Episode 6 – The Bow Sisters

Innocents under siege! The citizens of the planet Saleucami have sent in a desperate plea for help from the Jedi! Bands of thugs and brigands have been riding through the farmlands, terrorizing the innocent farmers and extorting them out of what little they own! On Ossus, Jedi Master Maris Brood has agreed to answer the call!


In the Jedi Council Chambers…

The Jedi Council was assembled, with only a few present via hologram.

"In a time of war like this, it is important that we not ignore the pleas for help that we Jedi are typically called in to deal with. This mission will help to prove to the Republic that the Jedi are not ignoring them in favor of dealing with the war." Maris said, earning nods of approval from the council.

"Master Brood is right. If we ignore this plea for help, we are sending a message to two groups: the innocents we are sworn to protect and the criminals who threaten them. By ignoring these farmers, we will be saying that their lives don't matter and that the criminals are free to do what they please. But if we answer it, it should result in the opposite effect." K'Kruhk commented.

"Then I should leave as soon as possible." Maris said, beginning to climb out of her chair as Kyle cleared his throat.

"Just a moment, Maris. I've done some digging of my own and gotten some information about the gangs working on Saleucami that might prove useful." Kyle said, Maris relaxing back into her chair.

"What do you have, Kyle?" T'ra asked.

"It's a single gang, led by a Devaronian named Quatro Higo. The gang numbers in the upper thirties and ranges from simple thugs to grifters to mercenaries. They mostly use swoops and speeders but some sources report seeing a tank or two at their disposal." Kyle explained.

"Good to know. What else?" Maris asked as Kyle pressed a button on his chair, causing a hologram of a Zabrak woman to appear. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties with long black hair in a ponytail, and armed with at least two blaster pistols and a bandoleer of thermal detonators. She had racing goggles on her forehead.

"This is a criminal known as Sanzia. She's a notorious Swoop Bike pilot. She was famous on Taris for winning at least two championship titles before she murdered the person who won the third and became a murderer. Now she's a hired gun and Higo's hired her as one of his enforcers. She's been spotted helping to torch at least two farms in the region." Kyle explained, Maris furrowing her brow curiously.

"There's something more to this than you're telling me, Kyle." Maris said, crossing her arms over her chest. Kyle gave a slight nod and pressed the button on his seat again, this time, the hologram of Sanzia shifting to the side and a hologram of a familiar Zabrak Padawan appearing next to it.

"Because Sanzia is Padawan Hisari's older sister. Her full name is Sanzia Bow." Kyle said as Maris grimaced slightly.

"And where is Hisari now?" Maris asked.

"That's something we wanted to discuss with you…" Kyle said as Maris looked worried.

Down in the temple commissary, Hisari was absently picking at a bowl of an unnamed substance. She was sat alone, looking sullen.

"You look glum, Commander." Able said as he sat down across from her with a tray of food.

"With good reason. The Council said that my training with Master Ti was only temporary and yet they haven't assigned me to a new Master yet. All of my friends have new Masters by now. Even Yodin, the frog, has his old Master back." Hisari said as Able gave a shrug.

"Maybe they're waiting for the right Master to present their self. You never know what the Force has in store for people." Able commented, earning a surprised look from Hisari.

"Kinda surprised to hear a military man like you would believe in the Force." Hisari said but Able merely smiled with a chuckle.

"I might've been born in a tank, but I've seen enough wonders throughout my life to make me a believer. And just because I've got a military background doesn't mean I can't believe in the Force. Many of the Order's finest have military backgrounds. General Katarn was an ex-Stormtrooper before becoming a mercenary for the Rebellion and then became a Jedi. General X2 is a clone like me, bred from birth to be a soldier and now he's on the Jedi Council." Able explained as Hisari gave a nod.

"Fair point. But I just wish that the Council would assign me to a Master already." Hisari said, poking at her food.

"The Council's decision cannot be rushed, Padawan Hisari." Maris said as she approached. Able immediately rose to his feet, snapping to attention with a salute.

"General Brood, ma'am!" Able greeted.

"At ease, Commander." Maris said with a tired smile towards Able. Able sat back down and resumed eating.

"Master Brood. Any news from the Council on who my new Master will be?" Hisari asked but Maris shook her head.

"None yet. But for now, I'd like you to accompany me on a mission to Saleucami." Maris said as Hisari furrowed her brow curiously.

"Saleucami?" she said, suddenly suspicious.

"Something wrong, Padawan?" Maris asked as Hisari gave an absent nod.

"It's just…I had a dream last night about Saleucami. A nightmare more specifically. I dreamt that I saw burning houses, I could feel people in pain. Terrible pain." Hisari said as Maris narrowed her gaze slightly in thought.

"Then perhaps we should leave as soon as possible. I think there might be someone on Saleucami, someone you know, that could indirectly be causing these visions." Maris said as Hisari rose from her seat.

"I'm ready to leave when you are, Master." Hisari said as they headed for the hangar together.


Near Saleucami…

An old Imperial Lambda Class Shuttle with a green Republic Starbird emblazoned on the top wing dropped out of hyperspace, the shuttle headed directly for Saleucami. Maris sat at the helm while Hisari sat in the copilot's seat.

"Sanzia…I didn't even know she was still alive." Hisari said, mildly in shock from the news that her sister still lived.

"What can you tell me about her?" Maris asked.

"We grew up together on Taris, the lower city more specifically. Our dad died when I was very young and we grew up as orphans. We were taken in by a local Swoop Gang, Sanzia becoming one of their best pilots and mechanics. Even won a couple of the championships which really helped us make a slightly better living for ourselves. Then there was that third race…" Hisari explained, a look of sadness at the mention of the infamous race.

"I understand she lost the race and killed the winner out of revenge." Maris said but Hisari scoffed.

"With good reason! He cheated! The 'winner' was some snobby Tarisian noble who wanted to show off so he tried to bribe the other racers to lose. My sister wouldn't do it. So just as they approached the finish line, the noble attacked her, struck her in the jaw and made her crash, nearly killed her had she not jumped clear in time! That's when she killed him, shot him in the head at point blank from the winner's podium." Hisari explained, almost approvingly.

"You sound as if you approve of your sister's actions." Maris said as Hisari sighed.

"Look, I know revenge and murder isn't the Jedi way, but justice is. The noble cheated, and even though there were dozens of witnesses who would testify that he cheated in her defense, she never would've gotten a fair trial on Taris. They'd have her lynched, executed, or even worse if they'd caught her. I don't approve of her murdering him but I can't say as I blame her." Hisari said, Maris placing a hand on her shoulder.

"And can you excuse her actions now?" Maris asked but Hisari shook her head.

"No. Not anymore." She replied as the shuttle approached the planet.

A short period later, Maris and Hisari were riding over the Saleucami surface on an S-Swoop, the two approaching a lightly fortified farm with crude barricades and watch towers set up around the edges of the property. They slowed down as they approached the outer edge where they saw several people behind or near the barricades, levelling blasters at them.

"Who goes there?!" one of them asked.

"I am Jedi Master Maris Brood! I come from the Jedi Council in response to your distress call!" Maris called back.

"We've been expecting you! Come inside!" one of them yelled back. Maris and Hisari climbed off their swoop, pushing it inside the makeshift compound. Around them were ordinary looking citizens, farmers mostly, all carrying blasters and crudely weaponized farm equipment.

"We're glad you decided to answer our call, Master Jedi. We were fearing that you'd ignore us in favor of the war." One of the farmers, a Twi'lek man with pinkish skin tones, said in perfect basic with a Corellian accent.

"We could not easily ignore your distress call. Doing so would only encourage more attacks like this across the galaxy. Now, what can you tell me of the situation?" Maris asked.

"Quatro Higo has been terrorizing our lands for several days now. He demands that we offer him and his men food, shelter, and in some cases, the 'company' of our wives and daughters. Those that refuse are attacked. Our fields are burned, our animals stolen or slaughtered, our homes destroyed, and in some cases entire families are wiped out." The man explained, Maris looking around at the people around them.

"And you're the leader of these people?" Maris asked, the man nodding slightly.

"Unofficially. We're just a bunch of simple farmers. I have the most fighting experience twixt all of them. I used to serve in the military. Lieutenant Cut Lawson, formerly of the 132nd Infantry Division stationed out of New Alderaan. At your service, ma'am." The man replied, Maris giving a polite nod.

"Seen much action during your time in the service?" Maris asked.

"A few small skirmishes with some small mercenary groups but nothing like this." Cut replied. As he and Maris spoke, Hisari couldn't help but notice an older looking Twi'lek man in his fifties with orange hued skin sitting on a makeshift bench outside of the farmhouse, resting his hands on a cane and glaring disdainfully at the two Jedi.

"I see." Maris said thoughtfully.

"Out of professional curiosity ma'am, have you seen much fighting yourself?" Cut asked as Maris smiled slightly.

"I served in the Rebellion, fighting against the Empire. Participated in countless missions against them including the Battle of Endor. I've also had some experience dealing with mercenary groups lately. I'll do what I can for you and your people." Maris said.

"And then you'll turn on us in an instant." A voice said from nearby. They all looked to see the older Twi'lek man hobbling towards them. That was when they noticed that his left headtail was noticeably shorter than his right, nearly half as long as the other with decade old scarring that indicated it had been crudely amputated.

"Grandfather, please! They're here to help us!" Cut pleaded but the older man angrily glared at the two Jedi.

"Sure, they come to help us, we offer them food, shelter, and then they turn around and have us all killed!" Cut's grandfather spat.

"Grandfather, please! I'm terribly sorry about him!" Cut apologized, trying to get his grandfather back inside, leaving the two Jedi thoroughly confused.

A short while later, after nightfall, Cut, Maris, and Hisari were seated around a campfire set up in the center of the compound.

"Your grandfather seems to hold an anti-Jedi sentiment." Maris commented as they ate some of the provisions that they had brought with them. Cut sighed heavily at this.

"I feel it's more 'misplaced resentment' than anything. My great-grandparents and great aunt were wiped out by the Empire for harboring a Jedi not long after the Clone Wars. Torched the old homestead even. He barely escaped with his life." Cut explained as Maris gave a sympathetic look.

"I see. So now he blames the Jedi for bringing the Empire down on his family." Maris said as Cut nodded.

"Yes. I for one support the Jedi. I've never met any of your kind before now but I've heard stories. And when a Jedi is responsible for leading a whole Rebellion, it makes me believe that your kind aren't the monsters my grandfather makes you out to be." Cut said as Maris smiled.

"We follow the will of the Force. But back to the matter at hand. Has Higo caused any trouble for your family directly?" Maris asked but Cut shook his head.

"No. But I'm not about to sit idly by and let my friends and neighbors suffer." Cut said as Maris pulled out a holoprojector, activating a holographic map of the surrounding area.

"Any chance you can show me where Higo and his men like to make camp?" Maris asked as Cut nodded and pointed at a blue marker indicating the compound.

"We're here. Higo likes to make camp all the way over here, using the ruins of an Old Republic Outpost as his base." Cut explained as Hisari looked around curiously, a strange chill sweeping over her.

"I see. I assume these are farms and other homesteads?" Maris asked, motioning to some yellow markers dotting the map.

"Yes. Most of them are still inhabited. Most everyone here are victims of Higo and his men. The rest are friends of the victims or volunteers anxious to see Higo leave, either willingly, in binders, or a body bag." Cut explained as Hisari looked at a small red marker to the far east, roughly ten kilometers away from Higo's base.

"What's this here?" Hisari asked, Cut swallowing nervously at the question.

"That's a place we native Saleucamians know to shy away from. In fact that's my old family homestead. The Lawquaine Homestead." Cut explained.

"I thought your name was Lawson?" Hisari asked.

"It is. My grandfather was originally born Jek Lawquaine but he changed his name after the Empire slaughtered his parents and sister and left him for dead when he was only a boy. He said it was because a Jedi had been hiding at their farm at the request of another Jedi. But that second Jedi betrayed them and personally led the Empire back to the home and had them all killed." Cut explained as Maris grimaced.

"Mmm. I'm old enough that I still vividly remember those times. Constantly on the run, living in fear of being discovered and killed by the Empire. Those were indeed dark times for everyone." Maris said as Hisari looked to the eastern horizon.

"It's getting late. We've prepared a place for the two of you to stay for the night." Cut said as they all stood up.

"Thank you. We'll-…" Maris said before they heard the screaming of swoop engines in the distance.

"INCOMING!" one of the men yelled as they saw beams of light coming from the south. The light was coming off of the front mounted illuminators on at least two dozen swoop bikes, the pilots all whooping and hollering, firing blasters into the air as they approached, coming to a stop outside of the compound. One of the swoop pilots climbed off the bike, approaching with a smug smirk. It was a Devaronian with filed down horns, yellow tinted skin, and wearing a heavy black leather jacket.

"Well this is quite an impressive compound you have here. If Higo didn't know any better, Higo would say Higo wasn't welcome!" Quatro Higo said with a smirk, Cut and his men standing with blasters trained on the swoop gangsters. Maris proceeded to approach.

"I presume you are Quatro Higo." Maris said as Higo gave her the lingering eye.

"Mmm, Zabrak. A little old for Higo's tastes but not bad, not bad at all." Higo complimented, but Maris didn't react to the lecherous Devaronian. Hisari was lingering behind the barricades, scanning through the crowd for a sign of her sister. She could sense her presence but she couldn't see her.

"I am Maris Brood, I am a representative for these people. You will withdraw from Saleucami at once." Maris instructed. Higo and his men immediately started laughing at her demand.

"You?! Ordering Higo to leave?!" Higo cackled but Maris merely stood scowling at him.

"You will leave." Maris said, waving a hand across in front of him, Higo blinked at her, confused for a moment.

"I…will…leave…" he stammered when suddenly a blaster bolt flew towards Maris who quickly deflected the shot with one of her tonfa-styled lightsabers, snapping Higo back to reality.

"What?! What did you do to Higo?!" Higo yelped as he backed away.

"The Zabrak's a Jedi! She's trying to fool you with a mind trick!" a woman's voice yelled. They all looked towards one of the bikers as she removed her helmet, revealing a horned skull and purple face tattoos, holding a blaster towards Maris. Hisari recognized her immediately.

"Sanzia." She sighed quietly, saddened to see her sister amongst the criminals.

"A Jedi?! Higo thought the Jedi were involved in their war!" Higo said, backing away towards his bike.

"Not as many as I think you'd like. The Jedi are sworn to protect the innocent! I will tell you one last time! Withdraw now and no one will get hurt! We don't want to fight you but your terrorizing of these lands must stop!" Maris ordered, earning a scowl from Higo.

"Higo thinks you die with farmers! We will be back!" Higo yelled, hopping onto his bike before turning and riding off, his gang in tow. As the bikers rode off, Hisari watched Sanzia linger slightly, scanning the barricades curiously before revving her customized swoop and chasing off after the others. Maris watched them leave as Cut approached from behind.

"Do you think that'll be enough, Master Jedi?" Cut asked but Maris shook her head.

"No, it won't. Higo thinks he can still win at whatever it is he's set out to do. Although I do find it odd that a bunch of thugs would terrorize your community. Is there anything of any particular value that they might want?" Maris asked but Cut shrugged, clueless.

"It's a commonly asked question around here lately. We simply just don't know what Higo and his men want. Our crops aren't worth much to be honest. Some of the families might have a few odd heirlooms but nothing valuable enough to steal. Aside from using our women as slaves or worse, I can't think of anything we might have that's of any value to Higo or his men." Cut explained as Maris rubbed her chin in contemplation.

"I need more to go on. Can you tell me how long Higo has been here?" Maris asked as Cut scratched the back of his head.

"Almost a month. The survivors of his earliest attacks claimed that they saw a few ships touch down at the old outpost a few days before Higo's first attacks." Cut replied as Maris looked towards where the bikers had fled, a look of contemplation.

"Hmm. I need to look into this further. Hisari!" Maris called, Hisari approaching from behind the barricades.

"Yes, Master?"

"I need you to stay here with the farmers. I'm going to do some digging." Maris said as they started to reenter the compound.

"What if Higo and his men return?" Hisari asked as Maris climbed onto her speeder bike.

"Then you'll know that I've failed." Maris replied simply before revving up her bike and racing out into the Saleucami wilderness. Hisari watched her leave with a worried expression on her face. She didn't realize that Maris's departure had been spotted from a distance. Lying prone on a small rock foundation almost half a mile from the compound, Sanzia was watching through a pair of electrobinoculars, watching as Maris speeding away from the compound. She quietly lowered the binoculars and tapped a button on her wrist gauntlet.

"Higo, my hunch was right. The Jedi's leaving but she's not heading for her ship. Looks like she's headed into town for something." Sanzia commented.

"Higo doesn't care about what a Jedi does so long as farmers left alone, vulnerable." Higo said but Sanzia was skeptical.

"I wouldn't be too quick to jump in and raid the farmers Higo. Jedi are crafty and I think this one didn't necessarily leave the farmers unattended." Sanzia said as she raised her binoculars again and started surveying the compound again.

"What makes you such an expert on Jedi?" Higo asked as Sanzia spotted something that made her eyes widen. A certain Zabrak Padawan, standing in the middle of the compound, her arms crossed over her chest, looking around at the farmers, unaware that Sanzia was watching her.

"Never underestimate the Jedi. It's just a smart decision not to underestimate them. Don't attack tonight. Let me do some scouting. I'll be back by dawn with a report." Sanzia said, cutting the transmission before climbing up onto her feet, putting away her binoculars while staring at the compound in soft spoken surprise.

"Hisari?" she asked. In the compound, Hisari heard her sister's voice through the Force.

"Sanzia?" Hisari asked, looking around in surprise but got no response.

That night, Hisari was trying to get some rest but her dreams were causing her to toss and turn in anguish. She could hear people screaming, the sound and smell of a burning fire, and could see a dark shadowy figure in the center of the burning farm. At this, Hisari sat up from her bedroll with a gasp. She took a cleansing breath before climbing to her feet, heading out of the barn where most of the farmers slept. It was only two or so hours after nightfall with several more hours until dawn. She could feel something was out beyond the compound, calling her towards it through the force. She quietly made her way out to where her speeder bike was, climbing on and taking off across Saleucami's hills, following the strange sensation through the Force. After about a few minutes' ride, she reached the top of a tall hill that overlooked a dark spot on the fields.

Even from a distance, she could see the decades old layout of what remained of a homestead that had long since burned to the ground. The area around the abandoned homestead was barren of all plants and animals, as if the very ground itself was dead or dying. Hisari felt the air begin to turn cold around her, despite the fact that the temperature was rather humid that night. She brought the bike slowly up to the remains of the homestead, climbing off the bike and headed towards the burnt-out shell of an old farmhouse. She kept her lightsaber handy, unable to shake the feeling that someone was there watching her. She soon came across three wooden posts driven into the ground, each with two aurabesh letters carved into them. The first was C.L. followed by S.L. and finally another S.L. She quickly deduced the posts were headstones and that they were denoting a trio of graves.

"Cut's family." She whispered in quiet contemplation. She could sense someone sneaking up behind her, their presence in the Force making it difficult for them to be stealthy. Hisari quickly spun around, her lightsaber active only for her lightsaber blades to collide with an electrostaff wielded by another, familiar, Zabrak.

"Hisari?!" "Sanzia?!" the Bow Sisters both exclaimed at the sight of one another, both deactivating their weapons in awe of seeing each other again. Sanzia immediately threw her arms around her younger sister.

"Hisari it is you! I never thought I'd see you again!" Sanzia said with relief before Hisari suddenly pushed her away.

"Yeah, because you left me to take the heat for killing that noble on Taris." Hisari said but Sanzia looked at her, a hurt expression on her face.

"That's the first thing you have to say to me?! After all these years?!" Sanzia asked as Hisari scowled at her.

"You abandoned me! I could've been executed because of you! I only escaped because grandmother took my place!" Hisari yelled as Sanzia's eyes widened.

"G-Grandmother's dead? T-That wasn't supposed to happen! You were both supposed to go into hiding! I'd arranged it with the gang for you to both be taken to a safe house once I was off planet!" Sanzia explained.

"Well they didn't! The Nobles had the whole gang rounded up and arrested for 'aiding and abetting a fugitive.' Then they came for us. As your next of kin, they were going to kill me." Hisari said as Sanzia rubbed her temples with one hand.

"Look, I'm sorry about all of that, but I wasn't about to be executed for killing a sleemo like that! I would've thought you of all people would've agreed with me on that!" Sanzia said but Hisari looked unsure of herself.

"I don't know anymore. I can't decide whether I agree with you or not about Taris but I do know that I can't side with you on what you're doing now! What are you doing hanging out with that rabble of thugs and killers?!" Hisari asked as Sanzia rolled her eyes.

"You mean Higo? He's just a paycheck for me. I've become relatively successful since leaving Taris. The gang back home paid fairly well for this kind of work but nothing like the pay I get doing jobs like this." Sanzia explained as Hisari blinked in confusion.

"What pay? You never got paid with the Dianogas except for whenever you won a swoop race." Hisari said but Sanzia gave her a confused look back for a moment before giving a nod of understanding.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that I shielded you from my real line of work. I was one of the Dianogas' top enforcers. They'd send me out to shake down the guys who didn't pay their protection dues, pick up shipments from our smuggler contacts, and remember how the Vaapads lost four of their top racers in a period of two weeks to 'vehicle malfunction?' That was me." Sanzia explained as Hisari looked at her in increasing shock and disbelief.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." She said to herself, trying to make sense of everything.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened, sis. I meant to come back to get you but my contacts on Taris said that you had left. That someone came and took you. They couldn't tell me who." Sanzia said as Hisari scowled towards her.

"I was rescued. That Jedi you outed back at the compound, she's my Master! Because of her, I now have a far better life than I would have on Taris! I'm a Jedi now!" Hisari said, holding her inactive lightsaber up for Sanzia to see. Sanzia saw the weapon and blinked in surprise.

"I thought you'd just picked that up in your travels. I never thought-…it doesn't matter now, Hisari. Now we can be together again! Just like old times! The Bow Sisters, together again, taking the galaxy by storm!" Sanzia said as Hisari, a conflicted look on her face, put her hand to her head in thought for a moment, but then noticed something behind Sanzia. The clouds in the distance were flickering orange and she could make the faint outline of smoke rising in the moonlight. Hisari immediately knew what this was and her eyes widened.

"No…no-no-NO-NO! The farmers!" She exclaimed as she ran for her speeder bike. Sanzia noticed the smoke as well, running for her own armed swoop bike, the two sisters racing off towards the compound but as they drew closer, they stopped at a bluff that offered a view of the compound but what Hisari saw made her eyes widen in horror. The compound was burning, the bodies of dead farmers scattered around the area. Sanzia merely shook her head.

"They shouldn't have tried to fight." She mumbled before Hisari took her speeder bike closer towards the compound, stopping it outside the destroyed barricades and running inside.

"Cut! Master Brood! Anyone!" Hisari yelled, trying to find someone still alive but froze as she saw a familiar corpse. Cut had been slain, a blaster hole in his chest, a look of shock on his face. There were a few of Higo's men lying around along with the dead farmers but nowhere near as many compared to the number of farmers. Hisari dropped to her knees in anguish, grief at having not been there weighing upon her. She then heard the sound of an approaching speeder bike and looked to see Maris riding up to the edge of the compound, climbing off the bike and running in towards Hisari.

"Hisari! What happened?! How many of them were there?!" Maris asked but Hisari looked at her with a look of pained anguish. Maris slowly began to deduce what had happened and grimaced in grief before looking at Hisari in disappointment.

It was dawn, and back on the Jedi Shuttle, Maris and Hisari both stood in the shuttle's main hold before holograms of the assembled Jedi Council, reporting on their mission.

"Our mission was a failure. Higo's men slaughtered the farmers in a matter of minutes. They never stood a chance." Maris reported soberly. Hisari had her head hung in sadness. Luke put a hand to his forehead with a slight grimace.

"This was unexpected. Wasn't there anything you could've done to defend them?" Luke asked. Maris took a breath.

"I made an error in judgement. I had left Padawan Hisari to protect them while I went into town to do some investigating. When I returned, the farmers were already dead. I accept full responsibility for their deaths." Maris reported as Luke looked towards Hisari.

"Padawan Hisari. Either this hologram has been doctored or you emerged remarkably unscathed. Can you tell us what happened?" Luke asked but Hisari shook her head.

"I'm sorry Masters, but I can't. I…I abandoned them before the fight began. I wasn't there to protect them." Hisari said as the council exchanged concerned looks.

"Mmm, this is ill news indeed." Luke commented.

"We're already hearing whispers in the underworld. Whispers that claim the Jedi are too busy to be concerned with the problems of the suffering and exploited. It seems this incident only gives further credence to these rumors." Kyle added.

"The failure of this mission has caused more damage than anticipated. This is welcome news to the oppressive elements of the galaxy and ill news to the oppressed. We can anticipate increased reports of innocent groups being harassed and bullied by criminals and gangsters and now the innocent are more easily exploited as they see those who should be protecting them have turned their backs on them." Galen commented.

"I don't intend to let Higo and his men get away with this. Regardless of the fact that our mission has failed, Higo must still be brought to justice for his crimes." Maris said as Luke gave a nod.

"I agree. Higo's men are to be brought to justice for this. I'm afraid we can't divert any military support for this however. The minute Higo and his men see military support, they'll either flee or the situation will escalate, something we cannot have happen either way. I'm afraid you and Padawan Hisari are on your own for this." Luke said as Maris gave an understanding nod.

"I understand. We will bring Higo and his men to justice." Maris said.

"May the Force be with you, Maris. Council is adjourned." Luke said before the hologram disappeared. Hisari turned to try and leave but soon felt the piercing gaze of Maris's eyes on her back.

"Hisari, we need to talk." Maris said as Hisari grimaced.

"There's really nothing to talk about, Master. I abandoned them when they needed me most." Hisari said as she sat down at the top of the boarding ramp, pulling her knees up to her chest. Maris sat down next to her.

"Why did you leave them?" Maris asked, looking at the ground at the foot of the ramp.

"I-…I felt drawn away. Something was drawing me to that old homestead that was in Cut's family. I went off thinking that nothing would happen in my absence." Hisari explained, looking at her knees.

"I sense there's something you're not telling me. You met with your sister, didn't you?" Maris asked, although it was more of a statement than a question. Hisari gave a soft nod.

"Yes." She replied.

"And in so doing, you allowed the lives of dozens of innocent people to be snuffed out. Now you have to live with the consequences of your actions, as do I." Maris said as Hisari sighed.

"But you're on the Council. They won't blame you. They'll blame me." Hisari said but Maris shook her head.

"The Council doesn't assign blame. I'm talking about your own blame. I sense the guilt within you. You regret your actions like I regret mine." Maris said as Hisari glanced towards her briefly.

"You mean like bringing me along? Like trusting me to protect the farmers?" Hisari asked earning a scolding glare from Maris.

"Stop that talk right now, Hisari. I'm talking about my own regret in having left the farmers in the first place. I was actually relieved to know you were alright. I still am. I don't think I could've bared losing you too." Maris said as Hisari looked at her.

"Me? Even though I screwed up and let all those people die?" Hisari asked as Maris nodded.

"Even if you had saved them, I still wouldn't have been able to lose you too." Maris said as Hisari looked forward, confused for a moment, before looking back at Maris. Maris had a somber expression on her face. Hisari noticed she was absently rubbing her stomach slightly.

"But…why?" Hisari asked as Maris took a breath.

"We're kindred spirits, you and I. We've both had lives of terrible tragedy and loss. You lost your parents, your sister, then your grandmother on Taris. You lost your Master at Yavin, lost your lightsaber and was captured at Kalee, imprisoned and mistreated for several months, lost your horn, and now we've both lost the lives of over a dozen innocent people." Maris explained as Hisari looked at her curiously.

"Who did you lose?" Hisari asked, surprised to hear Maris speak of her own personal losses.

"You forget, I'm a Jedi of the Old Order, before the Dark Times, before the Empire. I was only a youngling when the Order fell. Everyone in my Youngling Clan were slaughtered by the Empire. I had to spend almost two decades on the run, fleeing from hideout to hideout, always trying to keep one step ahead of the Empire. Then I lost my Master on Felucia and that pushed me over the edge. I fell to the Dark Side for a while but found my way back eventually. Then I joined the Rebellion. I'd make friends there but then they'd die fighting for the cause of freedom. I made and lost friends in the Rebellion almost every day. Perhaps my greatest loss was two years after the formation of the New Republic. When I lost…" Maris said, looking down at her stomach. Hisari immediately caught on and her eyes widened.

"You lost-…" Hisari stammered, stunned by the revelation.

"He didn't even survive an hour after he was born. I'd never wept so hard in my life, never felt such overwhelming grief and anger. I was furious, wanting to know how in all my power, I couldn't even save my own son. Even now, I still feel the pain of that loss. But I keep moving on, because I know that there are simply some things we Jedi cannot do, people we simply cannot save, no matter how hard we try, no matter how hard we wish we could save them. Loss is a part of life and when we accept that fact, we will be able to bear our losses more easily, to let go of the pain and anger. It is a valuable lesson, one that many of us learn the hard way, like you are now." Maris explained as Hisari looked away in thought. Maris then rose to her feet.

"Come, we still have a mission to finish. We might not be able to save the farmers, but we can at least ensure that they rest a little easier knowing that the people who killed them are brought to justice." Maris said as Hisari rose to her feet.

"Even Sanzia?" Hisari asked.

"Whether it was her intent to draw you out or not, the blood of innocents are on her hands. And by your own admission, she is a murderer." Maris said as Hisari gave a determined nod.

"I'm ready." Hisari said as Maris placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting expression.


Later…

Higo's lair was an Old Republic outpost from during the Clone Wars. It had been abandoned shortly after the rise of the Empire but still had the faint markings of the Old Republic on the main building. The outpost was nestled in a clearing surrounding a large series of tall rock mounds, practically forcing anyone to enter through the front which was guarded by a pair of laser cannon turrets that Higo and his men had brought with them. Maris and Hisari however had managed to scale one of the mounds near the outpost, bypassing the turrets and Higo's sentries.

"How are we doing this?" Hisari asked as Maris looked the base over.

"During the Rebellion, I went on a few commando raids. We raided an Imperial Outpost that served as an early warning station. It had to be taken out to allow the Rebel fleet to pass undetected. Our first move was to knock out their communications and from the looks of things, their comlinks are all linked up to that old communications array." Maris said, pointing towards a communications dish on the roof of the outpost. They then saw the dish start to move slightly which surprised Maris.

"That's interesting."

"What?" Hisari asked.

"The com array moved. It's active." Maris said as she climbed up onto one knee.

"I thought it was already active." Hisari commented.

"Not like this. I sense a disturbance in the Force. Come on. We need to see if we can intercept their transmission. It may give us an idea as to who they're working for." Maris said as she and Hisari started to nimbly leap across the rock mounds, making their way towards the back of the base where the wall of the rock mound met the wall of the outpost. As they neared the back, they saw a large open space behind the outpost surrounded by more rock mounds. The space was tarmacked with faded white markings indicative of a disused landing area. In the space were several smaller transports including an old SS-54 assault ship in green colors. The sight of the landing area made Hisari blink in disbelief.

"No way." She muttered.

"What's wrong?" Maris asked.

"That ship, I know that ship." Hisari said, motioning to the assault ship.

"Your sister's, I presume?" Maris asked back.

"Yeah but it used to be my grandmother's. It hadn't flown in nearly twenty years, last I saw it." Hisari replied before the two started to carefully make their way down the side of the rock mound towards the roof of the base. Inside the base, in a semi-darkened command center that had been converted into a makeshift bar, Higo was stood before a distorted hologram being projected by an R6 unit that was plugged into the communications terminal. Sanzia and most of Higo's men were present.

"Higo has done as commanded, great one. Higo scared farmers. They won't be resisting anymore. Saleucami is ours." Higo said with a grin, holding a drink in his hand, raising it in a toast. Sanzia was scowling at him with her arms crossed.

"You have performed better than I expected. The Jedi's reputation has been tarnished. Now they will be forced to try and repair their image." The shadowy figure stated.

"And what if the Jedi attempt to get revenge for the farmers Higo and his men slaughtered?" Sanzia asked, glaring at Higo angrily who gave her a glare of annoyance of his own.

"They won't. The Jedi don't believe in revenge. However, that does not rule out the possibility that they will return. If they show up, kill them. There will be an extra reward in it if you bring me their heads." The figure said. Sanzia scowled at the figure as she knew it would mean killing Hisari if she were to show up. Sanzia then heard a chirping from her datapad and pulled it out.

"Mmm, Higo likes sound of that. But Jedi on Saleucami is…intriguing to Higo. Could Higo simply catch Jedi as pet?" Higo asked with a lustful look on his face, some of his men voicing their perverted agreement. Sanzia was looking at her datapad which had a flashing icon indicating that she'd received a message but the sender was unknown.

"You can try but I doubt any of you will succeed. Jedi are not one to flinch at the sight of a blaster or even several. There have been stories of a single Jedi ripping off the head of an AT-AT, and don't forget that Darth Vader is one of the Jedi now." The figure said as Sanzia read the message…

"Higo has served his purpose. Eliminate him. Payment of 300,000 credits as a reward. 150,000 already transferred to your private account as down payment. Method of execution is at your discretion but he cannot be captured by Jedi. Failure will not be tolerated." The message read. Sanzia blinked in surprise before noticing another flashing icon that was linked to her private accounts.

"Higo is disappointed but Higo understands. Jedi as good as dead, if Jedi shows up." Higo said simply while Sanzia checked her accounts and sure enough there had been an anonymous deposit of 150,000 credits. She quietly switched off her datapad, putting it away as she glared at Higo, fingering a modified E-11 Blaster Rifle. She paused when she sensed something strange. She sensed the presence of her sister nearby and began looking around with narrowed eyes.

"Good. I look forward to hearing of your success." The figure said before the transmission ended. On the roof of the outpost, Maris and Hisari had both just reached the communications array when it stopped moving and powered down. Maris grimaced.

"Blast. Too late." Maris grimaced.

"We're not exactly doing very well are we?" Hisari asked with a dejected sigh.

"You could say that. Still, we need to capture Higo before he skips the planet." Maris said before activating one of her lightsabers and cutting some of the cables to the communications array. They then hurried towards a skylight that overlooked the command center. Inside the command center, Higo and his men were celebrating their victory but Sanzia was quietly eyeing Higo who noticed her reactions.

"Does Zabrak see something she likes or does Zabrak have something she want to say to Higo? Zabrak didn't show up at raid. Zabrak shows up late. Higo not liking Zabrak so much." Higo said as Sanzia moved around to where she was standing directly across from him, the only thing separating them was the diameter of the skylight overhead. Higo's men were voicing their agreement.

"I told you not to attack the farmers last night but what did you do instead? Now you've cheated me out of my share of the plunder and I'm not happy about it." Sanzia said, sensing that Hisari and the other Jedi were very close.

"Higo not so upset. Farmers had no real plunder, except women. Women all killed anyway. Perhaps Higo find new woman with you?" Higo asked, shooting a lustful gaze towards Sanzia who shuddered in disgust.

"Ugh, you know something Higo, you just made this a lot easier for me." Sanzia said as she drew her blaster towards Higo but suddenly found several other blasters pointed right back at her. Higo then started laughing in clear amusement.

"Zabrak try to kill Higo?! Zabrak very stupid!" Higo laughed, his own blaster pointed at Sanzia who merely smiled towards him.

"Actually, I was just waiting for the Jedi to arrive." Sanzia replied, confusing Higo and his men.

"Jedi? What Jedi?" he asked. Suddenly the skylight exploded in a shower of glass and severed supports as Maris and Hisari dropped through with their lightsabers active. The confused and dazed thugs opened fire, their blaster shots missing or being deflected back towards them by the Jedi. Sanzia had stepped back when the Jedi had burst in and was letting the Jedi take care of the thugs. She then saw one thug in the corner raise a blaster pointed towards Hisari who had her back turned. Sanzia snarled and quickly raised her blaster, blasting the thug in the chest, earning Hisari's attention who looked and saw the thug slumped against the wall before looking at Sanzia who smirked towards her.

"Not gonna let you die on me, kid." Sanzia said before opening fire on the rest of the thugs, the Bow Sisters and Maris working together to fight off the thugs, taking down most of them in a matter of minutes. In the confusion, an injured Higo with a few shards of glass in his leg from the shattered skylight, started to limp his way towards the door, clearly terrified of the Jedi's skill and power. Sanzia spotted him slinking away and snarled.

"You're not getting away that easily!" she hissed before climbing on top of the bar and diving over Hisari, landing in a roll in time to duck a swing from Maris aimed towards another thug before popping up back onto her feet and chasing after Higo.

"Hisari! Higo's getting away!" Maris exclaimed.

"On it!" Hisari replied as she took off after him, deactivating one of her double blades in the process. She could see Sanzia ahead of her but two thugs suddenly popped out from around the corner wielding vibroblades.

"Not now!" Hisari grimaced as she slid to a stop, reactivating the other blade. Sanzia happened to glance over her shoulder and slid to a stop as she watched her sister start fighting with the two thugs. She quickly pulled a blaster pistol from a thigh holster and reared it back.

"Sis! Heads up!" she shouted before throwing the blaster towards Hisari who quickly dove between the two thugs to catch it, catching it by the grip and spinning it around in her hand to point towards the thugs, blasting one in the shoulder while Sanzia blasted the other in the chest, both thugs falling to the ground, one dead and the other wounded. Hisari looked towards Sanzia who quickly moved to help her up.

"Blasters beat vibroblades every time!" Sanzia said before they both started continuing the chase after Higo, following the trail of blood from his leg. They soon reached the old flight control room for the landing area behind the outpost where they could see Higo limping towards one of the transports outside. Hisari quickly reared back her hand and unleashed a powerful Force push at the window, shattering it before she proceeded to charge forward and leapt through it, landing on one knee on the ground below and continuing the chase.

"Higo! Stop in the name of the Repub-!" Hisari shouted before a blaster shot rang out and hit Higo in the leg, causing him to tumble to the ground with a cry of pain. Hisari slid to a stop, turning in time to see Sanzia drop down to the ground from the control room, walking towards them with her blaster trained on Higo.

"Move aside, sis! He's worth a good three hundred grand to me dead!" Sanzia said as she approached. Hisari looked at the wounded Higo who looked at Sanzia in disbelief and horror.

"Dead?! Higo?! No! No Higo has powerful friend! Friend will know what you do to Higo! Friend-." "-is the same person who is paying me to kill you, sleemo! Sis! Move over or finish him off yourself!" Sanzia said as Hisari looked at Sanzia in confusion. She was conflicted and didn't know what to do.

"But, he's disabled now! Defeated! He has to stand trial for what he's done!" Hisari said as Sanzia rolled her eyes, still keeping her blaster trained on Higo despite Hisari being in the way of the shot.

"He's the one who slaughtered the farmers you came here to protect! I told him not to attack! I didn't want to see you get hurt or killed! Their blood is on his hands, not mine! And believe me, he won't survive long enough to go to trial! His 'friend' will make sure of that! Trust me, Hisari, killing him now will be doing him a favor in the long run!" Sanzia said as Hisari looked at Higo who was looking up at her in fear.

"I shouldn't…it's not the Jedi way." Hisari said, clearly struggling with her decision.

"I thought the Jedi prided themselves on being 'keepers of the peace.' Glorified law enforcement, some call them. Don't those farmers deserve justice? You already know he'll likely be sentenced to death and then spend several years rotting in Oovo IV before they finally kill him! Don't you think that's unfair for him to keep living for so long after all the lives he's taken?!" Sanzia asked as Hisari glared at her.

"Why should I do anything for you?! You abandoned me! You were going to let me die in your place on Taris!" Hisari yelled, tears in her eyes.

"I never meant to abandon you, Hisari! I wanted more than anything to bring you with me! I would never intentionally put you in harm's way like that! You know I'd have done everything I could to protect you! You're my sister, the only family I have left. And I imagine it's the same way for you with me as well. We're all we have and if you arrest me, you know exactly what will happen to me. Do you really want to lose me again?" Sanzia asked, pleading with Hisari who looked at her, conflict clear in her expressions.

"Please, Hisari, move aside. I don't want to fight you, but I will if you make me." Sanzia said, reaching one hand for her electrostaff. Hisari noticed this and grimaced before letting out an anguished wail and bringing her lightsaber around, proceeding to slash Higo deep across the chest, killing him instantly. Hisari stood over his dead form, a look of horror sweeping her face as she realized what she'd done. Sanzia took a breath of relief as she quietly lowered her blaster.

"You made the right choice. He was doomed the minute he set foot on Saleucami." Sanzia said before a blaster bolt hit the ground next to them. They both turned to see several of Higo's men firing at them from the control room window and from the rear entrance to the outpost as they came charging out towards them, seeking to avenge their leader's death. Hisari quickly started deflecting blaster shots while Sanzia opened fire with her blaster, backing away towards her ship.

"Hisari! Come on! There's too many of them!" Sanzia yelled as she reached her ship, kneeling down in the staging area behind the cockpit where her swoop bike was stored to fire from the cover of her ship. Hisari was still deflecting blaster fire as she glanced down at Higo's dead form. She had killed him in cold blood. He was defenseless, wounded, and vulnerable, and she had killed him in anger. She then heard another lightsaber activation and looked towards the control room to see Maris cutting her way through the rest of Higo's men, wounding or disabling them. The sight of the Zabrak Jedi Master filled her with fear at what she and the Jedi Council might do to her as punishment for her failures on Saleucami and started to back away towards Sanzia's ship. The Thugs had all turned their attention towards Maris. Hisari finally turned and ran for the ship, climbing aboard as the engines powered up, Hisari rushing into the cockpit where Sanzia sat at the controls.

"We have to help Master Brood!" Hisari said as Sanzia glanced out the cockpit viewport towards Maris and then looked away towards one of the controls.

"Hang on!" She replied as the doors on the ship slammed shut, the ship lifting off into the air slightly and turning towards the outpost. A blaster cannon turret lowered down beneath the ship's chin before opening fire at the thugs, mowing most of them down but deliberately missing Maris. Maris cut down the last thug before looking up towards the ship just as it flew off out of the area.

"Hisari." Maris said softly, realizing that the young Padawan was onboard but suddenly sensed something. An urge to return to their shuttle.

Maris had wasted no time in getting back to the shuttle. As she approached the shuttle on a speeder bike, she saw Sanzia's ship taking off again from a spot near the shuttle's location. Maris arrived at the shuttle and quickly rushed onboard, hoping to see the young Padawan.

"Hisari!" Maris exclaimed as she entered the shuttle's main hold but froze as she found it empty.

"Hisari?" she asked into the empty shuttle. She looked around in silence for a moment before noticing something on the floor near the top of the boarding ramp. A long braided strand of hair with a broken horn tied to the end. Maris lowered her head as she knelt down and picked up the discarded braid, looking at it in sadness.

"Hisari." She said softly.


Leaving Saleucami Orbit…

Hisari, her Padawan braid freshly cut from her head, sat in the copilot's seat of the Halo, a look of sadness and regret on her face as Sanzia manned the controls.

"Hey, don't be so glum sis. We're together again. We're a family once again. I'm going to do everything I can to try and make it up to you for everything I've done to wrong you in the past. We've got plenty of credits so we don't need to worry about that for a while. It'll be like old times, only better and with the whole galaxy before us." Sanzia said but Hisari didn't reply, merely looking out the viewport as the Halo made the jump to lightspeed.


On Ossus…

Maris sat alone in the Council Chambers, contemplating the recent events. She didn't even notice as Luke entered and quietly sat down next to her.

"It's hard losing a Padawan, especially when they are lost like this." Luke said, trying to comfort his friend.

"You'd think I'd be used to losing people by now." Maris said softly.

"There is no getting used to it. But at least with Hisari, there is always hope that she will return to us one day. She is lost, confused, scared, but she is not without hope." Luke said as Maris sighed heavily.

"I know, but I cannot help but feel like I've failed her somehow." Maris said as Luke put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It was no one person. In cases like this, sometimes it is the whole of the Order that has failed them. My father has related to me on several occasions, cases where he felt the urge to leave the Jedi Order. Every Jedi, at some point, is tested, Master and Padawan alike. This is Hisari's test and not just for her, but for the Order as well." Luke said as Maris looked towards him.

"What about you? When have you ever felt the desire to leave?" Maris asked as Luke took a breath, reminded of those very incidents. He looked at his right hand, the black glove covering his cybernetic hand.

"Probably the most significant, and the one you would remember, would be when the Emperor returned from the dead. I was so awed by his power, felt so helpless, I felt there was nothing I could do but to bow down and yield to his will. It took my father to save me from myself." Luke said as Maris looked contemplative.

"Do you believe Hisari can be saved?" Maris asked as Luke gave a nod.

"Yes, I do. She has not fully given herself over to the Dark Side. In fact I believe she wants nothing else but to cling to the light. Given time, I believe she will return to us one day, and when that day comes, we will be waiting with open arms." Luke said as Maris took a breath.

"And I'll be the first to welcome her home." Maris said with a smile, Luke giving her a reassuring smile in return for a moment before slowly looking at her in concern.

"Your thoughts drift. What else is troubling you?" Luke asked as Maris furrowed her brow.

"The information I got on Higo and his men while I was away from the farmer compound. I had Talon Karrde do a credit check on Higo and he recently had a huge sum of credits deposited into one of his accounts. The deposit was made in smaller transfers from a series of accounts, all opened within the past month and closed just recently. There's no way to trace these other accounts as a result but it's probably safe to assume that they're all the same person." Maris explained as Luke tapped his chin.

"And you mentioned that Sanzia said that Higo was worth a lot of credits to her dead." Luke said as Maris gave a nod.

"Yeah and Sanzia received credit transfer deposits from some of those same aliases around the same time Higo did. She was hired to help Higo and later hired to kill him." Maris explained.

"The Dark Side surrounds this incident. It's just like the Yularen Incident. But what could eliminating a bunch of farmers gain anyone?" Luke pondered.

"Perhaps we may never know." Maris replied as Luke scowled.

"That is, until it's too late." Luke said with a suspicious look.


Meanwhile…

In a darkened room with only a single shaft of light illuminating it, a figure in bulky red armor stepped into the light.

"My Lord, Stage One is proceeding better than anticipated. The slaughter of the farmers on Saleucami have resulted in an increased Jedi response across the Galaxy." The figure reported.

"And what of Higo? Did he survive?" the figure from the shadows asked.

"No milord. We have confirmed his death. Survivors of the attack claim that the mercenary, Sanzia Bow and her sister Hisari Bow, a Jedi, were responsible for his death." The red figure reported.

"Transfer the other half of the reward to Miss. Bow's accounts. She has performed up to par. Keep her contact information on file. She may prove quite useful to me in the future. In the meantime, begin making preparations for Stage Two. With any degree of luck, it will draw out Dr. Roa." The figure said as the red figure bowed.

"Yes milord." The red figure replied before turning and departing into the shadows.

"Everything is proceeding according to plan. Soon, neither the Republic, the Jedi, nor the Sith will be able to stop my return."


End Episode 6

There is an obvious implication here in that Sanzia and Hisari are both supposed to be the granddaughters of the Bounty Hunter Sugi from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Sanzia's ship, the Halo, once belonged to Sugi.