Chapter 9 - Wayward Path

The next morning, Daey awoke feeling refreshed. The wound was no longer ailing her yet evidence of its existence was still visible. Her White Ghost outfit had a hole in it now which didn't matter as she no longer wished to wear it. Time to find a new disguise, something simple that blended in with the locals. Easy enough.

She realised that it would be unwise for her to travel with her lightsabers but also unwise to leave herself unprotected. Placing the lightsabers in the hidden kitchen compartment with the old holorecordings, the girl silently promised the weapons that it was not a long term solution.

Her small blaster pistol was now her only weapon of choice. That and her hand-to-hand combat skills. She wasn't forsaking the force any longer, merely keeping it out of sight for as long as possible. Part of her earlier teachings taught that a Jedi does not rely on the force for everything - sometimes wit and diplomacy could win the battle.

It was time to do some recon and find out what the word on the street was and to assess just how dire the situation may or may not be. Talin said that news of a Jedi had spread and that bounty hunters had come looking. She had to make sure that those rumours were put to rest and hope they would leave. First stop, Mos Elsly.

As Daey was about to leave, she realised that she wasn't alone. Someone approached. She wanted to grab a lightsaber then remembered her situation. Blaster pistol in hand, she snuck outside to meet her unwelcomed visitor.

Sneaking around her supposedly hidden speeder was a lone figure. They were either brave or stupid to come knocking at her door. With the element of surprise on her side, she easily manoeuvred around and startled the man pointing her blaster at him. He was fast and had his blaster drawn at her in a flash. They stood staring at each other, blasters aimed–at a standoff.

"Talin! I should have guessed."

"Don't be so surprised cheeka."

"What do you want?" she asked cutting the small talk.

"Straight to the point," he replied considering his words. "I see you're feeling much better."

Neither lowered their blasters and the stalemate continued. Daey found it difficult to read Talin using the force and could not determine his intent. Instinct told her that if he wanted her dead, she'd be dead already and if he intended to turn her in for the bounty, he had ample chance to do that already. Still, she held firm in her stance.

"Fine," Talin said and put away his blaster. "See, there's no need for this. I don't think you will shoot me so how about we talk."

"Don't presume to know me."

"You won't shoot an unarmed man. It's in your code or what not."

"You assume too much. Talk."

For a moment there Talin flinched unsure of his over confidence. "All right, all right, put that thing away and we can talk."

Sensing no immediate danger, Daey lowered her blaster and inspected her vehicle. When she had first caught him by surprise, he was busy fiddling with something. He got nervous when she looked closer and found a tracking devise. So that was how he had found her.

"Start explaining, I grow tired of your games," she insisted while removing the devise. To add to her threat, she tossed it on the ground and promptly smashed it to pieces under her heavy boot.

"Look, I can help you," he said matter-of-factly. "You got hunters after you and I can help you disappear."

Daey wasn't convinced. "Firstly, what makes you think I have anyone after me? Secondly," she began, her stare was enough to stop him from interrupting her, "what makes you think I need any help, especially yours, and third, are we going to have an issue here?"

Talin liked this side of her, she was once again her strong confident self. He realised that his offer was a little lacking. He wasn't the kind of guy who needed to explain himself and was used to going it alone surviving in the outer reaches of what some called life.

"Like I said before, I used to be a bounty hunter but that's behind me now. So I know how they operate. Deny it all you want but we both know why they're here."

"So you're just offering your help out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Well, nothing is for nothing," he confessed yet again. "You see, I got my own troubles and I could use someone like you on my side. I help you with your problem, you help me with mine."

"I don't see how I could possibly help you," she said and climbed into her speeder ready to depart for the spaceport.

Talin hopped into the passenger seat, "well for starters, you can give me a lift into town. My speeder packed up a few miles back."

"I have no doubt that it has," she commented as they departed. "And I don't need your help."

"So you say cheeka, so you say."

Daey knew that for the time being, she needed to keep him close by. He did after all know her secret and therefore could not be trusted. If he was in trouble, he could be desperate and desperate people tend to do stupid things. For now, she would play his game and see where it may lead. After all, perhaps he was the solution to her problem. Perhaps, the force had guided him to her.

The mystery had to remain intact for just a while longer.