Yay! Next part in less than a day! And please, PLEASE review! I want to know how I'm doing so I can make corrections as I go. :D
And George Lucas owns everything/everyone except my planet and origional characters. Yes, I also made a Jude Watson reference with the river stone in the prologue.
CHAPTER ONE
"Can I help you?" The Jedi who appeared on the screen was less than welcoming.
An'wei sighed and leaned against the side of the terminal. Its sides kept almost all of the noise out, making her sigh quite audible. "As I told the three other Jedi before you, I need to speak to a Jedi Master that came to my planet fourty years ago. No, I don't know his name, but he was human and his robes were made of nicer materiel than what I'd expect a Jedi to wear." It took a lot of effort to keep her tone coridal and honest enough to be believed. A headache was forming right between her eyes. Too deep for any ammount of massaging to ease. "And if you say you can't help me, then I'm hanging up 'cause I'm burning through my ration credits."
Unlike the last Jedi, the Twi'lek smiled with no small ammount of patronization. "Miss..."
"Nelcoren."
"Miss Nelcoren, we have been searching the archives for any record of a visit to your planet ever since you first contacted us. Unfortunately that mission has been marked for Council eyes only and is unavailable for public access."
Swearing vehemetly in Hutese, An'wei kicked the ground hard with her booted foot. Of course. Her mother had mentioned the Jedi was a Master, but An'wei had thought that it was only a prefix, not an actual rank of the Jedi Order. It made a frustrating kind of sense, but made her search all the more difficult. "Okay, can I at least get the name of the Jedi? I was told he'd recognize me and the name of my planet if I spoke to him."
"Again, Miss Nelcoren, the file cannot be accessed by anyone outside the order. This includes the names of the Jedi involved. I'm sorry."
She's lying. An'wei didn't know how she knew that, but every instinct she had was telling her not to believe the Jedi. A frown pinched the space between stormy grey eyes. She leaned closer to the screen. "Look, I came across this blasted galaxy to look for help. Whether you know who the Jedi is or not, at least tell him that Ivra Nelcoren sent me. That should get his attention. I'll be waiting for him at Dex's Diner until dark." Without another word, she ended the communication, grabbed her change, and melded back into the foot traffic.
In spite of the Jedi's evasiveness, An'wei didn't have to wait too long for someone to be sent. Ensconsed in a corner booth facing the enterance, An'wei had to struggle against her anger. A Padawan? All they could send was a Padawan? Granted, he was human and so appeared to be around her age, but the braid was like a slap in her face. Did she really sound so pathetic?
Her emotions had to be projecting louder than she thought because the Padawan's intense brown eyes pierced the crowd to focus exclusively on her. As he waded through the sea of customers, An'wei was able to get a feel for him. Young and idealistic, of course, but he seemed to be a little unorthodox with his use of the Force. Smart, too, but that didn't make up for the lack of a Jedi Master.
"I said I wanted a Jedi Master," she growled when the Padawan was in ear shot. A hand drifted down to the cruved hilt of her vibro sword. Not a true match for a lightsaber, but useful enough to give her a chance to escape if need be. "Unless the news and reference libraries have been lying to me, you're not even close. Where's the real Jedi?"
Frustration crossed the Padawan's face before training smoothed it out. Definately impulsive and idealistic. "He's on his way. I've been asked to tell you that the Jedi Master you were looking for is Jedi Master Dooku, a member of the Council." He took a seat opposite her with the ease of self-confidence. This close, his face still held the boyishness of a teenager and the short haircut didn't help improve the immage.
An'wei's heart gave a leap and she sat up straighter. A name! Finally she had a name! "Great. So where's this Dooku? I really hope that he's the one on his way or you'll be heading back to the Temple with a broken nose."
The Padawan raised an eyebrow and a smirk crossed his face. "I'd like to see you try." There was no mistaking the laughter behind his words. Too quickly his face became serious again. "Master Dooku is currently on a sensitive mission and can't be recalled."
"Can't be recalled?" An'wei sputtered, gripping her sword even tighter.
"Relax, my master was communicating with Master Dooku when he sent me here. I'm sure that anything that needs to be said will be."
Running both hands through her thick brown locks, An'wei struggled not to scream in frustration. Was the Force determined to keep her from finding any help? Calm, she must be calm. Her mother's advice echoed through her mind like a sharp reprimand. Inhaling slowly, she pulled parts of herself away from the chaotic atmosphere of the diner and back into her Core. She quieted her mind like the lake she'd swam in every day since childhood. Soon all she could feel was herself and the Padawan in front of her.
A Padawan who made no attempt to hide his shock. "What planet are you from? How could the Order have missed you?"
An'wei merely smilled and leaned back. "I guess you'll just have to wait until your master's here to find out."
Inside she wanted to scream.