Chapter Eleven

So, there was Chae, yet again hiding out at Dexter's apartment. She remembered the last time she'd had to stay there when she had been thrown out of the Jedi Order. Not that she hadn't liked it there but Chae had preferred life at the Temple. At least, up until her father had died and the council had begun treating her more strangely than usual.

It made her so angry that the Council actually believed she was capable of murder and were so willing to hand her over to the authorities despite protests from Obi-Wan, Asia and Asia's former Master, Zorro.

Chae stood in silence, looking out of the window overlooking the great city planet. The sun was setting and soon she would be on a ship travelling far away from Coruscant, not likely to ever return again. With the help of Asia's family, Chae had been able to get together a small amount of clothes and other essentials for herself and her daughter, Fyre. When she had be given the chance, Chae had gotten Fyre to her hideout and let her decide if she wanted to come with her or stay in the care of Asia's family. Fyre hadn't needed to think about it, she wanted to leave with her mother.

The decision had been made to go to Mannan and from there Chae would decide where to go from there to make their permanent base. For some odd reason, Nar Shadda was looking very attractive. It was a good place to go to if you wanted to disappear.

Chae didn't turn around to see who it was that had entered the apartment, when the door opened, as she knew it would be Obi-Wan and Asia coming to fetch her. "Yes I'm ready," she stated before either of them asked. They both stayed silent – they understood. Now wasn't the time for words. They all knew what was at stake. If Chae didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to, as soon the authorities would find her and she would face imprisonment again and, probably, death eventually if Palpatine got his way.

Using caution, the shadows and the Force, they made their way as quickly as possible to the meeting point they had arranged with Asia's pilot friend, Tom Antilles. Asia knew she now owed Tom big time. I'll find a way to repay him Asia thought to herself.

Asia was so deep in thought about it that she very nearly crashed into the back of Obi-Wan at the entrance of the hanger. Asia came back to her senses and was about to tell Obi-Wan off for stopping suddenly when it dawned on her what was happening. Yoda and Plo Koon were by the ramp of Tom Antilles' ship, onviously quizzing Tom about what was going on.

"Dammit", Chae hissed under her breath. She spun round to face Obi-Wan. "What now?"

"I honestly don't think we have much choice, we have to face them", Obi-Wan replied and stepped out into the hanger, Chae and Asia in his wake.

"Ah, there you are, worried we were" Yoda said when he saw the three Jedi approach.

"Going somewhere Padawan?" Plo Koon asked. Even though she had been a knight for a number of years, Plo Koon had continued to use the term in an affectionate way. Chae found she actually didn't mind.

Moving in front of Obi-Wan, Chae drew herself up to her full height. "I feel I've been given no choice in the matter. I've been accused of a crime that I didn't commit and you both know, as well as I do, that the Supreme Chancellor will have me executed if he gets his own way".

Plo Koon went to protest but Chae stopped him with a gesture of her hand. "Please, master, don't try to change my mind. I'm leaving and you won't stop me."

"So sure are you?" Yoda asked. It was a question rather than a challenge and they all knew that he was asking if she was sure about running, not whether she would actually take on two masters. But deep down, they all knew Chae would resort to it if forced to.

Kneeling down to Yoda's eye leave, Chae looked him directly in the eye. "Yes, I must do this. I'm not safe here, nor is my daughter. You know what will happen if I stay here."

Yoda nodded and Chae breathed a sign of relief. He understood and wasn't going to stop her. "Best get going, you should. Sense guards are on their way for you. Plo Koon and I will delay them, we will".

Chae smiled and stood. "Thank you Master Yoda. I won't ever forget this."

"Hurry now Chae, there isn't much time" Obi-Wan urged as Yoda and Plo Koon left the hanger.

Turning to him, Chae flung her arms around his neck and tried desperately not to cry. She never wanted them to part like this. She never wanted them to part EVER! But she was being forced to run away, under a cloud of false accusation.

Her eyes were sad when she finally pulled away and looked at him, her hands still on his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. I wish things could've been different."

"If only we'd met in a different life, we could've been together without having to worry about what everyone else thought," he said sadly.

Stepping back Chae hugged Asia. "Stay safe, dear sister," Asia said. "When you get sorted, you get a message to me and I'll come see you. Promise?"

Smiling, Chae agreed. "Yes I promise."

With one final look at the only two people that had ever stood by her and believed her, Chae made her way up the ship's ramp. Tom Antilles was waiting in the cockpit. "Ready?" Chae's daughter, Fyre, was already strapped into her seat.

Chae nodded as she strapped herself into her seat. "Yes, get going. Apparently senate guards are on their way. We don't want to be hanging around."

With that Tom got the ship fired up and the ship slowly raised and left the hanger, shooting off across the city planet sky. Chae watched the cityscape get smaller and smaller as they climbed higher into the sky. Tears slowly crept their way down Chae's cheeks. That was it, she was leaving the only planet she had ever really called home, heading into an unknown and uncertain future.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine saw the ship carrying Chae disappear off into space. He frowned.

Fine, go ahead, you run. I'll let you have the head start but I'll find you one day and I'll kill you myself if I have to.

THE END