Author's Note: Now edited for content.
PROLOGUE
As I entered into real space, my view port flashed with white light. I blinked back tears, gazing upon Coruscant—my foreign and future home. I dropped my speed and made a wide left turn. My sensors hooted. A black diamond shaped ship with had followed my course. I glanced down at the data pad attached to the comm, awaiting identification.
Indictor Star Destroyer mixed with Correllian Corvette. Name unknown I read. I began to sense dread from my ship. Checking my instruments, I realized my coordinates were off by a few parsecs. I pressed my comm, turning the knob to a wide frequency.
My ship reverberated as the lasers hit against its left side. Cursing, I threw the Happy Rainbow into a barrel roll, my hands sliding upon the sweaty throttle. Hives of x-shaped ships flew out of the belly of the Star Destroyer-Corvette ship. The small ship matched my move while its red and white partner moved towards my stern, firing two rounds of lasers. My ship sobbed, causing more vibrations. I took a deep breath.
My comm buzzed with a sing-song language. My tizzworym translated, "Happy Rainbow, you're in Coruscant space, identify yourself and your destination."
Removing my head from the cognition hood, I gasped, glancing towards the comm. I reached into my pocket, fishing out a horned maggot placing him inside my mouth. Putting both hands on the throttle and my head inside the cognition hood, I shot upwards. Happy Rainbow fired down.
The comm buzzed again. "Prepare to be treated as a hostile."
Suddenly, more x-shaped metallic ships came upon me like carrions hungry for a feast. I veered left and right but I couldn't shake them. My ship screamed as a dovin basal imploded. In the Force, I could feel her will weaning.
Steady, girl. Almost there.
Cursing again, I slammed my foot against the brake pedal and then put the throttle into reverse. If I couldn't break free, I might as ram a few. Two ships turned, firing under my ship's belly. The yorrik corral sloshed off.
I kicked the comm, making a nice dent. I bit my lip. I had to identify myself. It was that or be killed. I clicked a button. "This is Varr Lah from Zonoma Sekot." The maggot ran through my teeth as my mouth struggled to make the necessary sounds for Basic. "My destination is the Jeedai Academy. I want asylum. I want Skywalker."
A crisp female voice buzzed. "We have you in our tractor beam. Prepare to be boarded, Vong."
I removed the cognition hood, wiping the sweat off from my brow. I crunched upon the maggot, feeling its soothing juices saturate my tongue. Using my foot, I titled my chair back.
Sekot, we are here.
The evolution has begun.
A few minutes later, a clanking sound shook my ship. I reached out in the Force for my ship. I felt my eyes narrow as I realized they were sawing my ship.
"Stop," I called out in my native tongue.
Laughter.
My hand shot on my bone-made dagger. I caressed its hilt, shutting my eyes, trying to recall Danni's last words to me.
There's no emotion, there is peace.
There's ignorance, there is knowledge.
There's no passion, there is serenity.
There's no death, there is only the Force.
I inhaled. I opened my eyes.
A burly man dressed in form fitting navy blue uniform that bulged in all the wrong places. I had seen clothes heal a man but never eat one. He had one hand behind his back. My eyes followed.
"Welcome to the Coruscant. Enjoy your stay," he said, bring up the gun in his other hand.
A blue laser shot from his gun.
The blast slammed me on the murky floor.
The man guffawed and he fired red, hitting the back of my knee. I cried out.
Darkness consumed me.
------
I awoke but it remained dark. I breathed in and out but I couldn't feel fresh air. I smelled nothing but wet itchy fabric. I sat but couldn't stand.
"Hello," I said in Danni's tongue.
Click.
Click.
Click.
My arms and legs were frozen.
I am naked. I am nothing. I am no longer with the Force.
"Hello!" I said in my native tongue and then repeated it in Basic.
Click.
I attempted to stand. Pressure increased on my arms and legs.
"Is this sufficient, Admiral?" a high pitched female voice said.
I couldn't hear the reply but the pressure remained constant.
"She wants to know why you are here," the female voice whispered.
"I am Jeedai. Few accept me. I am their enemy."
The clicking sounds stopped. The pressure lifted. Someone lifted the cloth off my face. I blinked the water off my eyes, gazing into kind brown eyes. The Force had deserted me as it did my ancestor. I growled. I searched my surroundings, seeing a furry snake-like animal held by another uniformed male. They parted ranks as the cell door opened, revealing a lithe human with green eyes and copper-colored hair.
"As your Chief of State, you have my personal guarantee of your safety," she said. "Until I hear more information, you will be confined. I promise to make your case to the Senate and if necessary, the Advisory Council." She squatted until I could see the deep wrinkles on her oval face and gray roots mixed in her shiny hair.
I nodded.
"The Jedi have nothing to fear here," she said, smiling.