Chapter 1
Kai-Kwon had forgotten to raise his hood as he walked out of the Defense Headquarters. The buzzing cam droids that appeared from under the catwalk reminded him where he was. By now his image was being relayed to every large vid screen throughout Galactic City. He picked up his speed as he approached the waiting speeder.
Before he could reach it a large utility speeder with the Republic News Service emblem sidled up to the catwalk. Suddenly the side door slid open and a young female reporter risked her life to jump to the fairly narrow catwalk, hundreds of yards above the next level. The pretty blue skinned Aruzan collected herself and unconsciously shrugged off Kai-Kwon's attempt to help her up. "Thank you Master Jedi, but I'm fine", she turned around and shot a thumbs up to her driver, who flew back up to a safer position.
"You're going to need him to come back miss…"
"Sabasoo" she said, "and he'll be back when you leave" she didn't miss a beat.
"Well I'm leaving now. That was an incredibly dangerous move by the way " he said gesturing to the long fall as he continued moving forward.
She fell in step on his shoulder. "Well you're a hard being to talk to."
"There's a reason for that Miss Sabasoo" he turned his head so the short woman could be heard over the light breeze and air traffic.
She trotted ahead of him and walked backwards as the catwalk widened into a landing platform. "Yes I know all about the Jedi's aversion to-stop please…just for a second" she removed her hands from his chest as he did.
"…thank you. As I was saying, I know you protect yourself from attention and I get that. But with the Mid-Rim offensives stalling the public is losing its stomach for the fight".
"And you're not?" he held up his finger to Kira in the back seat of the idling speeder.
"My homeworld is Aruza, in Imperial space. My family remembers what the last peace was like. Justice denied to one planet is an injustice to all. I don't want that again." There was something in the way she spoke that told Kai-Kwon this was more than a professional sales pitch with a personal anecdote.
"I don't want that either" he said as gently as he could while still being heard.
"Then let me interview you".
She saw him look away and moved around to face him again. "Whether you know it or not you can't get any more attention than you already have. You're the Republic's Savior".
She saw him look even more uncomfortable and moved in. "I know, I know you don't like that. That's why this would be a great opportunity for you to highlight the contributions of Kira Carson, the Convors, and all the others who I know have been just as heroic as you."
"They have".
"I know. But most don't."
He thought about it for a long couple seconds. "Listen I got to go, that heroic Jedi in the speeder is getting impatient."
"Kira Carson? is in there?" she looked at the speeder behind her and tried to peer through the speeders orange windscreens.
"You can't see her?"
"uhh we don't see that spectrum of color very well" she said slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, well I assure she's there and we have to go." He stopped before opening the door. "But, I promise I'll think about your offer Miss Sabasoo."
"It's Ms. Sabasoo…my husband was executed on Aruza for conduct detrimental to morale"
"I'm sorry, I really am."
"I know you are Master Jedi…whatever you decide, just win this war". With that she turned around and started walking back up the catwalk speaking into her comm device.