A/N: Thank you to all you have reviewed and favorite the story. But this doesn't mean I'm almost done with the story. Ari still has more adventures to take.

Chapter 10:

Mos Espa appeared in the distance as the second sun rose. Ari was anxious. The big Swoop race was in two days! But it made her sad at the same time. After the race, she would let the team know of her resignation. She would stick around long enough to see the power shift over to the new leader, say her good byes and leave the planet. She cringed at the thought of saying good bye to Fang, Dak and Aurora. The four of them were good friends, even when they were with the Black Krayts. Fang had been the first person she had completely trusted since Jacobi's death. Aurora was someone Ari could talk to about girl things, and Dak, well, Dak was just a good friend.

Ari had stopped once they were in front on The Drunken Dragon. She hopped off her bike and walked over to Luke.

"What did you decide?" He asked

"I'm going to complete my training, but under one condition. I stay here until the swoop race is over and a new leader is decided for the Rogue Riders." Ari said.

Luke just smiled. "I think that will be acceptable. How long will the change of power take?"

Ari thought for a moment. Most changes of power took weeks to complete, but, under most circumstances, the former leader had died. Since Ari wasn't planning on dying anytime soon, the process should be much quicker. "About three days. And the race is in two days, so, it'll be about a week before I can leave."

Luke thought for a second and replied "Fine, I shall return in a week. Until then, Han and I must return home." Luke bowed and then handed Ari a small pouch. "Payment for your services."

"Thanks." Ari bowed back. She remembered Kota's teachings on the ways of the Jedi. If she was truly going to become one, she should start acting like one.

Han walked up to Ari next. "Well kid, I guess I'll be seeing you around. Take care of yourself and don't let the droid kill you." Han extended his hand.

Ari shook it and said "PROXY won't kill me. His primary programming has been damaged. Besides, that's the first thing I'm going to fix."

With that Han and Luke left, leaving Ari and a deactivated PROXY outside the cantina. Ari sighed and weighted the pouch Luke gave her in her hand. There had to be at least 200 credits in the pouch. That was enough to buy a nice swoop bike! Or parts to restore 3 old ones. She hooked the bikes Han and Luke had used to hers and took off through the city. She stopped when she reached the shop the Rogue Riders called their base. She walked in and was engulfed in a sea of red, sand filled fur.

"Thank the Maker, you made it. We were afraid that we wouldn't be able to compete in the race!" Fang said. He released Ari who was gasping for air.

"Thanks…Fang. I…missed…you…too." She braced herself on the door way and caught her breath. "Did Christophe make it back ok?"

"Yeah. Dak's going to be ok. Doc said the blood made the wounds look worse. He should be fine for the race." Fang said

Behind Fang, a young woman walked out. She had snow white hair, a slight frame, and bright sapphire eyes.

"Thank you so much, Ari. I don't know what I'd do without my little brother. I am forever in your debt." Her voice was soft and welcoming. She walked over to Ari and hugged her.

"Its fine, Aurora. You two have already done a lot to help me out." Ari smiled and hugged back.

In truth, they had done a lot for Ari over the past year and a half. When Jacobi died, she had no place to stay, so Aurora and Dak took her in. Fang was already living with them at the time.

"Ari, we consider you family. You and Fang." Aurora said as Fang tried to walk away, but Aurora hugged him too.

When Aurora released them, Ari composed herself. "We need to get ready for the races. Is the hauler set?" She turned to Fang

"Almost. Other than Dak's tools and obviously the racers, it's set." Fang said

"Good. I have the leaders meeting tomorrow night. That's when we'll get the list of who goes when."

"If you're done with me, I'm heading out back. We're working on perfecting our bikes. It's kinda tough without Dak here to help." Fang said edging towards the back door.

"I'm coming too. Black Shadow needs a little work before the race. I need to take something to the back room though. " She said, referring to her own swoop bike.

She walked outside and was taking PROXY to the back room where she first talked to Luke. Once he was safely secured, she walked out and followed Fang out the back door. They stepped outside into a large garage filled with swoop bikes and beings working on them. Loud music was playing, there was filth and grease everywhere. Rags were sticking out of back pockets, just as dirty as the hands that used them. A green Rodian looked up as Fang and Ari entered.

[Hey, Boss is back] he said waving a hand and speaking in Rodese.

"Hey, Chutta. Everything going ok?" Ari asked, inspecting his green and dark purple swoop bike.

[She's in perfect working condition. I'm just cleaning the repulsor.] Chutta said wiping his hands on a rag.

"Good. How about you, Talia?" Ari asked a Duro.

"Fine, just doing diagnostics." She replied without looking away from the beige and red bike.

Ari continued asking her teammates about their bikes. She had been gone almost a week, and before the first swoop race of the season. She needed to make sure everyone was fine and that the bikes were in perfect working condition. Finally, she came to her work area. A flat black swoop bike sat in the center. On the hood, was the Rogue Riders emblem, a teal Phoenix insignia. She shoved a rag in her back pocket, took off her outer tunic, leaving her in a short sleeved version, and started to inspect her bike. She got on her back and slid under her bike.

Three hours later, she got out from under her bike and walked to the front of the shop. Fang was sitting in the chair talking to a customer. She slipped to the back room and switched PROXY on.

"Master, I'd appreciate it if you didn't deactivate me again. I don't like not knowing what is going on. What if you need me for a fight?" the droid said standing up, looking for something

"I took your lightsaber. I didn't want something to happen to it. Besides, I said I'd fix you up right? I intend to keep my promise." Ari said pulling open PROXY's access panel.

"If you intend to repair me, shouldn't you do this in your workshop?"

"This is my workshop. Well, it's the only place I can get any privacy."

Ari walked over to her desk and grabbed her datapad. She made a list of the parts she needed. She started stroking her left hand and realized it was still injured.

"Master, are you going to repair your hand? I'm sure there is somebody on this planet that can repair it." PROXY said, watching her every move.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I don't think it's broken, just fractured. I can move it, so I know it's not broken. I can feel the spot where it's fractured. I'll but a wrap on it later. There are more important things to worry about now." She said, inattentively. Her face turned into a frown as her rubbed the spot where it was fractured.

"Master, we are going to repair your hand now." PROXY grabbed the medkit sitting on the desk and pulled out a bacta wrap. He wrapped it around Ari's hand, much to her displeasure. She winced as PROXY tightened the wrap.

"There, it's should hold for awhile."

"Thanks." Ari muttered

She walked over to a cabinet and opened the doors. An avalanche of parts fell out, creating a sea of junk on the floor.

[Well, I guess you need to clean your office out.] Chutta laughed, walking into the office.

"Aren't you the funny guy?" Ari frostily said. "What do you need?"

Chutta gulped. They knew when Ari was not to be disturbed. She knew they were uneasy because of her Force powers. [Aurora had lunch ready. And that Dak is being released later today.]

Ari relaxed when she realized Chutta was terrified.

"Relax Chutta; I'm not going to use my Force powers. I didn't expect my office to suddenly become covered in junk. Tell Aurora I'll be out in a minute. I want to finish up fixing what I can on PROXY." She gestured to the droid.

[Ah, so this is the famous PROXY. I'm glad to make your acquaintance. I am Chutta Hobar.] The Rodian extended his grimy hand to shake PROXY's mechanical one.

"A...pleasure to meet you, Chutta."

To Ari's surprise, he shook Chutta's hand. Once Chutta left, she spoke to the droid.

"Wow, I figured you wouldn't acknowledge him. Something major must have been reprogrammed. I'll have to leave that alone." Sarcasm was evident in her voice.

"I would appreciate if that was the first thing you fixed. And you've told other beings about me?"

"Yes. There were some people who saw you leave. It was kinda noticeable."

"I apologize, Master. I do not know what came over me. I don't know what happened."

Ari just smiled and got to work. She deactivated PROXY and started to remove the plating protecting is inner wires and circuits. She took out the wires that started to corrode, replacing them as she went. Next she replaced the plating. Luckily she had lots of scrap pieces of Mandalorian iron, one of the few materials that could with stand a blow from a lightsaber. Finally, she removed his memory core. She attached it to her datapad and started the long and strenuous process of reprogramming the droid.

Ari looked up when she heard a sharp knock on her door. She placed the datapad and memory core on the desk and answered the door. On the other side of the door was Fang. He had a tray of food in his hands.

"I said I'd be out when I was done with PROXY." Ari said confused

"Ari that was an hour and a half ago. You've been in here for a while." He put the tray on her desk.

"Thanks. I didn't realized I been in here that long."

"What have you been doing this whole time? I doubt replacing a few parts was that hard." Fang questioned.

"I was reprogramming PROXY. I needed to erase his primary programming."

"Why? And how did you find him? I thought he had disappeared into the desert." He cocked his head.

"He ambushed us in the temple. That's when I broke my hand. His primary programming was to try to kill my father. But something happened and he thought I was my father. So he tried to kill me. I used the Force and part of the temple came down on us. I couldn't leave him there. I brought him back with me. I was working on erasing that programming and replace it with a new one."

Fang was silent. Ari could see he was thinking about what she had told him. Fang was like her big brother, he was very protective of her. It was a Razor trait to be protective of their friends.

"Are you sure you changed the programming?" He finally said.

"Yes. I'm trying to think of what to replace that programming with."

"You're not telling me something. Something big."

Ari gulped. Razors could also tell when something was up. She didn't plan on telling the team of her resignation until after the race. But Fang wouldn't let her go until she told him what the big something was.

"I'm going to make an announcement after the race." Ari said quickly

"Fine." He huffed. "I've got to go back to the garage. I'm kinda replacing Dak right now."

"I'll be out in a little bit. I want to finish the reprogramming."

Fang nodded and walked out. Ari sat back down at her desk. She grabbed the datapad and continued her earlier work.

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