"Misdirected"
By: Elisia Melouet - Jedi in training
High Princess Kalaira Valreth - High Princess of Tae'Karada
Yeri Kelldon [NPC]

Location: Space
Date: Saris 9, 3 ABY

***

"What did you say your name was again, little girl?" Yeri Kelldon asked as he glanced over at the girl sitting beside him in the cockpit. They'd been travelling non-stop for almost 24 hours now and in all that time, the girl had said only two words to him, both of which comprised her name. They were just about ready to exit hyperspace and deliever Yeri's cargo. Well technically it was the High Princess' cargo but if the girl wasn't willing to divulge information to him, he was going to return the sentiment.

"Elisia," she said simply. She had slept most of the way here. Hunger had finally driven her from the hole into which she had crawled.

"A good name, that." Yeri sighed and looked back out of the canopy, watching the streaks of light flash by the screen. "So, you hungry, kid? Or do you eat as little as you talk?" Yeri laughed quietly to himself and shook his head. "Anyway, Elisia, why are you going to a planet like Commenor? It's not the type of place for a little girl like you. If you want my advice, I'd reconsider staying there. Why don't I just drop you off at Tae'Karada? It's a nice enough planet."

"I do not wish to go to Tae'Karada," she said a little too emphatically. "I will book passage on another ship from Commenor." She left the cabin but soon came back with some bread and cheese-like substance. She offered half to him before she devoured it.

"Thanks, kid." Yeri smiled and took Elisia's offerring of food. He popped the small piece of cheese into his mouth and chewed away at it slowly. "It's nice to have company during long periods of space travel. You get so lonely at times, you end up having conversations with the mites running around here."

"I am sure it is. Travel can produce a state of complacency where you forget what you have missed till you suddenly are faced with it," she said quietly, watching the stars streak by.

"Well, you're pretty smart for a kid, you know that?" he replied. His attention was drawn to the console as a persistent, unimposing beep arose from it. He looked at the lightspeed meter on the cockpit dash and sat up straight in his seat. "Sit tight, kid. We're dropping out of hyperspace," he said to her, taking control of the frieghter. "So, Elisia, you sure you don't wanna go back to Tae'Karada with me? The High Princess would like to speak to you."

"The High Princess of Tae'Karada? What in the hell does she want?" Her eyes flashed angrily.

"Don't ask me. I'm just the messanger. Why don't you ask her yourself?" Yeri asked with a grin.

"No! I don't wish to speak to anyone else from that blasted place," she said quietly. "I am sorry, I just...I can't go back to Ta'Karada."

"Well, at least give her a call, Elisia. It couldn't hurt. We're coming up on some Imp patrols so this'll be your last chance to make any long range comms before they jam our frequencies. Whaddya say?"

"And how is it that this High Princess knows I am here?" she asked pointedly.

Yeri smiled. "Well, I do work for her, and maybe I let it slip that I had a certain young lady aboard my freighter, and maybe she let it slip that she was looking for a particular young lady who just happend to fit your description." Yeri laughed jovially and winked at Elisia. "Come on, kid. She's a good woman and maybe she can even offer you another option you haven't thought of before. She's kind. She'll help you."

Elisia no longer believed in anyone who was kind. It was just a front to get what you wanted out of someone. A lesson she would never forget. "Fine, whatever...place your transmission."

Yeri gave Elisia a mock salute and activated the holotransmitter. "Whatever you say..." He handed her the device with a playful flourish of his hand and tried to keep back a laugh as Elisia took it from his hand with a grimace.

As the High Princess's face appeared, both women sized the other up for a moment. "Your majesty," Elisia said politely.

"Elisia, you must not get off the ship. The planet you are headed for is renowned for...less than honest dealings," Kalaira said gently.

"Why would you care? You don't know me," she said firmly.

"A mutual friend made me aware of your presence on my ship. I wouldn't care if you were a criminal, Commenor is no place for a young unsheltered woman," Kalaira said a little more firmly. "Come back to Tae'Karada. You can have sanctuary here if you are no longer with Kace Mordin."

"First, the fact that your mutual friend knew I was here means I am being tracked. That doesn't please me. Secondly, I can take care of myself. I don't need asylum." Elisia's eyes flashed angrily.

Kalaira was uncertain how to proceed. She knew she was on precarious ground not having met the girl before. "Elisia, I know what it is like to not know who to trust. I am not asking you to trust me. Just don't get off the ship on Commenor." Kalaira' s voice was deeply persuasive. "If you come back to Tae'Karada, I can get you passage to a safer planet."

"So you can seize me or do whatever you have planned. One more person who just wants to use me. I will take my chances. I can take care of myself." Elisia cut communication and shoved the device to the pilot.

"Elisia, that was not wise. You may not get off Commenor alive. This is an Imperial controlled planet. Please listen?" Yeri asked the girl. Why wouldn't she listen to reason?

"That is not YOUR problem. I paid for passage, not lectures," she said firmly. "I will be in back if you need me." She stomped out of the cabin, clearly distressed.

A transmission from one of the Imperial patrols sounded through the comm device, Yeri pushed aside the snarky comment he was about to shoot Elisia and turned his attention to the viewscreen where the Imp starfighter came into view. "Unidentified freighter, state your designation and purpose," came the garbled voice on the other end.

"This is the Decazian Tak with a cargo shipment for your station. I just need to drop off the shipment, get my creds, and then I'll be on my way," said Yeri.

"State the nature of this cargo, Decazian Tak," the Imperial operator commanded.

"Carbosyrup," Yeri replied.

There was a pause on the other end of the transmission before the voice came back and said, "Fine, Decazian Tak. Transmit your codes and once they check out, you can dock. Have your identicard ready in case we need to board you."

"Will do. Decazian Tak out," Yeri replied. He switched off the comm and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead as he transmitted his codes. Imps. Yeri always got uptight when they were around. He turned the ship over to the autopilot and snuck back into the cabin where Elisia was sitting.

"Elisia, I just had an interesting conversation with the Imps. Now I don't want you to over react, but they might be boarding us. Now, the High Princess has ordered me to keep you safe, which means I need you to keep a low profile. You can be anyone you want to be, just not yourself. Have you ever seen the Imps in action, Elisia? They show no mercy, not even for a little girl like you."

"Yes I have. I know how to get through a space port. I am not concerned," she said, staring straight ahead.

"Well, you should be. Now hide that lightsaber of yours and try not to be so bold with them. If they disapprove of your attitude, they'll give you a lesson in respect, one I don't think you'll appreciate," Yeri said firmly.

Suddenly her dagger was at his neck, the edge of the blade pushing up under his chin. He had barely even seen her move. "How did you know I had a lightsaber?" It was still at her back under her coat. She had not pulled it and she had kept her cloak on.

"I caught a glimpse of it when you boarded. Now if a lowly freighter pilot like me could have spotted it, that means the Imps will have no trouble doing the same." Yeri tried to keep the fear and agitation from his voice. A kid with a dagger at his throat... If this had been any other time, he would have found the situation comical.

Elisia shoved him away. She could feel his fear and she felt a sense of power at having caused it. "Fine, I will be your co-pilot until we leave Commenor. Is there any planet between here and Tae'Karada?"

"A few. Look, why not listen to the High Princess? If it's creds you need, she'll give them to you in an instant," Yeri said as he rubbed his neck and felt a slight twinge of pain. The little rat cut me, he thought to himself incredulously. Screw the High Princess. I'm dumping her on the first planet we come across.

"I don't need credits. My last...employer paid me well for his use," she said quietly. "You will drop me at one that is safe and I will pay you well," she said quietly, emphasizing her point with Force persuasion.

"Suits me," he replied, the Jedi trick wasted on him; he didn't need anyone to persuade him to let her off the ship - he'd be glad to see her go.

The auto pilot sounded off, and Yeri switched back to manual controls. "We're ready to dock. Get rid of the lightsaber and just sit back and at least pretend you know how to fly a ship," he said urgently.

"I understand," she said quietly. She stashed the saber as he hurried off. She would get him off this planet and then she would make him take her where she wanted. But for now, they had to jump through the imperial hoops. Elisia had the time. She had nothing but time.

---

"A Little Chink In The Armor"
High Princess Kalaira Ardelyr-Valreth of Tae'Karada
Elisia Melouet - Drifter
Yeri [NPC] - pilot

Location: Royal palace of Arcadia; Hyperspace
Date: Saris 9, 3 ABY

***

Elisia followed Yeri's lead. They were boarded but it was almost a cursory inspection. Elisia stayed small and unassuming, taking on the stance of the younger girl she often appeared. She enhanced that image with her growing force skills. She smiled as they left; Kace would have been proud of her. She immediately frowned as she realized where her thoughts had taken her. Kace didn't want her. He wanted Yelara. She had best remember it. She stayed out of Yeri's way as he pushed their departure through the system. She helped where she could and the rest of the time, just stayed out of the way.

"You were very impressive back there. You almost had me fooled," he commented to Elisia. "So, Commenor's off the list of places to visit. Where to next?" he asked. "Before you answer, may I make a suggestion?"

"Sure, as long as it's somewhere peaceful between here and Tae'Karada," Elisia said. She truly did not care as long as it was not Corellia and not Tae'Karada.

"Well, I have the perfect place then. See, I've got this Bimm friend - a miserly fellow at times, but he has his moments..." Yeri digressed. "Anyway, he's a good man and would be willing to help a nice girl like you. Ever thought of visiting Bimmisaari?" Yeri asked with a smile.

"No, I know nothing about most of the universe," she admitted.

"Well, why not start learning? Bimmisaari is as good a place as any to start, and besides, it's probably the safest and furthest planet from Tae' Karada. The Bimm are strange looking things, but they've always been hospitable to foreigners. And since I have free rein of where I haul this ship, Bimmisaari it shall be." He gave Elisia a congenial smile as he punched in the new cords. "So, Elisia. Tell me--"

"If you don't mind, I think I will go meditate." Elisia felt no need to converse nor would she willingly open herself to anyone again.

"Ok," Yeri said quietly to himself as he shook his head. Being a pilot for half his life, he'd met some rude people, but nothing could seem to top an angst-ridden teenager.

When Elisia had left Yeri, he immediately put a comm through to the High Princess. "Your Highness," he began as the face of the High Princess materialized on the screen. "Looks like we're now headed for Bimmisaari. We should be due to arrive in about 65 hours. I just thought you'd like to be informed in case you wished to have one of your operatives intercept us upon our arrival."

Kalaira indicated to her aide to place the call to her operative en route to Commenor and reroute her immediately. "Thank you, Yeri. You shall be well rewarded for your service. Bimmisaari is a much more suitable place for the girl. She is valuable to me and to many people, Yeri, take care of her," Kalaira commanded, becoming more and more the High Princess and less the soft-spoken businesswoman.

"I will, your highness. She's actually a rather exceptional little girl. I mean the way she carried herself when the Imps started snooping around." Yeri gave a short laugh and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at the High Princess. "If I may ask, Your Highness. Why exactly is this girl so important?"

"She is most likely being sought by the Kandran Syndicate as well as a Jedi by the name of Kace Mordin. I do not think he would be foolish enough to risk her falling into Imperial hands," Kalaira said, knowing Yeri would not be pleased by either prospect.

Yeri grimaced. "Dargus, eh? I can only imagine what a man like him wants with a little girl. His preference hasn't changed towards younger women, I hope."

"Dargus?" Kalaira's eyes narrowed. Few called Kandran by his first name. "I do not think you wish to know."

"As you wish, Your Highness. At any rate, I will do everything in my power to keep her safe from scoundrels like him during our journey to Bimmisaari. You might wish to inform your operative that she is a little testy right now. She barely speaks and when she does, she's not a very enthusiastic conversationalist. She's depressed about something, but hell if I know what."

"Understood. I will make my operative aware of that as well. Though to be honest, I would expect no less. I do not think she would have left her master for a mere slight or insult," Kalaira said quietly. What would make a Padawan run from her master?

"Her master, your grace?" Yeri asked.

"The Jedi who is most likely seeking her. Enough said, Yeri. The less you know the better." Kalaira realized she was talking too much.

"Yes, your highness. Is there anything else you require of me?"

"I have another shipment for you ready. This one will require a little more subtlety. I will fill you in on your arrival. Let me know when the girl is safely planetside." Kalaira signed off leaving Yeri to his thoughts and questions.

The moment the High Princess's face vanished from the screen, Yeri looked over his shoulder to see if Elisia was still out of earshot. He looked on his console and the ship's internal sensors placed her in the small cabin near the back of the ship, about as far out of earshot as anyone could get on a vessel that size.

He turned back to his comm device and found himself unable to suppress the ecstatic smile curling his lips. Working for a High Princess had certainly boosted his income considerably, but having two rich employers was even more profitable. Once he'd managed to wipe the smirk off his face, he punched in the coords of his other employer who would, no doubt, be truly grateful for his services. "Ah, Lord Kandran," Yeri intoned cheerfully as the face of his employer flashed onto the screen. "I have the information you've been waiting for regarding the girl. And after I divulge that information to you, perhaps you and I can discuss the little matter of a payraise you owe me."

---