AN AWAKENING
A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy far far away…..Ashshay Secura Ventress looked into the dying eyes of her mother and started to cry, she gently cradled her mothers head in her lap. In the dim cargo hold of the commercial Tramp Freighter "Lives by the sword" her mother, slave/dancer/concubine and sister to a JEDI KNIGHT was breathing her last. Their escape from the regional Moffs palace on Cirutric IV had been miraculous and, for her mother at least, deadly.
As her tears fell on to her mothers face the older woman's eyes opened
"Ash please don't cry I have gladly traded my life for your freedom" her mother paused liking her lips, she reached up and touched Ash's cheek with her fingertips "remember what I told you, my sister was a Jedi the force was strong in her and she foretold it is so in you also, we have always been slaves in our family, until my sister. Make her sacrifice and mine worthwhile," terrible pain clouded her eyes from the blaster rifle wound in her back "I love you…" what had been pain faded to death and her mother's eyes seemed to stare right through her. Perhaps her mother was now free at last. Laying her mothers head down she wept then on impulse she sat back on her haunches and wiped her face on her sleeve, she started to calm herself, feeling the energy, life force flowing around her leaving her mothers body and when she was calm, at one with all, she reached out with her mind. The heavy blanket off to the side rose unsteadily from the floor of the hold, floating a foot above the floor as it drifted towards the body, as it neared, it unfurled to move until, still flouting, it hung suspended, then it gently drifted down until the whole of her mother was covered. This she now new was THE FORCE and it was strong in her, her mother had told her and her aunt the JEDI had foretold it.
She retreated to the small bunk in the corner but try as she might the events that had brought her here paraded them selves through her mind preventing her from sleep….
…She remembered the smiling woman by her mothers side looking in to the cot, the woman looked awfully like her mother, the woman turned and spoke to mummy "I have had a foretelling Shesy. Your daughter, my nice, will be strong in the force she will become a Jedi have no doubt, I will put the midiclorian test results in to the archives the next I visit the temple on Obroa-skai, but for now take this." The woman handed mummy something.
"What is this?"
"It's a holocron with a message from me at the start but it contains no small amount of wisdom and training in the ways of the Force. Keep it safe and tell no one you have it."
"But I can't take this?"
"Take it, just TELL NO ONE. Now I have to go, the Order are moving against the separatists and my diversion here has already cost me time I could not afford. Be safe and protect Ashshay, goodbye and good luck." The woman is leaving I wonder why? Mummy looks unhappy….
…...Ash didn't really understand what she was until she was maybe five or six which was when she had first left the Twi-lek communal living quarters alone to attend mandatory work lessens having until then just thought of helping her mother make costumes, apply make up and practice dances some kind of elaborate game.
She left the classroom a little confused and slightly angry that the human had said that she would no longer be helping her mother but working in the fields on the Hutt's moisture farms. She didn't see the three older children and ran into them knocking them all to the floor in a tangle. The two boy Humans and Rodian girl got up and started shouting at her to start "grovelling" when one of the boys pushed her she kicked him in the face breaking his nose in the process, unfortunately visiting "dignitaries" children dislike getting there butts kicked by a slave girl and so Ash found herself being flogged by an old Gammorrian house keeper on the orders of their parents. Apart from the searing pain and permanent scarring on her back she had another thing to show for it, knowledge…..
…Now at thirteen years old Ash was on the verge of starting to become a woman and it was getting more difficult to conceal her maturity in male mechanics clothes, the Corporate Sector Authority didn't really care if it's indentured tech's and labourers where male or female but the guards, managers and low level exec's weren't above having their way with the female slaves if the opportunity presented itself.
Soon after she was whipped something had changed for Ash, she had started to be able to do things others could not, see/sense things others didn't and most surprising of all, move things without touching them. She ruthlessly suppressed her desire to experiment and practice for fear of being discovered, she didn't think that it would be a good thing. Being different and exceptional got you noticed and she DID NOT wish to be noticed or singled out in ANY way, one flogging was enough.
Her mother was a very valuable asset for the C.S.A. being one of the most renowned and exceptional dancers from a race of exceptional dancers, she had pulled strings and used her influence (such as it was) to keep her daughter by her side for which Ash was grateful.
Ash's appreciation for what her mother had done on her behalf was also a source of personal shame for her, all around her slaves toiled upon whatever planet they where on it seemed. Whole races and peoples where tricked, fooled and kidnapped into servitude, treated like animals, beasts of burden they where and play things to be discarded when broken, suffering, murdered and forsaken. She started to frequent the places where slaves went for their own opportunity to forget their lives. Serviced by the same criminal organisations that had placed them there in the first place the slaves brought drugs and gambled with there very lives (often all they had to gamble) she witnessed all these things with a growing sense of desperation and shame until she could no longer stand it.
She would make a difference to their lives, she would help them help themselves this she vouched, THIS was the true meaning of her life…..
…From this moment she threw her self in to training, she convinced her mother to teach her dance, athletics and staff combat (for self defence), she stole a blaster pistol and excelled at that, she practised her strange powers in secret getting better and better, she made many mistakes but Ash persevered.
The years passed and Ash grew into a woman, her mother was sold to a wealthy merchant in the Imperium (Ash was part of the "deal") they spent time in the core worlds. During all this time on all the worlds they lived or visited Ash had been stalking the criminal gangs and bosses responsible for the suffering slaves endured under the crushing racist heel of the Imperium. From the shadows using there own techniques and methods against them, she had foiled and stopped countless great and petty cruelties. She had also honed her special skills and was beginning to feel this strange and invigorating power in others, she realised that beings who performed evil or vile acts on a regular basis, where they had this power or energy, it was subtly different, dark, evil, wicked and nefarious, call it what you liked it was the same thing. A pattern became apparent, the stronger and more wicked a beings power the higher up in an organisation or stronger he or she was. Ash began to target such individuals for her JUSTICE from the shadows.
Her mother performed for the powerful and wealthy taking a number of "patrons" the latest of which had been two months ago and was the most powerful yet, a Moff. Ash perceived that her mother was choosing these people as lovers for another purpose but try as she might she could not discern it.
They moved to CiutricIV the provincial capital of the Ciutric Hegemony in the Outer rim where the Moff (who was undoubtedly an evil, twisted and vile human) had a peculiar soft spot for "the arts" in all its forms. He had decided that he was going to be patron of a dance academy and after seeing the famous Twi-lek dancer Shesy he just "had to have her". So here they were.
Two months after arriving Ash was doing her usual duties of tech come labourer come prop/makeup artist for her mother when, at the space port to pick up supplies of rare and costly fabrics for costumes, she spotted the Moffs major domo rushing across the port apron with two Storm troopers in tow. Quickly signing for the small cargo pod she loaded it on the grav sled and followed at a discreet pace.
Choosing to stay well back she observed them head towards a very sleek looking Firespray. Selecting a stack of crates for cover some two hundred yards from the ship she got out the macrobinos and was just in time to see the ships ramp extending at the domo and troopers arrived.
Out of the ship stepped a very tall humanoid shaped Droid, not an IG sires but at least 7 feet. Broad on the shoulder and obviously designed for combat, it had the muzzle of a heavy blaster rifle sticking over it's right shoulder and as it turned to face the newcomers Ash saw that the weapon was attached on a swivel mount to it's shoulder leaving it's hands free for the long staff it carried. There was a brief exchange of words and the domo gestured off to a terminal then the whole group headed toward that location.
She made record time back to the palace but throughout that day saw no sign of any such droid; Ash decided that she would go out that evening and see what she could find. Ciutric's underworld must have some idea, little escaped its notice. It seemed to take forever but night arrived and despite the late hour and her fatigue Ash slipped out of the palace at high night. Taking a twisting route towards the city's slightly seedy cantina district Ash perused several establishments with no luck, but managed to find out the name of the Droid was GUNN and that he was some heavy duty bounty hunter who had close Imperial links. Then she entered Ploovo's via a side entrance, and the Droid was standing at the bar talking to the tender.
Taking a seat at a table by the entrance she'd just used and letting the noise, music, smoke and milling patrons hide her observation was easy. They talked for about five minuets and money changed hands then the Droid GUNN, left while Ash grabbed an empty glass an became totally absorbed in its lack of contents. Once it had left she got up to follow, just as she got out the entrance in to the side ally a male voice remarked that "It would be a particularly stupid idea to follow GUNN especially as I know where he's going." She spun and levelled her staff at him. The man was wearing concealing brown robes and leant against the wall by the exit.
"He knows you're following him and it would end very badly for you."
"Who are you and what makes you think I'm following any one?" she asked, he seemed completely unfazed by her weapon.
"Doesn't matter who I am, take my advice don't peruse this. GUNN's the least of your worries" With this he shouldered himself upright and turned to leave.
"Don't tell me to mind my own business, this is what I do. If I want to get into trouble with scum like that, that's my affair."
The human turned and sighed loudly, "He's looking for me and my associates and we'll be gone as soon as we get transport. GUNN is NOT someone to tangle with, he eats Wookies for breakfast, as bad as he is his mistress is much, much worse. Just steer clear of him in the mean time." She could see more of his face now and although not that old (for a human) he looked tired, Ash started to speak but something in his expression held her tongue. "Look" he said "take this" he handed her a small purse "It's not much but I suspect that you could do some good with it amongst the other captives." He turned and walked in to the shadows of the ally, he didn't look back.
Ash stood there for a few moments then her train of thought took her to her mother, if GUNN knew she was following her and he had dealings with the Moff then he could make the connection between her and her mother. She could admit that the human had a point, GUNN made her uneasy and despite her training and experiences she suspected she would be overmatched. Absentmindedly fingering the purse, she put it in her pocket. She'd better get back and then keep a very, very low profile for a while.
When she woke at dawn the next morning her mother had already arisen, she started the day's duties but at breakfast she noticed that her mother seemed restless.
"Is something the matter mother?"
"No, no it's just that Embers, that is, the Moff, wants me to perform tonight in front of a special guest he said."
"Well you do that all the time"
"Yes but he said it was about time he should meet my daughter and he asked me to bring you with me to lunch, I didn't know he even remembered I had a daughter much less cared about meeting her?"
"Well yes that worries me also, did he say why?"
"No just that I should bring you." Her mother looked even more worried. "Don't worry mother I shall do my best to look awful and be incredibly slow witted, he'll dismiss me in short order."
Lunch time came and Ash had conspired to find the dirtiest, sweatiest jobs to do all morning so by midday she looked a state. They where shown into the Moff's dining room by a guard with an energy pike who was standing outside and Ash nearly lost her footing when she saw GUNN standing in the far corner silent and, although he no longer seemed to have the heavy blaster rifle attached, appearing quite deadly with his strange looking staff cradled diagonally in his arms. She hid the misstep by gawping at the opulence in the dining room, (and didn't need to fake it either) the riches on display could have kept many, many poor families fed for months.
The Moff turned as they entered "Please do sit down", they both took the indicated places at the table.
"You must have wondered why I invited your daughter Shesy? Stand up" he ordered Ash. Looking her up and down as if he was inspecting a crude piece of art.
"You'll brush up well I think, take off the overalls." Ash frowned, it was an order, her mother looked terrified and her Lekku twitched in the unspoken language of the Twi-lek's "Do as he commands, he's quite capable of having you killed on the spot, 'I've seen him do it." Trying to look terrified and embarrassed (this last was not that hard to fake) she did as she was told and stood there in her underwear.
"Turn around" the Moff ordered. So she turned.
"You'll do very well, even more delightful that your mother, a pity about the scars but we can cover those with the right costume"
Ash was starting to feel cold; she glanced behind her at the green slits glaring at her from GUNN's face plate across the room.
"WHY WHERE YOU AT PLOOVO'S, what where you doing following GUNN here?" The Moff barked, she quickly turned her head back to him, seeing him gesturing at the Droid. Ash tried to look stupid letting her mouth hang open in surprise (her harts where beating very fast and her stomach cramping but she kept this from showing too much)
"I, I don't understand" she said showing confusion and a little fear on her face "where?"
The Moff stared at her coldly for what seemed like an eternity, then his face cracked in to a smile and he laughed, "You see GUNN the slave knows nothing, it clearly wasn't her" he turned to Ash "you can put your clothes on. We'll have her dance tonight for our honoured guest, the Imperial Inquisitor" he addressed her mother. Ash caught her panicking mothers eye "Tell him I'd make a mess of it and he'd loose face" her Lekku signed.
"My darling please, you'll be so embarrassed, she's so clumsy, cant dance a step and quite stupid, all she's good for is manual labour. She could help me prepare and try and sit by the dance floor and look pretty."
"You're correct of course we can't have any mistakes, ok make sure it's done." He dismissed Ash "You can leave us now." He gestured vaguely toward the doors.
With a huge amount of relief and no little frustration Ash bowed and walked through the doors. GUNN had followed her and as she glanced back he was gaining on her, intercepting her just after the first cross corridor. His cold mettle fingers closed around her upper arm stopping her in her tracks. She tried to pry his fingers lose but it was useless, "Your hurting me" she whispered through gritted teeth, looking strait up in to his glowing eyes a foot above her own.
-It was you, at the cantina. I didn't buy your little melodrama back there. Give me a reason and I'll take your head from your shoulders…for free.-
Delivered with no inflection and in a cold deep monotone the statement was even more chilling than intended. His hand loosened its grip and she yanked her arm free and quickly retreated down a side corridor, its eyes following until she was out of sight.
Ash had things to do and little time to do them in, she came to the conclusion that she must escape with her mother in tow, as soon as it was physically possible, after the performance. Leaving the palace wasn't a problem; getting transport off world would be more difficult. She gathered her meagre belongings and put them in a back bag, stowing them near the visitors speeder park in the main grounds (the palace was a busy administrative centre as well as home to the Governor so it was sprawling with myriad entrances and exits).
Next she visited the space port where she checked incoming and outgoing small cargo handlers and discovered that "Lives by the sword" a YT series Correllan tramp freighter was in docking bay twelve. Ash spoke to the captain (who she had picked cargo up from on a few occasions) and arranged for passage of a discreet nature and handed over nearly all of her and her mothers meagre savings, with the promise of more (which she didn't have) when they got off world. And last she purchased some timed and remote charges from a grey market dealer in the cantina district. Ash had come to understand and experience had taught her, in her as yet short life, that a prepared battle ground was a winning battle ground.
When she got back evening was drawing neat, she just had time to plant her charges on her chosen rout to the speeder park and the connecting corridors to the nearer barracks (it would slow then down but not delay them indefinitely) and she had no more excuses.
She dragged her feet towards her quarters but arrived soon enough. She washed and prepared for tonight's dance by her mother.
She spent some time preparing the dance floor props and costume changes and took the time to have a good look at the performance/dining area which was in the Moff's private quarters, down a short connecting corridor his private suite of living sleeping room, and entrances to the food prep and office areas where on opposite walls, with a grand double entrance to the complex on the forth.
Ash went back to her mother's quarters to help her make ready for the performance while the guests arrived. Her mother, who was absent mindedly putting on her first costume, turned to Ash and said "You don't remember my sister your aunt do you?"
"Just a very vague memory that's all, why do you ask?"
"My mother had to choose between her two children, she only had the money to buy one of us out of slavery. Having to choose between your own two daughters how it must have drove her insane." Her mother looked very sad staring into the middle distance for a moment then "my sister Aaylas was freed at the age of seven and we heard no more about her until I was thirteen when she turned up unexpectedly and told me she was in training to become a Jedi."
"What are they, Jedi?" Ash interrupted. Her harts seemed to have skipped a beat each and she felt a thrill of excitement at the word.
"The Jedi where protectors of the galaxy once, they used a mysterious power called the Force and could do wondrous things, there gone now, all gone. Anyway Aaylas visited from time to time, she seemed as if this made her cross or uncomfortable some how, I put it down to my still being a slave and her free but perhaps it was something to do with the Jedi. On the last time she visited she said she had seen the future, imagine that, my sister seeing the future, and said you would become a Jedi! She said other things but I didn't understand what she was talking about. I wanted to tell you, let you know. I haven't seen her since then."
She abruptly shook herself and continued to get ready. Ash didn't probe for any further information, she was still going over the ramifications of what had been said, her special abilities this is what it must be, the Force, and she had it, the Force. She felt like she should pinch herself so she could wake up as if it where all a dream.
The rest of the prep went quickly and in short order they where in the dining hall with the assembled guests, GUNN stood at the back of the room but still with out the rifle, and the guest of honour, the Imperial Inquisitor. When the Inquisitor entered the room two things where immediately apparent, first she was tiny; barely over five feet, and second, she completely dominated the room with her presence. Conversation slowed then stopped as the Moff filled the silence by greeting and sitting her. As conversation haltingly returned to normal Ash studied the guest, she was small with a pretty face, although with no expression, and dark hair, wearing black robes over simple loose fitting black clothing. The other thing Ash noticed as she sat down was a short'ish metal cylinder hanging from her belt, which seemed all the positions she carried.
Dinner was consumed then it was time for her mother's performance, she had changed the primary performance dance at the last minuet with out telling Ash it seemed and proceeded to the first steps of the Twi-lek dance Shel-te-nuare. It told the story of a young Twi-lek woman who, forsaken by her lover, kills herself from despair. Ash found herself crying as her mother finished and realised she was the only being present who could truly comprehend the significance of or meaning to this piece of superlative performance art.
She wasn't the only being who had been moved however and saw that several of the guests where crying also. Not the Inquisitor however, she was looking directly at Ash, when there eyes met she felt an incredible pressure on her mind; blindly she fought to block access to her thoughts blanking her desires and recent memory except for mundane tasks. She didn't understand how or what she had done just acted on instinct. Whatever it was seemed to have worked and the Inquisitor lost interest.
Soon after the performance ended the inquisitor left (along with GUNN) and shortly the other guests, she was left to clear the dance area, put the props away and ignore the Moff still poring her mother at the table. He got up and taking her mothers arm walked her towards his living area. A guard took up residence outside the doors to his chamber.
All was quiet and Ash realised she would never have another chance as good as this to leave undetected just one thing stopped her, mother, she must think of a way to get her mother out of the Moff's bedroom. Just as she thought this there was a very loud bang and the room seemed to jump slightly. The guard took a step forward looking very alarmed. This was her chance she got up and started towards the guard calming her thoughts and subtly reaching out, feeling the Force flowing around him she placed the feelings of curiosity and urgency upon his mind "What was that?" looking scared "you must go and see what it is or we'll all be murdered where we stand." The guard looked on the verge of running out to the main complex to see what had happened then seemed to think better of the action "No I must stay here."
During this brief exchange Ash had closed the distance between them to an arms length, she gripped the energy pike with her left hand halfway up, just below the guard's hand (he reflexively glanced down), Ash pulled the staff to her left and snapped her knee into to his genitals. He doubled over, the air leaving his lungs and his eyes bulging, his grip loosened and stepping back Ash spun the pike in a full circle flicking the energy on and to its stun setting she brought the tip down on the back of his bowed head. There was a brief flare from the tip and the guard was flattened unmoving onto the floor.
What in all the cosmos had that explosion been from. She didn't have time to ponder as she kicked in the Moff's bedroom doors, her mother was on the bed in a half state of dress and the Moff was looking towards the doors with one knee on the mattress. "What the hell…" he managed before Ash had closed the distance and thrust the tip of the pike into his sternum, stunning him and leaving him sprawled and twitching by the bed.
"Get dressed" she told her mother "where leaving."
To mothers credit she didn't say a word just started dressing then she went over to a wall and manipulating a hidden catch she slid a panel back to reveal a small space beyond she picked up a small sack and tuned to her daughter who was stood with her mouth open an said "Let's get going then."
Suiting action to words she started to wards the doors and froze, standing in the doorway surveying the whole scene was GUNN, strange staff in hand.
Ash just attacked, spinning the pike in vicious tight circles. As she came she focused all of her power, the Force she now knew, into the speed and strength of her body, GUNN reacted instantly his staff coming up, the ends started buzzing, crackling and fizzing with energy, he frantically began deflecting the blows. Ash drove him back in to the dining hall continuing her assault, then without warning she switched the direction of her spin, the pike rolled diagonally across her back to a stop then, lightning fast, reversed direction, he was caught completely by surprise. Her blow landed on his left thigh coming up from below it knocked his leg away in a flare of energy; the pike's momentum was completely stopped. Before he had started to fall Ash was already moving in to the kick, her right leg came up parallel with the floor and she swivelled her hips and leapt, the left leg arching up and about in a round house as the right landed on the floor, its axis used as a focus to snap the left foot out. Ash let out a shout, screaming her energy into the void. Her foot connected with GUNN's midsection the focus and terminus an inch behind his plated stomach, he was blasted through the doors into the connecting office corridor.
Without stopping to look she shouted at her mother "RUN" and started towards the doors, her mother was right behind her.
Another explosion rocked the complex, (who WAS that?) as they ran. Moving swiftly towards the speeder park they made good progress, wisely the staff seemed to have lain low. Arriving Ash retrieved her bag and using the remote she set off both charges connecting the barracks, at this point more confusion was a good thing. She put on her jacket to hide her tight fitting and brief costume and her hand found something in the pocket that strange human had given it to her, she'd look when they where safe. As they left on her previously selected and hotwired speeder bike smoke was drifting from multiple locations around the administrative compound.
The trip across the city was punctuated by emergency vehicles flashing pas towards the direction of the admin complex but was otherwise uneventful, Ash kept her speed to a safe level so as not to draw attention. Traffic seemed to be piling up as they neared the space port. She was thinking that maybe another way in might be better than an official entrance, when a speeder drew up beside her and a familiar voice shouted "follow me" then the speeder veered into a nearby ally. Ash followed and set down next to the speeder.
At the controls was the Human she had encountered in the ally with a Sullustan in the back sitting next to an impressive pile of weaponry.
"Nell nu meeboora da sempela?" she looked a Question at the Human? "Look" he said tuning to the Sullustan "where doing this so just suck it up ok." turning to Ash he smiled, "Change of plan, we'll get you in then you make a run for the "Lives by the sword" I've given him some extra credit so you wont get any further hassle. Just hightail it out of here ok, and pick somewhere without Imperial entanglements."
"What, why?"
"Just do it and trust me…trust the Force. Do as I say please."
Ash didn't know why but she found herself trusting him against her slave ingrained instincts.
"Ok, what's the plan?"
"We go in through the cargo entrance check, I've er convinced the guard we're ok to enter, then you just make a strait run to the freighter and you're gone." She nodded and he started the speeder up and moved off, she followed. They went about a mile further around the port perimeter then, just as he had said, where waved strait through the cargo handling entrance.
The port was bustling and seemed like a kicked Greeba hive with Stormtroopers wherever you looked. The Human motioned them to slow "This is where we part, just get going and don't stop" there speeder veered off and she headed toward the freighter across the spaceport apron, craning her neck round she looked at her mother "You all right?" she asked. She got a nod and a childish grin in return. He mother had one arm around her and the other clutched the mysterious sack. The noise was what first alerted them then the tri winged shape of an Imperial Lambda class T-4A shuttle drifted in to view ahead of them, kicking up dust and small stones with its station keeping drives, one of the forward facing twin light blaster cannons opened up and Ash truly thought they where going to die. Great gouts of plascreet exploded in front of them and she killed the engine and skidded to a halt knowing that doing anything else was instant death.
The shuttle rotated in mid air about twenty feet off the deck and its rear hatch opened to reveal a squad of Stoormtroopers and, standing in front of them, the Imperial Inquisitor black cloak whippet into a frenzy by the turbulent air. The Inquisitor held that metal tube in her hand and as Ash watched a beam of thick red coherent light sprang from the end, it was about a meter in length and she could hear it humming above the noise of the drives. The inquisitor executed a summersault and landed, knees bent, about thirty feet in front of there motionless bike. Ash could feel the Force coming off her in waves, dark, evil and all consuming, she was scared, the first smile Ash had seen smeared across her face, she thought she preferred the blank look to this cruel leer.
A streak of sound and contrail and the side of the shuttle mushroomed in an explosion, its drives stuttered and it drifted drunkenly to the right and skidded onto the plascreet sliding to a stop a further twenty or so feet before coming to rest, smoke billowing from its side.
The speeder flashed past behind her and the Human back flipped on to the plascreet a green light sword in hand to land between her and the Inquisitor. He saluted her with the sword and took up a guard position. The Inquisitors smile broadened "Two for the price of one, Vader will be pleased." The two clashed and talk stopped as they traded blows for a few brief seconds.
"Get out of here girl, I thought I told you not to stop." He said over his shoulder, and then focussed his attention on the Inquisitor. Ash couldn't see a way of aiding him against such an opponent, it would be futile, also her mother would be in great danger if she lingered. Decision made she gunned the engine of the speeder bike and curving around the fight she headed towards the freighter again. The last she saw of the Human he was locked in combat with the Inquisitor.
A worse sight greeted her then, an AT-ST was moving to block there path another squad of Stormtroopers following behind, the speeder with the Sullustan driving flashed in front of her she could here him shouting. The AT-ST took a side step to steady its self then opened fire; it sounded like the air was screaming in pain as the bolts stitched a path over the speeder which skewed sideways and ploughed in to the scout walker consuming both in the explosion.
Ash opened up the throttle and bent low over the handle bars, the Stormtroopers began firing catching the speeder steering stabilisers and they skidded to a rough stop.
She was frantically scrabbling with her bag to get to her blaster pistol when her mother tackled her knocking them both to the ground. Blaster bolts skipped of the plascreet inches from Ash's face then the unmistakable whine and roar of Corellian engines and the powerful subsonic wap wap wap of ships duel mounted guns. She looked up to see the freighter hovering above them with its cargo's personnel hatch open and a crew member gesturing wildly from inside. She got up and turned to her mother, she was still laying on the plascreet? Suddenly afraid Ash bent and then saw the blackened hole in her back scooping her up she lifted her on board with the help on the crew member and scrambled up as the freighter (now taking concentrated ground fire) stated to boost hard for altitude.
Once inside they where shown to the "delicate cargos hold" and given a bag of supplies then left as the ships crew figured out how to evade the inevitable picket ship and system patrol boats.
Her mother collapsed almost immediately and Ash applied stim packs and tried to make her comfortable with a mounting feeling of panic. She said only that "The bag I brought with me its contents are yours they are my sister's legacy use them well" then she drifted into a drug helped sleep….
…..Ash sighed and got up again, she reached over to the bag her mother had fetched and emptied the contents out onto the bed. There was a hexagonal shaped object about the side of two clenched fists a holo of Ash when she was about five, and a silvered tube about two and half feet in length, it had several buttons and controls, they appeared to be identical to one another at each end. Ash again saw the light sword that the Inquisitor had been using in her minds eye and gingerly tried all the controls… nothing happened. Moving on she picked up the dodecahedron, she inspected the surface it was faintly marked by some patterns but apart from that nothing. Suddenly it became warm to the touch and she almost dropped it, a hologram sprang to life. The woman appeared about five and a half feet tall, Twi-lek and vaguely familiar? She spoke "If you're seeing this little Ashshay, you're a young woman now and well into your Padawan training, the object your holding is a holocron and it contains much lore and wisdom of the Jedi. DON'T tell a sole you have it, your master would rightly severely reprimand you if he even suspected. I give it into your keeping because the Force has directed me to do so, many people could benefit directly and indirectly from the contents. Neither you nor even I can access the information contained within, you must find out how, where and even if it is possible for you and other light side Force users to open it. The other object is a double bladed Light Sabre hilt. It is mostly worthless at the moment but one of your final tests will be to find out how to make it work and where to get the things you need. You can keep it or use it to construct your own as you feel the Force directs you. Last and most important you must ALWAYS trust the Force Ashshay. Let it be your teacher in all things… good buy and good luck, may the FORCE be with you ALLWAYS."
The figure bowed and faded away, in her place hung suspended a block of text with the title THE JEDI CODE. So exhausted was she that Ash decided she would read it later. She put the holocron gently down on the bed.
She would strive to free all enslaved beings, to give them the opportunity to make there own decisions.
She would work tirelessly to overthrow the insidious and evil galactic Empire.
She would seek enlightenment for herself as a personal decision.
And finally, she would follow the Code of the Jedi and overthrow these evil Force users that seemed to be hiding in powerful positions. This she would make her life's work and in all these things she would let the FORCE be her teacher and guide.
Ash felt calmer that she had ever felt she lay down on the bed, what would the future bring she wondered would she achieve all these things? One this was for sure THE FORCE WOULD BE WITH HER. With this thought she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.