Chapter 9 – Home

"So, you have to go?"

"Aye.  The Empire knows we're here.  The sooner we all get moving – you included little brother – the better."

Colin stood awkwardly a few feet away.  Gone was her father's incarnation.  Instead, before her stood an uncertain and off-center young man.  "There's so much I wanted to ask you about the last ten years…  You're not coming back, are you?"

Jalien closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Voices murmured several yards away as Sturrick and the others planned their route through the city.  Suddenly, Duncan grinned in her mind and she could almost feel his breathe in her ear.

"No, Colin."  She opened her eyes.  "Not if I can help it.  My life is out there.  It always has been."

He nodded, eyes sad.

"But," she stepped forward and wrapped her right arm around his neck, "that doesn't mean I'll forget you this time."

He stood in shock, the wrapped his arms around her middle and held on tight.  "This has got to be the shortest family reunion in history."

She chuckled.  "Hey, I never do things by halves, little brother."

He loosened his grip and stepped back.  "Apparently.  There's still so much I want to know – how you live, the people you've met, the things you've done…"

"Well, I'm pretty crappy at letter writing, but for you I'll give it a try.  As long as you don't mind hearing about the dregs of society."

A corner of his mouth quirked.  "Father would have a fit."

"Yes, he would."  She grinned wickedly.  "What about you?"

"Well, if I'm going to drag Dagentia into the galaxy, guess I better have some idea what's out there."

"Keep in mind, not everyone is a thief or murderer.  Just most of the people I know."

He shook his head.  "Now you better send me those letters."

"Colin," the laugher faded slightly from her eyes.  "Why did you send for me?  Why base your decision on me?  While you're unconventional, brother, I'm still kin-wrecked.   That was a bold move, even for you."

"You know the universe as it truly exists, Jale.  Not just the universe we think we rule on this planet; or the universe those who want to woo us painted.  I knew if you would talk with me, you'd give me the truth as you see it.  You never backed down from your believes before, no matter what Father did to you.  But," he frowned, "I didn't send for you."

"Huh?"

"I didn't know you were here until five minutes before walking in that room."

"Rygan."  She rubbed her eyes, then swore at the make-up smeared on her fingertips.  "Your aulend found me in a bar, and shamelessly used your name to get into the Council Hall.  I thought you called me; otherwise I never would have stepped foot in that place."

"Rygan."  Colin shook his head bemusedly.  "I guess aulend really do know what's best for their Sheche."

"Just don't tell him that.  The man has enough arrogance now."

"C'tra!"  Sturrick bellowed across the room.  "Get a move on."

"Shaddup!" she bellowed back.  Then looked at Colin for a moment.  Ah, what the hell… 

"Here."  She opened a pouch on her belt and removed several squished scarves.  Letting a couple flutter to the ground, she carefully peeled back the folds of the third.  Within the material a burnished gold stone gleamed dully.

"What is it?"

"Pick it up."

Colin complies and then nearly dropped it as brilliant colors blossomed across the surface. 

"Lords," he breathed.

Jalien smiled.  "It's called a sun stone.  It reacts to direct, physical touch.  The natives who mine them swear the stones read your emotions."

"Where did you get this?"  His eyes never left the stone.

"Oh, I liberated it from a business acquaintance.  It's yours."

His eyes flew to hers.  "Mine?  But, this must be worth a small fortune."

"Yup.  And you better take it before I wake up and realize what I'm doing.  I don't part with my money often.  If you touch it with the silk, it won't react."

"Amazing."  Reluctantly, he dropped the stone back into the scarf and watched the colors fade.

"Jalien!"

"I said, shaddup!  Men," she grumbled.  She raised a hand to Colin's cheek.   "You've got Father's strength.  Use it well.  And, don't get shot before you figure out which end to fire a blaster rifle."  She winked.

"You too sister."  He hugged her again.  "I'm counting on that letter."

"You got it."  She turned to find Sturrick and Ebren already gone with Chedakki lingering near the door.

"What," she huffed as she approached him, "he couldn't wait another lousy five minutes?"

Chedakki shrugged.  "You know 'rick."

Muttering theories as to the bounty hunter's birthrights, sexual preferences and taste in clothing, she followed him through the door.

"Dammit!" Jalien yelped as a bolt scorched the crate next to her.  "Once – just once – I'd like to walk through a city without dodging blaster fire."  She targeted another white body and squeezed the trigger.  The storm-trooper reeled back, but stayed upright.

A pair of storm-troopers had attempted to question the four of them on their way back to the spaceport.  Ebren had first tried to bluff by them, and it almost worked.  Until one of them connected Jalien to the debacle at the Council Hall.  Sturrick and Chedakki made quick work of the pair while Ebren gapped:  first, in amazement at the ease the two took care of the opposition; then, in revulsion, as the three looted the bodies of credits, blaster rifles, a medikit and extra ammo.  Sturrick caught the look and shoved a blaster rifle at him.

"The Rebellion doesn't exactly pay well."

"And you take what you can get, when you get it."  Jalien plucked the rifle out of the Dagentian's hands and tossed him her blaster pistol.  "Unless you've been secretly practicing, I have a better chance of doing any damage with this than you.  Oh, and dibs on the medikit."

"We may need that.  We're not to the ship yet."

"And I'm not at full speed."  She gestured to her arm.

Sturrick rolled his eyes.  "It's a flesh wound."

"Okay, fine.  Do you want me conscious or not to fly your ass off this planet.  Cuz, leave me in this condition and the next fire fight will probably knock me out."

"After all, look at her track record."

She glared at Chedakki.  "I did not ask for your help."

He grinned back.

Sturrick rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  "Very true.  Very true."

"Hey!"

Jalien winced as she dodged another, particularly close, bolt.  She hadn't been hit yet, but there had been more than a couple of close calls.  They completed the rest of the trip through the city uneventfully. However, the five storm-troopers waiting at the entrance to their docking berth quickly changed that.  Two of the Imperials were down already and she was certain a third was hurt pretty badly.  But, the last two were putting up one hell of a fight.

Ebren huddled behind another crate across from her.  Sturrick was slightly in front of them, in the open but prone.  While more exposed, he was also doing the most damage to their enemies.  Chedakki caught her eyes from his position beside Ebren and shook his head.  The young Jedi was trying, but he just didn't have the angle to do any good.

He jerked his chin in Sturrick's direction.  Jalien nodded.  Bursting out from behind the cover, he dodged fire and flung himself down next to Sturrick.  Jalien rolled out from behind her own crate to provide cover fire.  Finally, Number 3 and 4 buckled.  Number 5 managed to hit Sturrick once before collapsing as all three rebels targeted him.

Jalien hauled Ebren out from behind his crate while Sturrick (bitching about his wounded side) and Chedakki moved to the downed troopers.

"Hey!  Save one for me, dammit!"

"Why should we C'tra?  Not like you did anything major.  Sunnvabitch, that hurt!"  Sturrick complained after a twist wrenched his side.

"Aww, it's just a flesh wound," Jalien cooed.

"Shut up C'tra."

Chedakki rolled his eyes, then tossed a medikit to the bounty hunter.  "Here.  I found another one."

"Cool."  Sturrick snagged it out of the air.  Proof that his wound isn't all that serious, Jalien thought and rolled her own eyes.

The three completed the usual post-battle ritual in short order.  They shoved three extra blaster rifles into Ebren's arms, explaining what they don't use, they can still sell and finally moved to the Black Nebula.

"But, what about those men back there?"  Ebren sputtered.

Sturrick shrugged, then cursed again.  "They'll wake up or they won't."

Ebren stared at the burly blonde.  Jalien nearly giggled at the revulsion and confusion that chased across his face.

"Do you think we actually got those supplies the merchant promised?" she asked as she lowered the ramp to the freighter.

"We better."  Chedakki said.

"What?  Hell no, Chek."  Jalien shook her head

"Hell no, what Jale?"

"Hell no, we are not traipsing back through a city by now on high alert for us.  If the supplies ain't here, someone else will just have to come get them later."

"But, the Alliance needs those supplies.  You know that."

"How about we look in the cargo hold first?"  Sturrick asked irritably.  "And, move it, would ya?"  He pushed Ebren out of his way into the common room.

Chedakki sighed and moved back to the cargo area.  Jalien finally took pity on the Dagentian.  "Here," she pulled him to their general storage area.  "Put those in the weapons locker.  Then strap yourself in.   Taking off isn't going to be nearly as easy as getting here."

Ebren looked at her and for the first time Jalien was pretty sure he was looking at her, not his view of her.  "Do you think they'll have a Star Destroyer waiting for us?"

"Nah, probably not.  This is too small fry.  We'll probably just have to fly through a couple of cutters and maybe a squad of TIE fighters."  She shrugged and could feel the beginnings of a manic grin stretch her face.  "Although, the Destroyers are much more fun to dance around."

She winked at Ebren, who turned an even paler shade of gray and moved to the cockpit.  With a contented sigh, she settled into the pilot's chair.  Behind her she could hear the normal bickering from Chedakki and Sturrick as they manned the gun turrets.  Well, we must have the supplies if he isn't bitching at me about turning back.

Her fingers danced across the control panels, and she toggled the internal com.  "Prepare for take off gentlemen.  And strap in good.  This is going to be fast and nasty." 

Cutting the link before the usual taunting about crash landings could start, she felt the ship respond to her commands and rise from the dock. Adrenalin poured through her system, and the grin returned in full force.

This is what she was, what she was made for.  Dodging Imperials, fighting with friends and dancing on the edge of oblivion.  And, somewhere out there, the other half of her soul waited.

She was going home.