Chapter 10: Ready, Aim, Fire Part 1: An'ya Kuro

"You, Christian!" Dooku shouted. "Halt in the name of the Emperor!"

An'ya sped away from several of Dooku's guards as they pursued her. She looked up and noticed a statue. Seeing gray paint on the ground, An'ya quickly rubbed it all over herself and stood by the statue to make it seem like she was part of it. When Dooku investigated, An'ya stepped on Dooku's head, knocking him down, as she rushed off.

"After her!" Dooku shouted.

()()()()()

At the mansion, Han and Mara were up a tree wearing leaves to blend in as A'Sharad observed them.

"I love climbing trees, but I never thought I'd be one." Mara said.

"You missed a spot, Mara." Han said with a smirk as he plucked a leaf from the tree and put it on Mara's mouth.

"Han, any sign of the courier?" A'Sharad asked.

"Not yet." Han said plainly.

"Well keep looking." A'Sharad said plainly. "And fix your camouflage. I can still see you."

A'Sharad then turned to Luke, who had grown a few inches.

"Luke, why aren't you in position?!" A'Sharad snapped at Luke as he rushed to the opposite sight of his position with bows and arrows.

"I'm going!" Luke groaned. "Don't get your robes in a bunch!"

"How am I supposed to work with a bunch of amateurs like this?!" A'Sharad asked Obi-Wan, Siri, and Leia angrily.

"What's wrong with A'Sharad, Obi-Wan?" Leia asked. A'Sharad seemed a lot snippier than usual.

"Well Leia, the courier we're waiting for is A'Sharad's mentor, An'ya." Obi-Wan explained.

"She's a freedom fighter, and a Story Keeper for Tython, and A'Sharad wants to make a good impression." Siri explained.

"Here she comes!" Mara shouted from the tree.

"Positions everybody!" A'Sharad said at once as everyone prepared to defend themselves and An'ya.

An'ya, a white haired woman with blue eyes, rushed to their position, chased by several guards.

"She's not gonna make it!" Han exclaimed.

"I'll activate the emergency barricade!" A'Sharad shouted as he fired an arrow at a bundle of barrels, but he instead hit a wall.

Working quickly, Obi-Wan fired his own arrow and cut the rope himself, releasing several barrels that blocked the soldiers' path.

"You Christians can't escape the Emperor's justice forever!" Dooku shouted as he slipped and fell while the others hid.

()()()()()

Inside the farm, Obi-Wan hugged his old friend, An'ya.

"An'ya." Obi-Wan said with a smile.

"We're so glad to have you with us." Siri said happily.

"Not as glad as I am, Siri." An'ya said, catching her breath after her extended chase. "For a moment there, I didn't think I'd make it. Now, where's that former student of mine?"

Obi-Wan went to check and found A'Sharad firing arrows at a sand bag with a bulls-eye on it.

"A'Sharad, don't you wanna see An'ya?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I can't believe I missed that shot." A'Sharad groaned. "She's going to be so disappointed."

"Everyone misses a shot now and then." Obi-Wan points out.

"You don't understand, Obi-Wan." A'Sharad sighed. "An'ya and my father were the best leaders the Tython Resistance ever had. They'd never have missed."

"There you are!" An'ya called out as she came over to them with Leia. "A'Sharad!"

"Master An'ya, watch this!" A'Sharad shouted as she hit a tree. "I don't understand!" A'Sharad said angrily. "This never happens!"

"Well, you hit the mark when it counted." An'ya said comfortingly. "You saved my butt back there."

"I thought Obi-Wan hit the tar-" Leia began to say before Obi-Wan quickly covered her mouth.

An'ya then looked A'Sharad over and smiled.

"You are the image of your father, God rest his soul." An'ya said, and Obi-Wan had to agree with her. "I also bet you're every bit the leader he was too. That reminds me, I have something for you."

An'ya reached into her pouch and held up a necklace with the symbol of the Jedi on it.

"Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough." An'ya said. "The shield of the Jedi."

A'Sharad put the necklace on.

"Thanks Master An'ya." A'Sharad said with a smile. "I promise I'll be worthy of it."

"Master Kuro did you and A'Sharad's dad really lead an uprising on Naboo?" Han asked as he suddenly popped up.

"Did you really defeat an entire garrison of Palpatine's troops?" Mara asked as well.

"Tell us about the freedom fights on Tython!" Luke called out.

"That's enough!" A'Sharad snapped. "Master An'ya doesn't have time to entertain a bunch of children!"

"Well of course I do." An'ya said with a smile at Obi-Wan's young charges. "A'Sharad, you remember the way Jesus said we should treat children?"

"What?" Leia asked. "What did he say?"

"Well Leia," An'ya said as she sat down and let the kids gather around her. "One day, Jesus and his disciples were on the way to Alderaan. It had been a long, hard journey. The disciples had become irritable and were quarreling with one another.

"During a stop and meal at a welcoming house, Jesus asked, 'What were you arguing about earlier?'

"As it turned out, they had been arguing about which one of them was the most important.

"In response to this, Jesus picked up a young boy that giggled, and Jesus said, 'I have already told you that my kingdom belongs to people who are like this child.'

"The disciples knew how important children were to Jesus because of something that had happened on another occasion. Jesus was teaching as the disciples tried to keep the children out.

"Noticing this, Jesus said, 'Let the boys and girls come to me. Don't stop them. Anyone who does not accept God's kingdom like a little boy or girl will not get inside.'

"So you see, A'Sharad, Jesus holds children in very high regards."

"As do I, Master." A'Sharad said grandly. "What good is a leader without followers? Alright everyone, break time's over. Attention!"

All the children stood erect.

"It's time to show Master An'ya how efficiently we can set up for tonight's meeting. Move out!"

All the children walked off.

"You know An'ya, I think Obi-Wan might have missed the point of your story." Obi-Wan observed as A'Sharad ordered the children around like an army sergeant.

"I think you're right." An'ya said plainly.

()()()()()

At Palpatine's palace, he was observing a model of Coruscant as Galen watched in silent disgust.

"Now let's see…" Palpatine pondered. "Where shall I build my new Pantheon? Try to the south, Ameda!"

Ameda picked up the model of the pantheon and walked off as Dooku arrived.

"Hail, Emperor!" Dooku called out.

"Ah, Dooku." Palpatine said offhandedly. "I understand you lost another Christian courier in the market district."

"Emperor," Dooku defended. "The district is riddled with secret passages and tunnels. It's impossible to accurately patrol… So what if we burned it to the ground?"

"Hm…" Palpatine observed. "That would provide a perfect spot for my pantheon. Don't just stand there, Ameda!"

"But Emperor, a fire in the market district could kill hundreds of people!" Galen protested.

"Wonderful." Palpatine said with a wicked grin, which after becoming a Christian, Galen noticed more and more. "Dooku, have you a plan?"

"As a matter of fact," Dooku said as he held up the model of a huge canon. "I call it, The Wrath of Palpatine."

"Impressive." Palpatine observed as he put a small charge in there and fired at the model of the market district, setting half the thing ablaze. "Most impressive."

Galen quietly slid over to a servant friend of his, Rahm Kota and knelt down low to avoid being heard.

"You must get word to Obi-Wan." Galen whispered. "He's holding a meeting tonight in the market district. I'll do what I can to stall Dooku, now go."

Rahm nodded and sneaked off, Palpatine absorbed in the simulation of the market district burning to the ground. Palpatine sickened him to his very core these days.

Uh-oh. It's never good when Palpatine's happy.