Chapter III

Tattoine's Upper Atmosphere, 12:22 pm local time

"Reality here, requesting landing clearence," Jaina requested.

"First, we would like to ask a few questions."

"No problem," Ayja said. "Ask away."

"We detected weapons discharges from your ship. Why?"

"We found four TIE fighters waiting on our exit vector, and they tried to destroy us. We ioned them, so I request that you pick them up and interrogate them."

"We'll see to it. You may proceed. Docking Bay 94."

"Fine." Ayja switched off the comm and looked back at Jaina.

She raised an eyebrow. "Odd," she said.

"Very." Ayja dove down toward Mos Eisley. The Reality bucked through a small amount of air turbulence and then smoothly set down on the duracrete pad.

"Just after dawn local time. It's gonna be a long day," Jaina commented.

"This is a fact," replied Tenel Ka.

"Good point," Ayja said.

Ayja tapped a button on the panel in front of him, and a hissing sound filled the aft compartments.

Ayja led the way, and Deefour trundled along beside him, with the two young(er) Jedi flanking them. The desert heat met them like a hot wave. Jaina and Tenel Ka started sweating profusely the moment they left the hangar, but Ayja, decked out in his full array of Jedi robes, looked as cool as ever.

"There's a landspeeder rental somewhere. Maybe I can get a closed one," Ayja said. He walked toward a small booth. "Hello," he said.

"Good morning," the droid said. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like a closed, air conditioned, landspeeder, best you have.

"We have a Bespin Motors D-994 Mark Two Spider that will fit your requirements."

"Fine," Ayja said.

"But it will cost you. 500 per day, 250 security deposit, all in advance."

"Deefour?"

Deefour spat out a Twin Star bill, recognized by both the New Republic and the Imperial Remnants.

"1750," Ayja said, plunking the bill down.

"Thank you. Right this way, please," the clerk droid said, leading them to a small parking lot.

Five minutes later, Ayja pulled onto a street and joined the flow of traffic.

The repulsor field wobbled a bit, tempting Ayja to fiddle with it. It smoothed out.

"So where are we going?" Jaina asked.

"First off, I'm going to find a hotel. Then, we just look for clues as to what is going on," Ayja said. "Here's the hotel."

Jaina and Tenel Ka looked out the window.

"The Restful Night?" Jaina queried. "Isn't that the hotel with a private swimming pool for each room?"

"I've got money to splurge," Ayja simply replied.

Ayja parked the speeder and walked inside accompanied by Deefour, Jaina, and Tenel Ka.

Ayja, at the front desk, said, "Just take it from the account."

The clerk droid nodded.

The Jedi walked to a lift tube and stepped in. The lift went up quickly. Before they knew it, they were sitting in an air-conditioned penthouse suite.

Penthouse Suite, Restful Night Hotel, Mos Eisley Spaceport, 3:02 pm GCT

"Something to eat? There's a pretty reasonable cantina close," Ayja suggested.

"That'd be nice," Jaina agreed.

"I would enjoy it as well," Tenel Ka added.

"Very well," Ayja replied.

They walked down to the ground level and began walking away when something caught Jaina's eye.

"Ayja," Jaina said quietly as they walked away. "Look over there."

Ayja followed her gaze and noticed an image of a flickering man.

"I can't feel him through the Force," Ayja said.

"I cannot as well," Tenel Ka said softly.

"Same," Jaina replied. "Should we follow him?"

"Yes. I think he's somewhat trained in the ways of the Force," Ayja said.

The man walked out the door and got into a small landspeeder. Ayja quickly got into his landspeeder and pulled out behind the man. He sped up, guessing he was being followed.

"Hang on. Jaina, activate the anti-concussion field," Ayja said.

Ayja's speeder accelerated past three slower speeders. The man pulled a tight U-turn. Ayja braked and turned at the same time. Suddenly a blaster bolt shot by from the other speeder. Soon Ayja was evading as well as following. He activated the ion cannon and fired a few bursts into the rear of the other speeder. It kept going. Ayja floored the acceleration controls and the Bespin Motors hot-rod zipped up next to the other landspeeder. Ayja hurled his lightsaber with the Force and managed to slice a repulsor coil off. The speeder immediately slowed. Jaina took over the ion cannon and scored a few direct hits on the enemy speeder. Blue lightning shot over it as it slowed to the side of the road. Ayja jumped out and ran to the other speeder. The man walked out. Evil resonated through the Force. The 'man' turned out to be a woman.

"Who are you?" Ayja asked.

"Sal'ya Tan'greth."

"Why were you running from me?"

"You were following me."

"You were using the Force to mask yourself. Why?"

"I don't believe in the Force."

"You lie."

"How can you know that?"

Ayja brought up his lightsaber and ignited it. "By the power that allows me to use this."

"I just told you, I don't believe in the Force."

"Your actions say otherwise." Ayja used to Force to pull a lightsaber from her belt. "This carries your essence in the Force. Why would a non-Force-sensitive person build and carry one?"

"It's a new trend."

"Stop your lies or I'll have to send you to the excellent interrogation rooms aboard the Infinity.

"Okay! Okay. I'll tell you everything. Brakiss wants to create a new Sith Order. He captured the Jedi Academy to hopefully turn them to the dark side. They left me here in case anyone tries to look into business that doesn't concern them. Like you. The ship was headed to somewhere in the Correllia system."

"Leave," Ayja commanded.

The woman ran.

"What are you going to do, let her go?" Jaina asked incredulously.

"What else can I do?" Ayja replied. "Next stop:Centerpoint Station. Back to the Reality."

The Reality lifted off 10 minutes later and pointed its bow toward the Correllia system.