Maldecka stared at the toddlers. The three toddlers, new initiates for the Jedi, stared right back. Maldecka crossed her arms and turned to the front again. She was almost eight now. She shouldn't be bothered by little kids looking at her.

Maldecka had been allowed to come along to see what a "fetch mission" was like. All the initiates at her level had. Knight Nettesh had been delighted when she was assigned Maldecka for this mission. Picking up the new initiates had been harder than Maldecka expected. Nettesh explained that it's hard for little kids to be separated from their families. Each of the kids they were picking up were very strong in the force, and Nettesh only laughed when Maldecka asked why they followed her around like ducklings. Now they were waiting in the space port while Nettesh sorted out paying for the spot where they left their ship. Maldecka felt very important at being trusted with the protection of these new Jedi while Nettesh went to the counter.

Maldecka scanned the crowd again, it was still just families and businessmen. Maldecka glanced over her shoulder, all three initiates were still looking at her, sitting in the corner where Nettesh directed them. Then why did Maldecka feel dread in the pit of her stomach?

"MALLY!"

Maldecka turned to the front, startled. No one had called her that since..."Kally?"

Kally sprinted up and hugged Maldecka. When Maldecka didn't hug back Kally let go, "Mally? Don't you remember me?"

Maldecka did remember. She remembered being manipulated. She remembered being left in a cooler with a shelf on top of her. She also remembered the relief of having a friend stand up for her when she was struggling with Basic on her second day at the temple.

Maldecka let a small smile grace her features, "I remember Kally. What are you doing here?"

Kally grinned, "My Dad's trying to get a casino set up here on Coruscant. I'd think three casinos on Nar Shaddar would be enough, but I guess not. He said if the Jedi can't appreciate me, then the Kings of the business world would. So, I'm here to continue learning the family business." By the end of this, Kally was striking a pose that made her expensive robes flare just right.

Maldecka could feel three sets of eyes pinned to the back of her head, "I'm glad you've found your calling."

Kally glanced at Maldecka, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're not happy to see me."

Maldecka shrugged, she had long ago dismissed Kally from her list of close friends, "I just didn't expect it. Can you blame me?"

Kally grinned, "Nope! I'm pretty surprising like that." A smug grin settled onto Kally's face, "Well I see you're still wearing those sad plain uniforms the Jedi forced on us, and no lightsaber yet. But what's this?"

Maldecka didn't like the gleam in Kally's eyes one bit.

Kally reached forward and picked the pendant off of Maldecka's chest before she could react. Kally stepped right into Maldecka's personal space, examining the pendant with interest, "Did you get a boyfriend while I was gone?"

Kally flipped the pendant over again, running her fingers over it. Maldecka resisted the urge to snatch it back and instead gently removed Kally's hand, "No, it was my challenge token from my sixth birthday."

Kally glanced back at the pendant, "Oh, so it was a gift. Do all the initiates get one? I've never seen a pendant quite like it."

Maldecka could feel the three initiates pressing into her back, something was bothering them. Maldecka swung her eyes over the crowd as she answered, "It's one of a kind." Maldecka couldn't sense anything, but something was really bothering the new initiates, they were whimpering.

Kally wasn't blind. She had known Maldecka's destiny the first time she had laid eyes on her. The Force just whispered such things to her all the time. That's why she had wanted to be friends with Maldecka. She had hoped Maldecka could change what Kally saw in the mirror.

Maldecka was carefully watching someone over Kally's shoulder, "Kally.."

"Ah, there you are Kallethamor. Who are you talking too?"

Maldecka didn't like the man who had walked up behind Kally. She didn't like the way the initiates responded to him, and she REALLY didn't like the way Kally flinched.

Maldecka stepped forward to get between Kally and the man, "My name is Maldecka. I am a Jedi of the Republic."

The man's eyebrows rose, "So you're Mally."

Maldecka growled, "My name is Maldecka. It is in your interest to learn it and move along."

The man smiled, but it was cold, calculating and unpleasant, "Very well Maldecka. We will meet in the future. Come Kallethamor."

Kally looked small and timid beside the man, but she followed, "Yes Father." Timidly she waved over her shoulder, "Bye Mally."

Maldecka felt something shift in the force. She wanted to go and help Kally but she couldn't. The initiates were all clinging to her at this point, but they had stopped whimpering.

Maldecka had no choice but to stay put and keep guard.

Many years later, with twin sabers in her hands Maldecka stood on the top of a casino on Nar Shaddar.

The man trying to crawl away snarled back, face twisted by the dark side. He glanced to a point behind Maldecka, "Now Kallethamor, strike her down!"

Kally stepped forward, rain hissing onto the red saber her father had trained her to use. Glancing between the two, Kally chose.