A long time ago in a galaxy far,

far away….

Five years before the Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Empire was still wrenching control away for the members of the Senate. The Rebel alliance was working to organize itself into a force large enough to make a difference. Agents of the Dark Lord of the Sith were engaged in a covert mission to root out the remaining members of the Jedi Order now in hiding. Darth Vader having failed to locate his old master sought to root him out by tracking his former padawan. Though she did not know the status or location of Obi-Wan Kenobi, she did realize that her connection with the budding Rebel forces had brought considerable unwanted attention from highest ranks of the Empire. Deciding that she was more of a hindrance than a help to them, she once again walked off alone, returning to a life of obscurity in the galaxy. This disappearing act prompted Vader to secretly train a new apprentice for the sole purpose of luring her back.

Chapter 1

An Unexpected Travel Partner

A gargantuan raw ore transport ship pulled away from the inner galactic planet of Onderon and moved into the hyperspace lanes enroute to Mandalore. The ore was for a new Imperial base being constructed in a remote region of the Outer Rim world. The crew was no friend of the Empire and on this occasion couriered a group of clone deserters to an underground railroad waypoint in the capital city of Keldabe. The passenger compartments were small and shared and located in the area between the bridge and the vast storage units making up the bulk of the ship. Alone in the last available room on the hall, Ahsoka Tano sat in deep meditation. She felt safe aboard this ship, though her focus had wondered.

Ahsoka spent her 31st birthday on Onderon with her friend and galactic Senator, Lux Bonteri. Their happy reunion was cut short by an Imperial spy who forced Ahsoka to show her hand. She dealt with the would be assassin, who was clearly trained in the ways of the Dark Side, with haste. However, their brief duel had spilled into the streets outside the private residence of the Senator. Several bystanders were struck down by the Sith assassin during their battle. Ahsoka's finishing blow sent his red lightsaber skidding into the crowd that had immediately formed. All the onlooking faces clearly witnessed a Togruta female murder an officer of the Empire.

The event was later hailed as a foiled assassination attempt on Senator Bonteri by a former fallen Jedi Knight. Much to Lux Bonteri's dismay, Ahsoka Tano's name was made public as a Jedi terrorist, enemy of the state and murderer of innocent civilians. Every bounty hunter in the central galaxy now knew her name, so she decided to hide in the Outer Rim Territories. Her troubled mind focused on that last moment of the fight. Her green lightsaber split the assassin right down the middle, breaking him into two symmetrical parts. Her eyes tracked his saber hilt land at the feet of a young boy who stood dazed next to the body of his fallen mother. She extinguished her dual lightsabers and ran. The boy's dark red skin still stood out in her mind.

She wasn't even able to say goodbye to Lux. She got off the planet on the next available safe transit ship.

Her meditation shifted again, back in time further to the moment Master Plo Koon found her as a small child and brought her to the Jedi for training. Her darkness filled vision blew away like a drifting cloud with the opening of her cabin door. The sound of the deceased Master Plo's voice echoed through her mind as the door opened.

"Be careful, little Ahsoka."

Ahsoka opened her eyes and jumped to her feet with the sudden opening of the door. Standing in the doorway looking at her was the red skinned boy from the planet below. He wore clothes that seemed too light for deep space travel, but carried a large pack. His bright yellow eyes peered into hers and his three fingered hand reached up and tugged on one of the two tentacle like tendrils that hung from his chin. His head was shaven and he had what appeared to be two small nodules or bumps on his skull, like little rounded horns. He tilted his head to the side and smiled, revealing a large mouth full of pointed teeth. His smile seemed to brush aside the ill feelings she was experiencing with his sudden reappearance in her life. She had never seen a species like him before. She smiled back at the young teenage boy, despite the negative aura he brought with him.

"They said I should share this cabin with you."

The boy walked in and dropped his pack with a thud on the floor. They both sat down on the couches that doubled as beds attached to the sides of the compartment. They faced each other for a moment sizing the situation up. The boy again spoke first.

"I'm Kurtle. Do you look at me strangely because I am Ziost, or because we have seen each other before?"

Ahsoka thought over her possible reactions and simply answered, "Yes."

The boy smiled again and even let out a small laugh.

"Well, I know who you are. You are the Jedi involved in the fight down on Onderon several hours ago outside of the Senator's house."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes and felt very exposed by this youngling.

He continued. "You don't have to worry about me, I've seen death before. The woman killed in the fight was a new acquaintance of mine, not a close friend. I am sorry for her loss though, as well as the others. I know it wasn't you that did it. Even if they are reporting it that way. Your name is Taino. Ashok Taino, no?"

This mispronunciation brought a smile to her face and softened her feelings toward the boy. She was also relieved to know that it wasn't the boy's mother who had died.

"I'm Ahsoka Tano and it would appear I'm a little too famous at the moment. How is it that a young man like yourself is traveling on this freighter, populated by more than a few nefarious passengers?"

Kurtle seemed to like this line of questioning, even repeating the new word to himself, "nefarious." He wiped his small round nose on his arm, then dug into his pack. He pulled out a small bundle wrapped in paper and proceeded to unfold it. Inside where two perfect purple jogan fruits. He offered one to Ahsoka. She accepted, but waited for him to bite into his before she tried it. While they enjoyed their rare snack, Kurtle told her his story.

"I have been traveling across the galaxy for the last year. I have had to make my way through the kindness of strangers and with funds I was able to raise. I was separated from my master. I have been to several of the core worlds and am only now, finally, making my way to the Outer Rim. I'm going to my home world of Ziost in the Esstran sector. It's a very cold planet, which is why I travel with the large satchel of clothes. There I will be reunited with my master and finish my training."

He munched down his sharp teeth into the soft purple fruit. Ahsoka was not familiar with this sector of space.

"The Ziost system, I have not heard of this place."

Kurtle swallowed, wiped his nose again and continued.

"It's a lovely place, if you like snow and ice and fabulous mountain ranges. There are two small moons that light up the night sky. It's a wonderful planet. Not very inhabited anymore though. It was once the seat of a great civilization, thousands of years ago. I'm the descendant of kings don't you know."

He smiled seeming very pleased with himself.

"To tell you the truth, I have never been to Ziost. I am part of the lost tribe of my people. My master's master found me when I was young and for much of my youth passed me from mentor to mentor. I learned as I went. I am to meet my master again at the great tower of Ziost atop the ancient citadel. It is now mostly an abandoned ruin, but the great tower is still functional and will call to me when I arrive. That is where I will complete my training."

He took a small device out of his pack. It was a portable star chart. It showed their current location and charted a path to his world. Ahsoka couldn't read many of the symbols on his small device's screen. She assumed it must be in the language of the Ziost.

Kurtle's story certainly touched home with Ahsoka. She also had been removed from her people and taken away to be taught by a series of teachers. Each building on her teachings and making her what she was today. In so many ways she loved her life, even in the face of isolation and the challenge of survival.

Ahsoka was starting to like her new cabin mate.

"Well, Kurtle, it's twenty seven hours until we reach Mandalore what should we do to pass the time?"

Kurtle's face lit up to an even brighter red. He shoved the remaining jogan fruit in his mouth, chewed, then spit the pit into his hand. He opened his three digit palm and the pit floated up into the air.

"We should train."

The fruit pit spun in circles before his electric yellow eyes.

"You have much skill that you can teach me. I am a good student and will study your lessons well."

That ill feeling returned to Ahsoka's heart, she felt confused and bewildered by this strange devilish looking boy.

"You're Force-sensitive, you have telekinetic powers, the training you speak of, is it in the ways of the Force?"

Kurtle smiled and reaching up with his other hand snatched the pit out of the air.

"Of course Ahsoka, my master was a Jedi, like you."

He moved off the couch and onto the floor. He kneeled down on one knee.

"If you take me on as even your temporary padawan, I will follow your lessons well. I will obey your commands."

He lowered his bumpy head and remained still. Ahsoka didn't know what to make of this. She knew she sensed something strange about this young boy and it wasn't just his appearance.

"Just what is it that you think I can teach you?"

He jumped to his feet in delight. Reaching for his pack.

"Why sword play of course. You are clearly a master of dual weapon combat. I have not studied this. I have my weapon."

He dug deep into his bag and pulled out an extremely old looking hilt. Its metal was black with tarnish and its end curled with intricate carvings. The designs were filled with dirt and grease and of a style she had never seen before. He held the hilt forward and activated it. At first its glow was white then quickly faded into a very dark dull purple. It was a short sword lightsaber.

"This was the weapon of my great, great, great, great, great grandfather. It was passed from generation to generation until it came to me. It is said to be over five thousand years old."

He spun the electric dagger and it hummed through the air of the cabin with a roar. He must have noticed the look of concern on Ahsoka's face. He immediately turned off the blade. He handed her the weapon and returned to digging through his bag.

"I never thought that I would use another weapon. It was a completely unthought of, before I saw you fight on Onderon. And after you vanquished your foe, you passed his weapon on to me."

He pulled the dead Sith's lightsaber out of his bag and engaged it. Its red plasma blade changed the color of the room and seemed to shine a sinister light on the already red skin of the Ziost youngling. He powered down that saber as well and waited to hear what Ahsoka had to say.

She looked at the ancient weapon in her hand. She had never held anything like it before. There were markings on the handle and it was not kept in a good condition. She lit the blade, which seemed to stay white much longer this time, before fading into a purple glow. It was an extremely well balanced weapon. It felt good to hold. It seemed to fill her with a confidence that she could wield it as a master.

It took her instantly back to the day the council bestowed upon her the title of Jedi Knight. The day she left the order. Her master would have loved this dagger. He would have liked this youngling. He reminded her of him in some ways. She felt the power of the Force move through her, focused though the ancient crystal hidden in the old hilt and the blade again pulsed white, before she extinguished it.

Kurtle's eyes watched her intently.

"My sword likes you. You have the skill to use it well."

She looked at the sword hilt in her hand. She could not decipher the markings on its side.

"What is your master's name?"

Kurtle looked down at the floor.

"I have been sworn to secrecy, to never reveal his true identity to anyone. I only told you because I saw that you to were a hunted individual. Persecuted for your belief in the Force. I know that the Imperial agent was trying to kill you, not the Senator. I see through the lies."

Ahsoka felt for the youngling. He had great honor for his master. She didn't want to press him further on it now.

"What about these marking on your dagger. Can you read them?"

Kurtle looked up, seeming much more pleased with this question.

"I can. It is in the old tongue. This marking says Ajunta. He was the first great lord of my people, he was a Jedi like you."

He pointed to the second set of markings.

"This is Pall. That is my family name. I am Pall, Kurtle Pall, but you can call me Kurtle."

He smiled his pointy smile and his tendrils curled up and then relaxed. His story was confusing and seemed to worry Ahsoka deeply. Yet, he presented a kind of naive kindness that spoke to her.

"Well, Pall, their is an empty storage unit beyond the hallway, let's go there and we can try your weapons out. May I see the red saber please?"

Kurtle seemed to hesitate, then he handed over the Sith lightsaber to her. She in turn returned the ancient dagger to him. She lit the red lightsaber. It also filled her with a sense of power. It also had a light weight and a fine balance. Its blade was long, nearly the height of Kurtle who came just up to Ahsoka's shoulders.

"I think this blade is too large for you. I'll tell you what, you let me hold onto this one, while we are together and I'll show you some two handed moves and you can use my short sword."

She clipped the Sith saber on her belt and handed her short saber to Kurtle. For a moment when she handed it to him, she remembered when Anakin gave her the second lightsaber. It changed her fighting style forever.

Kurtle and Ahsoka walked down the hall toward the empty storage unit.