(A/N): Hey guys! I thought it would be wise to start posting the real chapters of the story now and get this story going since I got really good feedback on the preview chapter. So, without further adieu, here's the first real chapter of Phantom Menace! Hope you guys like it and reviews are loved an appreciated!

Unfortunately, I don't own anything except for my beloved OC's.

**Revised: 5/16/2011**

The Phantom Menace

Chapter 1: Shili

The massive sun watched over the rolling plains of Shili, hanging idly in the sky while warming the world below. A calm breeze moved across the lush fields of turu-grass, causing the blades of vibrant grass to dance and twist in a ripple of color. Two figures gently pushed through the turu-grass, their deep brown cloaks rippling behind their slender bodies as they moved in the direction of an airship that sat motionlessly a few miles away.

"I want to properly thank you for your help, my young Padawan." Master Var'dek Zeshi, a Togruta female, said after a long period of comfortable silence. Her gray lips curled into a warm grin as she spoke. "If it weren't for you, we would still be back with the Twili and Merxi clans, holding back their spears and axes. But I applaud your skills with the people, Keiris, truly remarkable."

"Thank you, Master." Keiris looked up at Master Zeshi; the closest thing she had to a mother, squinting her auburn eyes against the harsh sun. Her fingers tangled within her Padawan braid as a slight blush rose to her fair cheeks. "But if it wasn't for your training, I would have never been able to do such things."

The Master scoffed as a slender orange hand emerged from within the thick brown robes, swatting it dismissively through the humid air. "Nonsense. My coaching can only teach you so much, but it's your job to take what I've taught you and apply it to situations. You handled yourself with grace and poise, skills that would make any Jedi general envious. If you weren't so skilled with the ways of the Force I would push for you to become an Ambassador."

Scarlet strands of hair rippled through the air as a warm breeze blew around Keiris, who calmly grabbed them from her face and placed the stray curls behind her ear. She smiled and peacefully held out her hand, allowing the turu-grass to brush against her palm. "Still, without your training I would be as useless as a womp rat."

"Humble as always." Master Zeshi shook her head, causing her two lekku to sway upon her slender shoulders. Her black eyes closed as she inhaled a lungful of air. "You've made a very big impression on both tribes, little one. We Togruta don't take kindly to outsiders but you; however, were invited into the tribe elders home after only a few short days. That alone should show you the impression you had on my people."

As her Master spoke, Keiris' gaze drifted towards where an elaborate piece of jewelry that sat nestled in between the slopes of her breasts, peaking out from between the fabric of her robes. The Akul-tooth headdress was presented to her by the two rival tribe elders the night before, a sign of their gratitude for bringing them back to a time of peace. The gift was too large to fit around her head so they placed it upon her shoulders instead, laughing goodheartedly while they did so. Keiris' smile grew as her eyes ran across the beautiful pearls, metals, stones, and Akul teeth that were incorporated within the headdress.

Keiris glanced up at her Master, her eyes quickly finding the headdress that sat upon her Masters forehead and around her eye patches. A piercing sensation erupted from the swell of her chest, causing her body to feel as if it were weightless. Keiris couldn't help but feel proud of her recent accomplishments since, apparently, the mission was thought to have been near suicidal. But here they were, unharmed and more successful then they thought they would have been.

The young Padawan thoughts suddenly drifted to the Jedi Council, her smile suddenly fading. She stated, frustration masked by indifference. "I'm glad you allowed me to accompany you on this mission; even though the Council strongly recommended you keep me on Coruscant."

Master Zeshi glanced down at her Padawan, her eyes squinting in concentration while her expression remained impassive. "I knew they didn't approve of the idea, since they all were aware of the fact that the Togruta are fierce when in the midst of civil war. But I trusted my ability to keep you safe from harm and sensed it within the Force that you had it in you to do well here. I know you're frustrated, little one, I can sense it radiating off of you in waves. You want to be trusted by them."

"Yes, Master. I do want to be a trusted equal within the Jedi Order." Keiris stated earnestly. "More then anything."

"This is what every Padawan goes through, little one. You're not the first and will not be the last. I, myself, experienced feelings such as frustration and anxiety when I was a girl no bigger then you." Master Zeshi calmly folded her hands and placed them at her abdomen.

"I just feel that, sometimes, they have little faith in my abilities." Keiris droned, her shoulders slumping and her brow furrowing. "It's as if they treat me like an inadequate little Youngling who still has yet to learn how to properly wield a lightsaber. Did you see the looks on half the Councils faces when you proposed that I join you? They looked as if you transformed into a Sith lord right on the spot! I mean, haven't I done enough to earn their trust?"

"You've done more then enough. You've accomplished more then some Padawans your age, in such a short amount of time no less." Master Zeshi nodded, her voice even and controlled. "However, you haven't done enough to face the Trials. When you've completed the Trails, thus having the Council place upon you the title of a Jedi Knight, that is when they will begin to put faith in your abilities. The abilities, little one, I know you have. You don't have to prove yourself to me any longer, I know of the greatness you are capable of, but you still have to prove yourself to them."

Keiris nodded. "I understand, Master."

Master Zeshi reached out and placed a comforting hand on Keiris' shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly. "However, I can tell you this, the Council will be extremely pleased when they hear of your success on Shili. I personally can not wait to see Master Windu's face upon your return; especially when his eyes fall upon the Akul-tooth headdress."

Keiris laughed then; a small, effortless sound that caused the world around her to shiver in delight upon hearing the innocent noise. Her hand gently swept across her cheek and traveled towards her jaw bone, her fingers absentmindedly finding the small disfigurement there. The scar was smooth to the touch and slightly discolored, making it more noticeable against her fair skin. Her hand quickly fell to her side as she felt a sudden surge of emotion while a memory of a certain young man fluttered through her mind. She shook her head, removing all thoughts before quickly answering her Master.

"I'm actually looking forward to that myself."

"Well the sooner we find our shuttle the faster we can get home." Master Zeshi stated with a sigh, swatting a fly that was buzzing persistently around her face.

"It should be no less then a mile from here." Keiris groaned slightly, brushing the sweat from her brow. "I remember we landed right near those - Oh! I see it."

Keiris joyfully raised her hand and pointed to where a glint of silver could be seen peeking out from behind a litter of trees. Her Master instantly quickened her pace when she spotted the shuttle, her bare feet smacking the ground forcefully as she hurried towards the spacecraft. Keiris began to jog, unable to keep up with her Masters generous gate as she strode through the turu-grass whilst muttering praises to the Force.

A small whimper caught Keiris' attention as she ran by, causing her to dig her heels into the dirt and abruptly stop. She quickly looked through the turu-grass for the creator of the minute cry, narrowing her eyes as her hawk-like gaze pierced through the earth. A rustle of grass a few paces from her caused her hand to instantly shoot towards her lightsaber, which was attached readily to the belt on her hip. Her eyes grew as she stealthily stepped towards where the grass continued to rustle.

"Come along, my young Padawan, do not stray." Master Zeshi called over her shoulder when she noticed the absence of her Padawan. Her orange skin gleamed brightly as she turned to look behind her, frowning when she spotted Keiris bending down to kneel in the dirt. Master Zeshi tilted her head to the side and called out. "What have you found?"

Keiris looked up from her position in the turu-grass, quickly swatting the red curls that fell into her eyes. "I'm sorry, Master, but I think I've found something."

Master Zeshi calmly walked towards where her Padawan knelt, her dark brown robes and red Togruta sash billowing behind her. She watched as Keiris slowly reached into the turu-grass and returned with an orange ball of fur in her arms. Master Zeshi instantly stilled at the sight of the animal, her eyes widened.

"It's hurt." Keiris stated solemnly as she spotted green liquid oozing from a wound on the tiny animals leg, causing the orange fur surrounding the area to mat and stand on end. Her eyes searched the animal for any other serious injuries but found nothing more. Keiris lifted her head towards her Master as the tiny animal in her arms whimpered softly. "It's an Akul pup."

Master Zeshi gave a swift nod and promptly began to look around, her black eyes searching for something hidden within the grass. "Yes, yes it is…and it's family wont be too far away."

Keiris immediately froze, her eyes widening and her nostrils flared as she inhaled deeply. She slowly stood, the Akul pup held protectively against her chest, and slipped the lightsaber from her belt while her Master mimicked the motion. A fierce piercing sound was instantly followed by a flash of light as the plasma blade emerged from Keiris' lightsaber. The violet-colored blade hummed dangerously while Keiris brought the blade back, leaning back on her right foot while staring straight ahead. Master Zeshi's lightsaber erupted in emerald sparks as its blade emerged from its hilt.

"Where are you hiding?" Keiris whispered as she furrowed her brow, digging her feet deeper into the soft ground.

She began to search within the Force for the unseen; startled when she felt intense hatred and hunger directed towards herself and her Master. Her eyes shifted towards her right, where she felt the hatred the most, and noticed the grass parting slightly from a concealed pursuer. Without warning, a large Akul pounced out of the turu-grass and into the air. It's thick orange fur stood on end while it's jowls were pulled back in a nasty snarl as its sinewy body leapt towards Keiris, its clawed paws extended. The Padawan swiftly dodged to the side, deftly evading the Akul's gapping jaws. It gave a deafening raw as it landed on the ground not a foot away from the two, its tail flicking irritably through the air as it pawed the ground.

Keiris swiftly turned towards the Akul and slashed, preventing the mighty beast from swiping at her legs. She kept an eye on the animal, who roared and bared it's ferocious teeth - the same teeth, she noted, that decorated the jewelry on her chest. Master Zeshi stood behind Keiris, pressing her back firmly against her own.

"There's another." Keiris hissed over her shoulder to her Master, never taking her eyes off of the hissing Akul. "I can sense it."

"Yes, there's one a few paces in front of me….still hiding."

The Akul's orange hair along its back continued to stand towards the sky while it began to pace in front of Keiris, showing off it's razor sharp teeth and swatting its large paws. Keiris felt Master Zeshi tense against her and another growl joined the chorus, creating a deadly song that would have chilled the bones of anyone who had the courage to listen. The two Akul began to circle them, snapping their jaws and growling viciously as they eyed the small pup within her grasp.

"They want their pup, Keiris." She whispered calmly to her Padawan, who stabbed her lightsaber towards an Akul that wandered too close. "Just set it down."

Keiris paused, blinking. "What?"

"They are here for their pup." Master Zeshi repeated before yelling at the Akul in her native tongue. "Give them what they want and they will leave us alone."

Her eyes drifted towards the bundle of fur within her arms and traveled back towards the snarling beast in front of her. A sudden sense of uneasiness began to creep along her spine, filling her veins with doubt as she disengaged her blade and slowly knelt towards the earth. The two Akul watched her intensely as she gently set the injured pup on the ground. Keiris took a small step away from the pup, eyeing the two Akul nervously as she did.

"Come by me, little one, give them room." Master Zeshi quietly ordered from a few paces behind the Padawan.

Keiris tensely made her way towards her Master, taking small steps backwards and keeping a cautious eye on the two Akul, who began to sniff the pup with their wet noses. Without warning, one of the Akul opened its mighty jaws and roared at the sky before angling it's lethal jaws towards the injured pup in the dirt. Keiris didn't hear Master Zeshi's scream as she quickly leapt towards the pup, snatching it up before the Akul's teeth could envelope it and end its life. Keiris rolled and swiftly recovered, landing on her knee and watching the Akul's jaws bite down upon dirt instead of fur. The beasts quickly turned towards Keiris; their ears flat against their heads as they stalked forward, enraged.

"Oh." She gasped. Her eyes widened as she looked between the two animals, protectively bringing the Akul pup against her chest. She reengaged her lightsaber, holding the pulsing blade in front of her as she began to back away from the two Akul.

"Run towards the ship, little one. There is no need for bloodshed." Master Zeshi hissed. "NOW!"

Keiris swiftly flipped over the heads of the growling animals and dug her feet into the dirt as fast as her legs would allow when they hit solid ground, running towards the ship that lay just out of reach. She heard angry snarls behind her and the vibration of limbs colliding with the earth in hot pursuit. The Padawan held her lightsaber out to her side as she ran, occasionally bringing the plasma blade behind her to keep the animals at bay. However, one Akul was ignoring the pulsing blade and quickly gaining ground. Keiris abruptly bounded to her right, watching as the Akul dove passed her and collided with the ground in a jumble of flailing limbs and an eruption of dirt and grass. The other Akul wasn't paying attention to its footing and ended up stumbling over its fallen partner, howling loudly in frustration as it lurched and fell to the ground.

Keiris knew that a window of opportunity had just presented itself so she dug her toes into the dirt as quickly as she could muster. Tears surged from her eyes as she flew across the plains, the sheer speed of her movements causing the world around her to become a blur. She spotted her Master, who reached the shuttle and quickly punched in the code to open the shuttle's entrance ramp. The shuttle shivered as the entrance ramp slowly descended towards the ground.

"Start the engines, I'll get rid of them!" Keiris yelled to her Master, who nodded and disappeared inside.

The two massive wings of the shuttle, which were pointed towards the sky, slowly lowered themselves until they came to rest against the side of the craft. The engines rumbled to life; sending dirt and debris across the earth as the shuttle began to slowly lift off the ground. Keiris took a glance over her shoulder, gasping when she spotted the two Akul right behind her. She could feel the heat from the Akul's breath upon her back, the smell of it sent her stomach tumbling uncomfortably, but she focused on the shuttle that was now angling itself so she could escape. Keiris swiftly jumped into the air, using the Force to help propel her further into the air, and landed gracefully on the metal entrance ramp.

Keiris ran towards the doorway but yelped when the shuttle abruptly lurched to the side. She landed hard on her back, knocking the wind from her lungs, as her lightsaber slipped from her hand. The Padawan groaned, painfully twisting onto her belly. Her vision cleared but she instantly regretted opening her eyes - one of the Akul was hanging onto the entrance ramp, clawing its way onto the shuttle while snapping its jaws and glaring.

"You just don't quit, do you?" She yelled over the shuttles warning signal, which was now blaring in her ear as the shuttle began to spin dangerously towards the ground.

Keiris promptly called her lightsaber to her hand before lithely getting to her feet, engaging her weapon and slashing deftly at the Akul when she was in range. The animal yelped when the plasma blade made contact with its snout, instantly letting go as the blade slid effortlessly through the top layer of skin. The shuttle violently lurched, causing Keiris to back peddle and stumble inside. She hissed as her head collided with the metal wall, causing a small ringing in her ear as the ramp closed; shutting out Shili and the loud roars below.

She disengaged the violet blade and placed her lightsaber on her belt, a sudden sense of relief filled her when she felt the shuttle propel itself towards the sky. Keiris slowly slid her back against the wall when her legs suddenly turned to jelly, chuckling tiredly as her behind collided with the floor.

I've had enough excitement for one day.

Master Zeshi swiftly appeared from around the corner, looking frazzled and worried as her eyes found her young Padawan. Keiris bit her lower lip, already prepared for what was coming.

"What in the name of the Force were you thinking back there?" She scolded, her eyes wide and her mouth set in a rigid line. "Do you know what would have happened if those two Akul called for help? We would have been running from a whole pack of those damned creatures!"

Keiris flinched but slowly pulled away the fabric of her robes, revealing the unharmed Akul pup. The small pup stirred and lifted its large head, staring at Keiris for the first time that day. Its large eyes gawked at her, its yellow irises moving over the planes of her face as it studied her intently. Keiris held her breath as she eyed the pup, afraid that she would startle it if she let out a single breath. Suddenly, the pup began to purr, a small rumble that made Keiris' insides melt. Its small paws began to kneed the nook of her arm.

"I'm sorry, Master. I have no rational excuse as to why I disobeyed your orders but I-I couldn't watch them kill him." She stated calmly as she watched the Akul pup snuggle against her chest, calming when it heard the beating of her heart.

Master Zeshi blinked; her shoulders slumped before she leaned against the wall, silently watching the two. The corners of her mouth slowly curled into a smirk as she sighed, shaking her head and closing her eyes. She reached out and patted the young Padawan on the head, picking out a few pieces of dirt and turu-grass while chuckling lightly.

"You're definitely going to make a wonderful Jedi, little one. But that mons; I mean, pup is going to be your responsibility until we reach Coruscant. Have I made myself clear?"

Keiris nodded, regarding the great Togruta with amusement while smiling wanly from her position on the floor. "Yes, Master."

"Good." And with one final pat to the head, Master Zeshi turned on her heels and walked towards the cockpit. "It will be an hour or so 'till we come out of Shili's orbit and reach the space station. So I suggest you get the animal cleaned up."

"Yes, Master."

"Oh, before I forget." Master Zeshi turned, a small glint of mischief flashing within her eyes. "Happy birthday, Hurtey-a-Raanashoka."

Before Keiris could respond, her Master had disappeared around the corner. She stared blankly down the empty hallway for a few moments, unable to fully comprehend what had just been said. Suddenly, as if her mind had swiftly turned on, she closed her eyes and bumped her head against the wall with a drawn-out groan.

"Twenty-five." She mumbled, her eyes still closed as she accentuated each word with forcing her head against the wall. "Why am I so blasted old? Ow."

She rubbed her aching skull, her palm running over several painful welts. Forcing her eyes open, she returned to look at the Akul pup in her arms. It stared up at her with its large eyes, tilting its head to the side and whimpering slightly.

"Well, little guy." Keiris groaned when she moved to stand. "I think I should probably get that leg of yours cleaned up before I get anymore of your…well, you know…on my robes."

The young Padawan rose from the floor, wrapping her Jedi cloak around the small creature pressed against her chest. Keiris began to make her way towards the storage room in the shuttle, which was now racing towards the stars.

xxx

xxx

"You're going to love Coruscant, Ludo." Keiris enthusiastically spoke to the Akul pup, who was stumbling beside her with a newly bandaged leg. They walked down one of the long halls of the starship, which they had just boarded a few hours before. "It's Undercity is full of womp-rats. Perfect for you since they're extremely fast; it will give you some entertainment and exercise."

Keiris laughed lightly when Ludo attempted a roar and flicked his tail excitedly through the air.

"You named it?" Master Zeshi swiftly appeared from a doorway, holding a steaming cup of Kopi tea in her hand while holding a data pad in the other.

"Yes, Master." She fondly looked down at the small Akul, who was rubbing his face affectionately against her leg while purring. "His name is Ludo."

"Ludo." She repeated and then smiled, eyeing the Akul apprehensively before returning her attention to her Padawan. She handed over a data pad, taking a brief sip from the cup before speaking. "I need you to write your report before we land in Coruscant. Your personal account of the mission is of extreme importance. Don't leave anything out."

"My reports are always descriptive. You should know, you need to read it all." Keiris chuckled at the groan produced from Master Zeshi, knowing full well that her Master didn't always enjoy reading her novels. Suddenly, she narrowed her gaze at her Master, who innocently sipped on her tea. "Master, why do you insist on using my data pad when you have one of your own?"

"Because, my young apprentice, you have the nicer one." Master Zeshi smiled slyly at her Padawan before kissing her chastely on the forehead. "I'm going to my room to rest, you should too."

"I couldn't agree more. I'm feeling extremely drowsy." Keiris rubbed her eyes tiredly and stepped aside, allowing her Master to brush passed her.

"Get some sleep, little one, and get that report done before we reach Coruscant."

"I will, Master." Keiris bowed low while Master Zeshi returned the gesture before turning the other way, walking peacefully towards her room. Keiris looked down at Ludo, who was lying on his back and playfully swatting at her robes, and patted her leg. "Come on, Ludo. Let's find our room."

After wandering aimlessly down the many corridors of the starship and asking for directions numerous times, Keiris and Ludo finally found their room. She touched the pad on the door, allowing it to scan her palm before the light above the pad blinked a hospitable green. The door to her bedroom glided open, allowing Keiris and Ludo to walk inside before swiftly closing behind them. The room was small and colorless; blank white walls made her eyes twitch and ache from the lack of color. White sheets were draped neatly on the small bed against the furthest wall and a small desk was directly opposite of the bed.

"White…I hate white. Ugh." Her face twisted in uneasiness as she set her data pad on the desk. She shrugged off her Jedi cloak, draping it over the back of the chair. She turned toward the bed when she heard the bedsprings groan, watching Ludo walk nervously across the sheets while sniffing. "At least you seem to like it."

Keiris pursed her lips while she pulled out the chair from under the desk and sat, scooting the chair closer to the desk before reaching for the data pad. She pressed the power button and waited for it to load, glancing over her shoulder at Ludo before turning around when she heard a melodic 'ding'. She froze when she noticed a small icon in the right corner of the screen blinking, indicating she had unread messages. She tentatively tapped the icon with her finger, a small knot in her stomach forming as the screen began to load. When the screen loaded, the uneasiness swiftly left her stomach and her tense muscles in her body quickly relaxed when she spotted the subject of the message: Areyou alive?. She exhaled the breath she hadn't noticed she was holding, clicked the message, and bit her lip as her eyes began to drift over the five month old message written especially for her.

Dear Keiris,

I thought it would only be fair if I informed you of a certain, shall we say, 'means of entertainment' that developed upon your departure. We have all placed bets on whether or not you are going to make it back to the Temple unscathed. I have faith in your abilities that you will make it back in one piece; I bet 50 credits on you coming back without a single scratch. I probably wont be there when you return since Master Jinn and I are going to Naboo to help resolve a trade dispute. Hopefully the council wont send you and Master Zeshi away before I return. We have unfinished business, Ms. Nayarri.

O.W.K

A blush rose to her cheeks as she reread the message, her eyes momentarily staring at the O.W.K. She chuckled girlishly before lightly sighing, biting her lower lip in a rush of girlish bliss. Reality quickly set in and she violently shook her head, riding her mind of any feelings that were unneeded and unwise. She quickly deleted the message and exited out of the program, pressing the power button with her thumb.

Her report would have to wait.

She forcefully pushed away from the desk, causing the legs of the chair to scrape deafeningly across the floor, and slumped onto the bed. Ludo tilted his large head to the side, eyeing her curiously while his ears flicked wildly against his head. Keiris tiredly laid down on the bed, flustered and frustrated with her heart and brain. She barely noticed Ludo snuggling up against her side, kneading her ribs and rubbing his cheeks against her while he purred.

"There is no emotion, there is peace." She stated firmly, her eyes slowly closing as she rubbed her fingers through Ludo's soft fur. After a short moment, she finally closed her eyes. The rhythm of his purr soothing her body and mind as she felt her brain begin to shut down.

xxx

(A/N): Sooooo, whatcha think? I changed a little bit around but nothing too major. I have chapters 2 and 3 done and I can't wait to post them. Why not post them, you ask? I'm evil, that's why. I want you guys to at least comment on it before I just feed it to you! But, anyway, please review and if you have any questions don't be scared! I'll answer them and try not to give too many things away. Also, I have a tiny journal thingy on my profile page, so if you guys want to know how close I am to posting chapters then check there. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the fixed first chapter!

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