"We sentence you to exile." When Aurali heard those words she thought her life had officially ended. Who knew that it was only the beginning?
It had been four years since her exiling. Four long years without the Force by her side. She didn't mind that much though. She had managed to create a new life for herself in that time span. She had done everything she could to get rid of her old self. When she had first been exiled she had chopped most of her hair off and dyed it half black, she even went as far as going by a new name.
Sure her hair had grown back to the length and color it had been during her days at the Enclave, but no one would be able to recognize her. Not even her old friends would've been able to recognize her. She had matured so much since her days at the Enclave. She was no longer Aurali Adrics the Jedi; she was just Leila Cross, a lone smuggler trying to make it in the galaxy. And she was okay with that.
"I wonder what Tyla and Revan are doing now..." She thought idly, remembering her days back at the Enclave. Last she had heard Revan had fallen to the dark side, but there were also other reports of her saving the Republic from some unknown threat. And there had been no news of Tyla since the day they were both exiled.
"Hey! Leila! We've got a job!" Her partner, Aria, shouted as she bust through the door of their small apartment and pulling Leila out of her thoughts.
"Who are we working for and what are we smuggling?" She questioned, keeping her eyes closed.
"We're working for Vogga yet again, but this time it's different!!" Aria exclaimed, jumping on her.
"How so?" She requested curiously, shoving the teenage girl off of her.
"Just come on!! We need to do this job! It's big money!"
"Fine." Leila sighed, standing and stretching. "You're such a persistent bugger."
"I learned from the best!" The teen laughed, green eyes gleaming.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just meet with Vogga already. I'm low on credits anyway." She muttered and the girl grabbed her hand, dragging her through the streets of Nar Shaddaa, all the way to Vogga's lounge.
"What do you two girls want with Vogga?" The bouncer at the door questioned the both of them.
"We're here for a job!!" Aria grinned.
"Why would he want you two?" The bouncer asked skeptically.
"Move out of the way before I slice you into little pieces and feed you to one of Vogga's Kath Hounds." Leila growled, pulling out one of her vibroswords and holding it to his throat.
"Y-yes. Right away!" He turned to the console on the wall and pressed a button to speak. "There are two people here to see Vogga. Should I send them in?" There was a reply and then he nodded. "Okay. You can go in."
"That's what I thought." She said.
"Be glad she spared you!" Aria laughed, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Be quiet! You know I don't kill people unless I have to!! I just did that because there was no other way we were gonna get in!" She whispered harshly to the happy teen.
"I swear she's a clone of the old Rev." She mused. Damn! Not again! Aurali is gone. Stop thinking about those things!!
"Sorry!" She smiled sheepishly.
"Think before you speak next time. He might want to send his friends after us now because of what you said."
"Alright. I'm reeeeeeally sorry. I won't do it again." She frowned.
"Good." Leila smiled, ruffling the girls red hair.
"So you decided to accept my offer I see." Vogga spoke when he saw the two walk in.
"You know better than that Vogga. We're always up for a new job."
"Yes, but this is different and not what you're used to. I'm sure Aria told you that." Vogga stated.
"She failed to mention the details." Leila grumbled, glaring at her and Aria just shrugged.
"Well then I will tell you myself. I've put the coordinates of the planet into the ship you'll be taking; the catch to this is that you won't be going alone this time. I'm sending one of my other smugglers with you."
"Come on Vogga. Why'd you have to go and do that now? You know I'm the best smuggler you've ever had! I haven't been caught by GOTO yet!"
"Yes. But this is a difficult job, so I want someone else to go with you."
"I don't know Vogga. Seems like if I had someone else along I wouldn't get paid as much as I usually do."
"I'll pay you one million credits if you do this." He replied and Leila's jaw dropped.
"This must be one dangerous mission! You've got yourself a deal!"
"Good. Be ready in two standard days. My other smuggler will meet you at the docks."
"Can I ask what we're smuggling?"
"Something very important, and if you lose it you're dead." Was all he said and then they were escorted out.
"Thanks a lot Aria. You hear him! If we lose it we're dead! I'm too young to die!" She said dramatically.
"You're twenty six. You're an old lady." Aria laughed.
"You little bugger!" She shouted, lifting Aria up and throwing her over her shoulder.
"Help!! There's an old lady trying to kill me!" She hollered.
"Well if I'm old then you're a baby." Leila responded.
"I'm fifteen!! I'm no baby!" She scowled, turning away from the older one.
"Aw. I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?" She said in mock regret.
"You are pure evil Leila." She whined, trying to swat at her.
"I'm a saint compared to most here kid. Now let's go get some supplies and figure out what ship we're using this time."
"Alright!! Can I get a new blaster? One like yours?? Mine is old and worn out." She asked hopefully, her eyes pleading. Leila pulled the blaster out of its holster and handed it to the girl.
"There. New blaster. I don't use it much anyway. I'll stick to my vibroswords." She stared at the blaster wide eyed and then looked up at Leila.
"Really??"
"If I didn't want you to have it I wouldn't have given it to you squirt."
"Thank you!" She shouted, hugging her and Leila smiled.
"What a touching picture! It just brings tears to my eyes!" A thug laughed, coming out of hiding. "I heard that you threatened my friend. So now I'm going to have to kill you."
"Holy crap! News travels fast!" Aria hollered, watching as three more thugs came out of hiding.
"I told you this would happen." Leila sighed, pulling out her vibroswords. "Same attack plan as usual?"
"You bet!" Aria replied, pulling her new blaster out.
"How cute! A little girl with a blaster! What're you gonna do with that thing sweetie?" One of the thugs taunted. Aria smirked and pulled the trigger, hitting the thug in the knee cap and making him collapse to the ground. Leila sprang forward and cut down one of the thugs, and the other one came at her with a vibroblade. She blocked his attack and grabbed a hold of his arm, flipping him onto his back.
"Now you can either leave now, or we can just kill you all." She smirked. "What's it gonna be?"
"W-we'll leave." The main thug stated, standing up and running off, his lackeys limping slowly after him.
"Well that was fun." Aria laughed, watching them.
"Why do I even keep you around? You're more trouble than you're worth." Leila muttered, running a hand through her electric blue hair.
"You don't mean that Leila!" Aria yelled.
"Maybe I do." She stated and headed in the direction of the cantina.
"Why are we going to the cantina??" Aria questioned, running to catch up to Leila.
"I need a drink." She explained, walking into the cantina.
"Hey Aria! Hey Leila!" The bartender called out to them as they walked in.
"Hi Luxar!" Leila replied, sitting at the bar.
"What'll it be girls?" He asked, smiling at both of them.
"Juma juice!" They answered at the same time.
"Alright! Two Juma juices coming up!"
"So how has business been today?" Aria inquired after they had gotten their Juma juice.
"Pretty good actually thanks to the new pazaak champ."
"There's another new pazaak champ already? Did this dude just randomly show up and beat everyone or something?" Leila chuckled, shaking her head.
"Yes actually. He showed up a few days ago and beat the former champ. He's been here ever since."
"Which one is he?" Aria quizzed curiously, bouncing in her seat.
"He's the one in the very back, the one with the dark brown hair." As if he had actually heard them speaking, he glanced up and looked in their direction.
"He looks oddly familiar. And I have no idea why...." Leila pondered.
"I want to play against him." Aria declared and stood up, walking over to his table.
"This isn't going to end well. If Aria loses can you distract him while we make our escape?" She asked Luxar.
"Sure thing Leila. Anything for my favorite customers." He smiled.
"You're the best." She responded and got up, following after Aria.
"Looks like I have another challenger along with this shrimp." The guy smirked, looking Leila up and down.
"If you want to keep your manhood I suggest you stop that." Leila growled and Aria giggled.
"So are you up for a game of pazaak or not champ?" Aria grinned at him.
"Alright. Just prepare to get beat girlie." And after several rounds of intense pazaak playing, Aria had been beaten.
"Pay up." The guy laughed and Aria glanced worriedly at Leila.
"Aria...Just how much did you bet?" Leila whispered, but there was a deadly tint to it.
"One thousand credits." She whimpered.
"Why would you bet that much?!"
"Because I thought I could win."
"We don't have that much Aria!! Now we have to run for it!"
"What?!"
"Would you rather tell him you don't have his credits??"
"Good point!"
"Okay. On the count of three." She said, glancing at Luxar and nodding. He nodded back and got ready to intercept the pazaak champ when he came by.
"One....Two.....Three! Run!!" Leila shouted and they both took off running. "Thank you Luxar!" She called out as she ran past him, Aria close at her heels.
"Hey!! Get back here!" The guy shouted trying to chase after them. They ran all the way to their apartment and slammed the door shut, locking it tight.
"That....Was so....Close!" Aria gasped out.
"Why am I always cleaning up after the problems you make?" Leila sighed, flopping down on the couch.
"Because you love me!" She stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"That sounded like something Tyla and Kavar would say to each other." She realized what she was thinking about and immediately stopped. "Why? Why am I thinking about all of this so suddenly?"
"Something wrong Aurali?"
"Don't call me that Aria."
"But I like it better than Leila!"
"So do I but I'm not Aurali anymore. I'm just Leila. No strings attached."
"One of these days you'll have to be Aurali again."
"Let's hope it isn't anytime soon."
Anything familiar belongs to LucasArts/Bioware/Obsidian. Aurali Adrics/Leila Cross belong to Aurali Adrics. Tyla Moore/Kiana Shale belongs to Shadows of the Storm.
Life of an Exile © Aurali Adrics