Author Notes: My apologies, the last chapter I still cannot fix to my satisfaction and I think I will always be unhappy with it, but the next chapter was much easier to write. And now, to skip ahead sixteen years in time…
Chapter Two: Sixteen Years
"Sixteen years," Senika murmured in contemplation, looking solemnly at the escape pod, now overgrown with jungle. The gargantuan trees of Omnipar surrounded her closely, with fog curling up from various streams and the sounds of wildlife chirping nearby. Foliage hung from branches so thickly that it was nearly impossible to walk through the woods without ending up covered in it.
Senika sat on a rock in front of the crash site, the place where she had come to rest sixteen years ago. Her long brown hair fell in two braids down to her knees and thoughtful blue eyes were her most distinguishing features. She was dressed in a rough blue shirt belted with a brown cord and tan pants that ended right below the knee. A tiny necklace with pendant, taken from her mother's body, hung loosely around her neck.
Picking up a rock and throwing it distractedly at the tomb of the escape pod, Senika sighed for the millionth time in that hour and continued to struggle with her thoughts.
"Sixteen years of pretending to be something that I can not be. Sixteen years of living with a family that loves me, yet does not include me. Sixteen years of frustration over the things humans are simply not capable of doing…" Senika threw another rock, this time with more feeling, at the pod, and it rebounded with a sharp pinging sound.
She wasn't usually prone to philosophical musings, and there wasn't an official coming-of-age ceremony among Noghri females, or at least any one that she'd be participating in. But today was the anniversary of her Noghri birth and it pushed aside her normally carefree thoughts to ponder her existence.
Though Senika loved her Noghri kin, she had memories of another family. She remembered, faintly, a man's face, leaning over hers, laughing as he tickled her. It was just a figment, but it was there and it haunted her.
Senika propped her head in her hand and leaned her elbow against her bent knee. Something troubled her. Maybe if she sat here long enough, she could figure it out.
Her mother was dead. But what about the man with the smiling face? What about him?
It was then Senika came to a conclusion.
Finding him would satisfy her curiosity, but more importantly, it would give her the affirmation she needed that told her she belonged somewhere. Somewhere, she wasn't a step behind everyone else in everything. Somewhere where everyone wasn't stronger, faster or more clever than her.
And as the thought dawned on her, Senika felt a surge of elation. She jumped to her feet gracefully, incredibly acrobatic for a human, but only mediocre among Noghri. A huge smile spread across her face as she leapt down from the boulder and started sprinting full-speed toward the village.
In her single-minded intensity, she failed to understand that what separated her from the Noghri made her human, but what would make her more human would make her less Noghri. The insight was lost. She had only one thought.
She would find her father.
Malika looked fondly onward from her sitting position in front of the tiny wooden hut, watching the lively young girl that ran towards her at full speed. The middle-aged Noghri female was shelling a pod-like vegetable, humming gaily to herself. She stopped her work and watched with approval the petite and wiry teenager that seemed to fly over the ground towards her, with long braids flying out in her wake. The whirlwind came skidding to a stop in front of her
"Tawny-lok," said Malika, using the Noghri word for "fair-haired," "Where were you just now?"
Senika grinned widely, puffing her chest slightly, and sprang off the ground into a handstand. She proceeded to walk around on her hands in front of Malika, casually putting all her weight on one arm, then the other. Her muscled tensed, then she pushed herself into the air, executing a flip and landing with a light thump.
"Nowhere Yamai," Senika said innocently, dusting off her hands, "I was only visiting the river."
Malika looked at her sternly, "Your clothes aren't wet."
Senika looked hurt, "I wasn't in the water yamai, just on the rocks."
Malika smiled, glad to know her little girl was still incapable of telling a lie. She just didn't have the face for it.
"I wish you wouldn't go into the woods so often. It's dangerous," Malika scolded lightly.
Senika's face shadowed. Wistfully, she said, "I wouldn't have to worry about it if I had weapons."
Malika smiled inwardly. What a surprise Senika had in store tonight.
"Where is Kyliba?" Senika asked suddenly.
"Inside, he just got back from his walk," Malika said, resuming her vegetable shelling.
When she looked up again, Senika had disappeared, and the door of the cabin was clattering shut.
Senika's bare, callused feet treaded softly over the worn wooden floor. The whole cabin had been built out of the same light, golden wood. It had high ceilings and exposed rafters, which were hung with dried spices and vegetables. At the back of the cabin were two bedrooms. One was Malika's, the other belonged to Icherab and his wife, Beytakilena. Most of the main room was taken up by the kitchen and dining area, with a small sitting area underneath the loft where Senika slept. To the right of the door when Senika came in was the bed where Kyliba slept.
Kyliba, the father of Malika and Icherab was sipping tea at the large carved table, his walking stick leaning against his knee. He didn't look up as Senika came in, for his hearing was still perfect and he could tell her by her step.
She poured some tea for herself in a decorated clay mug and sat down at the seat across from him. Kyliba waited for her to speak, proud of his adopted grand-daughter for learning how to think about her words before voicing them aloud. It was a Noghri civility.
"Geedo," she began, calling him 'grandfather' in Honoghran, "When you were off planet, protecting the great Emperor and Lord Vader, did you ever see a place where information about people was kept?"
"What do you mean Senika?" he asked patiently, a smile tugging at his mouth.
Her cupid's bow lips pursed in a thoughtful manner and her eyes narrowed as she tried to fit the words together. Her hands gestured as she explained.
"Like our generation tree, except… much, much bigger. Perhaps one that keeps track of their soldiers?"
Kyliba was puzzled, but he knew the answer to the question, "They have computers, Senika. There are huge computers that have information on many, many people, not just the Empire's soldiers. Think Senika, where is the center of the galaxy?"
He had taught her how to read and speak Basic from a young age, finding it pleasant to teach in his old age, though Senika never had a chance to practice the language so her Basic was limited. Along with those lessons had been stories of his travels in the galaxy while in the service of the Empire.
"Coruscant," Senika said suddenly as the answer came to her, "Right?"
Kyliba nodded paternally, "Yes, my Senika. And Coruscant is where the records are."
"How do I get there?" she asked anxiously, defiantly.
Kyliba looked up to see her eyes shining in determination and he felt an ache in his heart for having to dash her hopes.
"You can't go there, twany-lok. You could only go if you served the Empire and you cannot because you are not Noghri. Not physically."
Senika's face twisted with anger and she dropped her head.
"That's always the case, isn't it?" she muttered bitterly.
Kyliba hated to see her upset and reached a gnarled hand across the table, resting it comfortingly on her shoulder.
"Senika, my dearest, you are Noghri in my heart," he said softly. And it was true, not just sympathetic condolences. In his eyes, Senika was Noghri from her delicate human toes to the golden-streaked brown hair crowning her head.
They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside that were unlike Malika's. Senika sprang from her chair and opened the door to tackle the person entering in a breath-restricting hug.
"Icherab!" she cried delightedly, then more scoldingly, "You've been gone three days! You said it would only be two!"
Icherab laughed and gave a Noghri grin. "It took me longer than I thought to attain your surprise."
Senika tilted her head in question. "My surprise?"
"This," explained Icherab, pulling out a long roughly packaged object, covered with a sturdy hide cloth from his belt.
"I see Malika kept it a secret after all," he commented sardonically, seeing the puzzled expression on Senika's face. "Open it."
With curious glances at him, Senika undid the twine holding the hide to the object, slowing unraveling it, then discarding it in a pant pocket. She unfolded the cloth and a gasp escaped her as she saw the present. Her hand shaking, she held up the Noghri dagger in front of her, the opposite hand tracing the smooth carvings of the handle.
"Oh…" she said, awe-struck, "Oh, Icherab… I… Thank-you. Thank-you so much. You don't know what this means to me."
Icherab gave a wry smile, "You've earned it. Use it well."
Senika gave a little whoop of joy and rushed out the door, thrusting the dagger in the ancient patterns, completing the demonstration with kicks, hops and one-armed hand springs.
"Malika! Malika, look! Isn't this great!"
Kyliba chuckled from his stationary perch on his chair, happy to see her content again, but troubled by some dark foreboding trickling like ice water into his heart.