated while sitting down on the ground, legs crossed and hands folded.

Across from the room, about five meters away, was a small statuette. The task was simple. The young girl had to feel the statue and bond herself with it using the Force as the link, and in the end she was to lure it to her and take hold of it. But even though this was an ability that most Jedi were able to control it was not one that could be learned just as easily. Alas, she was determined to succeed.

From behind her, Kal'Aran could feel that she tamed her feelings and cleared her mind well. She was knowledgeable and wise and patient, but she was still quite green in the ways of controlling the Force. So far it seemed that she had learned more about diplomacy and meditation rather than fighting skills or control over her surroundings. But he had faith that the girl would do just fine, although he chose not to make a single sound so as not to distract her...

As she breathed in, she extended her right arm and streched her fingers towards where she felt the statuette. She could feel it, its size and weight and structure getting more and more in touch with her, even though at a distance. Suddently it began to nudge and with a very small frown from her extended effort it began to move. First it tilted forward and slowly it began to cross the room, slightly above the ground and into her hands. Aurra opened her eyes and looked back to Master Kal'Aran.

"You have done well Aurra." He smiled gently.

The girl got up, still holding the statue. "I could feel it as everything else. I did as you told me and felt I could make it move towards me, into my hands..." she said happily.

"Indeed. You have done very well and you shall soon learn that it becomes easier with training and as time passes by..." Kal'Aran said.

"It was still a little hard and I took some time but I know I can do better if I apply myself to it. But what I cannot understand is how one can lift more weight than your own body."

"Objects are all the same. They only differ in the mind. If you bond your own existence with the object you will become the same as it, so to speak, and therefore able to control it just as you did now. You did fine, young padawan," he said as he placed his hands in her shoulders. "Now let us try something different. This time I want you to close your eyes and extend your feelings. I will toss something at you and I want you to catch it with your eyes closed."

Aurra knew that this was a harder training and she had to let her senses open and feel all that surrounded her better than before, but she felt she was capable. "I will do my best..." she replied as she prepared herself.

Kal'Aran watched the girl concentrate. He decided not to take too long and give her some time yet, before he tossed anything at all. As soon as he felt her ready he chose a small pebble at a corner and tossed it rather rapidly and soundlessly, although not using too much strengh just in case it struck the girl.

She immediately felt Kal'Aran using the Force also and a small object from a corner being tossed towards her torso. She felt it cutting through the air altough no sound could be heard. She turned around and faced it before it got to her. To Kal'Aran's surprise she was not only able to catch it but she moved with plenty of time to act and never felt the need to see if she was correct, which could only mean she trusted herself.

She dropped the pebble and opened her eyes once more. Kal'Aran moved near. "You felt the stone and you felt me using the Force to propel it to you..." he said with a nod. "You surprise me Aurra. You will come a long way and I am sure you will succeed."

The girl smiled. "I did feel you, yes. At first it confused me but then I felt the pebble and felt it moving towards me..."

"And you were not afraid to fail or to be hit," Kal'Aran added. "Your calmness surprises me Aurra. A very surprising ability indeed."

"I learned to tame fears with Master Lugoth. He taught me not to fear what I did not know but to keep an open mind and feel things evolving around me," she replied rather sadly as she remembered her former master.

Kal'Aran patted the girl's shoulder. "You did well, my Padawan. You may rest for now. We will do some more exercises tomorrow." And with that they both left the room they were in.

As they were walking out Aurra turned to face her master. "Master Kal'Aran, what of the other Padawans? I know there are more but I have not met any still..."

"From what I have learned, currently there is only one other. One Kael Selrid. I am not sure where the others are but I was hoping they do not abandon their Jedi path..." he replied truthfully.

"Why would they?" the young girl questioned.

Kal'Aran stopped. "Things in life are sometimes hard to understand properly. People do not always act similarly, and some choose paths that lead in ways that are not always the most righteous ones. But none can make that path for them except themselves."

"So you learn from your mistakes, is that it?"

"You try not no make them and learn from those you do. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes Aurra. But the knowledgeable one learns from them and thus gets stronger," Kal'Aran explained.

"If you don't mind Master, I would go meditate a bit and do my studies on the diplomatic protocols."

"Very well, Aurra." Kal'Aran smiled. "There is one other thing before you go Aurra. As you know I am in need to depart for a short while. Tomorrow I will leave for Tatooine to speak to Quinlan Vos. Hopefully he will come to aid us. During the time I am absent I will ask Master Laedra to look after your training, if all is well with you."

"All is well Master Kal'Aran. I hope Master Vos returns with you." The girl nodded in consent. She then left for her chambers at the sight of her Master who watched her leave.

---

"New Position, New Life"
By: Ellemiek Vermolen - Alliance Colonel
Admiral Worthington - CO CRSConcordia (NPC by Ellemiek)
plus a couple more NPCs

Location: Coruscant System, CRS Concordia
Date: Niothe 8, 4 ABY

***

The news of Palpatine's death had stormed throughout the entire galaxy in a most devastating way. The news impact had been most sudden, at a time when Imperial officers had taken for granted that soon enough the Alliance would perish under the extreme firepower held by the second Death Star. But things had happened in a most different way and the Emperor had perished, and with him his precious toy of evil.

Everywhere it seemed that the former Imperials were falling back and leaving the systems. Opposite to them came the Alliance, now feeling stronger than ever and setting free the systems, away from the Imperial evil oppression. Ellemiek and her squadron were part of a large team responsible for supporting and regaining one of the most important systems: Coruscant.

She stood in front of her men, most of whom were glad to see the war finally coming to an end. "As you know we are currently en route to Coruscant. Needless to say, this system is of upmost importance to our cause. Intel expects heavy defense from the remaining Imperial officers stationed there, so this will not be easy to handle. We are to provide cover for our mother ship, the Concordia, and escort transports to the planetary line. Questions?"

Jubey got up. "Colonel, are we to engage the TIEs and Destroyers in case they start bugging out?"

"At this point the Alliance is not too interested in creating new reasons to battle. Overtaking systems has been easier than expected but this does not mean this will be the case. Nonetheless, I want to fire if fired upon or if put in any kind of danger by Imperial fighters or vessels," Ellemiek replied.

"So that means we let them run?" another pilot asked.

"It means we give them a chance to surrender. If they do not then our flagships will disable them with ion shots. Our main preoccupation is defending the fleet and providing escort and cover for the transports, not engaging enemy fighters," she cleared out. Looking at them she could tell there were no more questions. She nodded to them. "We take off before the jump in under one hour. Gear up and get ready. We split in two squadrons. I will lead red team, Jubey leads blue team. I want tight formations. Dismissed."

The men left and went to get prepped for the upcoming mission. As Ellemiek was about to leave, the Commanding Officer for the CRS Concordia approached her. "I was hoping to talk to you Colonel..." Admiral Worthington said.

"Sir..." She nodded as she saluted him.

"At ease. We should do this more formally but there is not enough time to spare. Here..." he said as he gave her a little box. "You have just been promoted to Captain for your excellent service. Congratulations! I am honoured to have you at my ship."

"It is I who thank you, sir!" She saluted once more.

"Carry on Captain... Oh, and good luck. May the Force be with you," Worthington said before he left.

Ellemiek got ready and made way to her quarters.

As she got there she saw her R2 unit who chirped as she came in. "Yes, we are about to leave. Just let me get my flight gear," she said as she picked up her blaster and helmet, since she already was dressed in her pilot suit. "You ready R2?"

The astromech unit chirped and followed Ellemiek out of the room and towards the flightdeck. It was put in the X-Wing as Ellemiek herself climbed the ladders to sit in her pilot seat. All systems checked, it was only a couple more minutes before they took off. "Prepare for lightspeed jump..." the voice came over the intercom between all ships.

As soon as the signal was set she saw the stars begin to pass at an extreme speed and the weird feeling that one gets when jumping into that same speed. Soon afterwards they were ready to diminish speed back to regular. Things became visible once more but something seemed all wrong... The system was deserted except for one Star Destroyer which was jumping into lightspeed itself.

Not wanting to take chances Ellemiek chose to play it safe. "Attack formation!" she ordered to her wing as she looked around. "Keep your eyes open. This might be a trap..." she warned.

"Sir, I am getting but one reading. One Lambda Class Shuttle heading our way..." a pilot said.

Soon enough it hailed them. "This is Imperial LCS Victory requesting to approach and board." The message came as a surprise. Under the chance of a trap or some sort of decoy, command chose to disable the starship and use tractorbeams to propel it in.

Once inside the docking bay the ramp to the Lambda Shuttle opened and out came but one man. A Major by his stripes. "I bring you a message by Grand Admiral Tarkin. The Empire has not fallen but come stronger than you can even think! Soon you will learn it so... Coruscant is yours for the time being since we find no use in it. All that we needed has been taken away and on the planet's surface you will find only locals. That is all..." he said before he took his blaster off its belt and shot himself, commiting suicide.

Two days later they all knew that the Major had said only what was true. Indeed Coruscant was empty from the former Empire and Grand Admiral Tarkin had secured several strategic locations and turned Chiameria into a most well defende