CHAPTER ONE

'Yes Sir, it won't be a problem. Commel out.' Arden Commel cut the comunit and turned to the woman beside him.

'Ruol, prepare for a new intake of subjects. Zeel is bringing them in'

'Xevic Zeel?' Fantiss Ruol, the lead research scientist asked, her eyes growing wide as she almost chocked on the name. 'I don't trust that man Commander, why do we have to use Bounty Hunters?' Her face scrunched and her lips twisted in disgust as she emphasised the final words.

"It's simple Ruol…" Commel stated calmly. "If the Republic found out that we were behind this, then we would have a whole battalion of clones at our door." Commel stared at the security monitor showing the facilities shuttle bay as a Kazellis-Class Light Freighter, that Commel knew was known ironically as 'The Freedom' settled onto its hydraulics. Turning back to Fantiss, he continued "As long as it's bounty hunters that are doing the visible part of our little experiment, we can breathe easy with anonymity."

"Yes Sir" Fantiss responded, she had never thought much of bounty hunters, she felt they displayed too much arrogance in their own abilities and found that they often pushed the boundaries of who was in charge. Nevertheless, if Commander Commel decided this was how they were doing things, who was she to argue? Fantiss had been the lead researcher of Commels revolutionary top secret experiment. She knew as well that if they succeeded, that is exactly what they would have on their hands… Revolution.

Garun Tresk marched briskly down the prison facilities corridor, heading straight for the shuttle bay, a sinister smile crossed his lips with anticipation. He was a monster of a man, he was taller than everyone in the prison, taller even than some Wookiees but he was also broader than most Wookiees and he had the strength of a Gundark with a temper to go with it. He had been honoured to receive his promotion from Commander Commel. He had spent 10 years as a humble employee before Commel had arrived. Seeing his incredible size and strength had impressed Commel outright and he was promoted to prison warden. That was his official title anyway, he saw himself as more of an enforcer, someone to put down any trouble that may start, he loved when there was trouble and he relished the opportunity to demonstrate his power to the new inmates that were arriving. He knew that they wouldn't be the ordinary prisoners that had been taken into the prison before the Separatist Commander had taken up command of the facility and turned it into more than a mere prison. Yes, these would be special prisoners indeed.

The massive Durasteel doors hissed open as the massive frame of Tresk stormed through without breaking his gait, his eyes raised to the cockpit of The Freedom, it was empty already, Xevic must already be on his way to the loading bay doors. Tresk quickened his pace, getting into position precisely as the loading ramp descended. Twenty battle droids fell in behind Tresk as the ramp reached the floor of the shuttle bay.

"Don't friggin' move a single servo!" Tresk growled over his shoulder at the droids. "If anything goes wrong, I'll handle it!" he spat as he turned back to the starship.

"Roger roger" the lead battle droid, with splash of red over its dull, yellowed frame responded, adjusting its blaster rifle slightly in its grip. Tresk held back a satisfied grin, whoever said droids didn't feel fear was an idiot. He returned his focus to the loading bay of the ship as a lone figure appeared, silhouetted against the internal light glow. He was of a medium build, nothing special Tresk thought but he knew better than to underestimate this man, Xevic Zeel was a resourceful man, one who can turn any situation to his benefit. A skill he had used time and again to keep the prison full of the special inmates that were on his ship. Tresk knew he would snap Xevics neck if he got hold of him, that was the key word… if. Tresk watched as Xevic made his way down the ramp, a DL-87 stun rifle held in his right hand, the barrel raised straight up, ready to be brought to bear at a moments notice. His left hand grasped something too, something Tresk couldn't make out at first, until he noticed that it trailed out behind him. Xevic pulled on the syndrome in his hand, it slackened as a train of prisoners, each linked to the syndrome by force binders shuffled into view behind him. Each of the prisoners were unarmed and their clothes, simple robes and tunics offered them little protection from any blaster fire that was aimed at them. Tresk smiled as he counted 10 prisoners of various species, Cerean, Human, Togruta, Sullustan, none had anything in common with each other except for their similar clothes and one other, important factor Tresk thought, they each had a connection to The Force. They were all, Jedi.

Xevic lined up the Jedi for Tresk to inspect them, as the huge man stepped forward towards the line, a set of binders fell to the floor, and a young human three quarters of the way down the line raised his hand to the battle droids still stood in formation.

"uh-oh" one of the droids said as the blaster rifle it was holding shook free and flew towards the Jedi. the blaster was a mere two feet from his grasp when it fell to the duracrete floor with a clatter, quickly followed by the young Jedi himself as he crumpled from the sheer force of the punch that Tresk had thrown. In the second it had taken the Jedi to summon the blaster, Tresk had closed the gap and delivered a smashing blow directly to the face of the Jedi. Tresk was not only as strong as a gun dark, he was as swift as a varactyl.

"Jedi scum!" Tresk growled as he ordered the droids to reattach the binders and take the Jedi to the holding cells.

"that's quite a punch you have there" Xevic said, as if to announce he was still there. "remind me never to cross you. Now, about my payment." Xevic held his hand out expectantly, waiting for the pile of credits that he was owed for his latest hunt. "ten thousand credits per Jedi, that's the deal I have with Commel."

"Then go and see Commel for your money, hunter" and with that Tresk turned and left.

Sheya Nuvoni stepped out from the Jedi Temple to greet her former Master.

"Master Hebborn!" she shouted happily. Varin Hebborn gave her a half smile and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I am no longer your master, Sheya. You can just call me Varin from now on." He looked into her eyes as the half smile became a full smile. Varin stood nearly a foot taller than Sheya and she had to incline her head to look back into his eyes.

"I know" she said "that I am no longer your Padawan, but you will always be my Master" She beamed a grin up to Varin who reciprocated before embracing her in a hug the way a mother hugs a child. Varin had raised Sheya from being a youngling, he was roughly twice her age and although the prospect of raising a child at the time was daunting, Varin had persevered and now couldn't imagine life without her. The clone wars had been stressful for everyone involved but Varin felt sick each time he was sent off with a squad of clones to a battle he never knew if he'd return from. The thought of losing Sheya had got him through countless difficult and seemingly hopeless situations. Through this last time he was away from Sheya, he had received a holocall to inform him that she had passed the Jedi trials and was now no longer a Padawan. She had become a Jedi Knight.

"Congratulations Sheya, I knew you would pass. Tell me, have you constructed your lightsaber yet?" He asked, never losing the proud, fatherly smile on his face. Sheya grinned as she reached into her robes, pulling out a piece of metal about a foot long. It had a dull shine to its surface and a raised, padded area where her hands grasped around it. "It's made from Beskar" she said, Mandalorian iron was a durable material, resistant to lightsaber blades. "It's a little heavy, but gives a good swing" Sheya flicked the activation stud on the side of the hilt and with a sharp, snap-hiss, a golden, yellow beam shot from the emitter end. She gave it a couple of flourishing swings in the air, the humming of the blade pitched and altered as it moved through the air before she shut down the blade and returned the hilt to her robes.

"It seems to be a fine blade Sheya" Varin said as they set off side by side into the Jedi temple.