The call for freedom has reached even the most remote systems in the outer rims. With each new application to join the New Republic, Chief of State Leia Organa Solo has sent out ambassadors to meet with theirs. But recent pirates attacks in the outer rims have made travel difficult and new ambassadors had to be picked and sent into the dangerous territory.
Gorel Reikon and his family have been sent on a mission to the outer world known as Heslo Kache on a diplomatic mission. Though the traffic in the area is low, the pirate actions are high. Knowing the danger, Gorel continues with his duty as ambassador.....-------
The ambassador's ship sat at the docks of Coruscant. Inside, the crew bustled about in preparation for their important delegates.
"Are their quarters furnished and ready for the Ambassadors arrival?"
"All preparations have been made, Captain. We are awaiting further orders." First at Helm Liona Kachenski reported.
The Captain nodded in approval, "Report to helm then and make preflight adjustments. We want to take off as soon as possible so we can make good time."
"Yes, sir." Liona bowed and walked down the corridor and into the helm. Her friend Radu sat in his chair going over the status of the hyperdrive engines and fuel gages.
"We're short on hydro fluid. We can make one safe jump to Heslo Kache but we'll have to restock when we get there."
"Well, it's not going to take us more than one jump to arrive. I'd tell ya to get some more to be on the safe side by Captain Xenera is set on us leaving as soon as they arrive which will be in a mater of minutes. We'll survive with only enough to take us into hyperspace once." she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and moved to her post.
"Everything checks out fine. Engines are ready, fuel line open, stabilizers in check and crew at there posts."
"All we need now is passengers," Radu joked.
------
Gorel stood at the doorway to the shuttle craft. "Hurry along children, we haven't much longer. You don't want the transport to leave without us do you?"
"Is that a valid question or a hypothetical statement?"
Gorel turned and looked at his daughter with a disapproving eye, "Is that anyway to talk to the appointed ambassador of the New Republic?"
"Once again my question becomes relevant."
Gorel's wife Titanya put her hand on there daughter's shoulder, "I know you don't want to leave but please, for your father, relax and act happy. It won't hurt you, Fayore. Where's that famous smile of yours?"
The girl's violet eyes were charged with intensity as they stared emotionlessly at her parents, "I told you I had a bad feeling about this. You're not listening to me. I cannot relax till I find I'm wrong about this." she ran her fingers through her hair as she always did when the unknown worried her.
Gorel let out an exasperated sigh and watched her march into the transport.
"Don't look at me," he said to his wife, "She's your daughter." A small hand tugged on the back of his jacket. He turned to see a bright faced little girl with auburn hair and sizzling gray eyes. "Lylana! Honey, are you ready to go for a trip?"
The six year old child smiled and nodded her dimpled face, "Yes Daddy. It's going to be so much fun!"
"Hurry aboard the shuttle. Your sister is already there." Titanya said as she watched Lylana skip along her way.
"Now that one," Gorel said, "Is mine." he smiled and kissed his wife softy on the cheek.
"How come you get the optimistic one?" Titanya asked.
"Because I am the ambassador and initialed to certain privileges and getting the happy and cheerful daughter is one of those."
"Fayore is just worried for all of us. She had a dream."
"Dreams are no more than useless information our minds cast into a storyline as a way of cleaning it out." Gorel said, "Didn't you learn that in school as well?"
Titanya smiled softly, "She wasn't wrong last time when she said Lylana was going to fall from that balcony. If she hadn't set up that net below it, Lylana would have-"
"That was luck." Gorel stated, "That's enough of this. Get aboard the transport. I don't believe dreams tell you events to come."
"The Jedi can-"
"I said that's enough." Titanya stopped her complaint and walked aboard, Gorel keeping only steps behind her.
------
"Welcome aboard the Highwind, sir. Your bags have been placed in your quarters and your children can find a recreation room planned out specifically for there enjoyment just down the corridor on your left," Radu said as me showed the ambassador to his quarters.
"Thank you. Tell the captain that he has gone above and beyond my expectations."
"I will sir. Thank you." Radu opened a door and allows the passengers into there suite.
------
"Daddy's mad at you again isn't he Faye?" Lylana asked. They were in there quarters, separate from there parents' rooms.
She shrugged, "When isn't he?" Faye threw her bags on her sleep couch and snapped it open, "I guess I could have acted a little happier to be going on this trip but... Oh, I don't know. I just wish he'd believe me."
Lylana walked over to her sister and hugged her from behind, "I believe you." Even though they were eight years apart in age, they were best friends. Fayore was the eldest at fourteen. Despite maturity differences, they understood each other far better than anyone else could and seemed to share a strong bond. Fayore hugged her beloved sister back and laughed, "Well if you believe in me, I can do anything." A sudden pang in the back of her mind made her remember what had caused the distance between her father and herself. The fact was she could do things, things her parents couldn't understand. Things that scared them. Once she had heard her mother speak to her father about a Jedi school, a school for people who did things like Faye could. Her father had laughed and discarded the idea saying:
"We are not Jedi so how can we have a Jedi child? Answer me that and when you can then maybe I will think about it. She is a normal child, Titanya."
"She sees things, feels things, she isn't normal, Gorel! We should at least give her a chance. What are you afraid of?"
"Just look at her! Those eyes, that hair. There's a darkness in her. She'd turn. She'd be just as bad as Vadar."
Fayore squeezed her eyes shut to block out the rest of the memory. She didn't like to think about it. It was a depressing matter. Lylana grabbed her hand and pulled her over to a chair and made her sit.
"I can make you feel better and forget all about that feeling you have." she said. She took out of her own bag a hair brush and few hair bobs. "Take your hair down."
Faye did as she was told and undid the long braid that was wrapped around the top of her head in a bun. Lylana smiled, "You have pretty hair. You shouldn't hide it in that bun. Wear it down sometime, okay? For me?" she moved behind her and began brushing the forest green locks, the long curls coming untangled and spring up in corkscrews. Lylana laughed and began pulling on the individual locks, "Sproing!" she said, giving the curl's recoil a sound effect. Faye smiled and shook her head from side to side, making her sister laugh even harder as the dark hairs were throwing her face. After a momentary giggle fest, the two sat back and continued their little chat.
"I bet you'd make a good Jedi if Daddy gave you a chance." Lylana said, guessing as to what had brought on Faye's sudden depression.
"How did you know I was thinking about that?" Fayore asked.
"You always look so upset when you think about what Daddy said."
Fayore had forgotten Lylana had been there when she had overheard her parents.
"He only says I'd turn and be evil cause I look evil." Faye took one of her longer bangs and stared at it's odd color. She knew her eyes would be a practically black, violet color had there been a mirror to reflect them. She really didn't look like anyone in her family. Her mother had gold hair and her father had a brown hair with a reddish tint like Lylana. Faye stood out like a sore thumb, especially at family reunions. It seemed nowhere in her entire family tree was there a green haired relative.
"Faye, promise me something," Lylana said, interrupting Fayore's thoughts.
"Anything."
"When you become a Jedi, you will remember to visit me, right? You'll take care of me even then."
Faye smiled. Her sisters optimism and love always washed away her worries.
"Even then, Chibi."
Lylana once again wrapped her arms around her sister and hugged her tightly, "I love you, Fayore. And we'll always be together. Best friends forever!" Her words brought more worry to mind, a feeling of dread.
"Of-of... course we will." Faye managed a weak smile, "For all eternity."
The door to their quarters opened and the tall, muscular form of their father walked in, "Wanna see the cockpit girls?" he asked. Lylana smiled and ran out the door in a frenzy of excitement. Faye kept her gaze still and emotionless as she passed her father. She could feel his fear of her. She almost wished he hated her instead of feared her. In the cockpit, Lylana was asking many questions.
"What does this do? And that one?"
"That tells us how much fuel we have. And the other one is a gage on hydro fluid." Captain Xenera said. Faye felt a strong feeling of dread at the mention of the last gauge.
"You don't have enough hydro fluid. You need enough for two jumps."
The crew laughed at her, "They sell hydro fluid on Heslo Kache too. We can refuel there for the return trip."
Faye shook her head, "No, for the trip there.. you need two. Trust me."
Captain Xenera looked to Gorel with confusion., "Is she a Jedi student or something?"
"No, no I must apologize. My daughter had a bad dream about this trip and thinks we're all in danger. Pay no mind to what she says. She has a very active imagination." He cast a warning look at his daughter and laughed at her, "Perhaps I should tell them about the time you thought a robber was going to break in and ended up getting caught in your own booby trap."
The crew laughed as Gorel went into more detail about her haywire plan.
Faye felt tears well up in her eyes and turned to leave. No one stopped her though she could hear Lylana pleading with her father to be nice.
"Daddy, don't embarrass her."
"Oh come on, she knows I was only joking!"
Faye shook her head and quickened her pace. He could ignore her, fear her and laugh at her all he wanted but it didn't change anything. He could seal his fate if he wanted but she wouldn't share it, and she'd make sure he didn't take Lylana down with him.
------
The days and nights looked the same in the depth of space. With each passing hour Fayore felt more anxious, checking over her shoulder to make sure 'they' weren't here. When the alarms went off, she wasn't startled or surprised. She clasped her hands together in prayer and waited. Unknown to her, this was preordained and inevitable, this had to happen. Still she prayed, prayed for a future. The ship shook and alarms rang. Everything not nailed down was thrown to the floor. Faye lifted herself from the floor and looked about for her sister. She seemed okay, just frightened.
"We're coming out of hyperspace." Fayore told her.
As if to confirm this, the captain spoke over the intercom, "We have hit a space mine. Please lock your doors and find safety."
"What does she mean by that?" Lylana asked, grabbing her sisters hand.
"Pirates put up space mines to knock ships out of hyperspace. They board and take everything of value."
"Faye, you don't think that space pirates will come on our-"
"I know they will, Lylana." Faye ran out of the door, Lylana in tow. It took only seconds at their pace to reach the command post. Liona stood looking over some readings with a grave expression her face.
"Damn, we won't have enough hydro fluid for a second jump. All thrusters are offline.. we're stuck." she muttered, rubbing her temples. She turned, suddenly aware of someone else's presence and saw the two children. "You two aren't supposed to be here. Radu was to have taken you to your escape pods by now!"
"Our parents, are they-"
"The Ambassador and his wife have been taken to their escape pods and jettison from this ship." Liona said, her face grown pale, "If Radu didn't get to you than he must have been.."
The door opened once again. Liona readied her blaster and aimed it at the intruder. Radu steeped in, arms raised in surrender, "Woa, I'm not a pirate!"
Liona put her blaster down and sighed, "I thought you were dead! You were supposed to-"
"Captain Xenera is dead. The pirates goth im at the breach. I can't find the kids anywhere, though!" Liona pointed to the two people behind her, "You mean these precious cargos?" Radu gave her a quick smirk than turned to the two kids, "There is a escape pod in the back. Come with me." he shoved Faye and Lylana threw the door and down the hall, "You too Liona, there's nothing left for you here."
she shook her head, "I think I can activate the emergency doors. It'll help you escape." Radu started to argue but nodded, "Hurry up, okay?"
She smiled and blew him a kiss, "I'll be there before you know it."
He took one last fleeting look at his friend than ran down the hallway with Fayore and Lylana beside him. The alarms rang as the power cut down.
"Pirates have entered the command area. Radu, they-" the communication cut off but not before a scream shattered the air. Radu cringed and ran faster poor Liona...
"They've taken control of the cockpit," Radu announced. "We're in big trouble now."
"Why?"
"They can access any of the ships functions." Once again irony struck as the ships safety doors began to fall. The escape pod was near, just passed three more doors. Sounds of running foot steps came close behind them, tall shadows of men carrying blaster riffles were cast against the walls.
"Run! If we are locked in here we'll captured or killed!" Radu ran forward and passed threw all three doors before they fell too low. Blaster rifles shot at Lylana and Faye as they went passed the second door. It closed behind them, slamming to the ground before the pirates came threw. Faye and Lylana were almost to the third door but it was less than a foot from the ground. They wouldn't make it. Faye looked back at her sister. You'll take care of me even then. Faye had promised to take care of her and she would. Fayore ran faster, intentionally passing her sister up.
"Faye, wait! I can't run that fast!" came her sisters frantic plea.
Fayore dropped down and slid across the floor. The hard door was only inches from the ground. There was aloud cracking sound as the door tried to fall shut the rest of the way. Faye's left leg separated the floor from the door. It was just high enough for Lylana to slip threw. She screamed in pain but was able to keep from crying. It would only make her sister worry more. Lylana ran to her side, screaming louder than even Fayore had..
"Faye!"
"Crawl under." She said.
"Fayore..." Lylana did as she was told and slid under the last door meeting up with Radu.
"Help my sister!" she shouted. "Please!"
Faye couldn't feel her leg anymore. There was exceeding pain but also a numbness. "Go on, Lylana! Radu, get her to the pod!"
Radu pushed a large steal block between the floor and door. "I'm not leaving anyone behind. Can you squeeze out?" he asked. Faye tried.
"No. My leg.. I can't move it. I can't even feel it. Please, just get my sister out of here!" Faye though she heard the pop-hiss of an activated lightsaber. There are no Jedi on this ship... Radu's hand came threw the gap and it did indeed hold a lightsaber, it's violet blade glowing with it's vibrant intensity..
"I won't kid you. This is going to hurt. Move your hands away from your leg."
Fayore knew what he was going to do and did as she was told. In a second, she was pulled out from under the wall. She looked back and saw that her leg was still there but she was not. Radu was fixing a tourniquet around the cauterized stump. Lylana was crying and screaming at the site of her sister. Fayore didn't really take notice though, he gaze was fixed on Radu.
"You.. you're a Jedi." she said.
Radu nodded, "Have been for many years."
"Why didn't you see this coming?"
Radu confessed he wasn't a powerful Jedi and not able to see too deeply into the future, if at all. "If I could have known I would have warned you and your family." he paused then looked at the wounded girl in understanding, "But you did, didn't you. You knew this was going to happen."
Faye nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her back towards the escape pods.
"I saw the pirates but not this..." Faye admitted, eyeing her missing limb.
"Faye, are you alright?" Lylana asked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm gonna be fine." Fayore smiled, "I told you I'd take care of you."
Lylana cried harder but smiled through it.
Radu jogged to the escape pod and placed the two in it. He plugged in the coordinates and joined them quickly. The escape pod flew off, away from the danger. There was another escape pod near by. Using the comlink, Radu called over. "Gorel and Titanya Reikon?"
There was fuzz than a reply. "Yes, please, are our children aboard your escape pod?"
Radu looked down at the two girls and smiled, "Yes they are sir. Your eldest lost her leg though in a heroic action which saved herself and her sister. You should be very proud, sir."
"Can I speak with Faye?"
Radu handed the comlink to Fayore, "Dad?"
"Faye.. I'm sorry I didn't believe you... you were right.. again."
"It's okay dad."
"No it's not. You warned me and I didn't listen and because of that we could have died and you lost your leg. I promise I'll get you a bionic leg just as good if not better than your real one. You have my word."
Faye smiled, "Thank you."
Radu watched in horror as her eyes fell back into her head and she collapsed. Lylana screamed and wrapped her arms around her. Radu quickly check for a pulse and breathing. She was alright but had passed out. Gorel's worried voice was shouting through the com, "What's happened? Is everyone alright?"
Radu picked up the receiver, "It's nothing. Fayore just passed out. She'll be alright though. I've set a course for a nearby medical ship. I'm forwarding you the coordinates."
-------
"The procedure was a complete success." the doctor said as he allowed the anxious family into the reserved room. On a med-table lied a young teenager with forest green hair. Titanya took her daughters hand in hers and kissed it gently. "Fayore, wake up. We're here." she said. The girl stirred then awoke. Two almost black, violet eyes opened slowly. There was no pain in her left leg anymore. The numbness continued though.
"Faye, look." she saw her father lift her left leg... She sat up strait and looked at her legs. Yes, plural. She had two legs again.
"I told you I'd get you a new one." Gorel said. "It's better than your old one in many ways. There's a compartment in your thigh now that can hold your lightsaber."
"But I don't have a lightsaber." Faye said. Her father's grin deepened.
"Your father thinks you should attend that Jedi school on Yavin 4." Titanya said.
Faye's eyes brightened and she hugged her parents. "I promise I won't turn dad. I'll make you proud." she said. Gorel looked surprised that she had known his worries but hugged her tighter,
"I know you won't. Anyone who would risk there life to save another's is sure to stay on the right path." Lylana stood to Faye's right.
"What's wrong?" Faye asked.
Lylana couldn't speak. She jumped onto the med-table and laid beside her sister, arms wrapped tightly around her, "Thank you, Fayore."
-------
The night was silent and darker than anything ever seen. The stars outside were still as the medic ship moved at a slow pace. Faye couldn't sleep though and passed up and down the ships corridors. Her new leg didn't hurt but it felt different. It was like her real leg was trapped inside it's hull even though she knew exactly where her leg was. The same feeling of dread that had enclosed her heart on the Highwind crept upon her again. It seemed the closer she came to her sister and he quarters, the more it griped her. Faye began to jog but the feeling was too urgent for even that pace. She went into a full run, her hair trailing behind her like a dark cape or comet's tail. She came to the door and opened it. Lylana slept silently. She hated to wake her but knew she would never forgive herself for hesitating.
"Lylana, Chibi, wake up." she said, shaking her sister.
Lylana's eyes opened and stared into her sisters. "Faye, It's early. Go back to bed." Fayore took the covers and threw them to the floor, grabbing her sister's arm now and pulling her from the room.
"What's going on. What are you doing?" Lylana asked.
"Trust me. Come on. We have to get mom and dad."
"You're not going anywhere." someone shouted.
Faye turned around and saw, to her dismay, a tall man with a stubby beard and a blaster holstered on his right leg. "What are you doing here?" Faye asked.
"I'm a pirate, what do you think I'm doing here?"
Faye wished she already had a lightsaber with her. She could attack him or keep blaster bolts from hitting herself or her sister.
"This is a medical ship, there is no treasure to be found here." Faye said.
"The New Republic Ambassador is on this vessel. That's treasure enough." The man raised his blaster and took aim, "And you're his daughters." he pulled the trigger. Faye pushed Lylana behind her but it wasn't enough. The blaster bolt went threw Fayore's right shoulder, severing her arm from the rest of her body. She fell to the floor and the pirate ran on his way towards the ambassador's quarters, sure he had made his kill. Faye stifled a moan and clasped her shoulder tightly, stopping the blood flow. Slowly, she sat up, after making sure the pirate had gone. When all appeared clear, she turned around to make sure her sister was alright. She only saw her beloved sister's crumpled body laying on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her. Fayore crawled to her side in a panic. The blaster bolt had hit her directly in the head. Lylana was dead. A torrent of pain and angst filled her. Faye grasped her sisters body and held it close to her own, rocking back and forth as if Lylana was only asleep. Agonizing pain surrounded her, blinding all else. She couldn't stop it, it originated from her and flowed around her. She wanted to cry but she couldn't. She wanted to scream but her body wouldn't allow it. She felt cold and alone. She'd let her down. Finally Fayore stood, pulling her sisters body to her bed and draping the covers over her. She could hear herself promising to her sister that she'd protect her. Faye closed the door to her sister's room behind her. She may have failed to protect her, but she would not let her death go unanswered. Faye raced to Radu's quarters and found him in no better a state than Lylana. On the floor by his side was his lightsaber. She held it in her hand and marveled at it's efficiency and balance. She activated the blade then the other. A double bladed lightsaber. Perfect. Faye took it with her, running down the hall further till she found the man responsible for her sister's death. The man turned around and faced his one armed adversary. Behind him, Gorel and Titanya stood, holding each other.
The man smiled at Faye. "Say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy." his blaster went off. Faye's heart stopped beating at that very moment, her fathers sad eyes forever etched into her memory. His lips moved as if to say one last thing but no words came out. Fayore's mother and father fell to the ground, still holding each other, even in death. The same coldness of before surged with more power.
The pirate turned back to Faye, still smiling as he leveled his blaster with her chest. He let a few more bolts fly at her but she blocked each one with Radu's old lightsaber. She smacked the gun out of his hand with one kick and brought down the lightsaber on his right arm. It sliced off like butter and he howled in pain. "That was for me." Faye slashed low and cut his left leg off, "That was for my mom and dad." She then brought the purple blade down on him, slicing him in half. His eyes were full of horror and his mouth hung open.
"That was for Lylana."
Faye deactivated the lightsaber and opened the hatch on her leg, put it in it's rightful spot. It was a perfect fit. She looked at the carved up man on the floor and was suddenly frightened. Funny.. I don't even feel bad about killing him.. She brushed the dark feelings aside and ran to the docking bay. Eleven more men stood in the bay next to a small ship, twelve ships surrounded the medical ship on the outside. Faye made her was silently towards the ship hoping no one would be in it. She didn't want to kill again, not right now. She felt so disgusted she could puke. Slowly she crawled into the ship bolted towards the cockpit. No one was there as she had hoped. She pushed in the correct numbers and set the ship afloat. The men outside shrieked as they were burned by the ships exhaust. Fayore winced but continued, flying out of the docking area. Thirteen ships turned on her own, attacking. Shots flew wildly around the her ship, some hit but did minimal damage as her shields were on high. Faye shot back at the many ships, taking out three in just a few minutes. Suddenly, without warning, the medical ship blew up. Fayore's ship gained more speed as the tidal wave of destructive power coursed around her. The other ships were not far enough out and were struck by debris. Faye's ship rocked back and forth, being ripped apart from the outside. Finally, all was still. Debris of the pirate ships and of the medical base were intertwined and almost indistinguishable. Fayore tried to cry now that she was away and safe herself but still no emotions came threw. All she could do was scream and then sit in the darkness of space, alone, contemplating the events. There was nothing she could have done that she did not do but her heart said other wise. There was an emptiness burning in her body. She may have survived physically, but all else was dead within her. She didn't even feel the pain from the loss of her arm. A deep loneliness was all that existed. Lylana.. Mom... Dad.
--------
Four Years Later
The ship Revenge blazed into battle with the bounty hunter's ship.
"Give it up! Your worth a lot to me, even dead. So don't think I won't risk those extra seventy credits for your carcass!"
A laugh could be heard over the comlink, "I do believe you are mistaken. At last I checked there was at least a three hundred increase in pay for my live arrest."
"So there is. Kinda morbid to keep check on your own bounty isn't it?" The bounty hunter let a few bolts fly out at the Revenge which dodged each one.
"I like to think of it as an mutual interest between me and the scum like you. One day maybe I'll turn myself in. There's more than enough money there to pay my own bail."
"But not enough to keep you off the executioners list." The bounty hunter grunted, his races substitute for a laugh no doubt.
"Sadly yes, that is why I will triumph this day like all the others and blast off into space leaving not a trail for you to follow." the comlink went dead for a while while the rebel pilot fixed in some coordinates, "Happy trails." The ship blasted off but not before the bounty hunter took a quick shot at it's tail. A direct hit. The ship went into hyperspace none the less. The bounty hunter slapped his scaly arm against the view port, "I'll get you, Fayore Reikon. I swear it."
Fayore watched as her instruments blinked off and on.
"Oh great, what now?" she looked intently at the readings and cursed under her breath. The fuel injection line was busted. She'd have to find a planet to land on or drift in space and risk being found by another money seeking bounty hunter. It wasn't until she was caught the first time that she learned why she was wanted.
"Ah, the infamous Fayore Reikon." the man had said with amusement. "I had hoped I would be the one to capture you and bring your deeds to justice."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Faye had exclaimed. They all laughed in her face and shunned her for trying to sneak out of it.
"Then allow me to refresh your memory. Three weeks ago your family was sent out on an Ambassadorial mission. You blew up that ship and managed to escape alone and then boarded a medical ship and destroyed it as well. Your a cold blooded murderer, Fayore Reikon."
She couldn't believe what he was saying. At that time she was still mourning her families deaths and to now be charged with killing them was beyond her mental comprehension.
"No, you have it all wrong!" She had shouted but it was no use. She was handcuffed to a metal bar by her one hand and left alone in a dark cell. Had there been a guard perhaps she may have never escaped but luck had been with her. She had taken out her lightsaber and cut down the pipe, freeing herself. Her ship was in the bay and she escape quite easily. Fayore had then gone to Leesil and had a new arm produced and attached as well as purchased a less distinguishable ship. Just as her leg did, her new arm had many new applications. A computer was just one of those.
Since the reading on her ship were malfunctioning, Faye opened up the computer hatch on her right arm and began typing in special readouts from before her jump. After only a few minutes, the screen gave her the planets name on which she would land. It almost made her cry when the words popped up. Her fathers last request was that she become a Jedi. This was the perfect place to hide out as well. Fayore manually piloted the ship towards Yavin 4.
*end*
. back .