Hyacinth

by Rose Eclipse

Sequel to "Casablanca". Ezra recruits for the Rebellion and teams up for an undercover mission.

3. Chapter 3

"I hope there's nothing wrong with Lord Rayne," Count Caswell admitted to Tamar. She looked up from the tray of breakfast foods that she had been filling in a nook of the morning pavilion. The lack of her eloquent master and his devout servant had been noticed by the count.

Tamar smiled at him with assurance. "My master is sleeping off a mild hangover from last night. Kay is tending to him as we speak."

Caswell brightened up from her words. "I'm glad to know it isn't anything serious. Please tell your master that I hope he makes a quick recovery."

"I will."

He slid towards her a glass pitcher of ruby-red juice. "Komera-tea is rich in antioxidants and should set Lord Rayne back on his feet in no time."

Tamar thanked him profusely and added a glass of juice to her tray. She picked it up and was about to walk out of the room when Io approached her. The smaller Twi'lek's hands were clasped behind her back but her chin remained tilted up to Tamar with more than a hint of insolence.

"Yes?" Tamar asked.

"I have come to apologize for my words earlier on," said Io flatly. "Sorry." Her tone was dull and without empathy, underlying that she was there merely out of duty and had addressed Tamar with great reluctance. A protocol droid could have made a better apology than Io.

Nevertheless, Tamar knew it was better than nothing. "Your apology is accepted," she responded politely.

"Good. Now go fetch Ezra," Io announced. Seeing Tamar's surprise, she went on sweetly. "Didn't you know Lord Rayne's manservant was using an alias? Young master 'Kay' must not trust you after all."

Tamar plastered an equally sweet smile upon her face. "Lord Rayne alternates the names of his servants as he wishes so yes, I know that his manservant currently answers to 'Ezra' as well as 'Kay'. I myself went by 'Rosemary' for three months as Lord Rayne demanded it."

She made a mental note to thank Kanan for the excuse that would surely hold up as the request of an eccentric wealthy man.

Io didn't seem to care one way or another for this validity. "Whatever. Tell Ezra I must speak to him now," she demanded.

"Of course dear," Tamar said brightly. "Would you mind holding this until I return?" She pushed the heavy tray into Io's hands and then headed towards the door.

Tamar hadn't taken more than three steps when there was a sickening CRASH behind her. She whipped around to see a mess of food and broken dishes scattered at Io's feet. As no harm was done to the other guests, they merely glanced at the source of the noise before going back to their business. The serving droids had already swooped in to clean up the mess.

Io's lavender eyes widened innocently at Tamar.

"It slipped," she explained.

A-A-A

Far from being intoxicated or fatigued, Kanan was already on his feet and performing Form Two alongside Ezra in their suite. Instead of sparring with their lightsabers, the master performed the maneuvers with open palms while his student attempted to mimic his motions.

"Don't try to copy me," Kanan advised Ezra.

Crouched in a fighting position, Ezra stopped long enough to wipe his wrist across his forehead. "Then how am I going to get Makashi right?"

"The more you focus on what I'm doing, the less you'll be able to protect yourself in battle. Concentrate on your own motions by listening to your body," Kanan advised him. "Let it move with the Force around you and the Makashi will direct your hands and feet into the proper pose."

Ezra stood up and shook out his feet to get his circulation going. Then he took a deep breath out. The padawn drew his arm behind himself, let it rotate into a circle, and then swiped it through the air on a diagonal. His master looked on approvingly.

"Good. Very good."

Kanan went from a fighting pose to a standing one even before Tamar had entered the room. But once he was aware that they were safe among friends, he directed Ezra back into the Makashi while Tamar looked in with interest.

"That looks complicated," she said.

"Makashi Riposte is a defensive maneuver that changes the angle of an opponent's attack," explained Kanan.

"Good to know in case the cleaning droids turn on us." Tamar told Ezra why she had come back and he instantly shook his head.

"Why not?" Kanan asked Ezra.

"After last night, I should stay as far away from Io as possible. I thought you'd agree."

"I don't trust her," his master said slowly. "But she might get suspicious if you don't show up."

Tamar pursed her lips up with concern for a moment. "You should be safe if you stick to the public promenade," she said at last. "Hopefully Io won't do anything to disgrace herself or her master out in the open. But just in case she does try something foolish, I want you to grab onto her lekku and yank hard."

"Why?" Ezra asked curiously.

"Sensitive membranes in the nervous system. It can temporarily distort balance and concentration for Twi'leks."

Ezra carefully shrugged into his jacket. "Will it hurt?"

"Agonizingly yes. But keep it in mind for a last resort."

"Okay," Ezra relented at last. "I'll talk to her. But that's all." He laced up his boots and headed out the door.

Kanan's intuition was aware that Tamar didn't approve any more than Ezra did. "Like you said, they're out in the open and surrounded by adults. Hopefully Io won't try another move like last night."

"Or break out into a slave-dance," Tamar cringed inwardly.

A-A-A

Io had been fiddling with one of the glass ornaments in the lobby but instantly put it down when she saw Ezra. Her face brightened up like a child being given a sweet and she swiftly walked towards him.

"You came. I am glad."

"I'm here. What do you want?" he demanded.

Io blinked calmly, unfazed by his aloofness. "You don't sound pleased to see me at all, Ezra."

"My name isn't Ezra. It's Kay," he insisted.

Io closed her eyes and her dark lashes cast half-moon shadows across her cheeks. "I know that Ezra is your real name," she murmured quietly. "Your eyes light up whenever I say it. I would like to do many nice things to see that beautiful blue light in your eyes again."

Ezra's tongue was a lead weight in his mouth and he was hoping that she would-please for the sake of the Force stop talking like that-finish the conversation and leave him alone.

He swallowed to get his voice going again. "About last night," Ezra began. "I think it's a good idea if we don't tell anyone what happened."

"A secret?" Io's eyes opened. "Yes, of course. I have no interest in telling anyone. Not that there will be anyone to tell," she added.

"What do you mean?"

She looked almost sad. "The baron has concluded his business at Haven's Glow. We are leaving shortly."

Ezra was inwardly relieved to hear it. "Oh. Well, I hope that you have a nice trip."

"Will you miss me, Ezra?"

Io held his gaze in her lavender eyes and Ezra felt heat creep across his cheekbones. He quickly glanced at the carpet so that she wouldn't see his flushed expression.

"I thought so," Io said.

"I don't think our masters would approve of us being together," he explained feebly.

"What we do in privacy is none of our masters' concern." One corner of Io's mouth turned up. "Perhaps someday you will be my new master and I will serve under you. Wouldn't you like that?"

"No," said Ezra a little too quickly.

"Yes", hummed a tiny voice inside him.

"You lie," Io responded softly. "I know that you would enjoy it very much."

"You don't know anything about me," Ezra blurted out.

She chuckled in response. "I know your name. That is all I require for now."

"Io! The ship is leaving." Baron Sparr was standing at the exit doors and waving a hand towards hers. Io nodded to her master and then turned back to Ezra for the final time. She pressed her fingers to her mouth and blew him a kiss from across her palm.

"Adieu, mon cher."

Bewildered and dazed, Ezra watched her small figure walk across the hotel lobby and follow her master out of the door.

A-A-A

1 hour later:

"Nothing else to report on Lord Rayne?" Baron Sparr demanded.

Io's lekku swayed as she shook her head. "Nothing, master. He poses no threat to you."

"That is fortunate for us. I take it you and the manservant got along well."

She sighed with contentment. "His kisses taste like the sky."

"I was not aware that the sky had a taste," he remarked.

"Oh, it does, master. It does."

They had reached the gangplank where an armed droid was standing at the foot of the luxury ship-cruiser. Baron Sparr showed the droid a key card and the droid automatically stepped aside, allowing master and servant to board the ship.

"Just keep your sky-tasting kisses to yourself and follow the instructions," Sparr ordered Io.

"Yes, master." She made herself comfortable on a pile of cushions in the ship's lounge and stroked the ferns of a potted plant. The ship exited the landing pad outside Haven's Glow and within minutes was soaring into the depth of space, cutting through the blackness and stars so smoothly that Io soon nodded off. It continued on its journey with the speed and grace expected of such a valuable ship for nearly two hours until it descended down towards a small foggy moon.

"We are approaching the drop-off point," the droid announced.

Io yawned and lazily got to her feet. She followed her master out of the ship and down the gangplank. The air was muggy and it pressed itself viciously up against the skin of the two travelers while thick fog swirled across the ground. Standing at the end of the platform were several smugglers, shuffling cards and stacking boxes of goods.

A few of them eyed Io with interest and she smiled back at them unabashed. The leader ignored her and walked straight up to Sparr. "About time you got here," he declared hotly.

"You shouldn't have contacted me so close to Haven's Glow," Sparr chastised him.

"Yeah? While you're having fun with all those hobnobs, my men and I are breaking sweat just trying to get the deliveries moved," he snarled. "I think it's time we asked for a raise."

Despite the humidity and rising tension around him, Sparr didn't even appear to be perspiring. "My offer remains the same," he remarked calmly. "One third payment now and two thirds when you have completed the mission."

"Yeah? Well the offer has changed. Empire's been getting twitchy in this sector and we'll need more to bribe the officials."

"Then make a receipt of your expenses and send it to me afterwards," Sparr insisted crisply. "Not a credit more until the job is done."

The smuggler glared at him. "Why so tightfisted?"

"Dangerous times, my friend. I have to protect my assets."

"Our assets, dammit! We're the ones breaking our backs out there in hyperspace!" he snapped. He whipped out a blaster and aimed it between the baron's eyes. Io's eyes widened inquisitively and the other smugglers looked edgy. Sparr remained aloof as ever.

"Put that thing down before you poke someone's eye out," he said calmly. "Otherwise your five women in three different sectors will have to find a new boyfriend."

The smuggler's eyes widened with alarm. "How did you—" His question fell silent as he turned aside and saw Io, who was sitting atop of one of the crates and wiggling her fingers impishly at him.

"Your Twi'lek is a little fink," he fumed at Sparr.

"That 'fink' sleeps on satin sheets every night because she remains loyal to me. Where do you sleep?" Sparr asked.

"With Wookies!" Io exclaimed, giggling aloud. The other smugglers couldn't resist snickering along and Baron Sparr allowed himself a tiny smirk of satisfaction.

He knew that their ringleader was desperate for respect as much as he desired money. He couldn't tolerate being humiliated in front of his men and now that they were well-aware of his frustrations, he quickly realized that he had nothing to bargain with. The blaster wavered in his hand and as his gaze could not meet the level-headed stare of Sparr, he lowered it down reluctantly.

"Satin sheets sound good to me too," he muttered at last.

"Of course they do." Sparr patted him on the shoulder. "I have your one third in untraceable credits right here. As soon as I hear that your delivery makes it to Alderaan safely, the remainder of your payment will be transferred into an anonymous account."

He opened a briefcase of shiny stacked credits for the smuggler to see. The ringleader quickly took it from Sparr and snapped it shut again. "No questions asked?"

"No questions asked," Sparr nodded. "Io, time to go."

She hopped down from the crate and trailed after her master back into the ship. It departed as smoothly as it had landed. The cool ventilated air inside instantly fanned away any traces of unpleasantness that the humidity of the moon may had left on them. A serving droid wheeled forward and eloquently offered them a tray of chilled drinks. Io gulped hers down thirstily while Sparr merely sipped at his wine.

Io placed her empty glass back on the tray. "Nasty people," she mumbled sourly.

"Poor thing," her master declared sympathetically. "It's been a rough few weeks for you, hasn't it?"

"Talking to five girlfriends is annoying."

"I'm sure it is." The baron settled himself comfortably into a black leather chair. "Which is why I think you deserve a new treat." Watching Io's eyes brighten with glee he added, "What would you like?"

"I want Ezra," she announced at once.

"The dual-named manservant?" Io's head nodded eagerly.

His dark brows knotted from her request. "I thought you wanted five hundred credits and six Keshmeer scarves," Sparr said slowly.

"I changed my mind."

The baron leaned back in his chair and locked his fingers together, lost in thought for a moment. "It is an intriguing request. But Lord Rayne has done nothing to deserve my disapproval."

"He has done nothing to earn your approval," Io spoke softly.

"Point taken." He remained in a silent pose for several moments while Io held her breath with anticipation. Finally, he sat back up. "All right. But remain discreet and untraceable. The last thing I want is the I.S.B breathing down my neck."

Io nodded eagerly. "Of course, master. I will be quiet as a dove."

He rose and patted her cheek. "I'll see about making preparations. Go have fun."

"Yes, master. Thank you." She skipped out of the room and down the hallway. Io entered her private chambers and made straight away to her closet. Once she had shut the door behind her and was aware that she was alone, Io removed all of her clothing. She took a few minutes to examine herself in the four mirrors, admiring the endless row of purple girls that moved in synch with herself as well as the little dips and curves of her own body.

There were powerful people in the Empire who controlled enormous machines, oversaw planets and engineered dangerous weapons. They could have their enemies murdered with a snap of their fingers. They had wealth, influence, armies, allies, and state-of-the-art droids to accomplish their goals.

Io was perfectly content to be unarmed. Her looks and charms were all the weapons that she required. They had been honed for years beneath her master's instructions and now all it took was a tilt of the head or the batting of eyelashes to have someone eating out of her hand. Soon her master's tedious planning would pay off and he reassured her that he would become even wealthier and more powerful than ever. Soon she would have that handsome blue-eyed boy wrapped around her little finger.

She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest, giggling aloud. What a treat he would be in bed! His shyness attested to his lack of experience but that only made him more desirable to her. Io was confident that he would catch up fast, especially beneath her guiding hand. She couldn't wait to be curled up against that young lithe body. To sweeten the bargain, she would turn him from serving that annoyingly aloof blind man and his arrogant blue Twi'lek towards serving the baron. Master would be quite pleased, oh yes.

Io sang softly to herself while she removed a white nightgown trimmed with silver brocade from her closet. She dressed with care, taking the time to admire herself in the mirrors. Ezra would wholeheartedly approve.

She crept into her bed and snuggled comfortably between the sheets. Within moments Io was fast asleep. The smile on her lips appeared so innocent that any onlooker would think she was a harmless child dreaming of flowers and stardust.

A-A-A

Imperial Security Bureau, 12 hours later:

"Untraceable credits, my ass," growled the head smuggler.

Okay, so maybe he shouldn't have deposited them all at once. But this was definitely Sparr's fault somehow. The fact that the rest of his gang hadn't been arrested and were no doubt heading to Alderaan only fueled his anger further as he starred at the unflappable pale face of Agent Kallus from across the table.

"Your recent transaction sent up a red flag," the Imperial agent explained calmly. "I want to know what you are planning."

"I don't know," he snapped. "I swear, honestly. I just ship the goods, that's all. Whatever the endgame is, you'll have to take it up with the Lightning Squad."

"Yes, slippery devils, aren't they?" Kallus murmured. He glanced back at his data pad. "You are Shakar Mylar, current smuggler of the Outer Rim, are you not?"

"I prefer to call myself an independent entrepreneur," Mylar explained quickly.

"And you have nothing else to add to this report?"

Mylar sealed his lips in defiance.

"Agent Kallus, we have an interrogation room prepared," the officer over his shoulder replied.

Kallus waved a hand impatiently through the air. "Thank you, officer. That will be unnecessary for now. I will call you should I need it." The officer left reluctantly, disappointed that he wouldn't be able to electrocute anyone for the day.

Mylar wet his lips abruptly. "Interrogation?" he croaked out.

"A crack in his armor," Kallus thought. There was no need to resort to messy tactics when the right motivation could inspire criminals to cooperate. He kept his gaze upon Mylar's face, waiting for the man to confess anything else.

"Look, I work separately from the Lightning Squad. I don't know anything about the attacks on Terrance Square or why they're focused on Alderaan," he confessed quickly. "I was paid one-third now and promised two-thirds later. My men are already dropping and out of hyperspace randomly so they can't be tracked."

"That is not good," Kallus warned him. He keyed in something on his data pad and then held it up for Mylar to see. "Do you know who this is?"

Tamar gave Mylar a beautiful smile from the holo-photo.

He shook his head. "She's hot. I'd remember a face like that."

"Pity." Kallus put the data pad back down upon the table.

"I saw another Twi'lek on the docks," Mylar babbled on. Curiosity piqued, Kallus glanced up. "Smaller. Purple. Pretty, but kinda young."

Kallus rose and placed both hands upon the table. He leaned across until his face was barely inches from Mylar. "Tell me everything you know about this 'purple' one."

Within the hour he had the data work finalized and would have Mylar released with only a heavy fine. His inferior officers were startled and Kallus found himself annoyed as he explained to them that arresting a mere smuggler would be a waste of space in an Imperial prison, especially one who would be more useful if he was back on the streets and feeding information back to them.

Soon Agent Kallus was back on Kaller and making his way to the nearly-invisible café. Tamar's image reappeared in his mind and he forced himself to brush it aside, almost as irritated with himself as he was with the lack of results. Stepping carefully down the staircase, his presence was noted in the room and the other customers quickly became quiet and made way for him to move. Two engineers immediately got up from their seats, allowing Agent Kallus the full table to himself.

No sooner had he sat down than a chipper Twi'lek was by his side. Her skin was the color of emeralds and she had a beaming smile on her face. "Hello! How are you?" she asked cheerily.

Her optimistic attitude didn't waver in the face of the authority and it was unnerving to Kallus. He ignored her question and replied stiffly, "I am here to speak with Tamar Ily'an."

"Tamar's away on business," Nava explained. She placed a fresh pot of kaff on the table along with a ceramic mug.

"Do you know when she will return?" he asked slowly.

Nava shook her head and rattled off a string of words. "Nope, sorry. Kaff should still be good as ever. What would you like to eat? We've got some basker-buns and honey if you like."

"No thank you." Before he could resist, Kallus' hand was already pouring out the kaff and the aroma of a freshly-brewed drink was almost intoxicating. He reminded himself that the surge of caffeine was why he was here and he took the time to drink half a cup, enjoying it far more than he intended to.

Seeing that Nava was still waiting by his side eagerly, Kallus put down the cup. "Are you Tamar's little sister?" he inquired.

"No. I'm Tamar's employee. She hired me after I used to dance for Zora the Hutt," Nava explained. Interpreting the Imperial officer's silence as approval to keep talking, her tongue quickly loosened up. She knew it was a bad habit and Tamar had told her not to talk to Imperials, but he wasn't a stormtrooper. He might even be considered handsome if he smiled.

"It was all right but I like working for Tamar a lot better," Nava went on. "She's nicer and makes sure that we all get enough sleep and food. And of course she's much prettier than a Hutt!"

"Ah." Agent Kallus had nothing else to say on this subject.

"It wasn't so bad working for Zora except my feet were tired from dancing for hours..."

Noticing her friend chattering away to the Imperial officer, Miri quickly tried to intervene. "Nava," she protested. But the young green-skinned Twi'lek went on.

"You know how some dancers have to go into mens' rooms for the night? Zora didn't want me doing that because he said I could get a disease so I was only allowed to dance and the men were only allowed to look at me without touching…"

"Nava!"

"I didn't even have to take off all my clothes—"

"NAVA!"

She turned towards Miri, puzzled at her friend's mortified face. "What? Oh. I did it again, didn't I? I'm sorry." She shuffled her feet awkwardly. "But he's such a good listener!" Nava exclaimed, pointing at Agent Kallus.

Miri tried to avoid looking at Agent Kallus, who remained in stony silence with an uncomfortable redden face. "Go check on the buns," she ordered Nava quietly. Nava meekly went into the back of the café.

Agent Kallus coughed to clear his throat. "That was...unexpected," he replied dryly.

"Please excuse Nava, sir. She's only sixteen and doesn't know any better," Miri begged.

"Is her story true?" Miri nodded. Agent Kallus frowned with disapproval. "What do her parents say?"

Miri wiped the table with a cloth. "Nava doesn't have any. She was born and raised off Ryloth and has no recollection of her family."

Kallus was perplexed. "No files? No records?"

"None. Before she worked for Zora, she was employed in Senator Ming's kitchen. Nava remembers nothing before that."

It was an unfortunate reality in the age of the Empire: Twi'lek children born and raised in captivity. Their vulnerability made them easier to mold into slaves and entertainers in their masters' hands. Theses brothers and sisters of Ryloth had no recollections of their past and knew nothing of a family kalikori or a mother's goodnight kiss.

Miri thought it was beastly yet she knew Nava's life could have been worse than catering to the whims of Zora the Hutt. His cousin Jabba had a far more brutal and disgusting reputation. Rumors were that Jabba's slaves danced around half-naked in chains and were fed to his creatures if they dared disobey him.

Miri stopped cleaning the table and forced herself to look back at Agent Kallus. "Is that why you are here, Agent? Has Nava done something wrong?"

"I am here because I think that Tamar Ily'an may be involved in the recent attacks."

The pale-blue Twi'lek straightened up at once. "She wouldn't. Tamar wouldn't dare!" she insisted.

Agent Kallus raised his hands in a gesture of ease. "I am not here to make false accusations, young lady. I am here to discover the truth. Where is Tamar Ily'an?"

Miri remained a pillar of blue ice, silent and stiff from the question.

Agent Kallus lowered his voice. "You're all devoted to Tamar, aren't you? Make no mistake, if you are harboring a criminal then your loyalties are misguided."

"Tamar is no criminal," she whispered between trembling lips.

Agent Kallus pressed on. "I have information about various smugglers who are working with the Lightning Squad to send out weapons and goods towards Alderaan."

Miri said nothing. Agent Kallus keyed in something on his data pad and showed it to her. Io's image flickered on the screen next to Baron Sparr. "Do you know these people?"

She shook her head. "I don't recognize the girl. The man, he's an aristocrat from Corsacant, I think."

"You are correct."

"Tamar wouldn't work with anyone involved in shady business," Miri insisted.

"What about the Rebellion?"

The question struck her to the core and even her lekku were twitching fearfully. Agent Kallus leaned closer and whispered, "I believe that your employer is a loyal citizen of the Empire and want to prove Tamar's innocence as much as you do. But I cannot protect her if you are withholding information from me. Why do you persist in holding back?"

Miri twisted the cloth between her fingers. "I don't trust you," she confessed softly.

"You have my word," Kallus reassured her.

"The word of an Imperial officer means—" She suddenly cut herself off and pinched her lips together.

Agent Kallus expected her to ask him to leave. While that would violate Imperial protocol, technically she had permission to request him to depart and he would be considered trespassing on their property.

He sighed and rose to his feet. Agent Kallus hadn't even reached for his data pad when Miri murmured, "Haven's Glow. Tamar went to Haven's Glow. That's all I know."

His gaze met hers and Miri was startled. It was the look of someone who was staring into her eyes, attempting to communicate with her as a person, as a peer.

Agent Kallus gave her a knowing nod. "I'll do everything I can to keep Tamar's name out of this."

His voice remained cool but polite as he spoke the words, causing hope to blossom within Miri's chest. Before she could stop herself she added, "Thank you."

"If I may ask for one small favor." Agent Kallus' attention drifted back to the table. "A thermos of your kaff."

Miri nodded politely. "For the service of the Empire," she assured him, quoting as Tamar always did when one was in a difficult pinch. She rushed to the back kitchen and poured the kaff into a tall canister before sealing it airtight. Then she handed it to Hogarth who said, "I sure hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," Miri agreed. Hogarth took the thermos from her and brought it to Agent Kallus.

Miri has only begun to reach for another pitcher when she felt a cold sharp pain stabbing her in the chest as if she had swallowed an icicle. The sensation caused her knees to buckle and she sank to the floor, wrapping her arms around her rib cage.

"No," she whispered frantically. "Not again."

The chilled touch rapidly worked its way through her skin, spreading outwards to the rest of her body and into her bones. Miri closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, reeling from the frigid impression.

"Please...please..." she begged to the empty air around her.

A knot of tension had formed beneath her ribcage and no matter how tightly she hugged herself, it remained lodged within her and festering away. Images were swirling in Miri's head, faces of people that she knew materializing in her mind. Unable to restrain herself anymore, Miri let the cold rush into every fiber and nerve of her body, saturating her being until it delivered itself in a single note.

"Danger," the cold whispered. "Danger."

"Who?" she whispered back. "Who is in danger?" Instantly she thought of Tamar and Ezra's face followed. A touch of warmth emerged from within the cold when Miri thought of her friends but was swiftly chased away, replaced by the image of a man lying on the ground.

He's crouched on the ground and the cell is chilled and dark. There's a gash on his face…blood drips off his skin. He can't see anything but he can smell their sweat and spice nearby…

"Master Jarrus?" Miri asked aloud. There was no doubting the man she had seen, the one who was Ezra's teacher.

The image disappeared as soon as it had formed, leaving Miri shivering and shaken to the touch. She reached out and grabbed the counter, straining with all of her might to pull herself to her feet. Never before had she wished so badly that Tamar or Ezra were here. But they were gone and Kanan Jarrus—

He was the one who had rescued them all from arrest on Iolanthe. They owed him everything for his courageous actions. It was the motivation that Miri needed as she shoved her fears into the back of her mind and made her way to Tamar's private safe.

She typed in a code and quickly emptied out the cash box.

A-A-A

Haven's Glow:

In a darkened room filled with eager listeners, Ezra was among the many guests who were taking advantage of the Neo-Classic orchestra that had now launched itself into the infamous symphony known as "The Ballad of Quor-lak". Ezra didn't mind the music except it was so pleasant and lulling. He was so comfortable in his wide velvety chair that he had to blink and pinch himself to stay awake. Kay would never allow himself to fall asleep and drool on his master's jacket.

"Lord Rayne, would you please follow me to the lobby?"

Ezra's head jerked to attention when the clerk had tapped Kanan on the shoulder and whispered into his ear. Kanan rose to his feet, allowing Ezra to guide him and Tamar to hold their programs as they left the concert hall and headed towards the lobby. Adjusting his eyes back to the brighter lights at the front of the hotel, Ezra instantly detected a more frigid tone in the clerk's voice.

"Counterfeit?" Tamar nearly blurted out.

"We have reason to believe that the credits that Lord Rayne deposited into his account from the casino are not in good status," the clerk declared.

"I am sure that this is all just a misunderstanding," Kanan said, unshaken by the accusation. "If you would pull up my records, I can testify that all transactions are perfectly legal."

"Nevertheless, I insist that you be removed from Haven's Glow promptly. You will be permitted to return as soon as everything is in order."

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath. Before he could find words to speak, two armed guards had appeared beside each of Kanan's shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. "Get your hands off my master!"

He took a step forward and felt Tamar's hand on his shoulder. "Keep it calm," she hissed into his ear. "We show panic, they'll turn on us at once."

Ezra looked from her to the face of his master, somehow still calm and just as noble as ever in the guise of Lord Rayne. Never before had he wanted to see the reassuring green gaze of Kanan's eyes. But even with the visor on his face, Kanan gave him a knowing smile.

"Don't worry. You two stay here and I should be back soon." He allowed himself to be escorted out of the lobby and into a side room.

"As for you two," the clerk now turned on Tamar and Ezra as if they were a few insects that had crawled into the hotel. "I cannot permit the servants of a questionable guest to remain here."

Two further guards appeared, one of which grabbed Ezra by the elbow. He started to struggle but noticed Tamar, her features cold and hard, shaking her head at him. As easily as it would be to use the Force to throw one of those ungrateful bumpkins into a wall, Ezra realized that he couldn't risk exposing himself or Tamar at the moment. They were half-pushed, half-shoved towards the exit doors and within seconds, were sent sprawling out onto the steps.

Ezra stumbled yet stayed on his feet but Tamar had fallen down upon her face, lekku pointing in opposite directions and her dress crumpled from impact. A few guests loitering outside snickered at her demise.

He instantly bent down and placed his hands beneath her elbows. "Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride," Tamar assured him. She allowed him to pull her to her feet and instantly began smoothing her skirt and twitching her head. The lekku fell back into place and Tamar Ily'an remained before him, temporarily shocked but overall unruffled. Realizing that she wasn't hurt, Tamar looked back at the hotel.

"Damn. All of our credits and my jewelry are back inside."

"So we're locked out without any money?"

"It seems that way." Tamar sighed and turned around to face Ezra. "What should we do?"

He was lost for words. Ezra may have been asked to recruit for the mission but he had enjoyed their merry little trio for the past few days. Now that Kanan had been suddenly plucked from the hotel and they had been deposited outside, he realized that their possibilities had been severely limited.

"Sounds like someone was in a big hurry to get Lord Rayne out of the way," he said at last. He and Tamar kept talking as they made their way down the rest of the stairs and onto the street.

"We don't know that for certain, Ezra. Haven's Glow prides itself upon a sterling reputation. This could just be their way of dealing with rumors and suspicions."

"Too bad Hogarth isn't here. I'd like him to send those clerks on a flying leap into the trash pile."

Tamar managed a faint smile. "Well, he isn't here. But we are. What are our assets?"

Ezra checked his pockets. He had only a few credits, a minor lock-picker, and two empty data-chips to hold information. Tamar's pocketbook held her gloves and cosmetics. "My earrings might be worth something if we pawned them," she suggested.

"But it wouldn't be enough to get 'Lord Rayne' out of trouble or get us off planet, would it?" Ezra asked. Tamar shook her head at him sadly.

"I could send a transmission to Hera but don't see what good it would do," he went on. "Money will give us time and safety if we can get our hands on some…."

He hadn't taken a step further when Tamar plucked the fabric of his coat with her fingertips. "If you are doing what I think you are doing, then you had better not be!" she suddenly fumed.

"What do you mean?"

Her cool blue eyes darted towards him angrily. "You're going to pickpocket someone, aren't you?"

"Tamar, I know you don't like it but this is Kanan we're talking about," he insisted. "Extracting someone's wallet isn't going to hurt them."

"It will hurt Lord Rayne's reputation further if his manservant is caught stealing."

"I won't get caught," he assured her.

Tamar folded her arms over her chest. "I caught you pilfering in the middle of my club. I won't let you risk doing something so foolish again."

"Won't let me?" Ezra frowned. "I've been in the field a lot longer than you. So unless you have a better idea, this is our best shot."

"I still don't like it."

"We do a lot of things that we're not proud of. Get used to it," Ezra snapped. No sooner had he said the words then Tamar looked on him with a pained expression. The blood that had rushed into his face began draining out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," he admitted. He leaned against the concrete wall and breathed out in frustration. Tamar leaned against the wall right next to him.

"I know. I'm also worried about him," she said quietly. Tamar gently patted Ezra on the shoulder. "We'll find another way."

"You're right." Motivated once more, Ezra stood up and adjusted his collar. "I think the most important thing is to keep our aliases going for as long as we can."

"That sounds logical," she agreed.

"Count Caswell's always been nice to Lord Rayne. Perhaps if we sold your earrings, we could send him a message and ask for help."

Ezra and Tamar had only headed a few blocks away from Haven's Glow when a tall man nearly sliced between them from his swift stride.

"My apologies," he replied briskly. But then he broke his movement when he noticed who was standing before him beneath the street lamps. The droid who had been following behind him suddenly stopped, releasing the faintest sound of gears shifting. Ezra realized that the droid didn't wear the orange badge of Haven's Glow; this droid was the property of the man standing before him.

"Master Kay? Miss Ily'an?" The serious Baron Sparr was staring at Ezra, a trench coat thrown over his shoulders and his gray-streaked hair brushed off his face. "What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Focus," Ezra reminded himself. "Remain in the game. You're still Kay, devoted manservant to Lord Rayne."

Tamar had barely parted her lips when Ezra put on his most charming smile and bowed to the baron. "Lord Rayne sent us to find you, baron. I'm glad you decided to return to Haven's Glow."

Confusion appeared on Sparr's face. "You are?"

"Of course. Lord Rayne informed me this morning that he wanted to reconsider your offer to sell him your stock." Ezra took a moment to catch his breath as Kay's words rolled smoothly off his tongue. "But you left in such a hurry that he was unable to contact you in time."

Sparr looked please to hear this. "I am glad Lord Rayne changed his mind."

"And as a token of my master's good will," Ezra went on. "He insisted that Miss Ily'an and I offer our services to you for the remainder of the evening."

Tamar kept quiet, watching charade unfold. She was gradually becoming aware that Ezra was doing everything possible to placate the baron while keeping him away from finding out about the demise of 'Lord Rayne'.

"How generous of Lord Rayne," said Sparr. "Unfortunately, I don't think either of you could be of much help to me in my business transactions." He drew out something from his coat pocket for Ezra to see: the very same Anogiran music box that Kay had been handling two nights ago.

"Unless you are aware of the gallery's interior, I must return to Haven's Glow immediately to validate the maker and the model."

Ezra's eyes brightened up. "That one is genuine," he announced firmly.

"Are you certain?"

"Positive. Examine the markings on the bottom and you will see the appropriate seal and dark-blue color."

The baron did as Ezra instructed and his voice rose slightly up with approval. "I can see why Lord Rayne keeps you around." His expression lightened up and he added, "Perhaps I spoke in haste. Are you certain that your master will be able to manage on his own this evening?"

"He insisted that we leave while he entertains..." Tamar let her voice trail off.

"I see." The baron let out a soft chuckle. "Well, if that is the case then perhaps I should accept his thoughtful gesture. Come to think of it, I do have several pieces of artwork in my villa that require cataloging. But it might be too tedious for a spirited young man like Master Kay here."

Ezra squared his shoulders back. "It would be my privilege to assist you in any way that I can, baron." But then he remembered Io and added, "But I think I would work better by myself. Your servant-girl-"

"Io?" the baron asked. "What about her?"

"What young Master Kay means is that he would never do anything to compromise the reputation of the house of Rayne," Tamar explained. Ezra threw her a look of relief. "If he was in the same room with a charming young lady such as Io, people might presume something unsuitable was going on. Rest assured, your excellency. Kay's manners are impeccable."

Much to their surprise, Sparr smiled. "I understand too well what you are saying." Then he sighed. "Unfortunately, Io has been making some ridiculous demands lately and I have avoided sending her to my villa for those reasons."

"Oh?" Ezra asked politely.

"Yes. She is after all, a young girl with personal whims, and I shouldn't be making such high expectations out of her. I would handle the artwork myself but I have a business proposition for a new client on Tio-Men in a few hours." The baron turned towards Tamar. "Would Lord Rayne be insulted if I asked his favorite companion to accompany me and oversee preparations?"

Tamar's mouth fell open. "Forgive me. It was too bold to ask," he excused himself.

"No, not at all! I would be delighted," Tamar insisted. Ezra could tell that she was eager to step back into the role as hostess.

"Your loyalty is remarkable. I would like to reimburse you for your time, Master Kay. Say, five hundred when you are through. Is that acceptable?"

Tamar ran the figures through her head. It wasn't an enormous sum but then again if it was, she would be more suspicious. Five hundred was an adequate amount to help them out. She and Ezra nodded silently to each other and then Ezra addressed Sparr. "It is an acceptable offer."

"Very good. BT-78 here will take you to my villa." He gestured to the tall droid standing silently nearby. "Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. As soon as you are done cataloging, he will contact me and the ship will take you back to Haven's Glow. Tamar and I shouldn't take more than a few hours."

"This way, Master Kay." BT-78 motioned with a brightly-polished copper arm for Ezra to follow him. He watched the baron offer a hand to Tamar, who's silent expression assured Ezra that she would be all right. The baron must have noticed this exchange between them because he added, "Lord Rayne has my word of honor. As long as you two are employed in my services then no harm will come to either of you."

Tamar placed her bright blue hand upon the baron's gloved one and together they approached a small shuttle craft. Ezra made sure to watch as both of them stepped into the shuttle and it took off smoothly into the air.

"This way, Master Kay," the droid repeated. He remained perfectly silent as Ezra followed him half a mile away to where the baron's elegant space yacht was waiting on a loading dock.

"Woah," Ezra murmured. "I mean, how nice."

BT-78 had no response to this comment and merely opened up the gang plank, allowing Ezra to step inside and admire the luxurious interior of the cabin. It was even bigger than their suite at Haven's Glow and the sound of the engines had been muffled into a soft purr as the ship took off and leapt into hyperspace.

"Please remain seated until we arrive at Mandrake Manor," BT-78 ordered him in the same monotone voice. Seeing that this droid could not be ruffled up like Chopper, Ezra placed his hands behind his head and leaned back in his seat.

Tamar was with Baron Sparr. Kanan was being detained at Haven's Glow. It wasn't the ideal situation that he wanted but Ezra had learned from Jedi training, and Rebel fighting, that one would have to alter a situation if it wasn't going has planned. Sitting in one place and panicking did nothing to help yourself or others. At least this way they could stay in the baron's favor and earn some money.

Unlike other guests at Haven's Glow, Ezra knew that the blind Jedi was far from being a helpless invalid. Nevertheless, Ezra hoped that Kanan was all right.

A-A-A

Kanan had been in greater dangers and in more pain before in his life.

Racing across the galaxy as a frightened teenager, tortured in body and soul by the Grand Inquisitor, bracing the chilled hated of the Sith as he faced Darth Vader, fumbling for his lightsaber as Maul's sinister voice echoed in his ears...

All of these moments and more appeared as pictures in his head and he allowed the Force to examine them, to catalog them as the learned lessons on his journey. The Jedi lay in the bottom of his cell curled up on one side. He made sure to jerk his foot a bit and moan aloud. The thugs in the other room heard his discomfort and went back to their sabaac game.

Kanan was aware that something was wrong when the hands maneuvering him had gone from the firm but formal hands of hotel staff into the rough arms around him. Instead of brushing against silk and velvet, his skin rasped against leather and cheap metal. The outdoor wind whipped through his hair as he was dragged into a speeder and taken somewhere, likely a hideout that wouldn't tarnish the reputation of Haven's Glow.

But the Force steadied him, guiding and advising him to remain within the charade. It would not do for Lord Rayne to remove his mask before it was time for the Jedi Knight to emerge.

So he permitted himself to be yanked along by the hooligans and shoved into a cell. At least Ezra and Tamar hadn't gone along with him and it was more than a small relief to know that they were still safe at Haven's Glow. At least for the time being...

Kanan had passed the first hour or two by taking a sitting position and meditating calmly in his prison. Unfortunately, the silence of the model prisoner had been interpreted as defiance by the gang and they proceeded to teach Lord Rayne a lesson with their fists and boots. It wasn't his most agonizing experience but it did smart and it was annoying not to be able to respond with a lightsaber. They beat him up until they were bored and then left him alone. As long as Lord Rayne made sure to whimper from time to time, they knew they continued to maintain power over him.

His left temple stung from a gash that had split open when one man tried to crack Kanan's skull open with his boot. Fortunately, the Jedi had turned at the last minute to avoid permanent damage to his brain and now the trickle of blood was starting to slow down. He had pressed a sleeve to his face to decrease the bleeding and while it was helping a bit, he was well-aware that it could easily become infected.

"A most interesting lesson," Master Kenobi would have responded with wry amusement. Master Yoda would no doubt give him a cryptic response and Master Windu would advise Caleb Dume to remain on guard.

Kanan rolled over onto his back as he pondered his recent experience at Haven's Glow. A mat to sleep upon, a cloak to keep warm, and a lightsaber to protect oneself. He had been taught at childhood that a few objects were all that a Jedi required in life. Anything more was unnecessary.

It was a distinct contrast to the masquerade of wealth and charm that he had been carrying out on the mission. While it was not a lifestyle that suited Kanan, he had learned that not everyone who frequented Haven's Glow was as abrupt as Baron Sparr or as simpering as his servant girl. Perhaps it was possible to maintain good character regardless of one's social status.

Count Caswell had made every effort to befriend Lord Rayne and would ask for his opinion on a topic or deliver a joke to make Lord Rayne laugh. Kanan wondered if the count would eventually asked Lord Rayne to sell him his Twi'lek, as Caswell was no doubt fond of Tamar, but no such conversation had come up. Perhaps he just pitied the young blind man who was unable to fully appreciate the beautiful woman by his side.

A package of Jysmeen tea and a bowl of hothouse flowers had arrived at their suite that morning along with a hand-written note from Lady Rowena. "May honor forever reside in the house of Rayne," it had said. "Thank you for your kindness."

Tamar put in a positive word but Ezra was surprisingly quiet and speculative from the act of benevolence. A former Loth-rat who had become fiercely protective of his family, Ezra was willing to help out others in need and was now the beneficiary of that kindness. Kanan made sure to compliment Ezra, as it was his actions that had inspired them all to intervene on Lady Rowena's behalf.

A glass broke in the next room followed by a string of cursing. The gang was getting drunk and starting to boast of their sexual escapades. Kanan theorized that some people would forever remain the same and no amount of money in the universe would ever be able to change their character.

He twisted his head to one side. A shatterpoint.

Mace Windu had spoken of moments in time when the smallest of actions could send shockwaves throughout time and space, escalating into great events. A shatterpoint could result in a celebration or catastrophes but the ever-changing vision of the future made it difficult to see, even for a Jedi Master. As he went over the crucial events of the last few days and listening to the soft whispers of the Force around him, Kanan wondered if he and his team were approaching a shatterpoint.

Soft lithe footsteps and the gentle breathing of a woman were carried by the air towards Kanan. The newcomer's presence was a sharp contrast to the scoundrels in the other room. Kanan's body grew taut, muscles tense and prepared to maneuver in case of danger.

"Boss, you gotta check this one out!"

Footsteps thumped across the concrete from the right side of Kanan to the left. "Wow," the boss grunted. Kanan frowned. He could practically read every disgusting thought that was going through the man's mind.

Ripples of fear ran through the woman yet she forced herself to remain composed. "That is my master you have in custody," she replied. "I have bail right here." Her voice was silvery cool as she addressed the gang. It was different from Tamar's voice yet vaguely familiar.

Kanan heard credits clinking merrily. "This all you got, doll?"

"You will receive further reward once my master has been delivered safely." Heavy lustful breathing followed and the woman no doubt suspected what they were thinking. She continued in a formal tone. "The money in this bag will buy all of you great wealth and pleasure. You gain nothing by harassing my master or me."

"Good point, doll. But I lose nothin' by examinin' the merchandise first."

There was the sound of shuffling, and then Kanan's body snapped to attention when he heard fabric being ripped. The woman screamed, a thin shrill cry that sent a surge of adrenaline through his body. He knew that voice.

"Damn Twi'lek!" the leader shouted. "She scratched me!"

Kanan didn't hesitate any further. Rising to his feet, he drew in his power and allowed the Force to sweep through him in one warm rush of energy. The door to his cell clanked open and he walked forward, out of his cell and towards the ringleader who had a hand on Miri's ripped sleeve.

"That is enough," he declared firmly. The ringleader was sent sprawling backwards by the Force, slamming into the wall and then collapsing onto a pile of cartons. "A tad overdoing it," Master Kenobi would have said. "But nevertheless effective, Caleb."

The ringleader was still injured and on the ground but his mouth was no doubt still working. "He's-he's-a-sorcerer!" the man cried out.

Kanan seized Miri's hand and began to run, his mind retracing the steps where he had been dragged only several hours ago. "Do you see their ship?" he asked her.

"Yes, it's just up ahead!" she cried out. "But two of them are chasing us!" Still sprinting as fast as he could and pulling her along, Kanan thrust his palm behind him and heard the sound of two bodies being shoved against the pavement. Miri had already pressed a button to release the gangplank and by now, was half-guiding and half-pulling Kanan on board. Some other gang members must have followed because blaster shots snapped at Kanan's feet. His fingers fumbled along the wall of the ship until he punched the exit button and the door sealed shut.

Focus. Concentrate. This wasn't the Ghost and while most small space crafts had similar designs, Kanan knew that he would require assistance if they were going to escape with their lives. With one hand extended outwards, he managed to make his way to the cockpit.

"Do you see two small levers anywhere?" he asked Miri. She gave him the affirmative. "Bring the left one down slowly and then the right one halfway to start the engines. I'm going to adjust our navigation."

His fingers found the flight buttons and though they had a shaky takeoff, the small ship managed to exit the planet and was soon hovering in space. With a few minutes of trial and error, communications was established as well.

Hera's warm reassuring voice came through the speakers. "Kanan, is that you? What's going on? Chopper picked up a signal from an Ebon-Hawk shuttle."

"Yeah, turns out Haven's Glow got tired of Lord Rayne so they kicked him out and into the hands of some bullies. Fortunately, we got away." Kanan allowed himself to collapse into the pilot's chair and breathe out a sigh of relief.

Hera's voice escalated with concern. "When you say 'we', I hope you mean Ezra and Tamar are with you."

Kanan sat straight up. "They're not at Haven's Glow?"

"I haven't gotten any new messages from them today."

The Jedi gingerly touched at a wound on his left shoulder. "That's not good."

"They could be tied up, love. Ezra's been sending sporadic messages throughout this mission," Hera pointed out. "So who's with you now?"

"Miri Matoka. She came to bail me out."

"Hello Captain Syndulla." Her feeble voice came through the speakers.

"Are you all right, dear? Did Tamar send you?"

"No, I..." Her explanation died upon her lips and she shivered, the full impact of the dangers they had just escaped catching up to her.

Kanan took the lead. "If I send you our coordinates can you come pick us up?"

"No problem. We'll be there in less than an hour. And Miri, thank you for coming to help Kanan," Hera added kindly. "See you both soon."

Chopper's grunting came through the static and Kanan had never been so glad to hear the astro-mech's response. "You too, buddy."

There was a crackling sensation and then the communications wave had been switched off. Kanan groaned and pressed a hand to the side of his face. The wound had reopened and now fresh sticky blood coated his fingers.

"That looks bad," Miri told him. "Let me see if I can find a medic-kit."

"Wait, give yourself a few minutes," the Jedi assured her. "You've been through a rough patch back there."

"I'd rather stay busy, Master Jarrus," she replied quietly. The Twi'lek rummaged around the shuttle until she found a medic-kit and some disinfects. She came back and sat down next to him, carefully brushing away some of the hair along Kanan's temples. She hissed softly at the uneven gash of shredded skin where warm red blood mingled with yellow pus.

"That bad, huh?" Kanan managed a grin. He could sense Miri's shattered nerves and intended to stay positive for her sake. But he let out an "ouch!" of protest when the bacta-patch was pressed against his skin, the disinfecting chemicals searing into his skin.

"Sorry," Miri apologized. "But I'm going to hold it in place for a few minutes until the bleeding stops."

"Do what you have to do," Kanan assured her. "If Tamar didn't send you then how did you know to go looking for me?"

Confused silence filled the cockpit. "The second-sight," Miri spoke at last in a soft tone. "I sensed you needed help. Like the time I sensed Tamar had to go to the black market to look for someone to hire. Because that's where..."

"...where she found Ezra?" Kanan suggested.

"Yes."

"Miri, how long have you had this 'second sight'?"

"A few years, I think. I didn't keep track of it."

The stinging pain in Kanan's temple had been going down for a while now while they were talking. Where there had previously been a hot pain as the disinfects were destroying any threats to the wound, Kanan could now sense a cool pleasant sensation, as if a fresh cloth saturated with clean water had been placed over the wound.

And now he realized that there was no more pain, not at all. Miri's fingers remained firmly pressed on the bacta-patch, applying pressure to Kanan's wound. The cool sensation continued, spreading from the side his face to the rest of his head, and for a moment he was not a wounded man inside of the shuttle but walking freely in the cool open air of the temple gardens...

Kanan allowed himself a small sigh of relaxation before being brought back to the present. As soon as Miri had removed the bacta-patch, Kanan touched the wound with a finger.

"Wait, it needs a bandage," she protested.

But there was no wound left to bandage up. A small neat scar touched Kanan's finger where the skin had already healed and knitted itself back up as if had taken two weeks instead of mere minutes. The Jedi reached out with one hand until it touched the fingers of the Twi'lek. Her skin was ice-cold to the touch. He gently cradled her palm in his larger ones, hoping to restore some warmth to her skin and calmness to her nerves.

"I, I don't understand," she gasped.

She had been afraid for so long. Fear, anger, loss...he could sense them being carried out on the strength of the Force that was flickering hysterically inside of Miri like a candle sputtering in the wind.

A shatterpoint. If this wasn't one then Kanan knew it was as close to a Force-driven moment as possible.

"Miri," Kanan began, doing his best to contain his excitement. "Do you know what you are?"

"Terrified," she confessed.

A-A-A

Four years ago:

"Bring her to my chambers at once."

Miri was suddenly hoisted off the floor that she was scrubbing and dragged up the flight of steps. The room she was shoved into was large and cocooned in velvet, muting out all other sounds. She could hardly take it in once she realized her master's gaze was upon her.

He was not hideous or even unpleasant to look at. On the contrary, the master was broad-shouldered with skin the color of kaff and a thick curly dark beard. But his eyes burned as he studied her from across the room.

"You are the loveliest thing I have seen in my household," he declared. "Fortune smiled upon me when I bought you along with the others."

"My lord?" Miri asked meekly. Until now she had been only one of many servants in the house and this sudden attention had thrown her off balance. Hearing him speak so undignified made her tremble with uncertainty.

He drew closer and reaching out, took her pale slim hand into his larger one. "Yes, lovely," he murmured. "I can see you lying upon a bed of white jasmine flowers with only the moonlight bathing your skin." The master pressed his rough lips to the delicate skin of her palm.

Miri yanked her hand out of his grasp and drew back. "My lord, you must not speak like that!" she gasped.

His dark eyes flashed from her words. "Mustn't I? Am I not your master? he demanded.

She lowered her head in submission. "Yes, you are. Forgive me."

He stroked his beard in response. "You will be forgiven when you fulfill your duties," the master remarked.

Miri nodded. "Yes, my lord. I will finish the floor immediately."

She turned to go and had barely taken three steps when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her body, pinning her arms to her sides. Miri struggled but was swiftly hoisted off the floor and nearly hurled onto the bed, landing in a pile of sheets and pillows. She scrambled to get back up but was pinned back down by the weight of her master's body. He starred down at her with his spirit burning in his eyes.

"Your duties are in my bedchamber."

A rush of horror swept through Miri from his words. She struggled in protest, even as her wrists were pushed high above her head. "No!" she cried out. "We must not do this wicked thing! Master, I beg of you!"

He bent over and brushed his lips over her ear. "Do not be afraid, dear one," he soothed her. "In time I will lay out a field of flowers for you."

The infinite darkness and coldness of space swallowed up Miri's voice as her master had his way with her. When it was over, he brushed a hand over Miri's cheek and then turned over on the bed. In seconds he was snoring away.

Miri slid to the floor taking one sheet with her. Part of it hung limply from her shoulders while the rest was clenched beneath her fingers. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she opened her mouth and let out a silent scream of protest.

The galaxy went on spinning as usual.

A-A-A

Ghost ship, Kyssel Moon System

Shoulders wrapped in a blanket and a warm drink cupped in her hands, Miri appeared calmer as she sat across the table from Hera and Kanan. Nevertheless, the Jedi could hear the sound of her fingertips tapping restlessly against the mug.

"The Force?" she repeated aloud. "Tamar called it the gift of 'second sight'. But we didn't talk about it often and she advised me not to draw attention to myself."

"She was smart to do that," Hera explained. "The Empire had been hunting Force-users for years."

Miri's attention went from the brave young Twi'lek pilot to the man by her side. "Were you hunted as well, Master Jarrus?"

"Yes. Ezra and I faced the Inquisitors, along with many others who consider themselves enemies of the Jedi."

"Jedi." The word felt foreign and weighty upon Miri's tongue.

"The energy field that flows and binds all living things is strong in Ezra and myself. It's strong in you too, Miri. That's why you've been getting predictions and experiencing cold sensations."

She lifted up the mug to her lips and took a tiny sip. "There were times on Iolanthe when I would feel something so sad and heavy that I lost the will to speak. I'd stay asleep for days. I couldn't explain it at the time. Was that the Force working as well?"

"Yes it was. And now that you know about your powers, I don't think it would be wise for you to go back to Kaller," Kanan went on.

The mug was placed back upon the table with a small clack. "But that's my home," Miri protested. "Tamar, Nava, and Hogarth are the only family I have. Where will I go?"

"Don't worry," Hera assured her. She reached out and gently took one of Miri's hands. "We'll find a place to keep you safe."

"And a teacher to help you understand the Force," Kanan assured her. At the moment he realized he had just taken on a new responsibility and didn't even know where to begin. Yet he could detect further negative emotions stirring within Miri and knew that he couldn't just let this frightened Twi'lek go on struggling with the Force inside of her.

"A teacher?" Miri's voice suddenly grew tight and anxious. "What for?"

"It is a part of the Jedi balance," Kanan began to explain. "A master takes on an apprentice for-"

"Who said I wanted to be a Jedi?" Miri's voice had become sudden shrill and angry. Kanan could hear the tightness in her throat as the emotions of pain and fear swiftly rose to the surface and burst out like water shattering a dam.

"Where were the Jedi when Ryloth was invaded?" she cried out. "Where were the Jedi when I was sold as a bedslave to a cruel master? Or when Nava was sold to the Hutts? For stars' sake, what good are they to me now?! You are useless, all of you! I hate the Jedi!"

The mug landed on the floor and shattered into dozens of pieces. Miri dashed from the room with her hands in her face, the sound of frantic sobs echoing down the hall.

Lost for words and overwhelmed by her confession, Kanan rose and began pacing the small room.

"Go after her," Hera finally spoke.

"And tell her what? That I'm sorry? That I should have done something but didn't?" His voice rose up in anguish from his own questions. Kanan leaned against the wall and pressed a hand to his forehead. "A bedslave. Kriff. I had no idea..." he moaned.

Kanan felt sick with guilt. How many nights had he drowned his sorrows in alcohol, found himself warmth and pleasure in other women, while other people in the galaxy had been suffering? How many girls like Miri had been abused and humiliated all these years? It was his silence that had kept him away and apart from the problems of the Empire.

It didn't matter that there was no more Jedi Council to make things right. Kriff, he should have done something, anything, instead of wasting his years on chasing empty desires.

Hera's firm clear voice snapped him out of it. "Exactly, Kanan. You had no idea what that poor girl went through. But how could you have known? What matters is what is in front of you this moment."

"She said the Jedi weren't there when she needed them," Kanan protested feebly.

"Then be the Jedi that she needs now," Hera encouraged him. "Because she does need you, Kanan."

Hera's presence drew closer, warm and resolute. Kanan felt as if he had stepped from the shade back into the sunlight as he reached out and put his arms around her. One hand pressed into the small of Hera's back, a whisper of gratitude upon the Jedi's lips. She leaned into his warmth, allowing him to hold her in this quiet bittersweet moment.

"You've never given up on me, have you?" he asked.

Hera rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. "And I never will, love."

Kanan dropped his head down to press a kiss upon Hera's forehead. "Thank you," he murmured into her ear. He released himself from the embrace and headed out of the room.

A-A-A

The dull and dower chamber that Miri found was waiting for her as well as the man who resided within its four walls. She had presumed it was unoccupied, a natural presumption by the lack of decor or personal touch, and so had collapsed onto the bunk as her final feelings of pain and frustration oozed out of her.

There was a soft tap at the door. Then it slid open and the Jedi stood before her, a dark silhouette against the lights of the hallway.

"May I come in?" Kanan asked gently.

"All right." Miri shifted her legs to one side and wiped her sticky face. She braced herself while he stepped inside and let the door seal behind him. Then the Jedi sank to his knees and lowered his head at her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Begging for forgiveness." He lifted his head up enough for her to see his face. "You have every right to be angry for the cruelty that you have endured. I know nothing can be done to reverse it but if you want justice, take your frustrations out on me."

Miri gazed into his face, at the cool green eyes, the tautness in his brow, and she could see every bit frustration and sadness that she herself had experienced. Empathy radiated from his face.

"I should have been fighting the Empire from the beginning. I should have stood up for other people and protected their homes and families," Kanan confessed bitterly. "But I was a coward. I ran and hid to save myself, never thinking about those who couldn't even defend themselves."

He hung his head in shame. "You were right, Miri. The Jedi you needed wasn't there for you. I am sorrier than ever for my selfishness and will do anything you ask in order to make it right."

Miri drew out a deep breath and once again, rubbed a palm over her face. "I, I didn't mean to say all of those things," she said at last.

"They were honest words. I needed to hear them."

Both of them fell silent for a moment. "I didn't believe the Empire," she finally spoke up. "When they said that the Jedi were trying to seize power for themselves. Tamar and I knew they were lying. We both remembered how the Jedi freed Ryloth during the Clone Wars. They never asked us for anything, not even honor or money."

When Kanan said nothing, she went on. "You must have been very young when the Purge happened," she suggested. "Even younger then Ezra. It must have been hard to be on the run".

"But I should have done more when I got older," Kanan said. "And I'll do whatever it takes to compensate for those years."

Miri looked thoughtful. "But you did do something, Master Jarrus. You found Ezra."

"It'll never erase my actions of the past."

"Then you're like me," the Twi'lek responded. "I'm not a bedslave any longer. But the nightmares persist."

She glanced down at the Jedi prostrated at her feet. "Would you please get up? It isn't fitting for a Jedi to be on the floor."

"I disagree. But to please a lady, of course." Kanan rose to his feet and something in his face had cleared up. He pulled out a stool and took a seat. "Do you know where your master is? If so, I will find him and bring him to justice."

"He died years ago," Miri told him. "He can't hurt me anymore."

"Miri, if you don't hate the Jedi and your master is gone, then who is it that you hate?"

Kanan did not want to impose this question upon her. Yet he had learned from experience about peeling away the layers of doubt and denial, until one was so drawn inward that a person could finally face his fear without running. Then the wise and ever-seeing embrace of the Force could enter oneself, bringing with it the catharsis of hope that released all traces of doubt.

"Myself," Miri confessed at last. "I hate myself."

"Why?"

"Because I'm weak." She gulped. "Because I'm not like Tamar. She radiates confidence in everything that she does. I've been afraid every day of my life, scared that something new and terrible will happen to me."

Kanan rubbed his palms together thoughtfully. "I've been working with Tamar for several days now and I can tell you that she has her own share of insecurities. She also thinks the world of you for getting on a stage every night to perform for Imperial officers while you lived on Iolanthe."

"As for being weak," the Jedi went on. "You could not have survived such cruelty unless you did something daring. How did you get away from your master?"

"I escaped," she confessed. "I had to wait a long time until my master's guard was down and then I bribed one of his servants to smuggle me out. I never stopped running or looking back. But I did steal the zephyr-harp from a transport—I thought if I didn't take something for myself then I'd go mad. Practicing music helped to pass the time and calm my nerves until Tamar found me playing on a street corner."

"Hmm." Kanan was intrigued by her story. "So you've overcome slavery, fought for your freedom, earned your liberty through music, and worked hard to create a new family. That doesn't sound like a weak person to me at all. It sounds like the tale of a woman with great inner courage and strength to prevail."

The Jedi's warm sincere words touched Miri's heart and he heard her draw out a breath of relief, finally releasing herself to the Force.

"There is still something to address, isn't there?"

"The 'something' is that you remain Force-sensitive. It will only get stronger over time and it may continue to affect your mind and body in ways that you can't control."

"You mean like my breakdowns when I sleep for days?"

Kanan nodded. "The Force thrives on strong emotions, both good and bad. If left untrained it can make people vulnerable to the Dark Side. Anger, fear, and selfishness can do great damage when harnessed with such a power".

Mir shuddered. "I don't want to hurt my friends," she admitted.

"I know. And the best way to protect them is to learn how to use the Force properly."

The Twi'lek lifted up her hands, studying her tapering blue fingers with fascination. "Why did the Force choose me? I didn't want it or ask for it."

"Because it saw the greatness in you, even when you don't always see it in yourself," Kanan explained. "The Force does not pick people at random. You have the potential to use it as a gift for the good of the galaxy."

"How?"

Kanan thought back. "How long does it usually take to recover from Draxo influenza?"

Miri recalled what the medical droid had told them. "A few days for the fever to break and about four to seven days to make a full recovery."

"And how long was Ezra bedridden with the virus?"

"A day and a half." She gasped, hands on her cheeks. "You're not saying I had something to do with it, are you?"

"Did you?"

She thought hard. "I just rubbed his back and sang songs to him, that's all."

"That's all," Kanan thought ironically. It was tremendous enough when a Jedi could perform an adequate healing trance on himself. To be able to heal others in such a short amount of time would be considered phenomenal.

"The Force moves in many ways and using physical touch to transfer positive energy is one of them," he went on. "You and Ezra must have formed a bond though the Force on Iolanthe. He told me that he gently touched your mind while you were sleeping to send you a message of hope. I am certain that you responded, however unintentional, by helping him to overcome the virus with a speedy recovery."

"It's remarkable," she gasped.

"Yes it is. Which brings us back to the question at hand. Not all Force-users are Jedi but all must choose their path, Miri. Have you decided which path you will take?"

She gazed in wonder at the Jedi before her and then at her hands, the very same hands that had healed a master and apprentice in their time of need. This noble wise man could see the potential within her. Could she do the same?

"I could not imagine myself as a Jedi," Miri confessed at last. "But I do want to learn to control this gift of the Force. If I could assist the Rebellion in some way, healing and helping people, I'm sure I could do some good."

Her answer more than satisfied Kanan. "You will make a wonderful Force-healer, Miri."

"But where will I find a teacher?"

There was a knock at the door and then the door panel slid open, revealing Zeb. "Sorry for interruptin," he admitted. "But I couldn't help but listen in at your problem 'cuz it sounds like an important one to deal with."

"It's all right, Zeb. Please tell us what's on your mind."

"Well…" The Lassat rubbed his head with one massive paw sheepishly. "Y'know I used to think that all this stuff was 'mumbo jumbo', especially after you saved Chava and Gron and we made it to New Lassan. Turns out there's a lot more Chava knows than I thought at the time."

Kanan was intrigued. "Do you have an idea?"

Zeb told Kanan what was on his mind and Kanan explained it further to Miri. She listened attentively, her eyes growing brighter and a smile coming to her face from the Jedi's words.

"Yes," she nodded eagerly. "I'm sure I could learn if I went to New Lassan."

"Just don't let her drive you crazy like I did," Zeb grinned. "Okay, I'll see if I can get in touch with them." He exited the room, leaving Miri and Kanan alone again.

"Now that we've taken care of that, I have a favor to ask of you Miri. But that depends if you're up for it."

"For what?"

"I'm concerned about Tamar and Ezra," declared the Jedi. "I want to see if I can connect to Ezra through the Force and it will make things go smoother if you're here."

"You want me to help you with the Force?"

"No time to learn like the present," Kanan grinned. He sat on the floor and folded his legs beneath him. Intrigued, Miri sat across from him and took up a similar position.

"Close your eyes. Listen to the sound of your breath," he guided her. "There is no chaos, there is only harmony. There is no ignorance, only knowledge. The Force remains."

Miri exhaled, her breath as soft as music and as gentle as wind blowing through a reed. Kanan's voice echoed in Miri's ears as she repeated the mantra to herself, permitting the words of the Force to wash over her.

"Empty your mind. Do not try to will a vision to come to you. It will appear when the Force is ready."

"The Force remains," she echoed quietly. "Master Jedi, I remember something…I see it."

"Can you describe it to me?"

"It's the Kyrite Lake on Ryloth. We would go on the Summer Solstice to swim there."

"What does the lake look like, Miri?"

"It's so wide that you cannot see across it. The lake sparkles like an emerald in the sunlight. The waves are capped in white foam as they tickle your feet on the shore." Miri laughed softly, the first time Kanan ever heard her sound so sweet and content.

"That's good," Kanan responded. "Let your mind wander around the lake. Let the Force flow like its waters."

Silence continued for several moments until Kanan could sense the Force shifting. "There's a girl," he said at last.

"Does she wear white?" Miri asked.

"Yes. And she isn't alone. There are many people around her." Kanan let the vision swirl within him and allowed Miri to sense it as well.

"I see her too. She young and brave. She is beautiful and kind…but sad," Miri admitted gently.

The connection to the Force began to shift. Kanan could feel it expanding, drawing back from the girl and the people around her. He could hear a voice and knew it was someone that he had met before. But the connection was a fragile one and he did not wish to upset it.

The shatterpoint drew closer.

Miri suddenly gasped, falling on both hands and knees. Kanan's eyes snapped open and the connection to the Force was gone. He reached out to put a hand on her shaking shoulder. Even through the fabric of her shirt he could sense the cold that lingered there.

"I don't understand," she murmured, eyes turned up in bewilderment and worry.

"Do you know what you saw?" Kanan asked. "Did have something to do with our friends?"

Mir nodded frantically.

"What did you see?"

She starred into the Jedi's blind eyes, her own pale gray eyes wide with horror.

"Water," she finally said. "And fire."

A-A-A

Mandrake Manor:

The villa of Baron Sparr was a handsome high-class house yet it had none of the pomp or extravagance of Haven's Glow. Overlooking a lake and with a small waterfall cascading down the lower side of the villa, it was situated on an isolated part of a luxury moon with full windows facing three small pale green stars.

BT-78 had no sooner unlocked the doors then the droid took up a position in the foyer and shut itself down. Alone again, Ezra wandered from room to room curiously. Instead of lavish wallpaper and ornaments placed in every nook and cranny, there were simple and elegant pieces of furniture in tones of sky blue and cream. Minimalistic watercolor paintings hung on the walls. Wide windows granted a generous view of the nighttime lake that rippled and mirrored the trio of stars. A tiny well-groomed hothouse garden revealed a flash of bright green from across the lawn.

It was altogether a pleasant place, if not so far away from everything else. Ezra wondered if the Jedi would have lived in such a similar environment or approved of Sparr's tastes.

He picked up the data pad that had been lying on a table as Sparr instructed and began going around the entertainment room. It was more difficult than he had expected; cataloging fine art was better suited to Tamar and he accepted that fact. Nevertheless, he painstakingly took holographic photos of each piece of art and entered their information in the data pad.

After several hours of work, Ezra trekked into the kitchens for a much-deserved break. Bowls of fruit were displayed upon the counter-tops and when he pushed a button, several cooling containers popped open to reveal a variety of alcoholic beverages. Ezra wondered if the baron entertained here often but the house was so tidy, it was hard to believe that anyone resided there. Then again, his droid must do an excellent job of keeping house. He extracted a bottle of meiloorun juice and sipped the sweet icy drink slowly. Then he wandered down the hallway to see if there was any more work to be done.

A flash of bright color caught his eye and Ezra pushed the sliding door all the way. He almost dropped his bottle when he realized that he had stumbled across a bedroom. Unlike the muted tones of the rest of the house, this one boasted a black marbled floor flecked with gold. The bed was monstrous, even bigger than his one at Haven's Glow, and lined with deep-red sheets and gold pillows.

In one corner of the room was a pile of ornate cushions heaped onto the floor and covered with a white gauzy curtain. A free-standing circular fireplace burned and crackled away in another corner.

"Why is there a fire going if no one else is here?" Ezra thought. He suddenly felt awkward having stumbled across this intimate room and instantly shut the door. He quickly made his way back to the main room when he eye caught something intriguing: Baron Sparr's work desk.

The temptation to investigate was too much. Setting aside his data pad and the juice bottle, Ezra carefully approached the desk and pulled up the central computer system. Several words hovered in the air above the screen:

PASSWORD REQUESTED

"Okay, you can do this," he muttered to himself. "Just like Kanan taught you."

He had done something similar in the past, when Kanan taught him how to use the Force to scroll through a list of anonymous prison records. But the trick now would be to scroll through random passwords until he found the right one—without getting caught. Simple enough for a padawan, right?

Extending a hand above the screen, Ezra allowed his eyes to close and the strength of the Force to grow within himself. His eyelids fluttered restlessly as millions of passwords flashed across the screen. The clicking sounds accelerating into a single buzzing note of data streaming at light-speed from at Ezra's fingertips.

PASSWORD ACCEPTED

"Yes!" He opened his eyes just as the computer beeped twice. Dozens of data files appeared in front of him, causing Ezra to nearly reel in shock. There was almost too much information to handle all by himself. But without Kanan or Tamar, he would have to push forward with all of his might.

Most of the data was payment records, stock tradings, and balance accounts. It was enough to put Ezra to sleep (or keep Tamar awake) but he sifted through the files, motivating himself to continue searching until he found something worthwhile-and he did.

One flow chart showed a summary of Baron Sparr's financial wealth. The numbers extended into six months from the current date, predicting the price of mertis-lun to go crashing down while various precious metals and credits would gradually increase in the same amount of time.

Ezra's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You've been planning something, haven't you Sparr? What do you know that we don't?" He inserted his empty data chip into the computer and carefully copied everything from the flow chart. Then he found an audio file and turned it on. What was playing was even more bewildering.

"A thousand tears shed from my eyes from the recent loss that Alderaan has endured." Baron Sparr's voice was deep and empathetic from the speakers. "Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am from hearing this terrible tragedy that has befallen your beautiful world. Rest assured, I will provide the people of Alderaan with all of the weapons and resources that you require in order to restore justice."

The audio file shut off. Ezra stood in place, trying to grasp what he had just heard.

Baron Sparr was somehow involved in the recent attacks near Alderaan. He was planning on losing some of his wealth and was going to compensate by investing into other wealth. And Alderaan was going to suffer somehow from his, and the Lightning Squad's, actions. Was he building a bomb? Sending in pirates?

"Intruder detected."

BT-78 had swiftly appeared at the door, one arm aimed at Ezra's head. The droid's calm green eyes had flashed to red.

"Uh-oh". Ezra ducked behind the desk just as a charge of electrical energy lashed through the air. The padawan saw an opening at a window on the other side of the room and with a surge of energy, ducked out of hiding and raced towards it.

He had anticipated a blaster or sonic cannon built into the droid's arm and was ready to dodge from the blows. But Ezra had never seen a Zygerrian slave whip before and now it lashed out at him with the speed of a snake. Crackling with golden light, the whip wrapped itself around Ezra's neck three times before he could even grab onto it. The droid gave a jerk, sending a surge of electricity through the whip and into Ezra's body.

Lighting pierced his bones with excruciating pain. Ezra let out an agonizing scream, unable to defend himself as the electrical charge caused his limbs to writhe in agony.

The droid gave another jerk and Ezra's limp body collapsed onto the carpet. The padawan released a tiny moan of regret and then his eyes closed, succumbing to oblivion. From the shadows, someone pressed a button on a remote. BT-78 replaced the whip in a designated compartment and stood aside, red eyes switching to black as he powered down.

The doors opened and nimble feet stepped carefully across the floor, stopping at Ezra's head.

"Really, mon cher. We must get you into a more comfortable position."