A Father's Blade: Chapter Six

Cere Hollista leans back in her chair slightly, watching the man seated across from her. His dark brown hair is parted impeccably, and his tunic is cut along the current fashion lines out from Coruscant. Intelligent brown eyes are settled deep into his face, an aristocratic nose hangs over the thin lines of his lips almost like a beak. One side of his lips is curled slightly into a small half-smile, as if he is aware of some secret of the universe which Cere can never be privy to. His name is Jerod Pollit, and he is a high ranking officer in the Corellian government here to negotiate a treaty with BioTech Industries.

She allows her gaze to flicker over to Rand Shepherd, the Corellian agent introduced to her by the President of BioTech Industries just a few days ago, their contact into the sheltered world of Corellian politics. She notes that he has the same knowing half-smile etched onto his face.

Corellians, she thinks to herself. Out loud she says, "So, Mr. Pollit, what exactly can Corellia offer BioTech Industries?" What are you offering for us to side with you?

The half-smile never changes. "I think the more accurate question is what exactly is BioTech Industries after?"

"We want certain…guarantees."

His eyebrow arches, and amusement twinkles in his eyes. "Please remember that no government can guarantee you a profit."

"No. Not that. Nothing like that. BioTech Industries is on the verge of massive breakthroughs in the biotechnical arena." She stands up, and gestures towards a door along the far wall. "I'm certain Mr. Shepherd has discussed some of what we do with you, but I feel that our…dialogue would be helped with you having a greater understanding of our business needs and the sort of understanding we would be after from Corellia."

Pollit stands, his eyes still shining their amusement, and follows her from the room. They travel down a series of plain white corridors; anonymous white doors with small keypads beside them are set into the walls at regular intervals. They arrive at a turbolift whose doors are also painted white, with the only acknowledgement that these doors are different than the dozens they had passed being the blue and gold BioTech Industires logo painted on them. In silence they ride the turbolift, falling deep into the complex.

They step off the turbolift, and are standing in a dimly lit walkway. Tall pieces of shining metal display their reflections.

Mr. Pollit’s laugh echoes in the hallway slightly. “You came to show us ourselves?”

Inward, Cere seethes. She despises this Mr. Pollit, and Rand Shepherd for bringing him here.

“Not at all, Mr. Pollit. Observe.”

She pulls a small datapad from a pocket, and taps a few commands into it. The metal slowly becomes translucent to reveal a girl about fourteen standard years old. Her head has been shaven, and a long scar runs from just above her right eye over the top of her head. Around her neck is some spider type creature, its long legs wrapped tight around the girl’s throat, the things tail splayed down her spine.

Cere can feel herself smiling; this girl is one of the earliest and best successes. “She is X56L. We picked her up on Coruscant about three years ago. She is the fifty-sixth subject, and we use her to test implant languages. She currently is fluent in nine hundred and twenty seven distinct languages.”

Pollit leans closer to the window. “She can’t be of the age to consent to such treatment.”

Cere smiles widely. “And now you begin to see the types of guarantees we seek. Of most interest to you would probably be X954A. Come, come.”

She strolls down the hallway a little further, and taps a few more commands into her datapad. They stop, and see a young male Twi’lek, approximately 8 standard years old, he is dressed only in a simple loin cloth, and his lekku occasionally twitches. Cere taps a few more commands into her pad.

“We’ll be running a test on him in just a few moments.”

They watch in silence until the door into the chamber snaps open. A man dressed in the white utilities of a BioTech employee steps into the room, and pulls out a blaster. He aims the weapon towards the young boy, who scampers backwards away from the man. After a moment, the man pulls the trigger. The bolt of energy flies out and strikes the young Twi’lek knocking him backwards against the far wall.

Silence reigns on the observers, as the man in the chamber turns to leave. A few moments later, the Twi’lek boy stands up, brushing away the slight carbon scoring on his chest, anger flashes in his eyes as he watches the far door, and then he goes and slumps into a corner, drawing his knees to his chest, rocking slightly.

Pollit turns towards Cere, genuine interest shining in his eyes. “I take it that process works on other beings besides young Twi’lek children.”

“Indeed it does. We have the language grafts, the armor skin, and a host of new weapons based on Yuuzahn Vong biotechnology.”

“Yuuzhan Vong?”

“Oh yes. Four decades ago, the height of biotechnology was based on Kamonian cloning capabilities. The future, even though no one realizes it yet, is the integration of Yuuzhan Vong biots into everyday living. Everything from learning a new language to being able to withstand a blaster bolt at close range.” Cere spreads her hands wide, enjoying being able to speak about her work, even if it is with this insufferable Corellian. “We also have a host of new weapons – things which the Yuuzhan Vong had not considered as viable shaping paths, but we have developed. These include ranged as well as melee weaponry.”

Pollit strokes his chin in thought as he looks down at the young Twi’lek. For once that knowing, half-smile is gone; his face now betrays that he is deep in thought. “Corellia is very interested in what you are offering. These guarantees you speak of, would be blanket permission to experiment as you see fit, even on sapient beings?”

Cere nods her head slightly. “Exactly. If the Alliance learns of the types of testing we perform here, then it would not go well for us, or our shareholders.”

"I believe that we can make this work then. I believe my superiors on Corellia could easily be convinced to give rather free reign to businesses."

Cere smiles brightly for the man, and sticks out her hand. "Then it will be a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Pollit."

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Tahiri slips into her thick, outer cloak, its worn frayed edges indicate just how old of a garment this truly is, and the fact that it is about two sizes too large shows that it was not hers initially. But Tahiri doesn't mind the frayed edges. She doesn't care about the number of times that she has had to patch the elbows or repair small holes in the robe.

There's a reason why it is too big for her, but she still wears it.

His name was Anakin, and he was her best friend. He was her family. He was home. She blinks back a tear at the memories, lifting the edge of the cloak to her nose and inhales deeply, straining for the memory of his smell. She knows beyond a doubt that her scent has long ago replaced his, yet every time she puts it on, she still tries to smell him, she still hopes and longs for his scent.

She sighs, and shakes her head, clearing away the old memories and desires, and looks up as Noelani steps into the room, dressed in a simple linen tunic and Corellian style pants. Tahiri gives her a bright smile, and watches as the girl stomps into a pair of Imperial-style boots, and then straightens up.

Her voice is almost musical. "I'm ready now, Master."

Tahiri turns around and walks out the door, Noelani quick on her heels. "So, what are we going to do tonight?"

"We're going to go eat some dinner."

Tahiri almost smiles at the sense of confusion that comes off the girl. "But, what about our mission? Don't we need to figure out what's going on?"

Tahiri bobs her head in an affirmative motion. "Yes we do. But how exactly is that more important than dinner?"

"Well…because it's why we're here."

"Okay, so tell me exactly what we're to do first?"

"Uhm…according to Master Skywalker, on these types of missions, we're supposed to see how people are acting by observing them."

Tahiri glances once at the younger girl and smiles. "That's right. Now how are we supposed to observe them?"

The silence stretches on as Noelani tries to remember the answers from her lessons, and Tahiri enjoys the relative quiet as they stroll down the dusty street. She allows her eyes to flicker back and forth, hunting for a dinner or a cantina that the Force tells her to stop at.

Finally, Noelani speaks again. "I..uhm.. I don't think Master Skywalker said."

"She didn't specify. That's because we're supposed to try and blend in, not be seen. And most of all, listen to the Force. Now for the blending in, what could be more normal than dinner?" She pauses at an Ithorian diner, the Force nudging her forward. She grins, and continues her lecture, "as for listening to the Force. Well the Force says we're having Ithorian tonight."

Tahiri doesn't see the face that Noelani makes at the pronouncement, but she can feel the flicker of emotion which drives it, and almost chuckles. "What's wrong Noelani? Don't like Ithorian?"

The girl sighs slightly. "I just like having a bit more…meat in what I eat."

"Well, we could always try to find a Yuuzhan Vong place. They specialize in meat…usually the raw kind."

Tahiri does laugh at the flicker of emotion at that pronouncement.

"No, no. Ithorian's fine, Master."

"Good. Now let's go in."

She pushes open the door and steps into the diner; instantly noting the giant artificial tree which makes up the main decoration of the restaurant. Surrounding the tree are a number of tables for different sized parties, each of them painted and carved to resemble the leaves still hanging from the branches.

She steps forward and a server droid rolls up and tells them to follow it. Without waiting for a reply, it spins on its single ball-foot and speeds towards a table for two near one of the walls.

They take their seats, and Tahiri glances around the room, trying to figure out why the Force brought her here. She allows her gaze to flicker from one patron to the next

Noelani's voice interrupts her thoughts. "Master?"

Tahiri focuses on the girl. "Yes, Noelani?"

She nods her head towards the corner over Tahiril's left shoulder. "Isn't that the BioTech Industries administrator who met us on the landing field?"

Tahiri gives a quick glance over her shoulder, and sees the severe looking woman from earlier. "Yes, it is. Do you see anyone else you recognize?"

The girl shakes her head no, and Tahiri enters her order into the holographic menu.

A few minutes later the serving droid rolls by and drops their plates off, then speeds back to the kitchens. They eat in silence, Tahiri still occasionally scanning the people. Then she feels a burst of fear from Noelani. She looks up from her plate to the younger girl, noticing that she has become white, and is staring at the far corner.

In the direction of the Biotech administrator.

She turns slightly in her seat, and glances back that way, and sees a massive mountain of a Yuuzhan Vong warrior. She notices that he is bent slightly and gesturing with his hands as he carries on a conversation with the administrator.

Then together they get up and leave the restaurant heading through the kitchen.

"Come on, Noelani." Tahiri stands up, and walks towards the kitchen, brushing through the doors without a sound just in time to catch the warrior and the administrator leaving the kitchen.

She darts forward, and hears Noelani right behind her and they push out through the back exit, the heavy metal door slamming against the building with a large bang which echoes through the alley.

Of the warrior and the administrator there are no signs.

Tahiri starts chewing on her lower lips as she thinks this through, and can feel Noelani’s eyes on her, waiting for Tahiri to tell her what to do next. Tahiri scans the sky one last time, then exhales loudly and places a hand on Noelani's shoulder.

"Come on; let's go back to the hotel."

Innocence and Anger

Mara Jade trembled slightly as anger coursed through her. A red-hot feeling that sliced through every nerve, every neural pathway, consuming her in the bright shining purity of rage.

On one hand, recognizing, feeling, that anger and rage was refreshing. It let her know above all other things that she was here and that she was alive.

Yet that anger scared her as well. It awoke something deep in the very core of her being. Something that was more animal than human.

Something that screamed and begged to be released from the shackles of her humanity.

She could feel her teeth grinding, and the sharp points of her fingernails as they sliced into the soft flesh of her palms. The hard, cold marble of the floor seemed incongruously soothing against her knees where she knelt, her legs tucked up beneath her, her buttocks pressed down against the heels of her boots.

She lifted her head, looking up towards the chair set on the raised dais before her.

There, sitting in that chair was the object of her anger. The being responsible for the rage that attempts to consume her. His black robes pooled around him, spread out from the chair. His cowl was pulled forward, the peak hanging low over his face; the shadows hid his face and his eyes and the power she knows that those eyes contained. Behind him was the wide windows of the Jedi Council chambers, brilliant golden light from Coruscant's primary streamed through those windows, backlighting him. He was the man she has spent most of her life emotionally entangled with. First hate. Then love. And now? Now, it was just that soul searing rage.

"You... I'm going to kill you." She knew that the anger had contorted and twisted her face from the normally calm mask she wore, yet she did not care. The rage freed her from such concerns.

Amusement flashed in his eyes, making them shine slightly from the deep shadows of his cowl. "What is it? Remember, it's what you wanted. That absolution that comes from listening to someone, from obeying someone, from not having to think for yourself. It's what you asked me to do for you."

"All your talk about good and evil," she hissed out from between clenched teeth. "You really are no better than Palpatine ever was. He may have lied to me, abused me, treated me like a tool - but at least he didn't mind-kriff me every day."

She lowered her chin to her chest, turning her face away from him. His voice came at her from above, as calm and precise, as convincing, as ever.

"This is for the best Jade. You're happy as Mara. You make me happy as Mara. Give in, give up. Just live behind her, let me make you what you want to be, and regain your innocence."

Her head snapped forward again, her eyes found his almost instinctively. "That's not innocence - it's blindness."

His lips twisted into a smile, a smile that scared her. A fear that sliced through her anger.

"Is there a difference?"

A Father's Blade: Chapter Five

The blue swirls of hyperspace dissolve as Noelani pulls the levers towards her. Her grin is bright enough to be classified as a new star, and she glances towards her Master in the pilot's station. Tahiri gives her a quick nod of the head, and Noelani leans closer to the co-pilot's panel, shifting power from the hyperdrive to the ion engines. A low thrum - felt more than heard - runs through the ship as the sublight engines come online.

Noelani looks out the viewport, and sees the planet Ambria hanging like a jewel there in space. The tan and brown and red clouds are almost the like flaws of the jewel. Stretched around the planet are the wide blue-grey rings of ice and stone glittering darkly like billions of small diamonds reaching around the planet.

She lets out a small whistle of amazement. "It's beautiful."

Tahiri nods her head slightly. "Yes. If you like these, you should have seen the rainbow bridge on Yuuzhan'tar before Zonoma Sekot ripped it away."

Tahiri reaches forward and grasps the control yoke, banking the Stolen Star slightly, bringing them in. They break into the yellowish atmosphere.

"Master, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Well, remember when we came back from the mission to Lorrd. After you had bought the Star?"

"Yes."

"Didn't Master Skywalker ask you to change the name?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you?"

Tahiri shrugs her shoulders. "If I had to give a reason, I would have to say because he asked me to."

"Oh." Noelani's face scrunches up in thought, and she turns her attention back out the viewport. A few minutes pass in silence, and then the Stolen Star flashes over a sprawling city. One which Noelani thinks resembles Mos Eisley or Anchorhead. Low domed buildings, made from stone. Everything colored in browns, reds and tans. The major difference being Ambria's palette is a few shades darker as a base color, a burnt orange as opposed to the yellow-white of Tatooine sand.

She hears Tahiri murmuring into the throat mic and unbuckles her harness so she can get that much closer to the view port. She watches the buildings and landscape, harsh angles of stones and bunches of hardy desert grasses, as they overfly the main settlement. A glitter attracts her attention, and she turns her head slightly, seeing a gleaming compound, its silvery exterior shining, reflecting the golden rays of Ambria’s sun. Then she sees the blue and red of the BioTech Industries logo, a symbol etched onto the side of the tallest of the buildings. She estimates that that symbol is taller than she herself is.

Tahiri banks their ship towards the south and the compound is lost from view. Noelani leans back in her seat, something - an uneasy feeling - gnawing at her stomach.

“Master? Do you feel anything out of the ordinary?”

“Nope. Nothing. Why?”

Noelani bites her lips, suddenly wishing she hadn’t mentioned it. She lets out a small sigh, hoping that her Master wouldn’t notice her hesitation. “It’s just that…well, I have a bad feeling about this.”

She notices the hardening of the eyes and the slight frown which flickers across Tahiri’s face; it is an expression which Noelani has grown used to, one she has learned to recognize as what occurs when something has reminded her Master about Anakin Solo. For a moment, a pang of pain hits Noelani, sorrow and heartache that even after all the years since Anakin’s death, she sees that expression on Tahiri’s face way too often.

Finally, Tahiri speaks. “Keep your mind focused on the Living Force. Let it guide you, if you don’t then you can get too bogged down in the details of the Unifying Force.”

Noelani nods her head and says, “Yes, Master.”

With a gentle thump, the Stolen Star lands, and Noelani can hear the hiss of the coolant system, and the gentle ticks of the engine switching over to standby mode. They are a subtle music to her, one which tells her that the ship is functioning perfectly, even if she is not entirely certain how she knows that.

She unbuckles her restraints, and jumps up from the seat, heading towards the door when her Master’s voice calls out from behind her. “Wait.”

She pauses at the door, and slowly turns around, to find Tahiri watching her, one eyebrow hitched in expectation. “You’ve been begging for piloting lessons. Well the first thing you learn are the checklists. Now sit back down so you can do them.”

Noelani nods her head and sighs as she returns to her seat. “Checklists are no fun though.”

Tahiri laughs. “Maybe. Maybe not. But they are a part of piloting, and if you ever want to pilot, you’ll learn them.”

She lets out another long sigh and says, “Yes, Master.” Then she pulls up the post-flight checklist on her terminal and begins quickly going through the list of things to do. Finally she is finished, and shuts down her terminal, turning towards her Master.

"I'm done!"

Tahiri gives her a small grin. "Good. Now let's go."

Together they leave the bridge, and leave the ship. Standing at the foot of the ramp is a severe looking woman dressed in a BioTech Industries uniform and an older Twi’lek dressed in simple robes of state.

The Twi’lek bows at the waist, and then smiles for them, a happy grin showing off the rows of sharpened teeth.

“Welcome, Master Jedi. I am Cutiva’nen, administrator of Ambria, and this is the assistant to the local head of BioTech Industries, Thera Holsom.”

Tahiri returns the bow, and smiles warmly for the Twi’lek. “Thank you, Cutiva’nen. I am Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila and this is my apprentice, Noelani Darklighter.”

Thera speaks up here, her voice grating slightly on Noelani as she says, “Now, that all the niceties are out of the way, why don’t you tell us why you’re here?”

Noelani rankles slightly at the imperious tone of the BioTech official, but before she can say something feels a gentle touch through the Force from her Master. A reminder to be on her best behavior. She drops her head slightly to hide the blush, and then tunes out the adults, allowing her eyes to flicker around the starport, allowing the Force to guide her gaze.

Off to the east is a large, dilapidated hanger, the burnt orange of its stone construction seems dangerous to her, as if there is something wrong with the building. Something not quite right in the Force. She frowns, and turns to look to the west and sees another of the hangers, the exact same color as the first building, but this one doesn’t send bad feelings racing down her spine.

She turns back to the east, allowing her eyes to flicker over the various parts of the building. Then she notices movement, a flicker of a shadow in one of the upstairs windows. She takes a step forward, the Force urging her onward to investigate that building.

“Noelani, are you coming?”

Startled, she lets out a small yelp of surprise, and spins around to see her Master and the other two adults – they are a half dozen paces away from her, all of them looking at her strangely.

“Oh..uhm..sorry, Master. I...I’m coming.”

She glances once more at the hanger, and then rushes to catch up to the adults, the fire to explore that building still burning brightly inside of her.

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Chase Polliska can feel his lungs burning; a stitch cropping up in the side of his chest tells him that he has been running for too far, for too long. In the distance he hears the chuff of a plasma weapon, and dives to the side just as he feels the heat of the plasma ball slicing through the air where his chest had just been. The superheated matter splatters against the ground a few yards away, melting the cobblestone of the street into a small glass depression before cooling and hardening.

Chase scrambles back to his feet, and rushes into an alleyway, his eyes scanning the sides of the buildings for an escape route.

From behind him, he can hear the harsh guttural barks of his pursuers. He glances over his shoulders again, and sees the pair who are chasing him turn the corner.

"Shavit," he mutters beneath his breath, barely aware of the fact that he had spoken at all. Facing forward again he pushes his body harder and faster. He darts around another corner, and finds himself faced with a wall about three meters high. Growling another obscenity, he darts for the corner and begins to work himself up to climb over the top.

Pain erupts in across his shoulder and pressure slams him forward against the wall, dislodging him. He falls the two meters to the ground, crumpling into a ball. Something wiggles in his shoulder, the pain driving deeper against the bones in his shoulders; he squirms against the sensations, grinding his teeth to hold in a scream.

A guttural bark sounds above him, and he shifts around, looking up at the mountain of muscle which towers over him. The battle armor he is dressed in glistens sickly, pulsing slightly with a life of its own. Tattered lips stretch to create a rictus of a smile, and Chase can make out the outline of a tattoo twisting around the left eye, claws of some animal clutching at his eye. It sends an instinctive fear crashing through his heart, a fear driven in part by the agony screaming in his shoulder.

A massive hand reaches down and pushes him forward, and pulls at whatever is digging into his shoulder. Chase can taste blood in his mouth as the pain spikes a wave of white agony which tries to wash away his consciousness.

Finally the pain recedes, and Chase looks up, his chest heaving with pain, his sight wavering slightly-still dark at the edges. The hand latches onto his neck, and jerks him upright.

Guttural words erupt from his throat, "mon-mawl rrish hu camasami!"

His eyes widen as he realizes that he spoke in an alien language. Even more surprising is that he knows what it means. Leave me alone.

The hand pulls him around, dragging him down the alley as the warrior barks a command in his language, "Guvvuk!"

Instinctively he translates the alien command, Move. Chase wonders what has happened to him that he can understand their language. What have they done to him? The hand on the neck pushes him forward again, twisting him back the way he came, heading towards the main thoroughfare for ground traffic.

Chase tries to drag his feet, but the warrior's other hand jabs into his hurt shoulder and pain erupts through Chase's body again. The hand on his neck still directs him, forcing him out of the alleys. They arrive at the main street, and the hand directs him to a waiting transport with enclosed sides.

They push him forward and he stumbles into the cargo area. Chase struggles to his feet, and turns around just in time to see the doors slam shut, shutting the cargo area into darkness. He drops to his knees, lowering his head and slams his fist into the metal floor in frustration; growling another curse as he struggles to not give into his despair.

A Father's Blade: Chapter Four

Noelani steps on board their transport, the Stolen Star - a Nubian J-type star skiff which Tahiri purchased on their last mission. Its giant wing shape, allows for more room than is usually expected on a craft of this size, which means it works perfectly as a smuggler's vessel or a ship for Jedi who could potentially be away from the Temple for a while so they need extra supplies.

Plus Noelani just likes the ship, she likes the way it looks, the sounds it makes, even the way it smells.

But above all those things, she likes to tinker with it the most.

Much to the chagrin of her Master.

Noelani bounces back towards her quarters and tosses her travel bag on the bed. It settles on the bed and she spins around, heading towards the bridge, her steps light and cheery. She almost feels like whistling.

She bounds into the bridge, to find her Master, Tahiri, already situated at the pilot's station. Her hands sliding over the control board as she performs her preflight checklist. Noelani plops into her chair, buckling the belt over her waist, and then pulls her knees up, so that her feet are situated at the edge of the seat. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rests her chin against the top of her knees.

"So," she begins. "When do I get to take that piloting course?"

Tahiri glances at her for a second, and then turns back towards her checklist. "When do I get a ship that I can be assured will launch when I need it to?"

"Hey, that was just one time. And you didn't really need the ship at that second. You could have taken one of the others."

"Olis needed the medicine. The Stolen Star was the fastest ship on Ossus at the time, yet her hyperdrive was in about a hundred pieces."

Noelani sulks, shifting slightly slightly lower in her chair, her lower lip pushing out slightly. She gives Tahiri a sideways glance and says, "Well, she's even faster now."

"That's not the point."

Tahiri finishes her checklist, and throws a few switches and the Stolen Star rumbles into life. Noelani watches as Tahiri's hand moves over to the repulsor control and slowly edges it forward, and then she turns forward, looking out the viewport as the ship lifts from the ground. A few hundred meters away is the Jedi Temple. Its ivory-colored walls gleam in the sunlight, and Noelani's sulking is forgotten. As she watches, Noelani imagines what those behind the darkened windows are doing, some are meditating, others training, and maybe even others are building their very own lightsabers. And she frowns as she remembers that that was what she was going to be doing.

"So," she begins as she turns once more towards her Master. "What about building my lightsaber?"

Tahiri lets out a slight chuckle. "Later, Noelani. For now we're still in the process of launching."

"Yes, Master."

Noelani turns back towards the viewport as the ship breaks into a thunderhead. She grins slightly as the rain pelts the transparisteel, a light drumming sound. In the depths of the clouds she can see the flickering white-blue glow of lightning. Then the clouds part and they continue their climb, the clear blue of the sky giving way to indigo and the first of the stars become visible. Then even the deep purplish-blue of the upper atmosphere fades away, leaving only the deep black of space, the stars losing their glitter to become cold pinpricks of light.

And all of Noelani's concerns and thoughts are burned away in the view of that cold, beautiful vista. Something about space, about those empty stretches of nothingness calls to her, they almost remind her of the vast emptiness of the Dune Sea or the desolate beauty of the Juudland Wastes. To her, it is all those things and so much more. Something that speaks to the very heart of who she is - as intrinsic to her sense of self as the Force is.

And for a moment, she wonders which of those bright sparks of light she was born on. Which one of them is the one where her parents were born at, whether her birth family is out there, or were they just some of the trillions that died in the war against the Yuuzahn Vong. Her father, her adopted father, she corrects in her thoughts, never hid the fact that she wasn't born on Tatooine. That it was a trusted friend of the Darklighter family that brought her to them to raise - telling Huff that her parents were victims of the Yuuzhan Vong war, and that she was a Force sensitive. Yet beyond that, Noelani knows nothing of her family - nothing of her history, nothing of who she is, or was, beyond her Force sensitivity.

And for a moment, she wonders why that bothers her now. She glances at her Master, noting the intense look on Tahiri face as she is bent over the navicomputer, feeding in the coordinates for their journey to Ambria. She turns back towards the viewport, and the expanse of stars, and considers once more what the thought of her family bothers her so much now; where before her lack of history was just something she accepted without qualms or question.

She screws her face up in thought, her nose twisting slightly as she chews on her lower lip. Finally, she turns back towards Tahiri and asks, "Master?"

Tahiri looks up from the navicomputer. "Yes?" Then she turns her attention back to the machine, waiting for it to chime acceptance of the parameters which Tahiri had entered.

"Do you think we could visit Tatooine after this mission?"

Tahiri's head bolts around and Noelani can feel the surprise in the Force. "Can I ask why?"

Noelani blushes slightly, and looks down at the console in front of her, not certain on how to tell Tahiri of her concerns. Finally, she decides to just blurt it out. "I want to ask Papa about my family, ask him again if he knows who my parents were. See if he will tell me who dropped me off with him, how they knew I was a Force sensitive when they did so. I… I just want to know who I am."

Tahiri watches her, ignoring the navicomputer as it chimes. She nods her head. "I can understand that. Growing up, I always wanted to know about my family as well. We'll see what we can do about going on a little trip out there."

Noelani smiles at her Master, feeling her spirits lift. "Thanks!"

Tahiri returns her smile, and turns back to her control station, reaching forward to the hyperspace levers on the console between them. She pulls them toward her, and Noelani looks up from what Tahiri's doing to watch space once again. Her grin grows wider, as the stars elongate, stretching towards them and away from them - towards infinity, and then they rocket forward. With a flash of light the stars vanish, replaced by the swirls of blue which is hyperspace.

"That's so lubed."

Tahiri barks a short, sharp laugh. "You know, I'm supposed to correct you when you use that type of language."

"I know. Doesn't mean I'm not going to use it though."

Tahiri's laughter is slightly longer this time, and then she replies, "Just don't let any of the Council hear you."

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Rand Shepherd is seated in a Corellian diner, a plate of spiceloaf before him. He takes a bite, and grimaces, as there's not quite enough heat in it for his tastes. He gives an internal shrug as he decides that it's probably the best that he will be able to get while away from Corellia. He sighs, hoping that the items that he had shipped from here back to Corellia will help with the war effort, and he hopes that the blockade is broken soon, as there is nothing he wants more than to go back home and have a decent meal of spiceloaf.

There is a chime as the door opens, and Rand looks up from his food to see a large, lanky Wookiee amble in. Rand recognizes the ginger-furred Wookiee from the BioTech Industries.

The Wookiee barks at the server droid, which dips its head and rushes towards the back. The gangly being walks forward, and woofs a greeting at Rand. He waves his hand slightly, and hurries up to swallow.

He gestures towards the empty side of the booth. "Please, join me."

The young Wookie, and Rand would estimate that he was less than a hundred, but more than thirty, slide into the booth. The Wookiee barks a thank you and grins for him, a wide-open thing of long fangs.

"So what can I do for you, Waroo was it?"

Waroo requests more information about why Corellia is revolting against the Alliance.

Rand leans forward, his meal forgotten. "It's not so much a revolt as a desire for self-sufficiency. We believe that Coruscant, and the Alliance in general, has become a bloated, federalized government, which serves only to serve itself. In effect, the Alliance has just become a slightly milder form of the Empire."

Rand leans back as the server droid delivers a plate filled with meats and some type of leafy vegetable that smelled of grakkyn nectar. Rand eyes the Wookiee's food suspiciously, and then points towards it with his fork. "What is that?"

Waroo barks a short name for the dish and then continues with a description of its ingredients.

Rand takes another bite of his spiceloaf. "So, why exactly were you asking about it?"

Rand has been an intelligence agent for his entire adult life. He entered the service right at the outbreak of the Vong War when he turned sixteen. He retired to the Corellian Intelligence Service right after the reorganization due to the Killik fiasco. So he has heard a lot of things, from a lot of different beings.

Yet what the Wookiee says shakes him. It takes all his training, all the skills he has learned not only in intelligence, but also through thousands of games of Paazak and sabacc, to not have his face drop open in surprise.

For before him, is the first Wookiee who has turned his back on the New Republic and the government that came afterwards

"Let me get this right. You want to join the Corellians? What about the life-debt that your people swore to the New Republic?"

Waroo chuckles slightly, a deep, almost woofing sound. Then he lets out a short speech in growls and barks. The New Republic is dead. If the Honored Han Solo believes in Corellia, then I do as well.

Rand allows a big grin to spread on his face. "Well Waroo, it looks like you and me might just get to be real good friends."

A Father's Blade: Chapter Three

Tahiri and Noelani step into the large, circular room of the Council Chambers. Stretched along half the wall are a dozen chairs, spaced fairly evenly apart. The high-arched marble ceiling dome is adorned with scenes of Jedi helping people. The marble floor has a mosaic of the Jedi crest done in pale blue and yellow.

It is a room which evokes both awe and humility in most of those who enter. It is, by its very nature, designed to evoke those feelings.

It just irks Tahiri.

She doesn't know why. There's no one particular thing about the room that she dislikes. It's everything and nothing, and it aggravates her more that she has such troubles placing her finger on the source of her discomfort regarding the room.

Shrugging it away, she glances at those gathered before them. Of the twelve members of the Council, only two masters are there in the flesh, Kyp Durron and Kam Salusar are settled in their cream-colored chairs and then a hologram of Corran Horn shimmers in his customary seat. All three of them smile at her and her apprentice as they step forward, stopping in the middle of the seats, standing squarely atop the starburst pattern of the Jedi sigil.

Tahiri bows to the Council, Noelani beginning her own a second after Tahiri. As she straightens, she notices the slight look which Kyp casts between the two other members of the Council. She just stands there, allowing her own gaze to flicker between the three older Jedi, perfectly content to wait for the Master's to speak first.

A slight cough from Noelani shows how far her apprentice has to go before she's reached that level of patience.

But the soft sound of distraction is enough to spur the Master's into motion. Kyp leans forward in his seat slightly, and Tahiri notices that his hair has grown out long in the back, the ends still jet black, an odd contrast to the grey that has begun to appear at his temples.

After a moment more, Kyp begins talking, "We have a mission for you. We have received reports that there's something odd going on with BioTech Industries, and that it may involve the Vo-Yuuzhan Vong."

Tahiri can feel one of her eyebrows lift slightly as she digests the mission information. "So because it involved the Yuuzhan Vong, you immediately thought to send me?"

Kyp laughs, his deep baritone echoes in the chambers. "Actually no. Since it may also involve the Wookies, we originally were going to send Jaina and Lowbacca. Unfortunately, they've been loaned out to the military, so we called you in."

"I don’t quite understand Shryiwook though."

Kam smiles for her. "That’s all right. The Jedi know a Wookiee who has a slight speech impediment which makes him easier to understand. If you have to deal with the Wookies, he will be your contact."

Tahiri glances over her shoulder at her apprentice for a second and then nodding her head once more faces the Council. "I was going to begin instructing Noelani in lightsaber creation, but I see no reason why we can’t take this mission first."

Even as she says this, she can feel the burst of frustration from the girl, and feel as it is quickly suppressed. Tahiri stops a smile from coming to her features, proud of the girl for keeping such control of her emotions.

Kam nods his head. "So you accept the mission?"

"Yes, we do."

Kam’s smile is bright and cheerful. "Good. Your ship is being prepped as we speak, and the datapack will be sent to your terminal. The planet you will be investigating will be Ambria. Please keep in contact with the Council."

Tahiri smiles at the slight admonishment, on her last mission, her apprentice was captured and she herself was wounded. Rather than telling the Council, she went off to rescue the girl herself - a decision which almost ended in disaster for the both of them. She bows her head slightly and says, "I will, Master."

"Very good."

Tahiri and Noelani bow again, and turn from the room, as soon as they step outside of the Council Chambers, Noelani lets out a long, slow hiss of breath. Her frustration and annoyance are unleashed and pool into the Force, bubbling around the two girls.

Tahiri looks at the girl, with a grin on her face. "Control yourself, Padawan. You’re leaking."

Noelani blushes red, lowering her head slightly. In the Force, her frustration and annoyance flicker to chagrin. "Sorry, Master. It’s just…I was looking forward to building my lightsaber."

"I know, and you will. But first we do this mission. But I will tell you what, we can take some time to scavenge for the parts you need while we’re on the mission. That will give you a chance to look at a few other worlds for ideas about what type of hilt you want."

The girl’s annoyance and chagrin blows away in the excitement of the new idea. A bounce returns to her steps and she turns her bright smile onto Tahiri once more. "Oh! Thank you, Master. That sounds like a great idea. I really hope they have some interesting things that I can look over. Did you know that Master Horn’s lightsaber use to be a throttle for a speeder bike? But I would really like to see Queen Mother Tenel Ka’s. It’s supposed to be a tooth!"

Tahiri just allows a grin to flicker to her face, allowing the girl’s stream of words to cross over her awareness as she nods, and makes small replies of acknowledgement in all the right places. For a second, she allows her mind to drift back to Anakin, and she wonders if this is how he felt all those years ago on Yavin.

Then she pulls herself away from that line of thought, not wanting to think about Anakin or the dream she had a few nights ago which featured him.

Then they arrive at their quarters, and each goes to their separate rooms to pack. As Noelani is about to enter her room, Tahiri calls out over her shoulder to the girl, "Remember, just Jedi outfits!"

She suppresses a laugh, as she hears the girl’s grumbles about the restriction.

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Cere Hollista, at thirty-nine standard years, is one of the youngest people to be made a division head in BioTech Industries history. Yet, after working for the company for the past two decades, she now leads the company’s efforts here on Ambria. Directing their research, and ensuring that they stay profitable.

She stands in front of her mirror for a second. Ensuring that her black hair is still pulled tightly into its severe bun, and that there is not a hair out of place. Then she allows her eyes to flicker over her face, checking her makeup. She has a stern face, all angular lines and sharp planes, and she strives to maintain that. On her homeworld of Agumar, she would have been described as an "Old Maid," a woman who eschews aesthetic appearances to ward off the advances of those wishing to court. And if she was truthful to herself, that is why she does it, she has a firm belief that her position, her authority, and the obedience of her subordinates, dictate that she be as stern and harsh as possible, in both her physical appearance and how she deals with her underlings.

She pats down the sides of her black unisuit, checking the pockets to ensure she has her datapad and other paraphernalia which she carries with her. Beneath the blue and gold BioTech insignia, she clips her employee badge to the jumpsuit. The arcane symbols on the badge glow with a light of their own; a small droid brain resides on the device, an extra level of security for those working on the top-secret projects for BioTech Ambria.

She steps out of her office, and quickly walks down the hallway to the meeting room. She opens the door, a frown flickering over her face as she sees the Wookiee in charge of the Special Projects security leaning against the far wall, and a man that she does not know sitting next to Kar Illam, President of BioTech Industries.

"Good morning, Mr. Illam."

Kar stands up, and smiles at her; absently she notices that it doesn’t reach his eyes. "Cere, a pleasure to see you again, please join us here."

She nods her head, and settles into the seat opposite Kar and the other man. She gives the Wookiee a quick smile as he barks a greeting, and then turns her attention back to Kar as he returns to his own chair. "So, what can I do for you?"

Kar’s smile never leaves his face. It almost appears plastic in its insincerity. "I heard that you had trouble recently. That you almost lost a scientist."

Cere frowns, wondering what this might mean for her. "Almost is the operative word. Fortunately our security," and here she nods towards the Wookiee. "Kept it from happening."

Kar glances back at the Wookiee, and then to Cere. "That’s not what I heard happened. From my understanding, the Wookiee didn’t even get to see the bounty hunter, and you lost one of our…specialty guards."

She winces as the Wookiee growls a reply. Kar glances back at him. "I know it’s not your fault. The bounty hunter was a good one. I’m blaming Cere because she allowed knowledge of what’s going on here to escape."

Cere leans forward, a scowl coming to her face. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Kar smiles that fake smile again, and gestures to the man sitting beside him. "This is Rand Shepherd. BioTech Industries is siding with Corellia in the current crisis. We have decided that some of your special projects will be useful to their cause. He has full access. Is that clear?"

Cere grinds her teeth, wanting more than anything to say no. She glances at the Wookiee, noting the amusement shining in his blue eyes, and realizes that he agrees with this decision. That he supports the Corellians as well. Cere is enough of a politician to realize when she is outnumbered and to give in, so that she can fight in another way. She nods her head and replies, "Crystal, sir."

Kar claps his hands. "Wonderful! Now, I’m sure you two have plenty of things to discuss, so I’ll leave Mr. Shepherd here in your capable hands."

With that, Kar stands up and leaves the room. Cere looks between the Corellian, Rand, and the Wookiee, her stern face growing slightly sterner.

"Waroo, you will see to," she slightly stresses the next word, underlining the term of respect with a core of sarcasm, "Mr. Shepherd’s needs."

The Wookiee barks an affirmative, and Rand stands up, speaking for the first time.

"It was a pleasure, Director Hollista."

Cere nods her head, standing as well. Without saying another word, she turns away and walks out the door, retreating back to her office.