GEN Presents:

BOOK III OF THE ORACLE TRILOGY

Jedi Crucible

by Patricia Spillane Smith and Carsten Jensen

Lightsabers clashed, crackling; their lance-like spears of laser light dispelling the darkness. Enshadowed dancing partners in a ritual designed to reduce their number to one, the opponents calculated each other's movements, not missing a detail. Carefully, they eyed one another, moving in an elliptical pattern around some non-existent axis, waiting for the perfect moment, either to strike, or for the other to strike. A small flinch could mean the difference between survival and hurtling into the abyss from which there was no return. Each was aware of this fact. As is usually the case with a pair of dancers, it was the male who led, and the male who interrupted the flow of the dance. He struck without warning, slashing across the axis, toward his opponent, who returned the shot expertly, slashing across his dark brown shirt, cutting it open, revealing the skin of his chest. He jumped back, reevaluating his stance, then took the offensive, jabbing at his opponent, singeing her dress just below the bodice, just missing actually stabbing her. Unsmiling, she moved toward him quickly and undercut him, allowing him to tumble gracelessly to the hewn stone floor.

Jostein Hakestad looked up into Patricia's bright green eyes and felt the heat of her ignited lightsaber at the end of his chin. She extinguished the blade, and then extended her hand; he took it, and pulled himself up. Clipping their lightsabers to their belts, they found their cloaks in the darkness, donned them, and headed back to the Great Hall of the Jedi Temple in silence. Their training sessions were often like this: little if anything would be said between them, yet there was an understanding of what had been accomplished.

They reached the Great Hall; Jostein deferred to his master. They entered, both kneeling on the stone floor in meditation positions. A rosy gray light was beginning to stray through the windows of the hall, giving a sense of anticipation to the darkness of the room. The two were breathing together, as one, master and Padawan, sensing each other's every breath, every motion… let go… you are safe here, more than anywhere else in the universe…

Jostein had become cautious in the last year since his near-catastrophe with the bounty hunters. Not only did he examine his own decisions, he often second-guessed his master's as well. With any other teacher, this would have caused no small amount of strife; however, Patricia felt she bore the brunt of the responsibility for what had occurred, and, therefore, was willing to accommodate her apprentice's desire to follow procedures and rules without a great deal of fuss. This did not mean she was any less herself; she simply allowed him to express his feelings on whatever matter was at hand in a situation, and followed whatever rule was dictated by the Jedi order. Secretly, she was quite proud that he had learned so much so quickly; however, she also felt he had much to learn of the living Force. It would wait; eventually, with work, he would overcome his anxieties and become the powerful wielder of the Living Force that he promised to be.

Fear. Anger. Hatred. The first steps down the path towards the Dark Side of the Force. Or so it was always said. Patricia had her doubts. Was life really so black and white? Was any creature completely evil… or completely good? She thought of the many beings she had encountered over the many years she had served as a Jedi, then of one, particularly complex, intricate and beautiful. She pondered this in her meditation, and then interrupted herself to glance over at her apprentice. His face, pale in the rose light cast off Coruscant's dawn, allowed for no expression; his eyes closed, his lips together, but not strained, his face was turned towards the windows of the Temple hall. Seeing his face, catching the new day on its young palette, brought to her mind the Varonat sky and the feel of the sun on her own skin…

"Master… " Jostein spoke, breaking her reverie into the gray stone reality of the Temple's main hall. She did not respond to him right away, but continued to simply look at him, openly, wonderingly, questioning. She stood up, motioning for him to follow.

"Yes, we are going to meet with the Council today, Jostein. It appears there is travel on the horizon for us."

"What do you know of the assignment, master?" he asked as he walked beside her, tugging at his cut shirt uncomfortably.

"As much as you do, young Padawan," she smiled. "They tell me very little, the Council members. Besides, I have been busy with a certain young Padawan and his ongoing training. He is quite a handful, with all of his questioning of my instructions and citing the rule books… " She chuckled lightly. "And getting his clothes all cut up."

Jostein colored slightly around his cheeks. He was well aware of the gossip around the Temple that Patricia allowed him too much leeway as an apprentice and that she was a terrible example as a teacher, allowing him to pilot an x-wing and earn a commission in the New Republic's fleet, as well as dragging him off on all sorts of quests that were more in line with her curiosity about alien life forms than any concern about teaching him the ways of the Force. Yet, in the years since taking leave of his home world of Kiria, he had not only become proficient with the lightsaber and the physical and mental skills of the Jedi, he also had learned how to tune into the Force itself, and into the living beings who inhabited it. Slowly, he was coming to get a sense of this mysterious woman who was his teacher, his master… although she rather eschewed the latter term, except when they were forced to use it in the Jedi Temple, preferring he simply call her Patricia. She could bring arrogant creatures three times her size to their knees, or she could be ever so gentle with a struggling apprentice. And her touch with living things was unparalleled… he had seen her with the non-sentient as well as the sentient; living beings of every sort came to her as if drawn by the light of the Living Force within her.

Jostein found himself wondering about the mission to come. He thought of the several missions he and Patricia had been on since their association had begun. The first had probably been worse than anything he had ever experienced, what with being chained to the bulkhead of a ship and barely getting to see any action at all. Since then, however, they had ventured to a number of exotic locations around the galaxy, mostly on diplomatic missions, assisting many different cultures in ironing out their differences, sometimes having to wage battles, mostly using the tools of persuasion and patience. And, Patricia often had told him; this was more difficult, usually, than brandishing lightsabers at the opposing sides. He had enjoyed observing the different peoples and customs, as well as flying the x-wing with its customized modifications and incredible swiftness. He imagined himself behind its controls now, speeding towards a new destination… .

"Jostein!" a sharp voice interrupted his fantasy. Patricia had finally garnered his attention.

"Let's go in and get this over with." Sometimes, she had the best way of putting things.

The great doors to the Jedi Council chamber opened and Patricia and Jostein entered. The thirteen members of the council sat in a circle around an arena-like stage area. It was said that during the era of the old Republic that there had only been twelve members on the Council; however, when the Council had been reconvened, it had been thought wise to add an extra member to avoid deadlock in decisions. The floor of the arena was inlaid with ruby-like jewels set in star-like patterns that sparkled in the light that streamed through the narrow slit windows.

Patricia and Jostein took their place in this arena, facing the presiding member of the Council, one Jedi Master Wynn Bress. Wynn Bress had been the presiding member of the council for the entire year Jostein had spent at the temple. During that time, Jostein could not remember having heard him speak outside these chambers. Bress was a figure of mystery, usually taking his meals in his cell, and spending the days the Council was not in session in the Temple's vast library. Master Wynn's brown skinned face, framed with long black hair, and accented with deep brown eyes, rarely betrayed much in the way of emotion. It was no different this day, as on any other day. He regarded teacher and apprentice, and then began.

"A situation has developed that requires the immediate attention of our order. A few days ago, we received word that elections are taking place on Naboo for a new royal ruler. There are three candidates, all of whom appear to be well qualified. Several terrorist factions, on- and off-planet, have threatened to disrupt the proceedings. Ever since the Naboo and the Gungans united their governments after the rebellion, there have been those who wished to destroy the peace that has held these two peoples together. What say you to this assignment?"

"We accept, Master Bress," Patricia spoke without hesitation. "Is there further briefing to be had?"

"The candidates are two men and one woman. The men are Senator Jal Pyko, of the Naboo Senate and a former queen's guard, and the Gungan Dannk; the woman is N'brey Hyan." answered Master Bress, tossing his long silky black hair aside. "This is the first time in some years that there has been a Gungan candidate. The Gungans have begun to participate more in the electoral process in recent years and in the governing of the planet as a whole. This does not sit well with some of the more conservative factions of the Naboo, who feel that having separate nations was better. Also, other factions feel there may be something to be gained by disrupting these elections… check out everything. Leave no stone unturned."

Bowing, Patricia and Jostein turned to leave the Jedi Council chamber. Another voice began behind them.

"We have received news just this week from Kiria. Young Jostein, you may find this of interest," the speaker intoned. Patricia and Jostein turned to find themselves being addressed by the newly initiated Jedi Master Rhyss, another human member of the council. Fair skinned, with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes, Rhyss had spent many years shuttling between his duties as Temple hospitaller and serving the Jedi as a liaison to the New Republic Senate and as a special envoy on several missions. A sturdy man, about six feet tall, he sported a tidy brown mustache and a muscular frame visible through his long flowing robes.

"We have been contacted by the Kirian ambassador to the New Republic senate. The Kirians have encountered a problem in their succession, it seems. Jostein, it has been determined that succession to the throne will take place within the next two years. During that time, you will be engaged to be married and will succeed to the throne as king. You may continue your training as a Jedi for six more months… no longer," Rhyss finished dispassionately.

Jostein became very pale, looking at Patricia for a split second almost pleadingly, before hitting the floor with a loud THUD. Patricia and several members of the Council moved quickly to assist him to a nearby chair; water was brought, as well as a warm wet towel. Jostein drank thirstily and held the towel to his face, as if to comfort himself and shield himself from what he had just heard. Patricia turned to Rhyss.

"How long have you known about this?" her voice was almost as cold as ice.

"About a week," he replied.

"I find this inexcusable. You are sending us on a mission, and at the same time, telling Jostein that, once he returns, he will have to give up his training. And you have known this for over a week. All of you sit here in judgment over the affairs of the Jedi order, yet you have no concept of what it is we are truly doing, you send us off on these missions and yet… " Patricia paused, finding her breath, then continued. "Yet, you have little concern for the training of the young Padawans. You are more concerned with whether the New Republic Senate views us as a liability or an asset. We can only be an asset if we concern ourselves with thoroughness in caring for our own, and with contact with the Living Force." Patricia's vehemence was reflected in her face as she stared down Rhyss; her words pulsated with the feelings developed from many years of travel and service to her order. She was not going to let this go.

"Patricia," Master Bress addressed her.

"Yes, Master Bress," she responded.

"Jostein has a choice. He does not have to return to Kiria if he does not choose to do so. It is, in the end, his choice. He does, however, need to be aware of the delicate political situation on his home planet," the master spoke. "There are factions that would bring down the government and plunge Kiria into anarchy. And Kiria has been fairly stable for many hundreds of years… a real jewel in the crown of the New Republic. And, remember, there may be alternative solutions to this nettlesome problem."

Patricia considered this for a moment, and then addressed the Council again. "We are on our way to Naboo. Jostein?" She looked down at her apprentice, who had recovered the color in his face, and was pulling himself to his feet. He stood; the pair faced the Council and bowed once more, and left the Council chamber hurriedly.

Once they were in the corridor, and some way away from the Jedi Council chamber, Jostein looked at Patricia and, for the first time, choked back a near sob. "What am I to do? I mean; I feel obligated to my people. They need me… but I have not lived there for a long time… I don't know how to rule a people!" He finished emotionally, breathing in short gasps, as they continued toward the landing platform where Jostein's modified x-wing was parked. Patricia, although she was in fairly good physical shape, struggled to keep up with him this day. It was as if he felt that, in escaping the Jedi Temple, he would escape the choice that lay before him.

"Jostein, as much as I hate to agree with those sycophants on the council, it is your choice. And, true, perhaps, some other option will present itself. Search for the will of the living Force in this. You will find it, I promise," Patricia answered him, sure of little else concerning the situation other than the truth in these words.

Jostein pulled off his cut shirt, replacing it with one from his duffel bag that was fairly identical to it in color and style, discarding the other in a waste receptacle at the end of the corridor. He panted as he pulled the sleeves down over his muscular forearms and adjusted its collar so he could breathe comfortably.

Jostein and Patricia reached the landing platform where the x-wing stood, sunlight gleaming off its folded x-foils. Jostein ran over to it, opened it up, and hurriedly climbed into the cockpit, tucking his duffel bag into the small compartment under his seat. Patricia did the same with her supplies, and took the copilot's seat, and began to assist Jostein with the pre-flight sequence. It was not long before they were soaring off into the Coruscant daylight, the clouds at their backs, starry space ahead of them.

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

Senator Jal Pyko of Naboo sat in his study, during the early Naboo evening, his balding head bent over his work, pondering the latest turn of events. Another threat had been made against him and the other two candidates for the elected throne of Naboo. This time, it had come during the opening ceremonies celebrating the Joining Day, the day that celebrated the original joining of two cultures, Gungan and Naboo, under one central government. The elected monarchy had been retained as the major uniting factor, with the bosses of the Gungans retaining local authority underwater, and the Naboo governors ruling locally above ground. A Senate consisting of Gungans and Naboo had been formed to actually govern the planet and serve as the major lawmaking body. Pyko, N'brey Hyan, and Dannk had all been placed under heavy guard. The festivities, though not marred by any violence, had certainly lost any political usefulness for any of the candidates.

Pyko was in mid-reverie when the ringing of his door chime rudely interrupted him. "Enter," he called out abruptly. A tall, blonde man of over six feet entered the room. Though his strong muscular body indicated a life of intense physical work, his intense blue eyes betrayed an intelligence that worked at a great deal more. He strode into the room, a long blue silk cape flowing off his shoulders behind him, his dress that of a man ready to attend a formal affair of sorts. He towered over the older, stooped Pyko, who retreated somewhat at his presence.

"Pyko. Understand there are some problems here. What in blue thunder is going on?" the giant man addressed Jal Pyko.

"Ben. Glad to see you. Very glad. Man can't even get elected to office without having his life threatened anymore. Yesterday, I didn't get one campaign speech off. Guards kept me holed up here all day, " Pyko complained sullenly.

"Well, that's politics," the big man seemed to respond with little sympathy for his host. "I got problems of my own. Somebody keeps interfering with my trade; I keep getting boarded in these parts. Don't like that much, " he grumbled.

"Well, it's not our people, man," Pyko responded resentfully. "You don't cause us any trouble. In fact, you've been a big help to us. We don't have a large military force, so we are rather indebted to you and your organization for all you do."

"Somebody around here doesn't seem to share your gratitude," his visitor responded. "I have been boarded about three times in the last four weeks, each time, by one of your ships looking for illegal materials."

"Who were the CO's of the ships?" Pyko became alert.

"Draveck, Irreck and, I believe Draveck again. Although I am not sure on that last one. I didn't come into direct contact with the CO on the last raid. We were… err… busy," he hesitated, as he began to pace back and forth around Pyko's office.

"I take it you did have something to hide on that last trip," Pyko could not help but attempt to hide a slight smile.

"We had some things we were taking to a private customer that we wanted to keep… private," the man returned.

"Understandable… understandable." Pyko knitted his brows together and intertwined his thin, knobby fingers as he rested his elbows upon his desk. "Well, I'll try to find out what is up, if you can get me a handle on who is disrupting our little election here."

"Might it be one of your worthy opponents?" the man queried.

"Not bloody likely. One is a mere girl of twenty-two fresh out of university, the other, a Gungan of little experience in these matters. I don't see either of them… " Pyko began.

"Or some of your more gung-ho supporters, hoping to scare off the competition, " the big man laughed halfheartedly.

"Our people truly are at a loss. The New Republic is sending a couple of Ambassadors - Jedi knights, I believe - to assist us with the situation. Hopefully, at least they can help us organize the various open factions and avoid any more threats," Pyko spoke wearily.

The tall blonde man walked over to the one window in Pyko's study, and looked out over the main square of the Naboo capital. "That is what is always so effective about terrorism - not the actual violence - it is usually cleared up quickly - it is the fear these people inspire that makes them powerful. They control everyone's choice of actions through fear." He wrapped his cape around him and headed toward the door. "I will help you in whatever way I can, Pyko. But... know one thing… I will find out who was responsible for having me boarded. Nobody boards Ben Nal Rees and lasts long." With that, he was gone.

Jal Pyko gazed from the door to the window, and sighed deeply, audibly. With the end of this day, his problems had just begun. He brought up the interior lights and continued with the work he had been doing earlier. Might as well stay busy, for what good it would do not to.

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

The Royal Palace in Theed was situated so as to give a view of the city on the daybreak side, and a view of the harbor on the side where the cliffs faced the sunset in the evenings. The pink, rose and yellow hues of the light reflecting off the sunset clouds gave the windows of the palace a mirror-like quality. So lovely from the outside… what must it be like to look out from the inside? It was this that N'brey Hyan considered as she made her way home from protective custody that late evening. Hopefully not a prison, isolating her from the people she would serve. Although all her meals had been catered and there had been no shortage of strong drinks and handsome young men to enjoy them with, all Hyan had wished for the entire time was to go home and shove her face into a pillow and forget this entire campaign.

The desire to be queen of her people was an ambition she had held since childhood. Politics was in her blood. Her father had served on the council of Theed, and her mother had served on various oversight committees as well. Hyan's career had begun at sixteen when she had been chosen to serve as under governor of Theed's ruling district. Although young, she had served with distinction, and had received many honors during her time of service. At twenty-one, she had been chosen by the ruling party to stand for election for royal ruler, as these were elected every six years and could only serve one term. This was considered the planet's highest honor, and Hyan was emboldened to campaign aggressively, though honestly.

Hyan's opponents knew she would fight them, but she would fight them fair. This was what made the rash of threats and near misses so much more puzzling. The election was not a real eye opener, as elections go. There were no burning issues, no thrashing rivalries. Why would anyone wish to disrupt the peaceful transition of power? Trade was flourishing, people were prosperous. Naboo occupied a small way station as far as trade routes were concerned, but was protected by the forces of the New Republic, as well as the more powerful scions of the Smugglers' Alliance. There was the fact that a Gungan was standing for the royal office for only the second or third time; that had incited anew the old racial hatreds between Naboo and Gungans in some quarters.

Hyan hugged her cloak around her slender shoulders as she trudged home in the cool Naboo night. As much as she tried, she could ascertain no answers to the thorny questions that threaded through her mind over and over again. She pulled her hood over the knotted braid of her ash blonde hair, and looked around her several times, as she rounded the last corner for home.

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

Hyperspace travel was always tedious after the thrill of liftoff from a planet's surface, thought Jostein. He leaned back in his pilot's chair, and began to think about what he had heard that morning. How could he just abandon everything his life had become? On the one hand, he had learned giving and self-sacrifice as the way of the Jedi; on the other, he also had realized some of his own dreams and aspirations so far. He had always sensed that his destiny was not on Kiria, had never been, and would never be. But now… what had happened to set such events in motion?

As if she had joined the current of his thoughts, Patricia addressed Jostein, " sometimes destiny is a choice we make, not just one path hewn out before us." She continued, "Each of us is part of the Living Force; search it, Jostein. Probe its secrets for yourself. Don't be afraid to learn who you are from its depths… " The intensity of her words drew him in; he was forced to look straight into her eyes. "In meditation, so often, we allow ourselves only to manipulate the Force for control of it, to feel in control of the outer environment. To be a true Jedi, one must be willing also to give up oneself to the Living Force." She closed her eyes, her face smooth and relaxed, her lips together almost in a smile.

Jostein considered this series of statements. He had long passed the stage where he had to be concerned with his physical movements during his meditations. This, however, was something he had not thought of - that the Force itself was a living entity and that it moved through him and had a Being and a will that existed apart from those who meditated on it and manipulated it for their benefit. Yes, he had heard time and again the phrase, "...If that be the will of the Force." But it was almost as if he had never really thought of it until this very moment. The moment he most needed to think about it.

"We usually do not do things or think about them until it is most necessary for us to do or to think about them, Jostein. Otherwise, life would be way too overwhelming for all of us. Especially one such as yourself. With your abilities, life would become a nightmarish proposal."

Jostein had not thought about that part of it. In point of fact, he had not had one of his sudden visions in some time. He was, to be honest with himself, quite grateful for the reprieve from the harrowing experiences that came with his excursions into the future. The searing pains to his temples, the star-like vision fields, the shooting fireworks that sped at light speed into the center of his brain… no, he could not say he had missed any of that at all.

"We are coming up on Naboo, " Jostein stated neutrally. And then, stars shot straight at him for the first time in months, painful needles at his eyes, suddenly burning at his temples… . and a young blonde woman stood before him, tall, regal, beautiful… needing him.

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

He ran his fingers down his long folded whip hanging on his left side, attached to his belt, as he strode masterfully across the deck of the ship's bridge to the double doors. Now that he had reached his destination, he could relax. Leaving the bridge, he inspected the aft part of the deck, obtaining a strong drink in the galley before retiring to his stateroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, regarding his brownish hair and blue-gray eyes, noticing the handsome, cruel line of his own lips as he turned away from the mirror and set his drink down on a nightstand beside his bed. He undressed lazily, folding his shirt and pants and setting them on a small chair beside his bed, and hanging his belt with his beloved whip and blaster on a small hook attached to the bulkhead beside the mirror.

Again, he regarded himself in the mirror, this time without his clothing. Pleased with the smooth planes and angles of his naked body, he finished off his drink, and climbed slowly into bed. The lights adjusted automatically to an off setting; he contemplated the day's happenings. A new commission from a new customer. This should prove interesting. The normal raids and attacks had become just a little commonplace for his tastes. It was time for a challenge, and this should be just the thing. And he had been paid almost half in advance, for the procurement of weapons and assurance that the job would be done on time. As if. Of course the job would be done on time! Customers usually found out pretty quickly that the job got done yesterday or sooner. That was why he was the best in the business and why nobody messed with him, not the New Republic, not the Empire, not smugglers, not even bounty hunters. Everyone cut Carsten Hedegaard a wide berth. It was unwise not to.

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

Crushed black velvet drapes covered the windows and walls of the ancient palace. The only light shining through was that through narrow red stained glass plates in the ceiling, casting an other-realm glow onto the proceedings below. Two figures, one seated, one kneeling, were conversing.

"The plan is in place?"

"Yes, my lord."

"And our operative?"

"A new hire."

"Referral?"

"He is the best in his field. He has never failed his customers."

"You have assurances?"

"I do."

"The Jedi are on their way to Naboo, as I anticipated."

"The young one we seek has been sent, my lord?"

"Yes. You will be responsible for bringing him to me. Alive."

"I will depart at first rising."

"Depart now. Return successful."

"As you wish."

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

From space, Naboo appeared as a blue green sparkling gem in the ring of a great goddess. Jostein imagined that once the first spacefarers probably imagined such things as well, as they viewed their home from above for the first time. He brought the x-wing down smoothly through the atmosphere and onto a small landing field just outside the capital city of Theed. Long past were the days when he dreaded the take off and landing of the craft; his skills as a pilot were now rumored to be some of the best in the New Republic. He was justifiably proud of the progress he had made in the last year; of course, having Jedi reflexes didn't hurt, either.

Patricia swung her duffel bag out from behind her seat, and grabbed his as well, handing it over to him. They climbed out of the craft, pulling off their head gear and stripping out of their over suits. Heading toward the hangar, Jostein breathed in the fresh, unspoiled air of the Naboo countryside. It was true, he observed, what was said about the Naboo sense of beauty and form. The hangar, from a distance, was a large rectangle, with pillars on all four ends appearing to support it, but with the roof, though touching it, seeming to almost fly overtop of the pillars.

The Jedi reached the hangar and were met by a middle aged balding man accompanied by a tall young blonde woman, a mid-sized Gungan and several Royal Naboo guards. The Gungan stood back, as if to assess the situation, while the guards took positions around the visitors. The balding man and the young woman stepped forward to meet them.

"Greetings, friends. I am Jal Pyko. And these are my associates… err… competitors, actually, err… N'brey Hyan," he indicated the young woman, who smiled and nodded, "and Dannk," indicating the Gungan, who bobbed his head, but continued to stay a few feet away from the other candidates, closer to the guards.

"I am Patricia and this is Jostein," Patricia said with her usual alacrity. "We are Jedi knights, at your service." Jostein had already met Hyan… the woman in the last vision…

"I am afraid the situation has improved little. All of us fear for our lives when we venture out of our homes. We had to cancel our debate yesterday and go into protective custody. We are safe nowhere. The threats continue to mount. Why just today, I received a notice that were I to appear in public again I could expect… "

"Jal, all three of us have received the same notice. I received it three times," the blonde woman spoke up, interrupting Pyko. "The terrorists will do what they will do. We must continue the electoral process. Besides, all three of us have been moved into the Royal Palace's guest quarters so Security can keep us under closer guard for the remainder of the campaign. What more can be done?" Her tone of voice was insistent. The rest of the group regarded her curiously. "We cannot allow segments of society whose views are narrow and foolhardy to obstruct the right of the overwhelming majority to self rule."

Jostein gazed at Hyan unabashedly, noticing the slant of the morning sun on her pale patrician face. Her deep blue eyes reflected the cloudless Naboo sky, with only their intense expression indicating the desperate situations she spoke of. Her lips were a pale rose, almost matching her cheeks, blown such by the gentle winds always present on her world. He could imagine her just about anywhere but in a Senate forum conducting political business. This he managed to do for about a minute before being gently tugged back to reality by a nudging from the Force - Patricia smiled at him ever so slightly, and he blushed a bright crimson, accentuated as he stood in full sunlight.

Dannk stepped forward, his floppy, leathery ears dangling into his face. "I suggest we go back to the Royal palace and review the situation so far. We have documented each incident since the first several weeks ago."

"What says the current King of the situation?" Patricia queried the three. The three candidates eyed each other cautiously before Dannk finally rook the initiative of replying.

"He is saying very little other than condemning the acts of violence and the threats. He is basically powerless to do anything." The contempt in his voice for the current ruler was ill concealed. Pyko and Hyan did nothing to disagree with Dannk's appraisal of the situation.

The party set off toward the Royal palace n the center of Theed. As was his wont, Jostein gawked openly at his surroundings, playing the role of tourist to the hilt. The morning air felt open and clean in his lungs as he took it in expansively; he walked at a relaxed gait, attempting to remain a short distance behind Hyan. Thick-forested mountains and rivers one could almost run through one's fingers covered the landscape for as far as the eye could see. Unlike many of the planets he had visited, however, it appeared that Naboo had been well manicured; there was not a wild look to it as was, say, Varonat, or Dathomir. The lines of the mountains, hills and rivers were sculpted and regular and seemed to fit some sort of plan.

Less interested in the surroundings than in the people she was dealing with, Patricia felt for whatever vibrations she could get off of the three candidates. The strongest of the three, unsurprisingly, was Pyko. His frustration and anger were electric to her senses, as were Dannk's resignation and Hyan's defiance. There was more, though. Something else played at the edge of her Jedi's Force sensitivities: or, rather someone. Maybe several someones. However, with the journey to the city, it was difficult to focus on feeling the beings around her; she had to concentrate on walking with her companions. Always, it was the conflict between moving around on the physical plane and operating in the plane of the Force. There were some Jedi who were seamlessly adept at working the two together; Patricia felt she had never quite mastered this skill. She preferred to be able to concentrate all of her energies in one direction or another.

There was little time to consider much of this, as the group took only a little outside of a half hour to reach the Royal Palace. The masterful columns and full-length windows glazed by the now midday sun gave the building a regal command of the entire city. The Jedi and their company entered through a small side doorway, unobtrusively, to avoid notice by passersby. They made their way to the third floor where the Royal and Senatorial quarters were located. Hyan and Dannk took their leave of the group at this point, leaving Pyko with the task of showing the Jedi to a couple of guest rooms at the end of a long hallway.

"I do hope you will be comfortable during your stay with us. Let me know if there is anything you need. A midday meal will be served in a couple of hours, if you care to join us."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality. These rooms are quite lovely. We will be pleased to join you," answered Patricia. Jostein stood at her side, saying nothing, not wishing to give away his true motive for wishing to attend the noontime function.

"We will see you then, Master Jedi," Pyko returned courteously. Turning gracefully, he walked slowly back down the hallway, Patricia presumed, to his own suite of rooms.

Patricia turned to Jostein. "We both need to meditate on the feelings surrounding this situation. There are others involved besides these three and the Naboo senate. I have felt someone, somehow associated with this… I cannot seem to pick it up… " She trailed off, already in a pre-trance state that made her dreamy eyed, almost pretty. She opened the door to her room, entered, and closed it behind her.

Jostein took her words to heart, thinking about Hyan, as well. He was facing his own door, prepared to enter his room, when a feminine voice called out, "You, Jedi!"

Jostein turned around to find the source of the voice to be Hyan herself just a few feet away. He looked at her, feeling somewhat annoyed that she could almost know he was thinking of her.

"Yes? Is there something I can do for you?" he asked, as he walked over to her.

"I don't know. You are here. I suppose that is really enough. You are going to stay until the elections are over?" she asked him.

"As far as I know. It is up to my master. I am merely an apprentice. And, I fear, I will not be one of those much longer," he replied, remembering the message of Rhyss at the Jedi Temple.

"Why is that?" Hyan asked him forthrightly.

"I am to be married in order to assume the throne of my people," he said evenly.

"And that means you cannot be a Jedi anymore?" she continued to press.

"That is correct," he replied.

"I am sorry. You seem meant to be a Jedi… like I am meant to be queen of my people," she said it, not bragging, simply stating a fact whose validity could not be questioned.

Jostein peered at her, sensing her through the Force, as well as with his own empathy. Here was one such as he, whose sense of self and ambition had developed along with her sense of duty and of service to a greater good.

"I will do what is the will of the Force, " Jostein said quietly, "whatever that turns out to be." He felt somewhat awkward, not sure of what else to say.

"You will, indeed," Hyan reached up and kissed his cheek, then turned and walked quickly down the hallway, leaving a blushing young Jedi in her wake.

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

The midday dinner proved to be more of a reception than a dinner. The sumptuous feast was held in the second floor banquet facility, a large, dark room with maroon walls and heavy velvet navy curtains. Although there was plenty of food to be had, no one seemed much interested in eating. All three political candidates were making their way through the crowd, appearing to be enjoying this opportunity to actually campaign for office. Patricia and Jostein stationed themselves beside the double doors of the main entrance to the hall, flanking visitors as they entered the facility. It was a convenient position from which to feel out the various beings with the Force without appearing too obvious.

It was from here that Jostein noticed the young man who entered the hall as the three candidates took up positions behind a hastily assembled speaker's rostrum under a bright spotlight. Medium build, medium brown hair, gray-blue eyes, confident stride, he looked about for a few minutes, and then took a place in a far corner of the room. Dressed in black pants and vest, with high collared black shirt, he almost blended into the wall. Attempting to remain unobtrusive, Jostein turned away from the young man slightly; he then reached out with the Force with all the strength he could muster. Feeling the coldness right away, Jostein pulled away immediately, lest the subject of his intrusion suspect this investigation into his psyche. The young man did not appear to doubt anything; he stood, nonchalantly, shoulders propped up against the far wall, legs crossed elegantly, arms folded smugly. He turned his head, just for a split second, looking at Jostein, nodding politely; a moment later, he turned his face back towards the podium.
Jostein turned to Patricia; she too had noticed the young man and had proceeded to check him out as well. She shook her head and nodded toward the podium; the candidates were getting ready to speak. Dannk was to be first, followed by Hyan, with Pyko taking up the last spot. The double doors closed, and the Jedi were seated in two chairs to the rear of the assemblage.

The speeches were not very long. Each candidate stated his position on the major issues facing the planet, and how he would initiate the changes planned on his political agenda. The candidates mentioned the recent boardings of merchant ships, as well; these were used as examples of the need to regulate commerce more effectively in the sector. No one applauded any of the speeches, after the apparent custom; the room remained silent. After Pyko completed his speech, the audience, got up, and began milling about again, most of them gravitating towards the food they had previously ignored.

The young man in the far corner moved into the crowd with the end of the speeches, smiling and nodding at various people he met, behaving as if he were very much at home there. Jostein and Patricia followed him to the buffet table, where he served himself a small plate of food and a glass of the best Theed district wine. He strode over to Hyan, and began to talk with her. She smiled, and invited him to sit with her. Jostein looked at Patricia.

"Do you think we should, perhaps, join them?"

"It couldn't hurt," she answered her apprentice's question with a smile.

The two Jedi walked over to where Hyan sat conversing and dining with the strange young man. He stood, and looked Jostein straight in the eyes, then smiled at Patricia. Hyan quickly recovered herself and introduced the young man, "This is Wil. He is a trader from Corellia, here for a convention in Otoh Gunga. Although he has done business with Dannk and his people, he has, shall we say, found some affinity for my ideas." She smiled brightly; Jostein noticed that the young man returned her smile only somewhat, busying himself watching the movements of the crowd.

"Nice to meet you, Wil, " Patricia stated politely. Jostein nodded, continuing to watch the young man's eyes as he scanned the crowds. The feeling of coldness he received when he reached out to touch the man with the Force returned and was even stronger up close. Something was definitely not right. Yet Hyan seemed to be comfortable and Jostein didn't wish to embarrass her in any way. Everyone sat down, and they ate in silence, before Wil finally stood up.

"I must be getting back to my quarters. There is a meeting here I must attend before returning to Otoh Gunga tomorrow. My lady, I request the pleasure of your company this evening, if you please?"

"Why, it would certainly be a pleasure, Wil. What time may I expect you?" Hyan responded to his invitation.

"Twenty hundred will be fine, my lady Hyan. I will come by your quarters to see you then," he said with a smile, his gray-blue eyes flashing expectantly.

"I look forward to it," she smiled. Putting down her utensils, she looked over at the Jedi, smiling at Jostein as she did so. "I really need to get some work done now. If you will excuse me… "

"Would you allow me to escort you to your quarters, my lady?" Wil enquired.

"Thank you very much, that would be nice," Hyan replied.

Will got up, and assisted Hyan as she rose from the table. The two Jedi rose as well, and continued to stand as Wil and Hyan left the banquet room. The young man walked away as confidently as he had come in, Hyan's queenly bearing complementing his patrician frame. Patricia shivered slightly, but said nothing. Jostein followed them with his eyes as they left. Well, he thought, so much for this afternoon. It had been a lovely thought, while it lasted.

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

Ben Nal Rees sat slumped, drinking from a small can of ale in his captain's chair in his huge stateroom aboard his new ship, the Kohl Ranger II. It had been a long day. Hell, it had been a long two weeks for that matter. Three boardings by Naboo shipping officials that were, as far as he was concerned, completely uncalled for. And his friends in the Smugglers' Alliance were reporting the same problems - boardings, firings, every sort of trade disruption. There did not appear to be any logical rationale to any of it. All random happenings… yet, something was behind it all… and they all were taking place along the New Trade Run, a newly established trade route between Naboo and Kiria in the Hapes cluster.

Was it possibly moles from the Empire, attempting to disrupt the fragile Republic? They certainly had had their days at that. Couldn't discount it. And the various Hutt gangs, well, they had no love for the Republic and would like nothing better than to see it come crashing down around itself. Jal Pyko had asked for help on the Naboo end of the Run. But then there had been those boardings and at least one ship nearly destroyed over near the Hapes cluster.

What was up there? That part of the galaxy had been stable for many, many years. No trouble brewing that anyone had heard of recently… although, there was that small matter of succession on Kiria. There was some question about whether or not the oldest son of the ailing king would return to take his place as the new king once the two years of succession had passed. Kiria was one of the richer trading worlds, though it was also rather isolated socially. Nal Rees thought he was forgetting something about Kiria he felt he should remember, but couldn't place. It would come to him later, he thought.

He set the empty ale can on his desk, and swept it clear of bric-a-brac. Resting on his elbow, he stared at the alcove above his bunk, where he had mounted a holographic image of himself as a young man with a Gundark he had killed and stuffed. So, this was what it was all about, now. His ship was his home, his comfort an image of himself from better days. Then he began recalling his last voyage with a woman on board his ship. It had been that Jedi woman. But that… not a particularly enjoyable memory, now that he considered it; rather better to think of those Twi'leks on Tatooine he had encountered just a few weeks back. His mood improved considerably, and he contemplated going to bed while the image was fresh enough to generate a good dream.

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

Senator Pyko had returned to his office to pick up some notes before heading to a last minute Senate committee meeting. He opened his door, and was about to walk in, when he heard a loud SNAP! In front of him. He stepped back a ways from the door, then looked up at it again. Just about at waist level, a long bladed knife was sticking out the side jamb of the door. He could have been stabbed to death!! Without a moment's hesitation, he closed the door as best he could, and, panting hard, ran down the hallway to the stair well. He took the stairs two at a time, and was halfway to the second floor when he met with Wil and Hyan, coming up from the dinner.

"Senator Pyko! Whatever is the matter?" Hyan exclaimed.

"Someone is trying to kill me! There was a blade concealed in the doorjamb of my door and I was almost stabbed to death with it!" he cried.

"By all means, we must get security here," Wil volunteered.

"No! Absolutely not! I do not wish to be put under protective custody again! Once was enough!" Pyko returned heatedly.

"Understandably, Senator. Why don't I take a look at this knife mechanism?" Wil asked him.

"Any help would be appreciated. I cannot get into my study and I have a meeting in about fifteen minutes," Pyko answered, as he began to return up the stairs.

Arriving at Pyko's study door, the three found it as Pyko had left it; it was only when Wil pushed on it that the knife struck out, barely missing him by about a centimeter. Hyan gasped as he grasped the blade by its hilt on the mechanism and pulled it out of the jamb.
Although the jamb was splintered somewhat, it would not be difficult to repair.

"Thank you, … err... I didn't get your name," Pyko said, apologetically.

"Wil, Senator Pyko. I'm here with a Corellian trade delegation to Otoh Gunga," Wil replied

"Thank you, Wil. I'd appreciate not hearing about this, okay?" the senator almost pleaded.

"Not a problem," Wil answered, as he and Hyan headed down the hallway towards her suite at the end.

Pyko watched them, almost enviously, then turned away and raced into his study. His fifteen minutes had been reduced to five…

Wil and Hyan reached her doorway. They had just met, yet Hyan felt an incredible attraction for this man. She looked up into his gray-blue eyes; searching for an indication of an emotion of some sort she could calculate a reaction to. Instead, she found herself startled when he cupped her face in his hands, leaned down and kissed her gently on the mouth.

"Until later, my lovely," he said, as he turned away, leaving her breathless in the doorway.

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

Jostein found it hard to concentrate on his meditation that evening. He and Patricia were sitting in her room, cross-legged on the floor, facing each other, eyes shut. Jostein's mind kept returning to Hyan,...and the man with the gray-blue eyes. He had felt a connection with her, perhaps not born of the Force, but, still, that of like personalities, with similar goals. Of course, she was also quite attractive. Yet, this stranger had come and pushed him out of her field of vision almost as if he had never been there.

"Something troubles you, Jostein?" Patricia asked him, concerned.

"Yes, it does. The man who shared the meal earlier with Hyan and us. Something isn't right about him, " Jostein replied.

"How do you feel about her?" Patricia asked, avoiding the smile that was attempting to cross her lips.

"She is interesting; attractive. We come from similar backgrounds, raised to similar purposes. She has had political ambitions all her life; I was raised as royalty until I was taken to become a Jedi. We both learned at an early age to combine serving others with personal achievement. It was gratifying, at least for a short while, to talk to someone else who sees things from the same perspective."

Patricia thought about this for a moment. She could see where this was heading; Jostein still had not come to a decision as to what he would do concerning his proposed role in Kiria's succession. Although normally a king's queen was chosen for him, the king could choose to marry another member of the planet's royal family, a member of an off-world royal family or make an advantageous political marriage upon his succession as well. No doubt Jostein was aware of these possibilities. And this young woman was attractive and politically savvy. However, the actual possibility of Jostein being able to lure her to Kiria to serve as a lifetime queen was not very good. The girl had aspirations of her own, and, Patricia suspected, they did not end with the elected queenship of Naboo.

"Jostein. How do you feel about Hyan? What are your feeling now...at this very moment...search the Force. Let it flow through you and tell you your own secrets you wish to hide from yourself...and me," Patricia finally spoke.

"She is beautiful. I am very attracted to her, master. Very much so."

"And what of the young man who came to dinner earlier?" Patricia did not need to ask this question; she already knew the answer. It was in every muscle of Jostein's face and hands, as he clenched and unclenched them; it was in his eyes as he looked back at her, an almost feral look.

"I wish to tear him to pieces."

"This is the way of the Dark Side of the Force. You know this too well, young apprentice," Patricia replied to the jealousy and anger she felt in his voice. "I did not get a very good feeling from him, either. Something is not right. We will clear our minds of the emotions surrounding this situation and concentrate on him, find out what it is that is so elusive about him."

The two Jedi began again, Jostein concentrating on his breathing, allowing Patricia to lead him into the Force, relaxing, letting the intense jealousy of just seconds ago slowly slip away. He felt the room around him start to spin just slightly, and his perception of his own body was that of someone watching it from the upper corner of the room. He heard slight giggling, and he "saw", if you could call it that, Patricia across from him, in somewhat the same manner, her "essence" looking down at her body as well.

Jostein. He heard her, but she was not really talking to him. It was as if he could hear all her thoughts...and she, his. The essence of the Force is energy, thought... We are what we construct ourselves to be out of pure thought. Our physical bodies, our surroundings, even the people we choose to be surrounded with...we choose all of it for ourselves...none of it is by accident. We do not always realize we choose it, but choose it, we do.

Slowly, the two Jedi re-entered their physical bodies. They smiled at each other, then shut their eyes and stilled their bodies almost entirely, concentrating on the Force inside of them, between them and around them. This was the letting go phase, in which they allowed the Force to carry them where they needed to go; they knew they would find whatever it was they needed to find; every secret of the universe was locked away inside the Force, and meditation was its key.

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

Dannk swallowed the pure clear nectar and set his cup on his desk. He was due back in Otoh Gunga in an hour. This room was purely an administrative convenience to him, as it was not set up for a Gungan's comfort. Dictating his notes into a portable database, he would pause every so often, and simply catch his breath. Whysa mesa? He thought. Whysa dese bosses select mesa to run for da office. So many others from Otoh Gunga more bombad. Mesa hates da talking like da Naboo just to get elected… mesa want to talk like da Gungans. But I know how to talk to de Naboo… deysa so difficult… deysa no smart…

He picked up his glass to drink again, but before he cold, his peace was shattered, as was his glass, as it hit the floor, dropped from his long, graceful hand. Something had caught him from behind, choking off his air, dissa no good… mesa need help. He tried to scream, but to no avail… the only thing that came out was a gurgling sound as he slipped, unconscious, to the floor.

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

Patricia came out of meditation first. She breathed in a long, slow arc that drew in the fresh air from the open window of the room, as she waited for Jostein to return to his normal state. This is what it means… always. Not all the battles, all the running… all the silly diplomatic stuff… feeling the Force live and move within every being. She pondered this as she regarded Jostein's now-peaceful face. His knight-making would not be long in coming now. That she could sense. There was a darkness about, though still not quite definable, almost as if it had trouble defining itself. The young man at the banquet, he was definitely a cold presence… She felt that cold again, at the mere thought of him… should she recognize him? Perhaps it was the collective consciousness that Jedi sometimes tapped into with the Force. The same that connected her with the great Jedi of the past, including her own long-gone master, Anak B'rith. She reached out again in an attempt to find that strange young man… and felt anger, emptiness… bitterness. He was to be watched… closely.

At this thought, Jostein opened his eyes, almost startled. "You were thinking of him, Patricia?"

"Yes, reaching out to him through the Force. An angry, bitter creature behind that mask of friendliness," she replied.

"I feel it also, master," Jostein spoke softly. "Do you think Hyan is in danger from him?"

"It is possible. We should definitely keep ourselves alert for whatever may happen in connection with her and the other candidates. And, if this young man is Force sensitive… " Patricia did not finish, realizing what she had just said. That could explain her inability to feel more than some vague emotions. The young man could be blocking them out with the Force. How could she not have considered that possibility from the beginning? Yet, even Jedi are not omniscient… they only see what they are looking for to start with. And there was scant evidence other than her suspicions. She needed more to go on.

"You think he is?" Jostein queried.

"I know he is," Patricia answered. "We shall definitely keep our eyes on him. He cannot be up to any good."

"I saw her… needing my help… calling out to me… " Jostein ventured quietly.

"Then it is quite likely she will need our help," Patricia said, with a small emphasis on the "our" part.

"That is the only vision I have had in some time… it came as we were landing… " Jostein remarked.

"The glazed look should have told me… although you have gotten to where you control the visions so well, it is impossible for me to tell when you are having them," Patricia smiled. "You have come a long, long way, my young apprentice. A very long way."

Jostein smiled, then rose, extending his hand to assist her from the sitting position, though she needed no assistance. Taking his hand, she likewise got up and the two dusted off their clothing, and headed toward the door.

"Dinner?" Jostein queried.

"How about in the little kitchenette just down the hall, instead of some other place further away? I'd like to keep an eye on these folks. Right now is about when I would expect something to happen."

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

N'brey Hyan put on her cornflower blue silk dress with the deep vee neckline that fit snugly around her slender waist and hips. She braided her long hair, then wrapped it about the top of her head, much as a crown, giving herself a look of a queen newly crowned. She looked in her floor length mirror, turning from side to side, appraising her lithe body, finding every flaw, fixing every wrinkle in her form fitting dress, finally slipping on an ankle bracelet and strapping on her slippers.

Fixing herself a drink at her in-room bar, she considered the events of the day. Wil was quite the charmer. I wonder, she thought, if I am being any too wise, inviting him back here? Of course, we can always go out… I think that may be best. Not safe to have a strange man in my suite, after all. But he seems to be so nice.

She walked over to her desk, and called up main security on her database. Looking for ships that had come in from Corellia in recent days, she found several, one that listed a Wil Hedegaard as captain. Well, that settles that, she thought. He is who he says he is. They usually check everything.

Returning to the bar area, she lay down on a divan chair and stared at the ceiling. There was also that young Jedi, Jostein, she believed his name was. What a king he would make for Kiria. If he chose that path. There was just something that didn't fit, however; and, he didn't seem to be like other Jedi she had encountered. Probably because he was still a Padawan and fairly young. Still…

Her thoughts wandered to the elections, just a few days away. Today had worked very well to her advantage, even though Pyko had been the last speaker. He was beginning to sound overworked and humdrum. That would definitely play well to those who wanted new blood, a change. Dannk had been almost fearful, not seeming to want to make waves. Also useful, in that a Gungan who did not wish to breach the status quo would be of less use than no Gungan candidate at all. Now, if they could all just make it to election day without any more threats or other problems.

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

No one heard the maid scream in Dannk's quarters through the heavy stonewalls, when she found his body prostrate on the floor. Security was called in, and the body was taken away quietly before most of the guest had ventured out for early supper. Patricia and Jostein noticed the security chief as his people were taking away the body.

"Dannk?" Patricia asked.

"Yes. Happened mid-afternoon, probably around 1500 or so."

"How was he killed?" Jostein asked somberly.

"Suffocation. Chloroform is deadly to Gungans," the captain answered.

"May we take a look at his suite?" Patricia asked the captain.

"Sure. Not much to see, but go ahead, if you like." The captain then followed the bier down the hall to the stairwell.

Patricia and Jostein crept gingerly into the now-abandoned suite. Unlike the other suites, Dannk's was not made up as a bedroom. There was a bed, but it was pushed into a far corner, and was obviously never used. The pair went straightaway to the desk, which had served as Dannk's private work area for his campaign. The usual paraphernalia was piled on the desk. Database logs, holographic representations, all devoted to the campaign.

"Interesting; no personal items," remarked Jostein.

"He returned to Otoh Gunga every night. A long trip, to be sure, but he was a devoted family man by all accounts," said Patricia. "What do you feel here, Jostein? What are you sensing?"

Both of the Jedi closed their eyes, attempting to gain some sense of who had done the monstrous deed that had been committed in that very room earlier. Patricia and Jostein both began to breathe very shallowly, as they began to have a shared vision of the last moments of the late Gungan statesman. Jostein broke off as he began to choke, and grabbed at his temples, desperately attempting to get to a nearby chair. He was nearly crying as he fell into the chair at the desk, panting, shrieking stars flying into his path of vision. And I thought I was beginning to control this! He chided himself angrily, as the pain began to subside and he received a clear gaze at what appeared to be… home.

Patricia brought herself out of her meditation, panting only slightly from the attempt; she looked over at Jostein, slumped in the chair, glazed expression on his face, gasping for breath, his arms clenched at his side. She went to him, and managed to pull him up in the chair so he was somewhat more comfortable. His breath came more regularly, and his eyes opened.

"Patricia, this has something to do with my home… I don't know what… " he finally said, hands relaxing, eyes now looking at the floor. "I saw Kiria... the place where I grew up."

"There is a lot we don't know. Such as who murdered Dannk, obviously. I didn't get any impression. As if… " she fell silent. She was being blocked out. Again. Whoever has done this has some ability in the Force. Enough to block out the sight of a Jedi knight, at least. And to do heaven only knows what else. "We are up against a Force user. Maybe more than one."

"So what is our next move?" Jostein asked, already not liking where he thought this might be going.

"I would like to ask that young man we saw at the banquet a few questions, " Patricia said pointedly. "Get a chance to really feel him out, if you know what I mean."

Jostein rose from his chair and the pair left the crime scene, closing the door gently behind them. They had only progressed a little further towards the kitchenette when they heard a commotion back in the direction of Senator Pyko's suite. Rushing to the scene of the clatter, they found a greatly disturbed Pyko being hauled away in binders, yelling at the top of his lungs, "This is an outrage! How can you arrest me, a member of the Senate, on such ridiculous circumstantial evidence?"

A burly security guard barked orders to the others, then turned to the nonplussed Jedi. "On a routine investigation into an anonymous tip, we discovered various paraphernalia associated with terrorist acts in his suite. Datapads, holographic maps, plans for weapons, sites for attacks on Gungan citizens, most notable his opponent, Dannk, who, as you know, was murdered earlier. He will be held in the main security block, if you wish to question him." The guard walked away briskly, having dispatched his responsibility in his own eyes.

"Wow. Well, what do you know… " Jostein said wonderingly.

"Indeed," Patricia said, almost dreamily, "indeed."

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

The door chime rang in N'brey Hyan's quarters; she walked slowly toward the door, anticipating the glint in his eyes as he would greet her.

She opened the door, hesitating a moment, then opening it wide as she realized it was him. He walked in, looking about him only cursorily as she closed the door behind them.

"Good evening, my lady," he addressed her.

"Good evening, Wil. Welcome to my quarters. May I get you something to drink?" She smiled at him, attempting to make eye contact.

"No, that is quite all right, thank you, " he replied. He then looked about, taking in the ornate décor of the room. He walked over to a velvet upholstered couch and ran his hand slowly over its surface.

"Go ahead and sit down. I am going to fix myself a drink. I usually have something after dinner, before retiring. It is somewhat relaxing for me," she said, suddenly self-conscious and wanting to move into more of a conversation. She moved over to her small bar and lounge area, where she began to mix up a concoction of several juices. "We have several native fruits here that provide wonderful juices for fermented and non-fermented drinks alike. I really enjoy both, to be honest. And this little area really is nice when I entertain guests such as yourself," she continued on, as she mixed her drink. She fussed a little over her drink, put away the utensils, and turned around, to bump right into Wil, who had come up upon her stealthily.

"What would please the lady this evening, besides a nice stiff drink?" he asked huskily.

"You are the forward one, aren't you?" she played with him somewhat.

"I only wish to make your evening an enjoyable one. I am at your service," he said, now caressing her hand with the drink with his hand, slipping his other arm around her waist liquidly.

"We could go out to the little cantina on the side street where they have the most wonderful music playing… and dancing… " She felt just a little uncomfortable, as he held her just a little tighter.

"As you wish, my lady, of course. After all, the night is merely a newborn babe in our hands," he answered her languidly, making a move away.

She pulled away, taking care not to be too harsh about it, and picked up her wrap. Walking over to the door, he held it for her, bowing slightly as she left the room. He scanned the inside of the room once more, unsmiling, as they left.

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

The two Jedi hurried to catch up with Pyko and his guards, having decided that food would have to wait. They found them on the landing to the ground floor. Pyko strained little, having accepted that to do so would further injure his short arms, pulled tight around his back by the binders. He regarded the Jedi, his face at first angry, then relenting into sadness.

"May we talk to him just for a moment, alone, here?" Patricia asked the guards.

"Sure, as long as you don't let him go or something," the largest guard addressed her, uncertain how to behave with Jedi knights.

"Not a problem. I would never dream of interfering with the process of your justice system. Such as it is," Patricia replied.

The guards walked into the first floor hallway, leaving Patricia and Jostein alone with Senator Pyko. Patricia turned to him angrily. "What is all this about maps and holograms of different terrorist weapons to be manufactured here? Not to mention criminal paraphernalia in your suite? And plans to murder Dannk? I'd really like some answers, Senator."

"I really do not know where all of that came from. Really. Though I would like to win election to the kingship, I certainly would not stoop to murdering my opponents to do so. I had just returned to my suite and was dressing for a late dinner with some associates when the security forces came barging into my suite… and, well, here you have me," he hung his head. "I admit, I am not very fond of the Gungans in many ways. They are often obstructive in the Senate, always pulling out the issue of racial divisiveness when they feel it will gain them sympathy for a cause. But… surely you do not think that I… "

Patricia had felt her way through Pyko's outer emotional display to his inner feelings; underlying the fear and trauma of his arrest was other emotions, and dislike certainly lay there, but, she did not sense a consuming hatred necessary to drive a man to murder or terrorism. She looked at him.

"We will attempt to get to the bottom of this. Obviously, that is why we are here. We are sorry about Dannk. We are also sorry about your situation. We must go now, and appraise what we can on several fronts." She walked to the doorway of the first floor and called the guards back. They took Senator Pyko by the right arm and pulled him through the side doorway toward the small courtyard and a waiting speeder. He called out, "Thank you… "

Patricia and Jostein watched as Pyko was taken away. Jostein mused, "What would any of this have to do with Kiria?"

"I have not the faintest idea, young one. But you can bet we will find out," Patricia replied soberly. "

The Jedi turned to mount the stairs. As they did so, Jostein' breath caught in his throat; Hyan was coming sown the stairs with Wil. Patricia made a move, then thought better of it.

"Good evening, Hyan, Wil. Were either of you aware of what went on here earlier?" Patricia quizzed them both casually.

"No, has something happened?" Hyan looked genuinely puzzled. Wil leaned in as well.

"Dannk has been murdered in his suite; and Senator Pyko has been arrested for the killing!" Jostein, finding his voice, chimed in.

"This is a dreadful state of affairs," Hyan murmured. "Poor Dannk. And Senator Pyko accused of the crime! The Senate will call for new candidates, and delay the election a few weeks. Hopefully, the situation will settle down by then."

"What of Senator Pyko? What sort of trial will he have?" ventured Wil.

"He will be tried by a court chosen by the Senate. Probably the Supreme People's Court of Naboo, since he is a high-ranking government official. And it would probably be the only place he would have a chance of a fair trial, "Hyan answered him. She turned to the Jedi, looking at Jostein especially. "What do you think about this? What sort of forces are at work here?" she questioned them.

Patricia looked at Hyan, then at Wil, then back at Hyan. "I cannot say at this point. We have barely begun to investigate this situation. We shall continue until we have an answer. But it appears that Senator Pyko has much to answer for," she returned. "Much to answer for. He is accused, after all, not only of murdering Dannk, but also of harboring weapons paraphernalia and terrorist plans. Those are some treasonous charges, are they not?"

Hyan appeared to wilt. Her earlier flirtatious demeanor towards Wil vanished, and she addressed the Jedi directly. "I will assist you in whatever ways I can. Be sure of it. This will not go unaccounted for. And I cannot think that Senator Pyko is guilty of any of these outrageous charges."

"Thank you, Hyan. That is most encouraging. We will come to talk to you in the morning after breakfast, and plan the next move, "Patricia said to her. "Come, Jostein, we need to get a late dinner, before everything closes."

"Yes, why of course." He was caught off guard a little. Then, with a smile at Hyan, and a curt nod at Wil, he followed Patricia who had already headed out the door and across the courtyard towards the twinkling lights of the nearest cantina.

Wil turned towards Hyan. "You really do not wish to go out now, do you?"

"No, I am afraid not.. I will have to make it some other time, Wil, " she replied, walking slowly away from him, and back up the stairs.

"Good night, my lovely lady. I will see you tomorrow," he spoke quietly.

"Good night, Wil." She rose up the stairs; he watched in her direction for some time, then turned towards the courtyard and entered the night.

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

Patricia and Jostein sat in a small brynk bar not far from the Royal Palace. Patricia touted the curative powers of brynk for one's emotional state, but Jostein refused her overtures towards the strange drink. Ever since his disastrous experiences in the cantina on Corellia, he had refused anything but water. Dull, but at least it didn't bite going down.

Patricia, as usual, broke the silence between them. "I felt the Force in him, Jostein. He is a Force user. We may have Dannk's murderer. But no evidence. If only we could search his room."

"And violate the Jedi code. Master, you always get us into these situations… " Jostein began with not a little frustration.

"If he is the murderer, maybe we can find what we need there and tip off security," Patricia said mischievously.

"And if he finds us in there and we have not found anything… " Jostein allowed his voice to trail off. It was already no use. She had made up her mind to do this, and he might as well talk to a wild bantha as argue with her. What else was he going to do this long night on a strange planet anyway?

"I have a distinct feeling he won't," Patricia said confidently, downing the rest of her brynk and rising from her chair.

The pair made their way back to the palace quickly, practically running as they went. Arriving at the Royal Palace, they went in through the side door, taking the stairs two at a time until they reached the third floor landing, panting, and puffing.

"I really need to exercise more for this job," Patricia joked as she carefully opened the door to the third floor hallway. Finding Wil's suite, Patricia scanned the hallway, surreptitiously glancing in Jostein's direction. Jostein came over to the door, and, concentrating on the lock, had the mechanism disconnected in moments.

"Good work, young one. I always hate doing that, myself," Patricia grinned.

"Right. Leave me all the dirty work, " Jostein grinned back, sticking his tongue out just a little.

They walked in softly, padding atop the hardwood floor, glancing about the dimly-lit room. Wil evidently was not very neat in his personal habits. The bed had been left unmade, dirty glasses sat atop the in-room bar, and soiled laundry was strung all over the room. Patricia immediately went to the small portmanteau; there were only a jacket and two pairs of pants inside. She made a cursory inspection of the window and wall draperies while Jostein checked the bar and sitting area. Jostein then went over to the bed and pulled the covers back; nothing. He was about to continue with the desk, when he noticed a reflection of the bar area light off of something under the bed. He knelt down and pulled out a small holo-projector - cracked on its surface, but still serviceable.

"Patricia!" he hissed. "Come here!"

Patricia looked up from the desk, where she had replaced the personal items of the room's occupant after glancing at them for a few moments. She hurried over to the bed, where Jostein had assembled the holo-projector. Placing the projector in the palm of his hand, then activating and adjusting it, the two Jedi sat on the bed to watch it tell them the tale it contained.

An image began to form in front of them; the room became dimmer and dimmer as the image came into better resolution. A figure's head and shoulders began to be distinguishable - definitely alien in form, its face appeared to stare right through the viewers. As the image became more and more defined, Patricia's face became more pale, her breathing uneven. The face had ice blue green eyes that could cut through the side of a Star Destroyer, and a mouth that was firm, resolute, featuring small, sharp incisors. The being had deep, fine crimson fur that appeared combed toward the back of his head towards his ears, which were mounted on the top of the back of his head. Once the figure was completely solid, it was apparent it was a Ghyrrbyl wearing an Imperial Admiral's uniform. His fur was curled around the collar, which was decorated with the golden collar devices reserved for fighter squadron aviators. Patricia gave a small gasp, and clutched at her lightsaber to regain her equilibrium. Jostein looked over at her, concerned.

"Master, is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No, I am quite all right. It should not be a surprise that the Empire is somehow concerned here… or at least one of their operatives," she replied, avoiding his eyes, and concentrating on the image. The image spoke, in fits and starts, flickering in and out of focus.

"Greetings, Carsten Hedegaard. Regarding your mission, you are to find … Naboo and bring … meet you on Karuk. You will receive ... rest of ... payment and the weapons we promised to you when you have delivered ... use any means necessary… " The image finally sputtered, its light whipping around some, then it went out altogether.

Patricia and Jostein looked at each other, puzzled. Jostein spoke up.

"Who is Carsten Hedegaard? And what does he have to do with Wil?"

"Somehow they are connected… unless… of course. They are one and the same. He wouldn't risk using his real name under orders such as these. Someone in the Empire wants something. And will go to any length to make sure they have it. And they have hired this guy to do their dirty work."

"Wil is not 'Wil' at all, then, is he? His real name is Carsten Hedegaard, and he is a mercenary hired to… what? Do you think he also… ?" Jostein left the rest unsaid.

The two Jedi looked about them and realized they needed to get back to their respective quarters before Hedegaard returned. Jostein quickly bundled the holo-projector back under the bed and carefully arranged the covers to look as they had before he had moved them. He and Patricia crept stealthily to the door, opened it, and looked up and down the darkened hallway.

"We can meet in my suite to talk this over in the morning. It is doubtful he will do anything else tonight," Patricia said reassuringly. Returning to their suites, nodding silent goodnights to each other, they entered their rooms. Their respective doors closed behind each of them and the hall took on a spectral quality from its own emptiness.

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

She laid in bed, stretched out, arms to her sides, legs crossed at the ankles, gown twirled between her legs. Asleep, her face reflected the pale light from the bar area, highlighting its long planes and gentle curves. Her lips moved slightly, their pale rose color and full shapeliness accented by her languid murmurs. He approached her, arms at his sides, feet slightly apart, angry smile dancing about his lips, and eyes glinting almost gray in the dimness. He looked at her, tilting his head slightly, for a short while, as if he was thinking.

Pulling several short lengths of cord and a small kerchief from his vest pocket, then throwing the vest off to the side. He sat down slowly beside her, then covering her mouth with his hand, he grabbed and bound her hands above her head. Her eyes flew open, she struggled with her torso to push him off, but he was too strong for her. Pulling her hair to one side, with his free hand, he covered her mouth with the kerchief, and as he did so he leaned down over her. Tears rolled down her face, as his head came closer. "Don't worry, my precious. I mean you no harm... much!" he grinned heartily. She whimpered, crying softly as he finished binding her feet and legs.

Pushing himself up off the bed, he re-adjusted his clothing that had been disheveled in the struggle, as he regarded her with a satiated grin. "Everything is going just as I had hoped it would. The Jedi have discovered my orders, just as I knew they would. And now, my lovely, they will wish to retrieve you as well. In the meantime, I cannot have you waking up the entire Palace, now can I?"

He quietly walked over to a wall hanging, and pulled it down violently. Turning back toward her, he lay it down on the floor and spread it out flat. He then walked over to the bed, grabbed her and dragged her on the floor to the spread-out wall hanging. He put her down on it sideways, head and feet catty-corners, and rolled her up in it, leaving a small opening at the head end for her to breathe through. "You have to stay alive… for me, my lady," he whispered mockingly.

He knelt on the floor and reached under the thickest part of the rolled up wall hanging and forced it up onto his left shoulder. Rising from that position, he walked over to the door, opened it, glanced furtively about him, and walked down the hall to the stair well. He quietly descended the flights that took him to the ground floor and walked quickly across the courtyard to a small speeder parked in a far corner. He dropped the bundle into the speeder, jumped into the driver's seat, and rushed towards the hangar in the distance.

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

Something is not right, Jostein told himself, as he turned over and over, attempting sleep and not succeeding. He lay back on his bed, trying to focus his thoughts and feel around through the Force for the source of his bedevilment. Sensing a disturbance in the Force from outside his room, Jostein got up out of bed, pulled his pants and boots on and strode out his door into the hall. He followed the disturbance to the doorway of Hyan's room.

The door had been left ajar. He crept in, looking about him for any evidence of foul play, fearing what he might see. The room was empty, but the bed sheets and covers lay twisted upon the bed, evidencing a possible struggle. Before he turned to leave and wake Patricia, Jostein noticed that a wall hanging had been ripped off the wall nearest the window, as its railing hung helter-skelter at a right angle, apparently twisted away from the wall forcibly. Sensing that Hyan had indeed been taken from the room by force, he ran out of the room, down the hall to Patricia's room, and began banging crazily on the door.

"Patricia! Wake up! She's gone!" he called out. The door opened slowly; Patricia stood there in a long, black nightgown. Jostein launched immediately into his tale of the empty room. Patricia grabbed her lightsaber and ran down the hall, Jostein hard on her heels. They ran into the abandoned room to find it just as Jostein had just left it. Patricia rummaged through the desk, the torn curtains and the rumpled bedclothes. She stopped and held up a small object: one of Hyan's earrings.

"It appears as if she put up quite a struggle," she said evenly.

"You don't think he… " Jostein regarded his master somberly.

"Hard to tell. Rather doubtful, though, considering how violently the draperies were torn. He didn't want to use up any extra time," Patricia said wryly.

She and Jostein moved toward the door, closing it gently. "Why don't we see if "Wil" is in his room? Or should I say, Carsten Hedegaard? I suspect he is not."

The pair headed to Wil's room. The door was closed. They knocked forcefully on the door; when no one answered, Jostein again concentrated a moment and it unlocked for them. Patricia ignited her lightsaber, and they entered the room cautiously. Nothing had been touched since they had left. Leaning down next to the bed, Patricia retrieved the holo-projector and handed it to Jostein, who put it in his pants pocket. She got up and they quickly left the room.

"Jostein, get yourself completely dressed and report this to security right away. I will need a little more time to get ready; I will meet you on the landing in about fifteen minutes, " Patricia ordered him. He looked at her standing there, an incongruous vision wearing her black gown and holding her lightsaber. It was almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. "Go on… " Patricia smiled. "We can be tired later."

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

Jostein focused on the read out in front of him. Patricia said nothing, staring out at space ahead of them. It had been a good day's journey in hyperspace to the Hapes cluster. Hedegaard's ship was far enough away that he could not detect them. However, if he decided to drop out of hyperspace before they had a chance to figure out his exact destination, he would be quite a bit more difficult to find.

Patricia called up the star maps on her screen. Ah, yes. Interesting. There it was… the Hapes cluster. Not only would they be entering a densely populated area of space, they would be close to Kiria. That would provide some base of operations if needed, although how comfortable Jostein would be, remained to be seen.

"It appears he is coming out of hyperspace… now!"

Jostein brought the x-wing out of hyperspace just behind Hedegaard's ship, in the outer proximity of the Hapes cluster.

"Jostein, take her down on Karuk. That is where they are headed," Patricia ordered.

"You sure? " he queried.

"Signature seems to be trailing off from that direction," observed his co-pilot.

"Aye, then," he responded, bringing the craft closer in to one of the outer planets of the first star in the cluster.

Waiting in orbit for some minutes, until they got clearance to land, Patricia and Jostein checked with all of the main landing fields to see where the ship had put down. None reported having landed a ship in the last few minutes.

"Seems as if he put down in a more sparsely populated area. How close should we try to get?" Jostein asked.

"Obviously we don't want to get too close to him. He is no doubt armed to the teeth. We could put her down some ways away and find a ground transport, but that would take a lot of time. And time is not what we have a lot of," Patricia thought aloud.

"Well, your call, air boss," Jostein only half jibed.

Smiling, Patricia considered their options. "Wait. Here is a signature from a ship that matches his. Over in the southern hemisphere; a more brush-like terrain… yes! That's him all right! Hmmm… it is night over in this part of the planet… that will give us more cover… bring her down, Jostein!"

"Aye." Jostein looked at her; they both shrugged, and Jostein brought the x-wing down smoothly about five kilometers away from where the signature of the mercenary ship ended. The two Jedi disembarked, stowing away their travel gear and concealing the x-wing as best they could in some underbrush. On foot, the pair headed toward the landing place of Hedegaard's ship, their determined figures obfuscated by the intense shadows created by the pale moon of the Karukian night.

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

Carsten Hedegaard had brought down his ship in the middle of the southern hemisphere, making sure his signature was not adumbrated by the magnetic disturbances in the planet's upper atmosphere. They shouldn't be long behind me… now to really bait those fools. He ordered the crew to dim everything except for the outer running lights… hmmm… make it look as if I am trying to hide.

He ordered his crew to stand down for a while, and then he left the bridge abruptly, headed for the guest quarters on the upper deck of his saucer-shaped ship. Taking the lift from the bridge level, he thought about his prisoner… she was indeed beautiful… and quite feisty. But, once he had accomplished his mission and had been paid the rest of his rather handsome fee, what then? Well, no matter now.

Entering the guest quarters, he gazed upon her as she lay, hands bound by strong electrical binders, which were then attached to the wall above the railing at the head of the guest room bed, and she curled up like a frightened kitten: this arrangement pleased Hedegaard to no end. Her gag had been removed to enable her to breathe more easily. Seeing him, she growled menacingly and spat at him. He approached her, cocked his head to one side, and set his lips into a thin, bestial smile. Taking his ever-present whip from his belt, he held it up to her face.

"Afraid, my lovely lady? You should be… yes; you should be… " he whispered huskily, watching her as she struggled even more against her tight bonds. Just wait, he thought, the best is yet to come. "I want you to be afraid. Can you be afraid for me? I need you to be afraid," he said almost whispering, "Because, you see; your fear will lure out the Jedi, right into our trap!" He smiled wickedly as he came closer; she whimpered as he brought the whip down on her legs; she cried out, then watched, terrified, as he touched her bare skin with his hands. "Fear… the greatest weapon… "

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

The moon cast its pale glimmer over the bare landscape, echoed by the silvery boulders that accentuated its face. The Jedi had covered over five kilometers and still no sign of Hedegaard's ship. Jostein, normally interested in new surroundings, focused almost exclusively on the road in front of him. Patricia could sense his restlessness in his almost stalking gait and determined grimace. Reaching out to him with the Force, she caused him to look over at her, puzzled.

"What was that for?" he queried, almost angrily.

"Nothing. I'm sorry. Concerned for your feelings, I am. Nothing else," she remarked.

They continued on silently, Patricia beginning to feel some disturbance in the Force, finding it stronger as they continued down the dirt path through the brush. The first tinges of daylight had begun to streak the night sky.

Jostein remarked, out of nothing, "I feel something… he is very close."

"Yes, we are almost there. But there is more… you realize we were lured here… she is just additional bait to make sure we show up," Patricia thought aloud.

"But, why does he want me?" Jostein asked with not a small amount of frustration.

"Word of your abilities has reached many who have unscrupulous desires and wish to turn you away from the Light side of the Force in order to channel your abilities for their gain. There is no doubt in my mind that we are dealing with the Empire here, and not just one operative," Patricia replied.

"Why do you say that?" Jostein wondered, incredulous that anyone would be after him to the extent that they would murder at least one person and abduct another.

"From what I know of the Empire, if it were an independent operative, why would he be after you? And the Ghyrrbyl… they are fighters, normally. They only involve themselves in this sort of deal under orders," she answered him, mindful to conceal from Jostein the slight flicker of feeling she experienced when she mentioned the Ghyrrbyl.

"Makes sense. So what do we do now?" Jostein asked impatiently.

"When we get to Hedegaard's ship, we conceal ourselves and wait for the Ghyrrbyl to show up… that Admiral will not waste a lot of time on formalities… he will wish to complete his transaction and leave quickly," Patricia replied.

The pair continued on another kilometer in silence, as the sky lightened up, pale pink streaks forcing the moon into a small slice of the sky. Hedegaard's ship stood in a small clearing, its clean curves in stark contrast to the jagged landscape created by the scrubby trees and bushes surrounding the ship.

Patricia and Jostein concealed themselves in some bushes several hundred feet away, forcing themselves to sacrifice some of their view of the ship for concealment purposes. Their wait wasn't long. The ship's lower hatch opened, and the brown haired, gray-blue eyed man they had come to realize was Carsten Hedegaard stepped out, and looked around, obviously waiting for someone. Armed only with a blaster, but nevertheless a menacing sight, he didn't have to wait long for his expected guest.

With a loud whine and a groan, an Imperial TIE Defender landed deftly about a thousand feet from Hedegaard's ship. Trees and brush splintered in all directions as the wind currents it created around it eddied outwards. Once the clamor had died down, the hatch opened. Out of the ship climbed a figure dressed in Imperial gray. As he came closer to Hedegaard's ship, the Jedi could make out the cut of his uniform; Patricia caught her breath in her throat as he turned and looked, for a moment, straight at the hiding place of the Jedi. His marine-blue eyes set off the rest of his crimson fur-lined face and gave an almost humanoid appearance to his alien features. His noble body was sleek, muscular, with downy fur peeking from under his clothing. His long, whip-like tail, which extended from under the hem of his waistcoat, thrashed about menacingly. The bow of his mouth featured sharp tiny incisors and small, delicate whiskers, curved upward to meet his small triangular nose. His facial fur was combed back, enabling one to see the full extent of his expressions; his ears were drawn from the back of his head, slanting downward slightly to the sides. He wore a belt with several sidearms, including, incongruously, a lightsaber.

He approached Hedegaard slowly, Hedegaard looking about, almost as if sensing the presence of the hidden Jedi. &q