Chapter one
"Haaa!" I cry, jumping up and swinging my arms to bring the metal practice saber on the head of the droid in front of me. He crumbles into multiple pieces, his eyes slowly losing their light. A soft groan comes from it, its voice droning out. I smirk, chest heaving hard as I try to catch my breath.
I turn, eyeing the heaps of droids around me, my blue gaze setting in on the old man sitting above me. His eyes are dark, his hands folded as he looks down upon me from the audience. Three others sit around him, but the rest of the seats are empty. No show had taken place here today, just a training session. A training session I knew I had to have passed.
"Well?" I ask breathlessly, meeting the dark eyes of the gray bearded man. He always made me wait for praise, even when I'd just finished a great run through. After a moment, he rose from his seat, his long brown robe stretching to the floor. I immediately drop to one knee, bowing my head and holding my practice saber perpendicular to the sandy ground.
"It was better than yesterday." the man speaks in a deep voice. I feel a smile form on my thin pink lips. It was one of the best praises I'd earned from my master, since I'd been living in the temple. About fifteen years that was now, my entire life.
"Thank you, Master." I reply, a slight smile of pride forming on my face. I see his hand reach down and make a beckoning motion for me to rise. I do so quickly, being sure my posture is straight and my shoulders are back.
"Count Dooku!" one of the Neimoidians stands up with a sharp tone, addressing the old man in front of me. I wince, never imagining speaking to my master that way. I would've been at least slapped on the cheek, if not worse. And to my dismay, the Neimoidian kept speaking in the same tone, his robes swinging slightly back and forth. "This is the one you've chosen to lead the fleet to Alderaan? She's just a child!"
Instead of wincing that time, I frown, my brow furrowing in frustration. I don't have to be old to slice you in half, I think, meeting his gaze threateningly. He seems to flinch backwards as I do.
"She may be a child, but she is also the best apprentice I've had yet." Dooku responds coolly. I move my gaze to him. Now that was a compliment. I don't think I've heard one ever come from him.
After a moment of silence, I realized I had no idea what either of them were talking about. "Master, what's this mission to Alderaan?" I ask, trying to keep the curiousity out of my voice. I want to sound professional if he's sending me on a real mission, not like a child.
"Ah yes, I haven't told you yet," Dooku's dark gaze turns to face me and I bow my head, knowing I should never look him in the eye. "A Republic Transport of Senators is on its way to Alderaan right around now. And may I mention, they are some very important Senators. I need you, Kalira, to take a few ships and capture that transport. A few hostage Senators would be very…beneficial to our cause."
I can't help but smile. A real mission! And not like those small ones to pick up another one of Dooku's apprentice after they've failed, like I usually have to do. I'm really going into the field.
"And what should happen should she fail?" the Neimoidian speaks up again, his voice raspy and gross.
"Then she is not ready for a mission and will return in shame." Dooku replies. I've always admired the way he can speak so calmly, never betraying any emotion. He always sounds so strong, as if no one could anger him, not even a jedi.
"I won't let you down, Master." I promise him, bowing to him quickly.
"See that you don't," he replies. The words echo within me. I'd heard him say that many times, to Grevious, Ventress, but never to me. I'd not been given the chance. But now that I've heard them, I have a sense of determination inside me, as though I really can't let him down. And I won't.
"Go prepare now, Kalira." Dooku instructs me. I nod, bowing to him once more, and dipping my head to the three Neimoidians left in the stands. I can hear Dooku beginning another sentence as I leave.
"Now Viceroy, to discuss…"
I round the corner and out of earshot. A real mission! My heart is pumping with excitement. This is gonna be so great! I walk down the hallway quickly, ignoring the droids that lurk up and down the halls. To any other person, they could seem strange and nosy, but they were always around in here. I was used to that. I round yet another corner, and come up to my quarters. I slide my key and the door opens with a soft swoosh and a beep.
"R-8, where are you?" I call, stepping inside as the door shuts. My ratty astromech droid comes gliding up to me from around a corner. I smile at his cracked eye and he lets out a string of beeps and boops. "Oh c'mon boy, I wasn't gone that long!" I exclaim with a laugh, patting him on his stained head.
R8-E6 had been a Republic droid several years ago, only to be captured by Grevious and looted for his secrets. When the ugly droid Dooku trained had finished with him, he was to have been metled down for spare parts. I'd begged my master to let me have him, telling him I'd reprogram him to serve the Separatists and clean him up myself. It had taken a while, but my master finally gave in to my pleas, and R-8 had become mine. Though even after all my work on his broken parts and stains, there were still parts of him that remained broken and dirty. Not that I cared, it gave him a "dangerous" look.
"Oh R-8, guess what! I finally got a mission of my own!" I tell him, hurrying into the bedroom of my quarters and changing out of my training clothes. He makes several excited beeping noises from outside the closed door. "Oh no, nothing too special. Just capturing some Senators on their way to Alderaan." I reply to him, pulling on my gray and black suit and fastening it tightly. The sleeves reached to my wrists, where I slid on black fingerless gloves, and the pants skin tight so as to fit under my boots.
More beeps from outside. "Of course you can come, R-8! I'll need you to keep the imbecile battle droids under control!" I reply, laughing and pulling on my black cloak around my shoulders so it floats softly behind me, reaching just below my hips. I run out of the bedroom and grab some food from the fridge, stuffing it into my mouth and swallowing. "The ship should be leaving any minute. Grab my saber, R-8!" I tell him, pulling on my above-the-knee black boots. R-8 glides off, and returns after a moment, holding a dark brown belt with a silver and black saber latched to it. I take it and fasten it around my waist, clicking open the door again.
"Let's go!" I declare, hurrying out of my quarters, R-8 struggling to keep up on his malfunctioning wheels.
We reach the landing bay in only a few minutes. It isn't located too far from my quarters, something I think my master did on purpose. He is already there, waiting for me beside a shuttle.
"Don't try anything too heroic, Kalira," he tells me when I approach. Battle droids are loading the shuttle all around us. "It's a simple mission. Disarm the Senator's shuttle, board them, and bring them back here as your hostages."
"Yes Master." I nod to him, itching to hurry up and get on the shuttle. Dooku's eyes land on R-8 behind me.
"You're taking that with you?" he asks, his tone betraying his disbelief and disapproval.
"R-8 could be helpful on the mission," I explain quickly. "What if there's a door that can't be blasted open?"
"Then you use your saber." he replies in his monotone voice. I bite my lip, unable to respond to that. After a moment, Dooku sighs. "Fine, take him. Just don't let him slow you down."
"Of course not Master!" I reply quickly. He turns and starts to walk away. I skitter up onto the shuttle, fastening myself into one of the seats. Just as I do, the landing door lets out a squeak and closes. I grin at R-8. This is actually happening!