Chapter one:

The merchant vessel hung lifeless in space, drifting soundlessly in the starry black void. The space around it was littered with debris, pieces of the ship itself knocked off and bits of cargo that hadn't been pillaged. The sides of the ship were scarred black from laser fire. It was a sad monument to the battle that had taken place here mere hours before.

The pirate ship that had been responsible had long since fled when the Jedi's small vessel came upon it. The ship had sent distress signal after distress signal, hoping for salvation yet none had came, all to far out of range. It was only by chance that it was found now, and so soon.

In the Jedi vessel's cockpit Captain Tal Na'Hedl was staring wordlessly out the view port, regret and anger coursing through him at the site of the wreckage. Just a little faster and they could have saved it. Just a little faster and many lives could have been spared.

Standing next to him, calm and yet some how so terribly intimidating, the dark skinned Jedi Master Mace Windu also gazed out the view port.

"Is there any life left on board?" He asked.

The pilot shook his head.

"Not likely sir. Job like this, they wouldn't have left any survivors."

"Scan it anyway."

The captain's first instinct was to argue- it was pointless, he knew there was no way anyone had survived. But one look at that dangerously calm dark visage was enough to quell any argument.

"Yes sir, right away sir." He said meekly, and began fiddling with the ships instruments.

"Looks like a Chalactan merchant vessel." the captain said, filling the silence that ensued as the ship's systems scanned the other ship for life forms.

Lights blinked and beeped on the control panel as he punched something into the terminal and watched the results pop up on the screen.

"Well I'll be darned, there is something... but it's very faint. Probably some poor bloke they left to die."

Master Windu nodded almost imperceptibly. "Bring us up along side it. We're boarding. Whatever it is, they need help."

"Yes sir, right away sir."

Master Windu had boarded the broken vessel alone, donning a heavy environmental suit and a scanner that was a smaller version of the life form reader on the ship.

Though he could sense the tiny presence surprisingly clear through the Force, the captain had insisted he take this particular piece of equipment with him, just in case. He had done so, if only to calm the jumpy little man down.

If the outside of the ship had been bad, the inside was hell.

The pirates had not been scrupulous in their killing... Master Windu couldn't bring himself to look at the bodies, stepping reverently over charred remains and keeping his focus completely on the life form. Nothing could be done for them now.

It was close, so close. He could feel it.

He gingerly stepped over a partially lowered durasteel door that led into what appeared to be a bunking area, the presence weighing strongly upon his mind within the Force as the scanner began to beep loudly.

Seeing no living person in sight, he was momentarily confused.

"It should be here... right here..." he thought, looking down at what had once been a Chalactan female.

"Wait..."

There was something in the woman's arm, a bundle of cloth. The presence he felt... it was coming from there. He was sure of it.

Calling apron the Force to center himself Master Windu crouched beside the corpse and ever so gently pried the dead woman's arm from around the bundle, lifting it in his arms.

Pulling away the soft folds of he fabric he was a little shocked, even though he had been on some level expecting it... wrapped within the bundle was a baby, tiny and dark-skinned dark hair just barely visible upon the crown of its head. It, no, she he realized, was sleeping fitfully, completely oblivious to the death that had happened around her.

And what was more the Force seemed to blossom around the child.

Master Windu held her close, smiling slightly as he pulled his com-link from his utility belt and switched it on.

"Captain, I think I found our life form..."