Juno lightly dozed at the commons area table in the rogue shadow. Her jacket had been draped over her chair in the cockpit. Her head was buried in her arms.
Proxy lively typed at the computer in the cockpit. He was searching for the whereabouts of the young jedi that had agreed to help the young apprentice. Nothing came up in the data base about her or anyone matching her description. The robot rubbed his chrome chin in puzzlement. Of course he hadn't heard her name. She was very smart not to give out her name in the first place.
"Juno...Juno come in."
Proxy casually arose and went over to the intercom in the console center between the captain's chair and the passenger chair.
"Master?"
Juno gasped softly as she pulled herself, hurriedly out from the table. The pilot jogged over to the cockpit entrance placing her hands on the door frame. Her bright blue eyes lit up at hearing the apprentice's voice.
"Proxy? Proxy, where's Juno?"
"I'm here," she spoke and the droid moved aside as she placed herself back in her seat. "I'm here," she repeated. "Did you find him?"
"Yeah, I found him. Prepare the ship for launch in case we need a quick getaway. We'll head back to the bar area in the city to find Kota."
"Eclipse out." The pilot sat down in her chair, rapidly pressing buttons and pulling a few levers.
"Its good to hear my master still alive. The stallion hasn't killed him yet," the droid delightedly voiced.
"I was wondering about why the stallion would want to do that," Juno shared.
"Oh, he's programmed to as a sith mount. Master manages to keep him at bay on that note."
The trio rounded the corner to see the white light of the outdoors pouring into the darkness. The stallion's nostrils flared in delight as he inhaled the outside air, noisily.
"He hasn't even been outside since I've last seen him. Who knows how many fights they've put him in."
"Well, he is still alive, isn't he?"
"Yes, but now I'm stuck with him," the apprentice grudgingly voiced.
"I thought you were happy to see him. He's very happy to see you."
The two partners stopped short of the hole itself. The jedi circled around rapidly, looking for something. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Slipping rubble echoed into the tunnel. The stallion nickered in unsureness, pressing against the young apprentice.
"Feer, its okay. Stay calm," the apprentice comforted the great stallion that had formerly been fearless even in the most dire circumstances. He reached over his left shoulder and patted the stallion's muzzle. It was the jedi that was putting him off.
The stallion had never been with him when he had confronted a jedi. The stallion had never had to fight one or be present with one either. Now he was and the stallion was rendered almost useless. Galen came to realize that the darkside had betrayed his mount. His fuel of anger and hate or rather his mount's was his pitfall. All sorts of questions arose in his mind about his current position. If the darkside was his ally, then why did it betray him by betraying his mount? Could it do the same to him? Why wasn't he fearful? Perhaps it was because Ferine was nothing more than an animal and he instinctively yeilded to his fear. Yes, that made sense.
"Jedi, the path is ready for your mount."
The jedi snapped out of his thoughts and clicked his tongue. His mount pricked his ears forward in response to the familiar sound. He intelligently observed the path that consisted of rock, rising up into the bright outside at an angle. He read it safe to traverse.
"Go!" the apprentice voiced sharply before his mount could decide otherwise.
The stallion felt a sharp slap on his hindquarters from his master and he was quick to elegantly navigate his way up the path that rose about 20 feet in the air. If he didn't comply, then he would be disciplined with a quick shock of force lightning. At least he didn't realize that the apprentice wouldn't dare use it while the jedi was around. As long as he respectfully feared it the apprentice was benefited by it.
The stallion circled outside, pacing excitedly, eagerly awaiting for his master to emerge from the black hole. The jedi exited first, then Galen. The stallion snorted in glee as his master walked over to him.
IS casually used the force to move the great metal door back over the black hole in the rock above the ground. The metal screamed as it sheared on the solid rock. Once it was secure in place the jedi was off in an instant, into the jungle growth.
"Proxy, I hear something at the ramp, can you go check it out for me. I have to stay here in case Starkiller calls in," the pilot stated softly.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied walking from the cockpit to the ramp.
It lowered to reveal the curious red eyes of a nexu standing at its mouth. The ramp gently touched the grass infested ground with a soft hiss. The nexu padded up it, into the commons area of the Rogue Shadow. The droid reached down and patted the nexu on the head while it inspected him briefly before it wondered away. The droid remained at the door, studying the jungle growth.
The relieved pilot leaned back in her seat and sighed. She stared out at the sky. She was relieved and happy that the apprentice had found his mount. It was nice to see him in optimism which was practically never. She figured he himself was relieved to no longer be under Vader's tutelage and oppression. The monster was not be trusted. He was not true to his word and Galen did not deserve to be deceived by him. She knew he was capable of truly caring. He had come back for her when Vader had told her he was dead. She closed her expressive, blue eyes.
A warm, soft, pleasant surface brushed up against her right hand. Her eyes opened and she turned to release and alarmed cry. It was answered by an alarmed hiss from a nexu that stared back at her with its ears drawn back. She composed herself, placing her hand on her breast. She pulled her hand away.
"Juno?"
The pilot looked to the doorway to see the young apprentice step through the doorway with concern in his eyes. Juno sighed in relief.
"Uhm, yes, I-I just got alarmed when I found out there was a large animal in here. I'm not use to it being here. So are we off to find Kota?" she asked in a breathless voice.
The apprentice sighed. "Yes. Aminah, get out of here. Word to the wise: this is where I sit."
The nexu pricked its ears up at the apprentice then padded out of the cockpit, calmly. Her long tail brushed across his front side as she passed him. Juno looked at the apprentice as a small coo arose from his being. He sat down in his seat, cuffing his hands. Juno could see the fur sticking out from in between his fingers.
"What is it?" she asked.
"A small animal I found in the tunnels when I was looking for Feer. Its barely alive," the apprentice said soflty as he stroked the round fuzz ball.
"Aw, its adorable," the pilot laughed with a smile. She witnessed the little creature yawn. Little canine teeth prodded the air from the animal's mouth. Its eyes were very large, portraying its nocturnal tendencies. Its body was a dark brown while its underbelly was white. It softly whined in hunger.
"Its starving. IS should be back with some food for it soon."
"That's terrible," Juno said looking away.
The apprentice arose from his seat and stepped over to the pilot. Her hands were laid neatly over one another against her svelte stomach. The apprentice gently moved her hands out from her stomach lowering the animal into their cavity. The pilot looked up at him in slight confusion.
"Juno, I need a favor. I need you to take care of the animal for me. I won't have time to do it. He's yours."
"Yes, absolutely," the pilot said in delight. She glanced down at the little creature that secured itself against her stomach.
"Proxy, did you try to find any information on the jedi?" the apprentice asked turning away from the pilot.
The droid appeared in the door way. "No, Master. She is no where in the database. We know nothing about her. She was probably found after Order 66 and the empire never found out about her before or after."
"I'll-uh, be in the stall with Feer. He's unusually skittish," the apprentice stated, exiting the cockpit.
Juno once more glanced at the little animal in her hands that the young man had given her. She rubbed its soft body in pleasure. After a few strokes she found its ribs. She took pity on the animal.
"Its a wonder you're still breathing. All of your fur makes you look fat when you really aren't," she spoke. The voorpak was scooped into her left hand where she enclosed it with her fingers in a gentle cage. She comforted it while she set the navi-computer to direct them to their location with her right hand.
TFU and Characters (C) LucasArts
Iruwa and original characters (C) FatWithFuzz