Chapter 1 – The Realization
Siri started awake to the sound of knocking.
"Zora," a voice growled at the door. Siri sighed. Krayn. Looking at her clock, she saw it wasn't even four yet.
"Krayn, it's not even dawn yet. What'd you want?"
"One of the overseers is having some problems with a slave. That boy you brought in yesterday." Siri went cold. "That boy" was Anakin Skywalker, Obi- wan Kenobi's padawan.
Obi-wan had been her childhood friend. Though they had often clashed, they had forged a strong friendship. When she had been sent on this mission, to infiltrate her way into Krayn's trust, it had hurt to leave behind her friend. Not to mention her master, Adi Gallia.
When she had staged her fight with Adi, and had pretended to leave the Order, she had thought it would be hard not to act as a Jedi. At first it had been. But as time went on, she found it easier and easier.
The Jedi led a hard life, while slave trading gave her a feeling a power. She made money, lived a good life. For two years, she had been cut off from the Jedi. She had only been able to send them coded messages. She hadn't spoken with any Jedi for so long that it was easy to forget them and live this new life. Until yesterday.
When she had seen Obi-wan and Anakin, a strong feeling of longing had surged through her. She had longed to go back to Temple, to feel safe within its walls. For two years she had been stranded, alone. Seeing Obi- wan had filled her with joy.
But he had looked at her without recognition. Too late she had remembered that she was in disguise. It had hurt that he didn't know her.
But what had hurt more was when he finally recognized her. She had forgotten that she had "left the Order". Obi-wan's eyes had hardened, and held a look of betrayal.
Siri had longed to tell the truth, to feel his acceptance. For two years she had looked forward to rejoining the Jedi. But was this how all of them would feel? Would all of them treat her like a traitor?
To them I am, she told herself. She hardened herself inside, as she had done so many times in the past, pushing out emotion, holding it at bay. Emotion weakens me, she told herself. I must push past that. The Jedi are behind me. They abandoned me. Why do I still ask for acceptance? There is none. The world is unfair and unforgiving. I must accept that. I must move on. The Jedi are my past, and Krayn is my future.
"What about the boy?" Zora answered Krayn.
Siri started awake to the sound of knocking.
"Zora," a voice growled at the door. Siri sighed. Krayn. Looking at her clock, she saw it wasn't even four yet.
"Krayn, it's not even dawn yet. What'd you want?"
"One of the overseers is having some problems with a slave. That boy you brought in yesterday." Siri went cold. "That boy" was Anakin Skywalker, Obi- wan Kenobi's padawan.
Obi-wan had been her childhood friend. Though they had often clashed, they had forged a strong friendship. When she had been sent on this mission, to infiltrate her way into Krayn's trust, it had hurt to leave behind her friend. Not to mention her master, Adi Gallia.
When she had staged her fight with Adi, and had pretended to leave the Order, she had thought it would be hard not to act as a Jedi. At first it had been. But as time went on, she found it easier and easier.
The Jedi led a hard life, while slave trading gave her a feeling a power. She made money, lived a good life. For two years, she had been cut off from the Jedi. She had only been able to send them coded messages. She hadn't spoken with any Jedi for so long that it was easy to forget them and live this new life. Until yesterday.
When she had seen Obi-wan and Anakin, a strong feeling of longing had surged through her. She had longed to go back to Temple, to feel safe within its walls. For two years she had been stranded, alone. Seeing Obi- wan had filled her with joy.
But he had looked at her without recognition. Too late she had remembered that she was in disguise. It had hurt that he didn't know her.
But what had hurt more was when he finally recognized her. She had forgotten that she had "left the Order". Obi-wan's eyes had hardened, and held a look of betrayal.
Siri had longed to tell the truth, to feel his acceptance. For two years she had looked forward to rejoining the Jedi. But was this how all of them would feel? Would all of them treat her like a traitor?
To them I am, she told herself. She hardened herself inside, as she had done so many times in the past, pushing out emotion, holding it at bay. Emotion weakens me, she told herself. I must push past that. The Jedi are behind me. They abandoned me. Why do I still ask for acceptance? There is none. The world is unfair and unforgiving. I must accept that. I must move on. The Jedi are my past, and Krayn is my future.
"What about the boy?" Zora answered Krayn.