Fan Fiction - G.E.N

GEN Presents:

BOOK II OF THE ORACLE TRILOGY

Apprentice

by Patricia Spillane Smith

Eyes closed, lips together, he focused his thoughts on the spot between his eyebrows, his hands clasped in front of him, his breathing measured and steady. The breeze coming through the open window of his room was tinged with the aroma of summer flora and fauna and he inhaled once more, more deeply this time, forcing as much of the invigorating air into his lungs as he could. He then held it in as long as he could, feeling as if he would burst with the anticipation of releasing it. Finally came the act of release, with the feeling of pure space inside of him. He reveled in the exhilaration, the power he experienced every time he did this. Again he inhaled deeply, this time to a count of ten, this time holding the breath even longer; again, the release into the space around him, in ten heavy puffs of breath, emptying his lungs so forcefully that he managed to throw himself forward off his bed, landing with a loud "thud!" on the cold stone floor.

A slight smile crossed his lips as he got up and crossed the room to the dresser. He stood, flush against the edge of the dresser, then stepped back a little, and peered at himself in the mirror for a short time. His sandy blonde hair was cropped short in the manner befitting human Jedi padawans; the style rather suited his broad, handsome face. He studied his hazel brown eyes, straight nose and slender mouth, paying particular attention to his sturdy chin and jaw. He had become stronger physically in the last six months since his bout with the slavers and the krayt dragon, Josten Hakestad decided.

He also had become stronger in the Force. He began to levitate some of the items in his room with his ignited lightsaber - a plate, a comb, his pillow, his duffel bag, his boots...he eventually had all of these things circling around his head, faster and faster....he increased the rate of speed, concentrating harder, breathing more rapidly....he made them spin, each around its own axis as they all revolved around him...CRASH!

The door chime rang out and at the sudden distraction, everything tumbled to the floor at once, including Jostein himself. He picked himself up gingerly and tiptoed to the door, not bothering to pick up any of the misplaced items. He opened it to find Master Mithra and a strange woman with a cloud of untidy brown hair waiting for him.
"Good morning, Jostein. May we come in?" asked Master Mithra. Mithra was one of the teachers at the Jedi Academy. She had taught many of the classes Jostein had participated in since he had come to the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 almost a year before, and had chosen him to accompany her and two other Jedi knights on an important mission to Tatooine to rescue some slaves and round up their captors. Since that time, her hair had gone from a rich brown shade to more of a salt and pepper, and her green eyes had taken more of a worn look around them, but still twinkled at the sight of her favorite student. Quickly, Jostein used the Force to restore the strewn items to their proper places on shelves and along the edge of his dresser.

Mithra smiled knowingly, "Have you been practicing again, young one?" Jostein blushed somewhat, and nodded, taking in the other woman as he did so.

The woman was tall, about five feet eight and one half inches to be exact, with eyes of deepest forest green, that twinkled around the irises. Her regal forehead presided above a straight nose and full, bowed lips; her cheeks were a robust ruddy crimson-pink melange, her chin strong, her neck muscular. Her body was strong: shoulders broad, arms rippled with muscles, breasts full and high, waist trim, hips broad and strong, her legs strong, a climber's, her feet planted somewhat apart. Jostein kept returning his gaze to her eyes, however; they appeared to see through everything they rested upon. And right now, they rested upon him. Taking him in. All of him. Inside and out. He felt her search him with the Force, as he felt he had never been searched before. As if he were naked before the entire universe, and he could not fight it...did not wish to stop it.

"I am Patricia, Jedi knight," The woman said, by way of introduction of herself.
"This is Jostein Hakestad, one of our most promising students," replied Mithra.
"I have heard of your exploits and your heroic part in saving those slaves on Tatooine some months back, Jostein," said Patricia.
She looked at him again, and her eyes became almost sad, as if a fleeting memory had crossed her mind. Then she returned to Mithra. "I am not accustomed to skirting issues. I do not have the time nor the inclination to do so." She turned to Jostein and spoke to him directly. "Come with me, as my Padawan learner. We will learn much from each other." It was not a request.

Jostein could say nothing but, "When do we leave?" Mithra smiled, inwardly realizing that the day she had dreaded had come sooner than she had wanted it to. She looked at Jostein and nodded her approval.
Jostein lost no time in gathering up his few possessions and throwing then into his waiting duffel bag. He clipped his lightsaber onto his belt, and tapped it, as if to reassure himself that this was actually happening. Most Jedi spent much longer than a year at the Academy before being chosen by a Jedi knight as a Padawan learner. However, Jostein had already been identified as having special gifts, over and above those normal even for Jedi, and his training had been accelerated and intensified in order to hasten his usefulness to the Jedi order, as well as to the New Republic. Jostein's year at the Academy had been so busy, that, with the exception of the raid on Tatooine, he had had no time to even contemplate anything other than his studies.

His full duffel bag at his side, he looked at Patricia and said, "I am ready to go when you are, Master."
"Now will work just fine," she replied, as they left the small room. They took their leave of Mithra at the landing field. Jostein hugged her tightly; she returned his embrace, and kissed his forehead.
"Go with the Force, my son. You are with one of the most unique Jedi knights in the galaxy. She is quite unusual, but you will learn to love her like no one you have ever known in your life."

Patricia had been a passenger aboard a small New Republic diplomatic ship that was parked on the far side of the field. Indicating the small, dingy craft, Patricia began to walk towards it. Jostein murmured under his breath, "We're flying in that?"
"You would prefer a shiny new modified x-wing, no doubt?" The sarcasm was not lost on Jostein. "I can arrange that. One of the things you will learn to do while you are with me is to be a pilot. Although I am a pilot, my vision is not what it once was, so I no longer fly. You will do nicely. It will be wonderful to no longer have to depend upon these traders, diplomats and smugglers for transportation." Jostein sighed. Why couldn't he have kept his big mouth shut?
Jostein lugged his duffel bag aboard and placed it under a bunk in the aft guest quarters Patricia had indicated. Recalling what had happened once before when he had meditated on board a ship during takeoff without benefit of strapping in, he lay down on his bunk and strapped himself in first thing. He began his breathing sequence, taking in metered breaths, at a specific rate of speed, holding the breath for a certain number of counts, as always and releasing the breath in a certain number of puffs. He repeated this several times, slowing it down more each time, until his heart had slowed to a near snail's pace. This not only calmed him down for take off, it also made him open to the teachings of the Force. He felt the Force so near during these times. Once, he had seldom if ever felt it; now, he almost always sensed its nearness, its movement through him, in him, about him.
He let the Force direct his thoughts, let it take him where it would, remembering things, places, people, especially his home in the royal palace on Kiria. Sometimes it was as if he had never left, he could see it so clearly. Yet he never truly felt homesick; he had left that life behind him and had never looked back. He allowed the Force to take him on a tour of the little ship, through its workings, its instruments. Despite its outward appearance, all was in good working order. It was more than capable of getting them to where they needed to go. The engines were practically brand new. "Teach you to judge by appearances," it seemed to be saying. The crew was busy at their duties, happy to be doing what they felt they did best, in service to the New Republic, an association of most of the planets of the galaxy that had as its goal the freedom of each planet to govern itself in the way it saw fit without interference from some outside source. The feeling of satisfaction in work seemed to pervade the entire ship…he allowed the Force to continue to carry him all through the ship, ten back to his bunk, and he lay very still, feeling it course through his veins as the lifeblood it was…

The voice came to him, as clear as if she were there beside him: "My young apprentice. Do not avoid me. I will answer anything you wish answered. I am not a difficult master. Indeed you will find me a mere learner in many ways. You see, you are my first Padawan learner." The voice left. Jostein bolted upright, but was restrained from jumping out of his bunk by his straps. He pulled them off of him and ran forward to the cockpit. Patricia smiled at him enigmatically as he entered the chamber and indicated the seat next to her. Her green eyes were dancing and her full lips parted to show straight teeth forming a slight smile. Jostein blushed, but managed to sit down and stretch his long legs out fairly comfortably and relax a little.

"Ask me whatever comes to your mind. We will work on control when it comes to using the Force and overcoming a foe. When it comes to dealing with a friend, we must learn to trust our greatest ally, the Force, and, young apprentice, we must learn to be open to love in all of its forms." What an open, forthright woman! She undoubtedly would be a dangerous enemy to any who would dare approach her. However, imagining her in a more nurturing role, such as a teacher, or as a mother...or lover...could he? She was so...alien in some ways. Her direct manner of speaking, her brusqueness with people, were so unlike the formal, staid people he had grown up with on Kiria and the helpful, but often distant instructors he had encountered at the Academy; her openness was a refreshing thing - she was almost childlike. He immediately felt protective of her for this reason, and found it rather amusing, given the fact that she was in fact a knight of great renown who had defeated a number of powerful enemies.

"Master, where are you from? Who was your master? Have you been a Jedi all of your life? Did you study at the Temple on Yavin 4? Have you done a lot of fighting? Do you have any family anywhere?" Jostein rambled on, as Patricia followed him with her smiling eyes. When he finally stopped, she took a deep breath and began.
"I am not truly sure where I was born. I was apprenticed to the master Anak B'rith when I was fifteen after studying at the Academy on Yavin 4, and was her Padwan until I became a Jedi knight at twenty-eight. I have since traveled the galaxy doing mostly diplomatic work and settling disputes. I have a family somewhere, probably. I lost contact with them many years ago. They knew where I went, but did not keep track of me. They know how to find me if they wish to do so. I suppose I could find them if I had the inclination. I bear them no ill will. They have their destinies, I have mine."

She stopped, peering at Jostein. "And you, young Padawan. Your family?"

He considered this thoughtfully, then replied, "They were proud that I was believed gifted enough to be invited to join the Jedi order at such a late age, as I was seventeen before I was discovered."
"Oh, yes. You have the gift of future vision. The only one who is know to have it in the entire galaxy. We will joy in learning from each other. But for now, it is time to eat." Patricia reached into a small sack she had pulled from under her seat, and retrieved some pava fruit. She had also brought a bread like substance and a jug full of nectar. "This you will find very refreshing. After lunch, we will nap. After a nap, then, learning begins."

**************************************

Jostein slept somewhat fitfully. The events of the morning were all jumbled and thrown about his mind in several heaps, not organized into linear sequences of events, not at all. He kicked at ideas, threw about events, recognized the main thrust of it all: fear of the unknown. he had stepped into the unknown twice - from his crystal palace home on Kiria to the lush jungle world of Yavin 4, and again, when he had journeyed with three knights on an assignment from Yavin 4 to Tatooine to free some slaves. Now, he had left the security of the Academy to follow Patricia as her Padawan learner across the galaxy, wherever she might go, without question or reservation. He still couldn't believe how it had just come out of him, like that - no resistance, nothing. That he would be her Padawan learner.

Most Jedi knights took on a Padawan learner when the learner was but twelve or so. Jostein, at eighteen, was late entering the game, he knew, although, considering the fact that he had only been discovered on Kiria a little over a year ago, it was fairly soon during the course of his training for him to leave the Academy to actually accompany a Jedi knight. He thought to himself that he was rather glad in some ways to be leaving the Academy; much of what he had been doing for the last couple of months or so was mere repetition, and, truth be told, he had been feeling as if he needed more of a challenge. And, well, now here it was.

And, yet, he had answered her, just like that, no reservations, no holding back…it was so unlike him, Jostein, the one who always considered his answers, who thought it all through before stepping out into the fray. Yes, he needed challenge. He needed a change…but…so suddenly?

Perhaps she had used the Force? He recalled how another powerful woman had used the Force to attain her own ends with him. This made him smile somewhat, but it was not quite the same. At that time, he had been a mere boy, only six moths into his studies at the Academy. He had learned so much since then and thought things might have been different had he gone into that situation with more experience using the Force. But, he had not sensed any use of the force on Patricia's part when he had made his answer. It had come from a place deep within him. As if something there knew just exactly what it was doing and why.

His eyes flew wide open and he looked into her eyes. "Jostein, rest some more. It is okay. You are confused about what has brought us together as teacher and learner. I sensed it. We belong together. It will be okay. We will study in the morning." Then, as if to reassure him, she laid her hand upon his heart, closed her eyes, and meditated for a few moments. His breathing slowed and he closed his eyes. She left the compartment, and Jostein slept dreamlessly.

*************************************

Krygge looked up from his ale and belched into the face of the tall thin man who had approached him. He patted his huge belly and belched again before looking up at him with his teary bloodshot eyes and speaking to him. "Whadddizzit?" he mumbled at him.
"Well, we've run out of food...we ate the last of it earlier."
"well, put down somewhere and get some...steal it if ya have to...can't ya see I'm busy?" Krygge spat impatiently.

"Well, the closest place I can find is..."
"Wherever is fine with me. I just want to find me that Krenst Duggan and get the reward money and be off before the Hutts change their minds about how much they're offering. Heard anything new 'bout where he mighta got off to?"
The thin man spoke again. "Last known whereabouts, somewhere around the Core Worlds. Maybe Corellia. I'd put my bets on Coruscant, myself. I mean, he scrounges for parts to all sorts of gizmos and gadgets…and where else better to find such bric-a-brac than Couruscant?"

Where indeed. Krygge took a swig of ale, put down the bottle on a small table beside his captain's chair and spoke to his associate. "Well, don't just stand there. We go to Corellia and look first. Then, if there is no sign of the scum, we'll go on to Coruscant. We'll get him. Put in a course."
"Yessir." The thn man left the room and returned to his station do the ship's master's bidding.
Krygge returned to nursing his ale. He had a number of prisoners on board, all bound for destinations where he would receive handsome sums for their return. What would become of them, he cared not, as long he was paid handsomely for their capture and return. He drained his ale, and pulled another out of the small refrigeration unit next to his chair. It was early yet.. Early…later, he would go down into the cargo hold and pay his captives a visit…just to check up on them….and see how they were holding up…

********************************

For Jostein, the mention of Coruscant brought up images of grandeur and political intrigue, as well as the physical imagery in front of him on the viewscreen of the planet covered entirely by a city. Here, he thought, he would be receiving, with Patricia, his first assignment as a Jedi. He was fascinated by the lights and lines of the cityscape; as they entered the atmosphere; he was mesmerized by the lines, angles and planes of the various meters high buildings as well as the landing platforms that appeared to be held up by nothing but the hands of invisible gods. The ship landed on one of these platforms, and Patricia indicated that they were to disembark quickly.

Jostein followed her off the ship and into a waiting shuttle, not even bothering to ask any questions. He gazed out the shuttle windows at the cityscape surrounding him on every side and towering high above him. Dusky clouds were coalescing into night as the shuttle sped towards its destination, the rebuilt Jedi Temple. The crystalline spires and catwalks created superimposed latticeworks that interacted with the traffic patterns in the sky above and alongside them. Every available bit of space was used; very little open sky was to be seen. Jostein wondered if there ever had been ground underneath the giant skyscrapers, or if they were simply outgrowths of the core of the planet itself. The shuttle reached the Temple and landed on a large platform that jutted out from aside one of the four gleaming spires that reached skyward from one of the few patches of open ground.
Patricia reached over to Jostein and held him back from debarking until the crew had left the ship. "Always wait until others have gone. It is a Jedi courtesy."
"Yes, master," he replied.

They walked down the ramp onto the landing platform, where two Jedi knights, one human, one alien, met them and led them into the temple. The alien had an almost humanoid form, with smooth gray-pink amphibious type skin, stalky bulbous eyes and long floppy bat-like ears. He (Jostein judged it to be a male of its species) moved with a fluid grace, which led Jostein to decide the alien was a Gungan, rarely seen outside their home world of Naboo. The human was more conventional in appearance, with short brown hair and brown eyes, a stocky build and muscular shoulders and arms visible despite his long flowing Jedi robes. Patricia and Jostein followed their hosts quickly down a narrow corridor to a small dining room, where a sumptuous meal had been laid for them. Jostein recalling what he had just been told, held Patricia's chair for her, and stood until his hosts were also ready to be seated.

The alien revealed himself to indeed be a Gungan Jedi by the name of Kar Deran; the human was a Jedi by the name of Rhyss. Rhyss indicated that Patricia and Jostein would be able to see the Jedi Council concerning a new assignment coming up when the council convened the next day, as there was a general meeting to be held then. Patricia ate little, and gave the first signs she had shown all day of feeling fatigued; Jostein, however, made up for his master's lack of appetite, a fact that was not lost on Rhyss, who commented, "Well, at least the boy knows how to eat. Now, can he fight as well, ha ha ha…" The man had a big belly laugh, and a twinkle in his eyes that helped Jostein feel at ease, despite the jibe.

Patricia, however, was, as usual, ready to get down to business: "Rhyss, Kar Deran, do either of you have any idea what the new assignment will be? You know I do not like surprises."
Kar Deran leaned forward, his floppy ears dragging on to the table, one of them scraping the edge of a plate of food and nearly knocking it onto the floor before he deftly caught it and brought it back to the table top. "Patricia, yousa know that if wesa knew, wesa tell you…"
"Don't patronize me. You may be able to say that to most of the traveling knights, but not to me. You are here all the time Kar. You hear everything. Rhyss, you too."
"But we are busy with the advanced training. It is not as if we run a gossip column here, " Rhyss remarked sulkily.
"Out with it, Rhyss," Patricia came back stubbornly.
"All I know, is that you and your new Padawan are being sent to Endor to settle some dispute or other between two factions on the planet. It is not really anything major. Why they bother us with this…"
"It is our primary mission," Patricia cut Rhyss off curtly. "Settling disputes ensures peace and harmony on worlds that, otherwise, could fall to the Empire again. People want order and security in their lives, Rhyss." She appeared to have had enough of arguing the point. "Well, thanks for supper, Kar, Rhyss. I would like to stay and chat some more, but Jostein and I have an early day tomorrow. No doubt the council still convenes at 0800?"
"Yes, it does," replied Kar Deran.
"Well, Jostein, you and I will rise at 0600 for meditation and practice in the south tower."

Kar Deran led Patricia to her quarters in the north tower; Rhyss led Jostein to his quarters just down the hall, in what he realized was the west tower. The pair opened the door to view a small room much like what Jostein had left on Yavin 4: A bed, a dresser with a mirror, a small closet, and a refresher station. Jostein nodded his thanks and Rhyss departed. Glad to be alone, Jostein removed his cloak, boots and overvest and sat cross legged on the bed to meditate for a few minutes before retiring for a night's rest.

Only a moment or two had passed when he felt the familiar pain between his temples, and saw the sparks and shooting stars…oh no…not now…I am so very tired… He pitched over the side of the bed, head first, legs sticking out every which way, coming to rest in the position of a wheel, thrown atop the bed… He saw two men....only one now…a huge, fleshy greasy man…something thrown over his head…finding himself bound then shackled to a deck…screams…darkness…and it ended. Jostein, feeling drained, picked himself up off the bed, and began doing a special exercise Mithra had given him especially for the aftermath of these visions: he sucked in a huge breath, as quickly as possibly, held it as long as he possibly could and then exhaled it in four metered counts. He did this ten times. The calming effect always amazed him; he meditated again for a few minutes, finally dozing off, back lazily dragging down the side of the wall until he fell slowly onto the bed, asleep.

*******************************************

Patricia stood before the Jedi Council, eyeing the twelve beings surrounding her, reaching out with the Force, feeling for their motives. There was calm, nothing more, in the room. The presiding member of the council, a ruddy skinned female human spoke: "You and your Padawan learner will embark immediately for Endor; there you will mediate a dispute among several factions of the Ewok concerning sovereignty of the Sanctuary moon." Patricia bowed to the council, acknowledging their wishes, and turned to leave the chamber. "And, Patricia?" spoke one of the other council members. "Yes, "she replied. "No side trips this time. There is much to be done that needs your attention. You become so…involved…with those you work with." "I do the will of the Living Force." Without waiting to be dismissed, and without bowing again, Patricia left the chamber.

Indicating that it was time to leave on their mission, Patricia nodded to Jostein, who had been waiting somewhat anxiously in the corridor outside the Jedi Council chambers. "Where are we going, master?" he asked, curious, and more than a little nervous. Having never traveled except to Yavin 4, Tatooine, and now, Coruscant, Jostein found himself rather jarred by the prospect of the constant planet hopping that the life of a Jedi involved. He picked up his duffel bag and followed Patricia to the landing platform, where they boarded another ship, this time a modified two seater x-wing.

"Ever seen one of these, Jostein?" Patricia queried.
" No, but I've seen holograms, and I've studied them extensively. One of the best ships ever built…and really fast. Also…possible to cloak."

"Great. Your flying lessons start today. Get into that cockpit. Flying one of these is as easy as flying any of those Kirian Interlopers you were so fond of back home."
"How did you…"
Patricia just smiled. "Into the cockpit with you. Now."
Jostein flung his duffel bag into the small space behind the pilot's seat, and making himself as comfortable as possible, strapped himself in and began to go through preflight. As Patricia had said, it was very much like the Kirian Interloper; same instrument panel, same basic joystick arrangement, same weapons array…pretty much everything was the same as what he was used to, just on a more powerful scale. How had Patricia gotten this ship, he wondered? Patricia seated herself beside him and strapped herself in, smiling as if she were holding onto a secret that she was just about ready to reveal..."ready when you are…"

It was at the moment of takeoff that Jostein realized that this was NOT a Kirian Interloper. The x-wing gave no quarter under him and felt as a lead frame; he sensed its sudden movement from complete stillness to all engines full throttle. He could feel its speed increase as it thrust out of Coursucant's atmosphere, and the concurrent change in the ship's relative position to its own trajectory. His inner organs competed for the honor of jumping head first into his throat; his heart slammed again and again into the walls of his chest; he panted hard for air and would have passed out, had it not been for Patricia pulling the emergency breathing apparatus over his face. She then laid her hands over his heart and concentrated the Living Force into his body, helping him to control his breathing until he could slow it down on his own. The x-wing, having fortunately been put on autopilot by Patricia as a precautionary measure , had made its way into space, and was now headed towards Endor. Jostein looked over at Patricia, speechless. "I am sorry I frightened you like that, my young apprentice. However, it is the best way to learn, in the end." Jostein just looked at her dumbfounded. What could he say? What could anyone say?

Taking the ship off autopilot, Patricia remarked, "I thought we would fly through some of the more interesting spots in the Inner Core, such as Commenor, Corellia, and Duro. How about it? Help you get used to this beast? "
She smiled, making Jostein think she had planned this all along just to torment him. First, the terrible visions last night, now this. He felt so miserable. Suddenly, he longed to be back at the Academy with Mithra and the other students, or, preferably, alone in his own room, just himself, meditating on the Force. He concentrated on piloting the x-wing, trying to conceal his emotions from the Jedi knight at his side, the strange woman that seemed to meet his every move with a surprise.

"Jostein, I am sorry." He looked up, startled, then looked over at Patricia. She continued, "Sometimes, I lose myself in the excitement of the moment, and forget that not everyone can handle surprise, travel, and newness as well as I can. I have been many places and seen many things, spent much time among many different species of beings, each with its own ideas of right and wrong. All are wonderful in their own way. But, you are just embarking on this way of life, and need some time to get used to it. I will try to be more careful with you. Look, here we are at Corellia. I think we can make a good case for stopping for lunch, don't you?" She grinned, and he took them down into the atmosphere of Corellia, mainstay of the Corel system.

It did not take Jostein long to find a landing place, or a hangar, as Jedi were welcome agents of the New Republic, especially those on official missions. The two companions made their way to a small town not far from the hangar. Patricia smiled at Jostein's serious, yet almost childlike mien as he studied the town and its people, observing every building, every being, storing it all away for possible future reference. She preferred to reach out with the living Force, sensing out sentient beings, searching out their feelings and motives…

They came to a small cantina on the far edge of the town, a somewhat seedy looking place, but one that oozed odors of tasty victuals. Patricia and Jostein entered and strode together to a small table. A waiter placed two glasses of a burnished liquid before them. Patricia downed hers with one fell swoop; Jostein left his untouched and looked at Patricia. On her approval, Jostein did the same with his. He gulped, eyes large, mouth wide open. Patricia began to laugh, then thought better of it.
"Fortunately, it merely tastes bad. It is not an intoxicating drink. It is meant to clear the palate," Patricia remarked dryly.
"Thanks for telling me these things," Jostein snapped back.
Food was served quickly, and the two Jedi ate with relish. Bread, a shared vegetable and meat plate and some water were consumed quickly, and Patricia and Jostein sat back, after ordering kro'ot mry'yt, a native Corellian fruit drink, little known to most off-worlders. Their drinks had just been served when a ruckus came from the front of the cantina.
"Drinks for everyone…everyone, I say…grinks…greygrunng…" came the shouted mumblings of a huge greasy, human, Hutt-like in appearance, who virtually blocked all of the light out of the doorway. "Hey, you!" A small, bird-like alien shied away from his booming voice and skittered nervously. "Yeah, you…alllgggsa yyooouuus…" The man came stalking into the main part of the cantina, his massive bulk appearing to be ready to burst with every movement. He moved his head slowly, as if in a drunken stupor, peering at each of the inhabitants of the cantina in turn…
His gaze came to rest on Jostein Hakestad.

Patricia had her hand on the hilt of her lightsaber, ready for action, if need be. Jostein was battle ready as well, recalling with distaste his sojourn with the slavers. It was at this point that Patricia and Jostein noticed that the man did not travel alone. There were five others with him, all humanoid, one particularly noticeable, a tall thin man with a scar running down the left side of his face. All carried blasters and wore a veritable arsenal of weapons and ammunition strapped to them.

Patricia leaned across the table to Jostein, "Bounty hunters. We need to leave. Now. With as little fuss as possible. We cannot possibly win the day against all that ammo."
The two Jedi stood up and pulled their cloaks around them, and left their payment on the table. They had just made their way to the door when Jostein felt four hands grab him from behind. "We have him, master." Jostein yelled out before a hand clasped over his mouth; he struggled against his captors without success. Patricia ignited her lightsaber and whirled around to face the six men holding her apprentice captive.
The leader spoke to Patricia, still slurring his words somewhat: " I would not advizze that, my dear. Your young man does look a great deal better in one piece, rather than zzzzplattered all over this lovely cantina. Do step azide …"

Patricia, weighing the prospects of battle against six heavily armed opponents, and the loss of her apprentice and finding them rather wanting, powered down her lightsaber, clipped it back onto her belt and looked at the huge man. "Myself instead of him. He is little more than a child." The heavyset man waddled over to her, as if considering her offer for a moment, then chuckled, launching stray spittle onto her face and clothing.

When he spoke again, he sounded disconcertingly sober. "I have no desire to take a Jedi knight as a voluntary prisoner." He touched her cloak for a moment and coarsely brushed her away. "Besides, I find your charms particularly wanting. I have what I have come for. You Jedi protect these pathetic fools…it is up to us to capture them and make sure they meet with justice. Take him away." With this, the six bounty hunters left the cantina, slamming the dining room door behind them.

The sound rang throughout the intimate dining space; Patricia stared at the door, appearing dumbfounded, for a few moments. Picking up Jostein's lightsaber that he had dropped during the struggle, she turned to the bartender abruptly: "Who was that? You know who that was."

The bartender recoiled, realizing that he could not hope to resist the nuances of the mind that Jedi called upon when interrogating anyone they suspected of hiding something from them. "well, that would be…uh…he…uhm.."
"I'm waiting." Patricia nudged the waffling bartender with just a little of the Force. Although she revered the right of all sentient beings to privacy of thought, she was not above using her abilities in assisting others in dire need. This was definitely such a case, not to mention the fact that she felt a great deal of responsibility for bringing Jostein to Corellia in the first place.
"Krygge. The bounty hunter." A voice spoke from behind her. Patricia turned to meet another bar denizen, a tall, dirty-blonde male, about six feet tall, muscular build, for all appearances probably a private merchant or possibly a member of the New Republic military on leave. "He works out of Nal Hutta, but basically will bring home the bacon for anyone who pays him enough. Your friend is in real danger, Jedi. Krygge not only takes them to his clients right away, he plays with them on the way."

Patricia had no desire to consider what this meant for Jostein. Yet, she also wondered why this man should wish to volunteer information. "What makes you so anxious to help?" she replied more sharply than she wished to sound.
"Let's just say Krygge is not good for business, here or anywhere else. I am a businessman, a trader…I do a lot of things, my lady…some call me a scoundrel, some call me a thief…you may call me Ben, pretty lady."
Well, if this did not beat all. The nefarious Ben Nal Rees! She had heard much about his rodian hash trade, not to mention some of his other dealings. Yet, here he was, in person, and willing to help her find Jostein.
"You may call me Patricia," she smiled at him. "How much can you tell me about what this Krygge is after and why he would have taken my companion?" Patricia queried Nal Rees.

"Well, Krygge is after a huge bounty that is being offered on one Krenst Duggan, a young man who fits the same description as your young companion. In fact, I had to look at him several times before I realized it was not the same person. He bears a striking resemblance," answered Nal Rees.
"Can you tell me where he might be headed? This Krygge? Who is offering this bounty? Is it the Hutts? Or someone in the Empire? I must get this young man back." Patricia sounded much more intense than she wished to sound to one she had just met. However, the urgency she felt kept coming through, much as she attempted to restrain her feelings.
"He has headquarters on several planets. However, my sources tell me that currently, most of his operations take place out of Bakura, out near Endor in the far reaches of the Outer Rim…" Nal Rees continued.
"How convenient," muttered Patricia. "Sorry, Ben. Do go on." She had begun to feel the fatigue of the long day and was wondering just how she would make it to Endor when Nal Rees broke in:
"I am headed to Endor. You are welcome to hop a ride, if you like, my lady." He grinned lopsidedly, almost leeringly.
Patricia replied, "Why thank you", while at the same time using the Force to nudge his mind just a little with the idea that if he were to come very much closer to her person, electrocution or some other fate might just ensue.
"Just one thing…" Patricia remembered the x-wing parked in the hangar. A deal was made with the smuggler to store the craft until the Jedi could pick it up without extra charges being accrued.
Patricia and Ben Nal Rees left the cantina to a dusky Corellian sunset that, ordinarily, Patricia would have found so striking she would have had to gaze at it for a half an hour. Not this evening. She followed Nal Rees down the dusty road back into the main part of town, past closed up shops, brightly lit homes and apartments and, finally, into the hangar. Nal Rees moved the x-wing into his ship for her; he then bid her board his ship, the Kohl Ranger. It did not take Patricia long to find the guest quarters he indicated, lay her duffel bag down, fall onto her bunk, and drift into nothingness. Meditation could wait.

*************************************************

Jostein shuddered with cold and, not a little fear. He felt himself being dragged across some sort of dusty area; he could not tell how vast it was. Although he was attempting to reach out with the Force to get a feel for where he was, the fear he was feeling was blocking his ability to do so. There was then a loud bang, and he felt himself being dragged up a loading ramp and into, presumably, a cargo hold of some sort of ship. It was at this point the sack was pulled off his head, and Jostein could see his surroundings. He was indeed in the dingy cargo hold of what seemed a small ship, with two other prisoners, who were shackled to a far bulkhead.

His captors threw him against the wall nearest the passageway, and began to fasten his limbs securely with chains. He began to kick and struggle, and pushed against them with the Force. They were flung against the bulkhead near the entrance ramp. Picking up their weapons, they came at him again, and one of them hit him broadside against the shoulder with the butt of his weapon; wincing in pain, Jostein gave in to his captors and allowed himself to be chained to the floor and bulkhead .

The men left and Jostein slumped down against the wall as best he could in a feeble attempt to soothe his sore shoulder against the cold, unrelenting bulkhead. He was almost into a state of meditation when his thoughts were interrupted by the stomping of feet and the shuffling of what sounded like a great mass. A giant slug-like person, if one could call it that, stood over him, practically drooling on him; he held a goblet of some substance that appeared to be strong drink. Without warning, the slug-man poured it all over Jostein, and began laughing raucously. "Duggan…this is nothing to what awaits you, boy…" Jostein began to gag heavily from the stench of the drink poured on him; the great man laughed even louder. "This is not the last you will see of me…" He shuffled back up the dimly-lit passageway and out of sight.

Jostein stretched himself out this time, in an attempt to stop the gagging reflex that was about to choke his life's breath off….he took in a huge breath, quickly, and held it for a count of eight, then a slow release of eight. This he repeated several times, watching the gagging ebb as he did so. Finally breathing more easily, he resumed his original position up against the wall, and turned so as to soothe his shoulder, relaxed as best he could, and fell into a troubled slumber. The image of the huge man melded in his dreams with that from his vision of the previous night; Jostein rattled and clanked as he groaned in his sleep, unable to ward off the ugliness of the sights before him.

Waking, he pushed his shoulder harder into the wall and felt around him with the Force for any signs of sensitivity among the other prisoners or anyone else. All he could sense was the evil intent of the ship's master and crew and the overwhelming despair of his fellow captives. Again, stretching his body out, he focused his thoughts on his own feelings and emotions, stilling his fear; there is no fear, only peace. He repeated this over and over again, until, at last, he dozed off, his lanky form in repose atop a pile of large, rusty chains.

***************************************************

Patricia awoke from a dreamless sleep to unfamiliar surroundings, not an unusual happening for her, but still unsettling after all the years of travel she had experienced. She used the Force to toggle the light switch to "on" and dimmed it to a "just barely visible" setting. The ship's bulkheads were painted a clean if dull brown and the bunk was made with a bedspread that was more of a quilted blanket. Patricia used the room's small galley to make a thin breakfast gruel, then sat down for her morning meditation. She took in a deep breath and focused her inner vision on the Living Force and its will for her. This had been, was and would always be, the center of her life. Nothing would ever change this; she felt the Living Force run through her every fiber of being, every muscle, sinew, bone, nerve…all of her belonged to this Living Force that determined the life that lay behind and before her.

Contemplating the reality of life within the living Force, she began to direct more of the energy of the Force towards her apprentice, attempting to get a lock on his vibrations in the vastness of the galaxy. She could feel many emotions in the emptiness of space around her, as she expanded her consciousness past the confines of her physical body. Pushing past the many, she continued to focus, seeking that one consciousness, that one other…that one a master always found, past all others, even past spouse, past lover, past child…

The strongest bond among Jedi was that of master and apprentice, and though Patricia and Jostein had only been together a few days, there had been shared meditations, a bonding of souls that had begun taking place…this was how the master and Padawan came together as a unit and as part of the greater community of the Jedi order. In the end, it was not about fighting together, winning battles side by side, nor was it about some mystical belief in magical powers; rather it was the coming together of two lives into a greater whole as part of the Living Force that was the essence of the master - apprentice relationship, in Patricia's opinion. And she had to use that passion with which she felt this to find Jostein before the thugs who had taken him killed him by mistake.

Through the Force, Patricia could sense many beings…they had passed the worlds of the Koornacht cluster as well as Hondoor, and had entered hyperspace; the next stop would be Endor. The emptiness of space stretched out before her…Patricia felt the Ewoks of Endor and the conflict that threatened to tear their society apart. She could also sense the peoples of the other ships…there were New Republic ships…duty...zeal. .mostly fatigue from not enough rest and too much work. She sensed smaller ships, transports, people going to and from traveling, some for earning a living, others for personal reasons; others were smugglers, smaller than Nal Rees, but still evading the New Republic military. Although a Smugglers' Alliance had been initiated that assisted the New Republic in many instances, the truce did not extend to smaller operators, many of whom preferred to do business with the Hutts or the Empire, due to lower tariffs and fewer restrictions on cargoes. Then she sensed something else…another ship…close to Varonat….she could feel him there…in pain, but alive…Jostein was alive. At Varonat…..she was sure that was where the bounty hunters were headed…

********************************************************

Jostein stirred in his chains. The other prisoners were awakening as well. Some food had been left next to him, and, despite its doubtful origins, he ate voraciously. Grrg,,, he munched, and spat out a few hard pieces. The others sat in the far corner, smirking at him; finally one f them spoke.

"Well, the fierce fighter finally decides to eat rubbish like the rest of us scum." The two men laughed derisively, as Jostein finished eating, and put the plate aside.

Though his shoulder still ached, Jostein felt rested enough to concentrate his meditative skills on learning about the ship and its denizens. He sensed the six men he had seen enter the cantina on Corellia, and the other two prisoners across from him as the only other living beings besides himself on board. He sensed the engines and their specs and speed capacities…weapons… timing. Something was wrong. He was not sure…he reached out more with the Force, feeling for every system on the ship…it was an old ship after all, nothing special to speak of…an old clunker that had been thrown together out of spare parts. That was it…the hyperdrive was straining the construction of the ship…it would not hold under this much energy. He had to tell them…

***********************************************************

Patricia encountered Ben Nal Rees in the hallway as she made her way toward the cockpit of the Kohl Ranger. "Nal Rees…"
"Good morning, my lady Jedi. I hope you had a pleasant slumber. And what may I do for you this morning?" spoke Nal Rees just a little too leisurely.
"The bounty hunters are headed, I believe, for Varonat," she said breathily.
" Slow down…" Nal Rees drawled. "Varonat…okay…I'll have the navigator put in a course."
Patricia considered for a moment, then spoke. "We can land; you may leave me and the x-wing there, as I am sure I will find the boy. In any event, I can fly it to Endor from there, if I have to."
"I am not due on Endor for a day or two. I would be honored to assist you in finding your young friend, my lady." Nal Rees took her hand. Patricia resisted the urge to wince; so many human men were dreadfully superficial at times like this. She gently nudged him away from her with the Force. He looked at her suspiciously, then smiled knowingly, gave her back her hand and moved away down the corridor.

**************************************************************************

The chains felt more constrictive than ever around his wrists and ankles. Still hungry and tired, Jostein attempted to lose himself in meditation, concentrating on searching the inner parts of the ship, learning what he could about it, finding other things that needed to be fixed. From his earliest childhood on Kiria, in the royal house, he had been told, "knowledge is power." And he needed to be able to obtain as much knowledge about this ship as he could now in order to convince his captors to free him so he could make enough repairs to get them to safety. What would his family say if they could see him now, chained up like some subhuman creature awaiting punishment for an unwitting crime. As he thought this, fear came to clutch at his heart once again. He did not want to die, here, alone in space…stop it. This is the path to the Dark Side. How many times had he heard this said? Concentrate on the peace, the light…he thought of Mithra, and all she had taught him…all of his teachers at the Academy. He found himself relaxing a little, and the chains felt just a little looser….

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Back in her guest quarters, Patricia showered and suited up in a clean tunic and pants. She was combing her brown mane of hair back from her forehead when her door chime rang stridently. "Enter," she spoke brusquely, continuing to comb her unruly hair.
"Well, Jedi knights do indulge in beauty regimens," chuckled Nal Rees, as he sidled over to her, the door sliding closed behind him.
"It is wet; repeated combing is an easy way to dry it," she responded almost stonily.
"Well, the reason I came to see you is that our contact decided to drop his shipment rather than head towards Endor. I have some time on my hands. If you need some help…"

"Thank you, but that is really not necessary, Ben, " she tried not to be too harsh. "I still have to make sure that is, in fact where they are headed."
" Well, we can run a scan as we enter that sector. I have not heard any more about Krygge since we left. It is almost as if he dropped off the map since we left Corellia," Nal Rees balanced hmself on his left leg, and placed his left fist on his hip. "We know he was looking for Krenst Duggan. The only thing is, so many people were offering bounties for Duggan. Who was offering one large enough for Krygge to get invovled?"
"Now you've lost me, Ben," Patricia felt puzzled. This was new information. Nal Rees had told her that Krygge ad taken Jostein, mistaking him for this Duggan fellow. However, she hadn't realized Duggan was a wanted man all through the galaxy. And, what of Jostein's fate if this Krygge realized Jostein was not Krenst Duggan? What then? Jedi normally were not held for ransom, as they had few worldly goods with which to pay said ransom. They could not be forced to use their abilities for evil, so they were of little use for the personal gain of their captors. In Jostein's case, however, there was one other possibility…

************************************************************************

Krygge entered the cargo hold, a whip held menacingly in one hand, a goblet of ale in another. The thin man walked a few feet behind him. "I trust you fellows enjoyed a luxurious night of slumber," he nearly bellowed, cracking the whip in the air above his head. Tell me you did, come on guys…," he taunted his prisoners.
The men on the far side of the hold merely stared at him dumfounded as if waiting for his next move. Jostein looked up at him, and met his eyes severely, thinking, here goes nothing. "This ship will not last the rest of this day. If you do not land in the next few hours, we will all die," he stated matter-of-factly. Krygge looked down at him, and, for a moment, appeared poised to whip him with his upraised whip. Then, at once, he looked at Jostein again, stared into his eyes hard, put the whip down, and suddenly dropped his goblet of ale on the deck as well.
"You! You are not Krenst Duggan! What have you done with Duggan?! Who the hell are you!"
"Land this ship. We will not survive unless you do. And do get me out of these chains. I find them most uncomfortable," Jostein pushed his advantage, now that he saw it.

Krygge indicated the chains to the thin man, and Jostein was released. He stood up, a little wobbly from his ordeal. Face to face with Krygge, he was nearly bowled over by the stench of ale emanating from the behemoth's mouth. Jostein reached out with the Force again, this time attempting something he had not tried before, mentally influencing another being. He nudged Krygge's mind just a little, playing with the idea of landing the craft on the nearest planet, the sparsely populated Varonat.
"We'll land on Varonat..it's the closest place…we can make repairs there…and, boy…" Krygge peered at him, almost speechless…Jostein nudged his mind again. Krygge appeared to think better of saying anythng else, and ambled his immense bulk off down the corridor back to the main bridge of his ship.

Jostein turned to the thin man, gave him a slight mental push, and said, "I'd like something to eat, if you wouldn't mind. Also, please bring something for my two companions here, as well. And not that leftover junk you had them bring yesterday, either." The thin man disappeared, after eyeing Jostein with not a small amount of awe in his face.

Jostein walked around the compartment, then over to the two men who were still chained to the wall. "Tell me," he asked them, "where are you headed, and how did you come to be in the possession of our captor here?" He settled himself down on a large crate, and leaned over towards them, more to pass the time, than to really listen to them. Another of the ship's crew appeared with food before much time had passed, and all three men ate the best meal they had had in days.

**************************************************

Patricia and Nal Rees scanned the horizon of the island's grassy plain where they had landed the Kohl Ranger. An earlier preliminary scan had indicated that a ship had landed here a day ago and that at least one life form had been aboard. Although not much more could be ascertained now, it was almost an instinctual move on the part of smuggler and Jedi. The island, about two hundred miles in diameter, was located in the northern hemisphere of Varonat; the grasses ringed the shoreline and ran inland for a couple of miles. The interior of the island was a deep canopy of deciduous jungle-like forest, a convenient hideaway for anyone wishing privacy or evasion of capture. Patricia made preparations to retrieve the modified x-wing from the Kohl Ranger's small hangar bay, while Nal Rees ran several scans in search of the bounty hunters' ship.
"Do you know what sort of ship he is flying?" Patricia queried Nal Rees.
"He flies whatever he can cull together out of old parts and junk. The man is primarily after money to support his drinking and drug habits. He leaves most of the real dirty work to others, although when there is a lot of money at stake, as in the case of Krenst Duggan, he will put on quite a display, as he did when he captured your friend back there in the cantina. I cannot get any read on any kind of ship here…just that a ship has landed here on this island somehwere…"
"Well, Jostein has a good sense of ships and their inner workings. He is also highly intelligent and very resourceful. This may work to his advantage with his captors."
"Although he is a drunkard, do not underestimate Krygge; he is dangerous and keeps some dangerous company…" Nal Rees added. "He has dealings with some of the worst elements among the Hutts and the Empire."
"I intend to be careful…and to retrieve my apprentice," Patricia stated coolly as she levitated the x-wing out of the hangar bay and into a small depression she had created. Once she had covered the x-wing with brush and leaves for camouflage, Patricia turned to Nal Rees. "Thank you for everything. I appreciate the ride out here. I am not exactly an x-wing pilot…that is what got us into this mess in the first place."
"My lady, your reputation and prowess preceded you…I have been most glad to have been of assistance. Perhaps one day you shall be of assistance to me...in some way or another," he grinned lopsidedly, again.
Patricia did not reply; smiling, she turned and headed off on foot into the canopy to search for Jostein and the bounty hunters.
Nal Rees sighed and headed back to his ship.

***********************************************

Krygge swore a blue streak and shouted to the thin man over the com, "Bring that boy up here!" He sloshed ale out of his goblet all over the deck and swaggered everywhere, attempting to gain enough of a foothold to get back to his captain's chair. Sweating, he finally poured himself into the chair and slurped down more ale. Not long after he was seated, the thin man arrived on the bridge, bringing Jostein with him. Jostein looked around slowly, metering his breathing in order not to gag from the overwhelming stench of ale and vomit that permeated the bridge. He shot a questioning look at Krygge, and stopped short of saying anything. Krygge was dead drunk.
The thin man spoke first, in a whisper. "We cannot make it like this to Varonat…something else is wrong…help me fix it…" It was a pleading voice.

Jostein looked at the thin man, and took a seat in the spot the ship's navigator would normally sit in. He reached out with the Force, searching the ship's engines again, this time more thoroughly…it was amazing what freedom and absence of fear could do for one's abilities… he leaned back, almost lying now, in the chair, ignoring everything but his own being, making it one with the ship. He could feel every system, every cog, wheel, every propulsion system, every weapon system…all the things that go into a ship, even a junker like this one…and he found what was wrong. A small thing it was…he could nudge it back into place….

Jostein concentrated with the Force, pushing the misplaced part, miniscule in proportion to the giant hulking whole, back to its appropriate placement. It took some time to get it properly aligned, but, as it came into the proper alignment, Jostein relaxed more and more, finally letting go as it fit into place. He relaxed now, and fell into the arms of the chair like a limp puppet, arms hanging at his sides, lax and malleable.
Not now! The shooting pains came, suddenly, with the stars flying towards his eyes, and the crushing of his brain with the fist-like feeling he had begun to find familiar. He saw green vines all around him…the stars out…then daylight…and a face…with cold, blue-green eyes, a face like none he had ever seen before. And, as usual, darkness.

The thin man walked over to Jostein and pushed at him. Jostein stirred and looked up at him; realizing where he was, the boy got up quickly and began busy himself about the bridge of the ship. He could only hope THAT didn't happen again. And what of his vision this time? What in blue thunder was it he had seen? The navigational controls were elementary enough; he laid in a course for Varonat and hoped it would not be long before they got there.

**************************************************

The tall prairie-like grasses had given way to lush green forest some time back when Patricia decided to stop for a few minutes. She had found a small grotto among some small granite-like boulders encircling a small glade; here, she could have a quiet meal and rest undisturbed. Feeling a little chilled, she pulled her coarse brown cloak more tightly around her. She ate only a little bit, before falling off into a deep slumber, her body tucked away behind the rocks.

Patricia slept on through Varonat's moonless night, with only the stars above her for company. Her dreams roamed the vastness of the skies, traveling their starlit paths, her feet guided by her own sense of freedom from the constraints of physical being…she saw Anak B'rith, her master and teacher, beckoning to her from across the firmament…winged arms open, speaking in those hushed tones of comfort only she knew how to use…it was a panorama of places and people of her life, everything until now…
She found herself in a dank, dark place, many trees, vines hanging, an odor of dead leaves pervading her surroundings…she slipped into a small crevice, and found herself in a cavern, a close, damp place with walls being worn away by the constant wetness…evil there… fighting the darkness, the evil…need…longing…succumbing…

***************************************************************

The thin man and Jostein had completely taken over piloting of the bounty hunters' ship, and were brining it into orbit over Varonat. On the small scope, Jostein picked up a ship leaving the planet just as they were landing. Although he attempted to hail them, they were quickly out of range. Somewhat frustrated, Jostein looked for a place to put the ship down. A quick scan of the planet's northern hemisphere had indicated a remote island, about 200 miles wide, with smooth grassy plains around the outskirts. This would do. No need in attracting unneeded attention; they could make any minor repairs, and he could use the Force to find Patricia.
Krygge was sleeping off his binge in his quarters, having lugged his immense bulk aft during the last leg of the journey; only the thin man and Jostein ventured forth onto the planet surface. The thin man spoke to Jostein, " thank you for helping us, young Jedi. I know you are a Jedi…" He turned to his work at hand, and left Jostein to his meditative search. Jostein knelt at the edge of the forest, head bent, hands on his knees, fingers apart, relaxed, his breathing slow and focused. He had plenty of time…

****************************************************************

Inside the bounty hunters' ship, Krygge was stirring from his drunken stupor. He knocked over his most recently poured goblet of ale, swore, stood up and stumbled into a hooded figure standing next to his captain's chair. He gasped, drew back at the sight of his visitor, then sat down again, visibly shaken.
"I believe, bounty hunter, I have something you desire," the figure said silkily, indicating a large, writhing bundle at his right. "In return, you have something for me, do you not?"
"Er, yes…yes, I do..," Krygge replied, fearing to even look in his visitor's direction as he handed him a small fabric bag. The visitor sniffed at the bag; he opened the bag, took out the contents, placed some of it in his mouth, and returned the rest to the bag, inhaling its fragrance once more. Satisfied, he turned and left the ship as stealthily as he had come. Krygge fell back in his captain's chair, not even bothering to attend to the ungainly, amorphous bundle that wriggled about on the floor at his feet.

***********************************************************************

Patricia awoke from her reveries, slowly looking about her, remembering the night's travels in slumber. She sat up, taking in the fresh forest air slowly, savoring its scent of new leaves, of new life. Standing up, stretching before the warm Varonat sun, Patricia picked up the meager things she had brought with her and concealed them in a small crevice inside the grotto. She felt somewhat dirty, and recalled a small stream she had passed before finding the glade. A bath in its clear waters would be invigorating and energize her for the day ahead, she thought, and would be a rare, enjoyable luxury as well.
She traced her steps back towards the shore of the island; she knew it was not all that far to the stream, probably only about a mile, maybe less. Droplets of sun dribbled down softly through the leaves of the trees, speckling the greenery of the forest floor with their light. Patricia sensed herself drenched in light, anticipating her drenching in the water of the stream ahead. She reached out with the Force, in joyous anticipation of the experience awaiting her…and realized she was not alone here at all.

She had reached a slight clearing near the stream's northern bank, and just managed to duck into some brush when she saw him. He was like no other creature she had ever encountered anywhere. He stood at least six feet tall, and was covered almost completely with long, downy crimson fur. His face was humanoid in some ways, with eyes set much as human eyes are, but with a small, slightly protruding black nose flanked by long whiskers and supported by a muzzle that served as his upper lip. His partially open mouth sported tiny sharp teeth, designed to chew or nibble prey. He had a strong chin and broad face, with his small flap ears set widely atop his head to each side. His arms, back, buttocks and legs were quite humanoid and muscular, from what Patricia could tell, despite the fur, and he sported a long, elegant, whip-like tail. His arms ended in paw-like hands that sported razor sharp claws; his feet were covered in the velvet fur that seemed to serve as protection, and these ended in toes that also sported razor sharp claws.

He walked with a graceful, dignified gait; Patricia realized she had only glimpsed him from the side. He turned to face her direction, and she realized what she was seeing. She had heard many times about such a creature. They were reputed to be the best fighters in the galaxy, certainly the most cunning and sly. They were known as the Ghyrrbyl and their home world of Ghyrr was a mainstay of the Empire. But the majority of them were brown or black and normally they did not grow to be so large. And why was he here, so far from the boundaries of the Empire?

They locked eyes. His green-blue ice cold gaze met her deep forest green irises…holding each other at bay…she reached out with the Force to him…and sensed that here was no ordinary being… here was immense anger, fear, hatred…and yet longing, pain, frustration…she reached inside of him…wishing to heal…to nurture…he stopped her. He spoke. Perfect Basic. Another anomaly, as most of the Ghyrrbyl preferred to work among their own kind and had neither the need nor the desire to learn Basic.
"My dear, you live dangerously. It is an endearing trait in a woman. I do so love a challenge."
He laughed, and lay down on the grass, stretching himself out lazily in front of her. Patricia walked over to him, and looked down at him. She could not speak; bereft of her ability to search him with the Force, she waited for him to go on.

"You wish to probe my thoughts? Know my secrets…? And if I do not wish you to know them," he continued, lower, more menacingly; he showed his teeth, tiny and sharp, his whiskers twitching around his lower lip, his small pink tongue lashing his teeth before it curled around his upper lip. "But, then, again, perhaps I do…as I wish to know yours…," he went on languidly. She knelt next to him, transfixed by his eyes: cold, transparent, aware. He reached out suddenly, caught her by her wrists and pulled her to him; she felt his soft warm fur under her as she lay on top of him, sensing his being again through the Force. This time, he did not stop her, but pulled her into his psyche as far as his mind could draw her, holding her body to himself as he did so. Longing, pain, anger….desire…for power…lust…more…the realization that there could be so much for the giving, for the taking…

************************************************************

Jostein searched as best he could through the Force, but he could not seem to pinpoint his master. Perhaps, he thought, it is because we have not been together all that long. I really do not know her all that well, he sighed. My master is almost a stranger, really, he thought, as he again focused on the task of attempting to locate her in the haze that was the Force for him at this point. He sat back upon his heels and sighed. Perhaps he should just wait and see if she arrived here looking for him…she seemed to have something of an instinct for such things. Then, he thought ruefully of how he had gotten there in the first place.

He reached out with the Force again. He could sense movement, being, feelings, emotions, intense emotions…so much happening... then, a pair of hands reached from behind him and covered his eyes while another grabbed his limbs, disabling him, wrapping chains around his body. He heard evil laughter around him.
"You may not be Krenst Duggan, but I imagine I can convince the Hutts you are, and collect enough from them to buy a new ship and keep my liquor cabinet stocked for quite some time to come, "chuckled Krygge, sober for the first time Jostein could recall. Looking about, he saw three of the other bounty hunters venturing off into the woods with their weapons. He felt through the Force for the thin man, but, could not sense his newfound friend anywhere. He looked about as best he could in the tightly bound chains, when Krygge remarked, "I wouldn't bother looking for the skinny boy; he was one too many for the ride." Jostein hid his face in disgust.
Krygge and the other man dragged Jostein up the ramp of the ship into the cargo hold; he was fastened to the bulkhead, this time face to the wall, spreadeagled, with little room to move or maneuver himself. Krygge pulled a fist back as if to punch him in the kidneys, then thought better of damaging the merchandise. He and his companion left Jostein in the cargo hold alone.

Jostein reached out with the Force. One thing about all of the madness of the last few days: he had certainly gotten a lot of practice in using the Force. He searched for any evidence concerning the other prisoners. All he could sense was a residual echo of suffering, more of a dying away…they had been killed…probably tortured and killed by Krygge and his confederates in a drunken rage, or as a convenience since they were not anywhere as valuable as "Krenst Duggan". And Jostein still wondered who in the Force the real Krenst Duggan was, or if he was even still alive…

**************************************************************

Patricia felt the soft green grass beneath her skin. She sat up and squinted at the midday sun…and remembered everything, every detail of him…his soft, crimson fur, his gentle paws…her journey through the maze of his mind… She gathered her clothes and threw them over her quickly, along with her cloak and shoes. As she was leaving the grassy glen, she turned back once more, the vision of him etched on her mind for times to come, when she saw a shiny object lying in the grass near a large stone. She walked over to the stone and picked up the shiny object. Turning it over and over in her hands, she gasped as its meaning became apparent: the rank insignia of an Imperial Admiral.

She heard a rush of air, then a roar…and looked above her...it was what appeared to be a TIE defender, one of the Empire's premiere craft, taking off overhead. As if in deference to her, it dipped one side, then took off in a roar and a flash of light, leaving bent trees and rushing winds behind. Patricia took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, attempting to stop the freefall of emotion that had overtaken her at so much revelation. Of herself. And of another.

Remembering Jostein pulled her out of the labyrinth; she had to get to him. Feeling with the Force, this time with renewed vigor, she could sense him at the island's shore. There, on board a ship. As a prisoner, and,in a great deal of pain. Patricia broke into a run through the forest, tripping over roots and vines, jumping over stones, clutching the hilt of her lightsaber as she ran.

She caught a glimpse of the ship in the clearing. Slowing to a walk, she felt her way around it with the Force; she could sense five beings besides Jostein on board. Jostein was the one inside the cargo hold, no doubt; that was a location usually reserved for prisoners on board smaller ships. The others were at various locations…the problem would be to get inside the cargo hold, free Jostein and to get away without attracting attention. Patricia searched the area for the hidden x-wing, and stifled a gasp as she stumbled right on top of it. Shaking her head, she pulled herself up and made her way back to a patch of tall grass near the bounty hunters' ship. The sun was beginning to lower itself in the Varonat sky and there was not a lot of time left for maneuvering in light.
One of the bounty hunters came around the side of the ship and opened the cargo hold; with one deft jump, Patricia disarmed and disabled him. She left him in the grass, bound in vines and old brush, and sneaked into the cargo hold. She didn't have to go far to find Jostein shackled flush up against the wall. Igniting her lightsaber, she drilled it to the shackle on his left hand, until it dropped, useless to the floor. The same routine was applied to the three other restraints, and Jostein was freed. Rubbing his wrists and ankles unceremoniously, Jostein murmured his thanks, and looked at Patricia questioningly. The cargo hold door had closed behind her.
"We will have to find some way to open this thing manually; I could cut it with my lightsaber…" she mused openly. "Or is it motion sensitive from the inside as well?"

The pair moved towards the door. Nothing happened. Patricia touched the door. Again, nothing. "Sensitive to a particular individual or individuals?" Jostein suggested.
"Well, all this speculation will not help." Patricia ignited her lightsaber and began to drill through the cargo hold door. "And," she added, "you could help out here, you know." With this, she handed him his lightsaber. He cradled it in his hands, caressing it almost, for just a moment, ignited it, and went to work alongside his master.

Their process was interrupted by the crunching of feet and the spray of blaster fire. Both Jedi whirled around to meet their opponents with lightsabers in front of their faces, moving to deflect the blaster fire away from themselves. Krygge, though of bulky appearance, moved quickly, dodging Patricia's slicing blade and the boxes she threw at him, firing away; she had never seen anything so large move so fast. The other two were more easily deterred; Jostein was fending them off fairly well, and had rained several articles of loose junk down upon them. The two finally collapsed under his "rain" of terror, and lay senseless under the pile of junk Jostein had loosed upon them.

Patricia was not so lucky with Krygge. He was cunning and slippery. He had moved across the room, pushing a large crate into her, knocking her off balance. She got up, barely escaping a nasty blast that left the crate in splinters. Jostein ran at him full force, slashing at him with his lightsaber. Krygge, realizing he was outnumbered, turned and ran up the corridor out of the cargo hold onto the main bridge.
"Surely he will not take off?" Patricia ventured.
"Probably, " Jostein said, hoping he was wrong.

The pair pursued Krygge onto the bridge, where he held them at bay with a blaster aimed straight at the heart of a young man who, for all intents and purposes, could have been Jostein.
"Krenst Duggan," whispered Jostein and Patricia almost simultaneously.
"I would say 'At your service, but I believe Mr. Krygge here has me at a distinct disadvantage. I do not believe I have had the pleasure." This was most definitely NOT Jostein, Patricia thought, believing that, if she had met both of them under other circumstances, the contrast between the two of them would have been downright comical.
"Shut up, Duggan, or I'll blow you to kingdom come."
"And lose that nice, fat bounty you want to collect? Not hardly," Duggan taunted Krygge.
Patricia and Jostein eyed one another for a few moments. Normally, the dealings of bounty hunters, while they were considered disgusting and beneath the dignity of polite society in the New Republic, were not as a rule interfered with as long as they did not interfere with New Republic commerce or individual planetary laws or commerce. Krygge, in Patricia's opinion, was not exactly someone to invite home for dinner; however, the only thing he had done was kidnap Jostein. And that had been by mistake. She had freed Jostein, and now she was loathe to interfere with any more of Krygge's dealings.

A moment later, Patricia's musings were a moot point. A huge clamor arose from all around the small craft, as
explosions rang out all around. Patricia and Jostein ran back down the corridor, through the cargo hold and down the ramp; Patricia grabbed Jostein's hand and pulled him over toward the x-wing as they dived away from the bounty hunters' ship. They both landed in the brush beside the x-wing, dusted themselves off and watched as Krygge waddled out the back, pursuing a long gone Krenst Dugan. More explosives went off, and a ship rose above the din: Ben Nal Rees. I should have expected this, thought Patricia. It makes perfect sense.

Swearing and stamping his feet, Krygge boarded his craft once more. Rather than take off, however, he dimmed the lights and closed the cargo hold door.

"I think he will probably drown his sorrows, such as they are," remarked Patricia dryly. "As it is, now that it is over, I am glad you are all right. Let's take off and get on to Endor. We have a job to do. Feel like piloting at night?"
"I sure do," replied Jostein, ready to return to some sense of control over his surroundings.

They cleared the brush off the x-wing, and finished pre-flight. Jostein climbed into the cockpit. It was not until then that he noticed Patricia standing on the opposite wing, gazing into the distance in the direction of the wooded glen, the starlight illuminating the irises of her eyes. Her face shone brightly, and the Force through it illuminated the night. As Jostein brought the power up on the x-wing, he thought he noticed a small tear on her cheek. He turned back to his task; Patricia climbed into the co-pilot's seat, and, with one last look, they roared into the night.

To Be Continued...