It was a warm night with a light breeze as Nora stood over the top of the domed Senate forum building. Nora flipped open her wrist computer on her left rest and hacked the security system of the building.
Once the hack was complete she closed the wrist computer and opened the ventilation hatch on top. She attached an anchor point on the ceiling and attached the metal wire cable to her belt and jumped into the hatch in a free fall.
As the bottom became visible, slow detached the cable from her and landed on the bottom of the shaft. Nora started to crawl to the maze of ventilation to get to where she wanted to be.
Nora opened her wrist computer to confirm the spot and closed it before opening a vent.
She dropped out of the vent and quickly looked around for anything out of the ordinary. Seeing as the area was cleared, Nora proceeds to walk down the circle hallway that circled the forum.
Nora made it to a platform and crouched down to the bottom of the platform and opened the metal paneling to get into the computer system inside of it. As she worked on hooking her wrist computer, a sound was heard behind and Nora whipped around with a blaster in hand at the entryway.
"Calm down it's only me." Obi-wan said revealing himself.
"I'll calm down when I know my home is safe." Nora said putting the blaster in her holster on her thigh.
"A Jedi using a blaster is quiet uncivilized." Obi-wan commented.
"Blaster maims while light sabers kill." Nora said as she went back to working on infiltrating the communications system in the forum.
"I see our investigation have come to a common point. Mind tell me what you are doing?" Obi-wan asked.
"I went to the Underworld of this planet and found information that the falsified info was from a senator. They were paid by said senator to spread the info on the net. I came here to hack into the communications system before the hearing to find out what senator has done the deed." Nora explained as she typed away on her wrist computer.
"So you sneak into a government building to hack into the communications network. Both are treasonous acts."
"Did you not sneak in as well Obi-wan?" Nora asked with a smirked.
"You do have a point. Anything I can do to help?" Obi-wan asked.
"Keep watch, just because I disabled the security system doesn't mean I will go unnoticed.
A silence overcame the two of them until Obi-wan broke the silence around them.
"Why are you hostile toward the Republic and Council?" he asked.
"You of all people should know. You are quiet the bookworm, so I heard from Skywalker." Nora said with a smirk as she worked.
"So that's what he says about me?"
"Don't hold it against yourself, sometimes is it good to be a bookworm. It shows you are well prepared with knowledge. Anyways, I hate the Republic and Council for what they did to my people. When the civil war broke out, we asked for help of the council and the Republic. The turned their backs on us. My brother and me were broken and felt abandon. A governmental body that is suppose to represent everything equally and efficiently cast us away like a stone thrown in to a lake. My people suffered and many lost their lives, including my twin brother, Helios. I hate them both for not helping us and looking at both sides of the issue." Nora explained without emotion.
"There was nothing we could do at the time. There was no evidence at the time would support your need for help." Obi-wan countered.
"What about the missing? The people who disappeared out of nowhere like they never existed, like my parents? How can you justify the systematic kidnappings of people who spoke out against the government? Answer me that Obi-wan Kenobi. The only Jedi that spoke in concern for Enterra besides Shay was you very own Master, Qui Gon Jin before he passed to the next world." Nora said angrily.
"We never knew."
"Never knew? Hah, as if. We told you and never listened. I learned after the war that you can only rely on those closest to you and when they need help you go to them." Nora replied, "And with that I know who the culprit is."
"Who is it?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Oh my god…" Nora muttered, as she looked at all the data that was going onto her wrist computer.
"What is it? What is wrong?" Obi-Wan asked again.
"We need to get to my cousin. She's in danger." Nora said disconnecting her computer and putting the panel back on before getting up and running out of the place.
"Wait!" Obi-Wan yelled at her before taking off as well.
"It's the Umbarans. I have files that they are separating from the Republic. They are using Enterra to keep suspicions away from them and they plan on assassinating my cousin, the Prime Minister of Enterra!" Nora said as she ran with Obi-Wan following her.
A lone male bounty hunter was on top of a wide ledge with its sniper rifle. Speeders raced below him as he took aim for his intended target.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you." An angry female voice said behind him.
The Bounty Hunter lowered his rifle and looked to see Nora standing behind him. Before he knew what was going on, Nora grabbed him and used her strength to throw him into a wall.
"Not very subtle Nora." Obi-Wan commented on her action.
"I'll be subtle when I want to be. Now Bounty Hunter you will answer my questions or you get to base-jumping off this building. Now talk." Nora said before grabbing the hunter by the collar of his armor and lifting him up against the wall.
"Nora!"
"Do not make me do something I will regret for the rest of my life and yours" Nora told him again.
"I will never talk you filthy Enterran!" The Bounty Hunter spat at her.
"Then you leave me no choice." Nora said as she closed her eyes and lifted her free hand to his forehead.
"Nora, what are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously as he grabbed her extended arm.
"I am going to go into his mind and find out the answers I want. Answers that do not pertain to you and the council. Something dark moves around the republic and I want to know what it is." Nora said before diving into his mind.
The man's expression went blank as she searched his thoughts.
"He doesn't know." Nora said calmly as she lowered him to the ground.
The Bounty Hunter's looked as if he fainted.
"What did you do to him?"
"I wiped his memories of being hired by the Umbarans and put in his mind to go home to his family and live a peaceful life with them." Nora said let out a sigh.
"Then we can't interrogate him for his crimes." Kenobi said to Nora.
"Like us all, he was being used and he deserve a new beginning." Nora said before sitting on the ledge, letting her legs dangle over the edge.
"What are you truly after besides clearing Enterra?" Obi-wan asked somewhat sternly.
"There is a shadow that has been plaguing both sides, the Republic and the Separatists both. Back home I sensed it, as did my Master. We have been trying to find the source of it but alas it keeps slipping away. The framing of Enterra is part of the schemes this darkness has come up with." Nora explained.
"Why did you not contact the council on this matter?"
"I can't even trust a group that do not trust Sentinels. Trust is a two-way thing Kenobi. Like a bridge that expands over a ravine, if the sides do not agree to trust in each other to hold the bridge, how can we cross that bridge safely?" Nora replied.
Obi-Wan stood in silence, thinking over the wise words she spoke.
"Anyways we must finalize the information I received from the Senate building before presenting it." Nora replied over looking the rising sun.
Athena stood before the Republic of the galaxy, ready to present Enterra's innocence. She stood on the floating platform in her full regalia.
"Everything will be okay." Padme said comforting the anxious Prime Minister.
"Nora would say, 'in the darkest of times we must look to the sky for the light will shine down and chase the darkness away.'" Athena said with a sad smile.
Padme smiled at the Enterran as the platform floated around the senate.
"Prime Minister Athena, you have been brought here to answer for Enterra's dealings with the Separatists. You may speak on your behalf when ready." Palpatine told her.
" I plead innocent to such accusations Chancellor and Senate. What proof do you have to question our sovereignty? I find it funny that you do this to my people after a trade agreement with Mandalore and that you did the very same thing to Duchess Satine as well. You shoot first and ask questions later. What proof do you have?" Athena questioned.
"We have files that show you have been dealing with the separatists." The Ambassador of Umbara said as their platform neared Athena.
"What do you speak of?" Athena asked.
Nora and Obi-Wan were running up the stairs to the senate building as guards started to come out.
"Looks like your apprentice didn't take care of the warrant on me." Nora said as she kept going.
"What now?" Kenobi asked.
"You take care of them." Nora said as she ran faster.
The guards tried to stop her but she used the force to jump over them and proceed into the building.
"Wait Nora there must be a peaceful way about this." Obi-Wan yelled to her but it fell to deaf ears.
Nora kept running as if her life deepened on it.
She pushed a few people out of the way as she ran. Nora then saw Bail Organa and his delegates and decided to use their platform.
"Excuse me Senator I must use your platform." Nora said hastily as she stepped on and activated it.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Nora, long story short I am about to prove Enterra's innocence." Nora said with a smirk as she operated the plate form to ascend.
"Chancellor, my name is Noraneko, you may call me Nora for short." Nora said as she tried to catch her breath, "I am a Jedi who has been looking into the sovereignty of Enterra since your so called Republic started to threaten it."
Murmurs were heard through out the forum as Nora finally caught her breath and stood up tall.
"You may speak Jedi, pray tell us the information you have." Palpatine replied.
"Well to be frank, you do not have reliable sources at all. You find what you want to find but you do not seek the truth of the matter and that truth is that you have not only been lied to but also you have a traitor in this forum. "
Murmurs escalated as Nora took a breather.
"You see, the traitor is not Enterra at all. Ambassadors for Umbara has fed you all lies in order to cover their tracks as they joined the so-called Separatists. These lies have caused damage. Not only damage to the people of Enterra but also to you. Your image has been damaged." Nora continued.
"You have our deepest apologies for such transgressions, we will remove the army." The chancellor said with a smile.
"Not so fast Chancellor. I am not done; you can continue you so called misunderstanding excuse later for ears that want to listen such words of frailty. I stand as a warning to you all. If you dare jeopardize any neutrality of any planet that decides to not join your crusade, I will stop you and I will use any mean necessary. I do not care who you are and what army you have because even the mighty will fall. I conclude my words and leave this planet only to warn you that I will be watching." Nora spoke strongly before the platform retreated to the port.
Nora just simply left and as she walked away she heard a roar within the forum, leaving her to smirk proudly.
"You sure made quiet the presence to the Senate, one that can jeopardize the relations between us and them." Windu said to her.
"That's your issue not mine. What I spoke is the truth, the truth that many are thinking within this order yet are scared to say." Nora said emotionlessly.
"I doubt it." Windu murmured.
"I heard that, have forgotten about how Enterrans have impeccably hearing? Anyways I am leaving for sector tonight and it will most likely be the last time you see my face again. I have many things to accomplish." Nora said with a sigh as she continued to stand before the council.
"The truth you still seek that you do." Yoda said to her.
"I am always seeking the truths in the world I live in for I am stray cat with no true home. I roam the galaxy as I see fit finding the hidden truths. Farewell Master Yoda, may the force be with you." Nora said before spinning on her heel to leave.
"May the force with you as well Noraneko." Yoda said back she left.
Nora was walking on one of the upper levels of the great hall, on her way to meet her cousin to leave, when she heard a familiar voice.
Nora slowed her pace and looked over the stone railing and saw a face she thought she would never see, it was Caleb.
Her heart started to ached as she watched him talk to his Master, Master Billaba. Nora found herself staring at him until he looked her way. Nora quickly moved behind a pillar to hide herself.
When she felt his gaze was no longer on her, she removed herself from the safety of the pillar and watched them walk down the hall.
"This is your world and I am in another. Someday will cross paths, someday. For now you must stay here you belong and I shall go where I belong." Nora said to herself with a heavy heart before leaving the temple.
"Thank you Padme for everything you have done for us and standing up for us. You are a great friend." Athena told Padme as they stood on the landing platform that stood over the city.
"Think nothing of it. If there is anything you need please do not hesitate to come to me." Padme replied with a smile.
"And thank you two Jedis for keeping my safety in check." Athena told Anakin and Ashoka.
"Just part of our duty." Anakin replied to Athena as he and his Padawan stood there.
"Everything is a go Prime Minister." Nora said as she emerged from the ship.
Athena nodded to her and finished her good byes and boarded the ship to return home.
"Master Nora may I ask you something." Ashoka asked Nora.
"Anything." Nora said with a weary smile.
"What you said in the forum in front of all those Senators, did you really mean it?"
"Every word little one. Many consider me a radical but the truth is I listen o my heart and my heart spoke the truth youngling. If a day arise when you are lost and have no where to go I will find you and help." Nora said before boarding and leaving.
"That was cryptic." Ashoka muttered as she watched the ship leave.
"She meant it that way for you to figure it out." Anakin replied.
"I wonder if I will meet her again." Ashoka replied back.
"Someday you might."
Author's notes:
I had some fun with this side story. I wanted to build up Nora's past character self sort of speak. I had made some hints about her past with the council and all and so I wanted to clear things up. Also I needed to alleviate some writer's block on the original, which I will be getting back to in a few weeks.
So the next up date will be the original story, so don't worry, I haven't forgotten it.
Until next time.
