Two chapters - I know :)

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22 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin)
13:5:27 (6 days after FBOG)
Great Desert
Artisia

From the Private Journals of Jacalyn Arden:

Many believe that the Force is good. That it will always lead to good. But is that always the case? The Force is. It isn't always good and it isn't always bad. It can keep you safe yet at the same time it will not make you immortal. But we trust it. Despite all, we trust that allowing the Force to guide us will lead to good. That whatever happens, the will of the Force will prevail and that it is good. I hesitate to even mention think it – let alone mention it, but is it? Will it always lead to good?

I'm a terrible Jedi.

It was the middle of nowhere, the rocky face of the canyons ahead made the scanners a bit difficult to work. Honestly Jaycen didn't know if this was where he should be going. Other than the initial flight path that he marked with his visible eye, there had been no evidence of the ship. Nothing to indicate it had passed this way. If he had the time, he'd have gone back to his starfighter and used that to transverse the terrain. But he didn't. As it was, he undoubtedly already lost his query.

Glancing toward the setting sun, Jaycen shook his head. It would be dark soon and like any desert that meant it was going to get cool very soon. The winds picking up in the canyons ahead would make it even worse. Not to mention trying to find someone in the dark…

But he wasn't giving up. Not yet. The two settlements were close to exploding. As it was, if he didn't come up with something soon, both would probably start fighting. And they didn't need that.

The inhabitance of Nor'to were not going to let an attack go unchallenged. And seeing as most of them were miners, they would undoubtedly call in the Separatists. Which in turn would bring about an even more bloody war as the Republic would have to push the Separatists off.

Things were so much more simple when one wasn't in charge. But that was part of the job. He'd figure it out. Trust the Force and let everything flow as it should. If war broke out between the two groups than that was what would happen. He would do his best to stop it but everything had a purpose. Everything flowed with the will of the Force.

Leaning forward Jaycen started the speeder and zoomed down into the canyon. He wasn't really sure where he was going. Nor did he try to think much on it. He just let himself fly over the landscape. Trusting the Force and accepting his instincts as he zoomed through the canyons. The wind whipping at his face but nothing dangerous hitting him, despite his speed.

Zooming right at an intersection, he kept going, his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. The cliffs were ancient, towering above him. It probably wasn't the best place to be if an ambush occurred but he didn't let that thought worry him. Whatever happened, happened.

Going down another canyon, even narrower than the one he just came out of, he almost missed it. The slight opening in the rocks. The slit that cut down and would have been impossible to see from above the canyons.

Slowing, he came back around and looked at it. It could easily fit his starfighter in it and possibly even the other vessel – pending the size of the ship. Stopping, he left the speeder, his hand going to the lightsaber as the feeling of danger tingled down his spine.

Climbing up the rocks toward the cave opening, he moved silently but also ready to ignite his lightsaber at any moment. Whoever was here might have heard his speeder – presuming they were outside the ship. Scanner-wise, they'd have had no better luck than him.

It didn't take that long to climb up the rocks and enter the cave. Letting his eyes adjust, Jaycen looked around. It was a lot larger on the inside and went back a bit. And there sitting on the ground was the ship.

It was a starship alright, capable of hyperdrive from the look of it. Probably a two person craft, the design not one that Jaycen was all too familiar with – which wasn't saying much as there were literally millions of types of crafts in the galaxy.

The ramp was down and it looked empty. Cautiously staying close to the walls, Jaycen moved past it and toward the back where a natural tunnel was. Voices could be heard as he got closer.

"Everything is going well, milord." A man's voice. "I just blew up one of the Cal la Ro mines. This should push them into a riot and attack the citizens of Nor'to."

"Good."

Jaycen paused, coming to a halt. That voice was familiar. Dooku.

"Once attacked, they would have no choice but to ask for our help. The Republic is weak. They wouldn't have even intervened if it wasn't for the fact there was a possibility of us planting a landing force there. And once the Dorus accept our help they will have no choice but to send troops there as well. Thus tying them up."

Keeping very close to the wall and remaining quiet, Jaycen glanced around the corner.

There was a single man in the room. His armor and bearing read of a bounty hunter. A blaster hung at his hip within easy reach but would be no match for a lightsaber. The individual he was talking to was definitely Count Dooku. Even with the bluish light of the hologram, it was very evident. Jaycen remembered him well. The duel back on Geonosis fresh. The puzzlement about the Prophecy of the One and how that related to them coming back into mind. He briefly wondered if the Count would immediately disconnect upon seeing him or if the man would wait.

Either way, it wouldn't matter. Jaycen really couldn't trust anything the man said. Everything he had stated in their last encounter had been no doubt in an attempt to sidetrack them or throw them off. A bit successful, he might add.

Turning his attention back to the bounty hunter, Jaycen calculated the best way to take the man alive. The blaster would be no issue. He could easily deal with that. But hand to hand combat and trying to overpower the man – though possible might be difficult. If the man was a bounty hunter he undoubtedly pretty good at hand to hand combat.

But then again, a lightsaber against one's throat did make one reconsider if they were wanting to fight or not.

Stepping into the cavern, Jaycen ignited his lightsaber. The blue illuminated up, adding to the slightly natural light filtering from the ceiling.

The bounty hunter turned extremely fast, the blaster coming into his hand as he fired, quickly moving away from the hologram, to Jaycen's left.

The flash of blue flickered back and forth sending the blaster bolts into the sides of the wall. Jaycen advanced rapidly as he effortlessly avoided getting hit.

The man was fast but nowhere near as good as Jaycen. Continuing to fire, he reached into his belt and tossed something at Jaycen.

It took the Jedi less than a second to realize it was a grenade. Quickly he used the Forced to push it away even as he quickly backtracked to the entrance. The same entrance the man was dashing toward.

The explosion rocked the cave but the grenade itself hadn't been high yield. Just enough to cause some rock to fall in the area it landed and send up a blaring white light. The bounty hunter hadn't been stupid. Too powerful of a grenade and he could have brought rock down on him as well.

Face to face, Jaycen parried a shot from the blaster before, with a quick flick of the lightsaber, cutting the blaster in half. The man moved backward as Jaycen guarded the only way out.

"Give up," he told the man needing him alive.

The hologram of Count Dooku had flickered out during the fight, either because of the explosion or because the man had disconnected on his end. That left the two of them alone.

"You think that capturing me is going to going to help?" The bounty hunter scoffed. He gestured behind him, in what might have been in reference to the two settlements. "They hate each other. They were going to tear each other apart before I even got started."

"They were getting along fine for some time," Jaycen replied.

The man laughed. "Oh Jedi, you clearly don't know anything about Artesia. Governor Tu hates the Dorus. He might not go so far as do sabotage – himself. But he isn't above getting his hands dirty."

"What do you mean?" Jaycen demanded. He knew the governor hated those at Nor'to. He also knew there was deep prejudice within some on both sides. But there had been coexistence for some time until recently. It just seemed strange that it would be picking up around the time the Separatists started fighting the Republic.

"Who do you think hired me?" The bounty hunter moved a bit to the left, casually apparently not concerned that he was trapped.

Jaycen kept an eye on him, only having to adjust slightly. This was the only way out. Well – unless he tried to get through the narrow slits at the ceiling that let in the light. "You're telling me that Governor Tu hired you to cause issues?" He laughed. "Then what was with Count Dooku and the whole conversation about trying to get the Dorus to call in the Separatists?" He gave the man a wry grin. "If you plan on lying at least remember that you just were seen with Count Dooku – the Separatist leader."

The bounty hunter shook his head. "You know nothing boy. Tu is in league with the Separatists. He came to them to ask for help to remove the Dorus – discretely. Once the poor fools at Nor'to call in the Separatists for help, they'll arrive. Only to wipe them out, leaving Artesia free for the humans only."

Jaycen studied the man. It didn't make any sense honestly. He felt that the guy was just talking, maybe trying to buy some time. The fact that Governor Tu would work with the Separatists was possible. But unlikely. He kept the option open, not wanting to dismiss the possibility but he also took into consideration that his source might not be the most cooperative when it came to truth.

"Well, how about you come back with me then and you can give your full report to the Jedi Council." He smiled indicating that the man really didn't have an option here.

The bounty hunter raised an eyebrow. "You might be fairly good, Jedi," there was even a hint of respect in his voice. "But a fool." He held up a thermo grenade. "This has a fairly wide blast radius," he smiled, the look deadly. "It's a Torjin grenade. Once activated there is no stopping it." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going back. If you want to survive. I suggest, you run. This will take out this whole cavern and a lot of the surrounding area." He pressed the activation button. "You got say, thirty seconds." He smirked.

"You're bluffing." Jaycen felt the danger even in the Force but what if the man just stopped it once he left. He was a bit familiar with the Torjin grenades. They were common on certain battlefields, and did have a large blast area.

As if reading his thoughts the bounty hunter glanced at the grenade before looking back at Jaycen. Taking a few precious seconds with it. "I never bluff. But you can wait to find out if you'd like." Another grin, the flicker in his eye almost giving him a bit of a crazy look.

"Twenty-five. Twenty-four. Twenty-three." The automated female voice calmly counted down.

The two stared at each other. The danger was practically screaming now and despite himself Jaycen knew he had to get out of there. With a quick snap, he turned off his lightsaber and dashed out the cavern.

He could hear the countdown behind him even as he was annoyed with himself for running. There had to have been another way. Breezing past the ship, he paused a moment at the entrance of the cavern to see if the bounty hunter had followed. The man hadn't. Which was suspicious and almost made Jaycen go back. Almost. But he didn't. The danger was far too real.

Quickly dashing out of the cave, he was partially down the side of it when the explosion hit.