Kayylla snapped the case shut when she heard foot steps out in the corridor. Looking up she saw Riley, leaning against the door jam, staring at her with a questioning look on her face.
"What have you got there?" She asked nodding to the closed case.
"Oh, it's a nothing. Davro dropped it, I was about to return it to him." Kayylla answered moving to get around Riley, who moved to block her way.
"Why don't you ask him to stay?"
"What?" she responded, the confusion registering on her face.
"Oh come on. We can all see that you want him to stay, you only need the encouragement to tell him." Riley said.
"I don't know what your talking about." She answered innocently.
Riley didn't explain until she had the door shut and locked behind her. "Sit and listen." She said in a no-nonsense tone. "I've seen the way you look at him, the way you ask for his help on a modification that you already know how to fix and how you take his advise about everything over everyone else's. Admit it you like him and you want him to stay."
"I do not do those things. Besides it is his choice if he wants to stay or leave."
"But he's too much of a gentleman to ask to stay aboard with you. It's obvious that he cares for you as well. Why else would he have stuck it out with you for this long?" Riley asked placing her hands on her slender hips.
"Now you're stretching it."
"Am I? Jace sees it as well. Why else would he be so enthusiastic about him leaving?"
"That's obsured and you know it." Kayylla answered trying to get around her friend. "Would you move so I can give this back to him. You know I can hurt you."
"Oh yes." Riley said with a laugh, "now you're trying to threaten me with your combat training. I know you'll win only because you're the best we've got. I have a deal though." She purposed with a twisted smile. "If you do tell Davro to stay I'll fight you. If you don't, you won't get any practice in while I'm with you. It's up to you to decide what it's going to be: Fight me or loose someone you care about."
Kayylla only stood there mulling over what Riley had said. Was she right about her feelings for Davro? Could she actually ask him to stay? He had friends and employees to take care of though. The real question that was bothering her was simple, what if she did tell him how she felt and he turned her down?
Could she live with herself then?
"What is it going to be?" Riley asked again.
"I'll let you know when I've decided. Now if you don't mind I really need to give this back to him." She said moving Riley aside as she unlocked the door and left, still holding the medallion case.
She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going when she ran into something that knocked her to the deck. "Sorry." She apologized not looking up. When she did finally look up her face turned a light pink once she saw who it was she ran into. It was Davro, he was just coming out of the engine room.
"Here let me help you." He said offering her his hand when he noticed the black case still clutched in her hand.
"Here." She said quickly after she was on her feet and she thrust the case into his hand. "You dropped this back there. I didn't want you to forget it."
Taking the case from her he simply said thanks before he turned back to the engine compartment.
"Wait!" She said before he entered the compartment once again. "Davro, I need to tell you something."
He turned and looked at her with those hazel eyes that she loved to see change color.
"I know it's your life and you can do whatever you want with it." She said taking a deep breath and continued on. "I want you to know that you don't have to leave. I mean, I WANT you to stay with us. I would hate to see a great team split up. What do you say?" She asked, hope showing on her face. "Will you stay?"
Davro gazed at her a moment, slipped the case into a pocket, then narrowed his eyes slightly. He raised his right hand toward her, closed his eyes, and began breathing deep, relaxing breaths. Kayylla could have swore that she felt his touch upon her shoulder even though they were still a foot apart.
"There is more to this than just breaking up a team....", he said, eyes still closed. "I sense something deeper, but you are unsure of yourself, you're afraid of revealing more about your people, yet drawn to an offworlder. There is a rivalry within you for your feelings toward two men." He opened his eyes and smiled his damnable roguish grin. "It wouldn't be honorable for me to try and influence you. I'm way too fond of you to even try. You found my case on the floor next to my pack. I should have been more careful putting it away. I have been keeping too many things from you, and from myself. My old Captain was right; things do catch up with you, even when you run from them. You have many questions on your mind. Ask them, I will not keep anything from you.", he told her frankly, leaning back against a bulkhead. His eyes fixed on hers, he awaited her queries.
Kayylla stood there confusion and shock registering on her face. What was it that had touched her? Had Davro done it or was it something else entirely?
"What was that and what are you talking about?" She asked, her voice sounding dry from the shock at what she had felt.
"Are those the only questions you have for me?" He asked still leaning against the bulkhead.
"Well no." She responded.
"I think it would be easier if you asked all of your questions at once, then I can explain myself." He said still holding that smile of his.
A thoughtful look creased her brow as she thought of questions to ask him. "Alright, tell me why you left your home, how you got caught up with the Rebellion when it first started and if you could also tell me more about who you are. Riley told me she told you about us. I'm sorry that I can't tell you all that you want to know but I can tell more about me. Or at least what I can remember." She finished, looking at him waiting for his response.
Davro's smile changed from roguish to heartfelt.
"Why I left home....Corellia is quiet and peaceful. A young man eager for excitement is doomed in a place like that, so I sought employment on the first ship I could find that was hiring men on. The "Corellia's Gamble was the first ship. The Captain, same that you saw in Mezz's hologram back on Ord Mantell, took me on because he said he liked me. I later learned there was another reason. The 'Old Man', as the crew called him, was a Jedi in hiding. He personally interviewed anyone applying to crew positions both to get to know them, and to find any that The Force was with. He later revealed to me that he believed I had the potential to become a Jedi Knight, that I was honest, brave, good-hearted, and the Force was strong in me. He began training me the basics, but the Rebellion began mounting offensives against the Empire. He asked the crew for volunteers to fight for the Rebellion with him. No one left him. We all would win, or go down fighting for the cause of good. He seemed so alive then, like he envisioned the Jedi were back in power. We struck at every chance we had to hurt Imperial shipping and supply convoys, while at the same time delivering support materials to Rebel bases and outposts to relieve their troops."
He paused a moment to think.
"We then got word that Barkhesh was under a blockade by Imperial frigates. The rebel outpost there was out of supplies and were starving. Imperial ground forces couldn't locate the entry to the outpost, but it was only a matter of time before they died. Mon Mothma asked us to help. The 'Old Man' came up with a plan; the "Corellia's Gamble" would run the blockade, feign severe damage to draw the frigates away, and cause an opening for several medivac shuttles to hyperspace in and rescue the outpost troops. We started our run, cut through the lines of the slower frigates, then ran parallel with them trading laser fire. Rebel fighter support arrived to hold off the frigates' fighters and harass the frigates even more, but they still held their ground. Our shield were weakening and we had minor damage, but the captain pressed on. He ordered me down to engineering to keep those shields up, turned the ship, and charged the frigates again. Using our corvette's superior speed and agility, he flew us between the frigates, letting them tear at each other with their missed shots. His tactics worked, we killed four frigates in succession before they began to try and chase us off, fearing more losses. The gap they left was huge, and the shuttles had no trouble finishing the mission. Our fighter escort retreated, then we learned that our hyperdrive had been hit. I was working on it when we took another hit and we lost our atmospheric pressure. All of us were wearing spacesuits, but air escaping pulled many into space. I managed to snatch hold of a ladder and wildly grabbed at Mezz's hand as he was sucked by me, yelling for help in his helmet's commlink. I held onto him until the air was gone, then lowered him to the deck. We went back to fixing the hyperdrive, finishing just before the frigates had reached the range for their tractor beams. We sealed the hole in the hull and said a prayer for our lost shipmates."
He snaps out of his remembrance to see Kayylla listening intently. Smiling briefly, he continues.
"What you felt was one of the first things I was taught; how to tell what another is thinking. I don't have much chance to use it, I feared I was out of practice. My 'master', the captain, also taught me use of the light saber. I knew that my medal had fallen on the floor because you didn't dig into my pack, and I knew that because I keep the light saber that the captain gave me in the bottom. It was his, but he passed it on when he retired. After that, the crew went it's separate ways, but vowing to fight the Empire when they could." He glanced at his watch. "Heh, we're a little late for dinner. C'mon, Riley and Jace will be talking by the time we get there..." he said, helping her to her feet and tossing a wink at her.
Weeks earlier General Derricote received a holo signal from Coruscant. He wiped the soil from his hands on a rag at his belt. "What is it?" He called after activating the miniature projection pod near the work bench in his Alderaanian Botany lab. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Sorry General." The Imperial captain in the holo said apologetically. "You gave orders to notify you of any information we receive on a Cloakshaped Fighter." The captain continued.
"You've found them already? Very well, bring them to Blackmoon at once." The General interrupted.
"No sir. I am informing you that they have been sighted."
"Where?"
"Five standard days ago, Star Destroyer 'Vengeance' reported of a dogfight between the 315th and an unidentified starfighter in the Tarneb system. When 'Vengeance' no longer received comtraffic from the TIE squadron they went to investigate, they received a visual confirmation of a CSF making a jump into hyperspace. They made a scan of the area and found no other signs of life, they did however find the remains of the four TIE's that were sent out on a scouting mission." He paused to check his notes. "Once a thorough search was made of the system they found no other signs of life. They plotted a likely course the fighter would take and went off in pursuit."
"We later received a report from Kuat Drive Yards that a CSF had come into the system. Our men at the KDY made a search of the docking platforms and found a fighter that matched the descriptions of the one that blasted off from Coruscant. They questioned a local salesman who gave into the interrogation the
troops put him through. He informed them that he had received the ship as a trade in for a YT-2800 Corellian freighter, though he would not reveal who he sold the ship to. We later found out a YT-2800 had attacked the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett's personal ship 'Slave I'. They were able to disable it for the
time being. We lost track of the freighter until we received word from the spaceport on Ord Mantell that a YT-2800 had attacked the planetary defenses. The defense team was going out on a routine search when they were attacked. All members were destroyed. We have not been able to find the freighter since."
"Thank you captain. Keep me informed on any other leads you come across. I also want all security holos form Ord Mantell and Kuat searched through until you can find that alien who cheated us. I also want still holos of anyone who is seen hanging around her. I want a bounty of one hundred and fifty thousand on each of her accomplices heads. I also want the bounty on her head increased to five hundred thousand, she is also to be unharmed." Derricote said his plump face growing red as the blood rushed to it. "Have you heard anything else on Major Fenel?"
"No sir, we believe he is still being held captive by this strange alien. We have not received a ransom yet, we are still waiting on that." The captain responded keeping his posture military precise.
"Thank you captain that will be all." Derricote finished and went back to work with his plants. His face gradually went back to its normal color as he engrossed himself into the last plants from Alderaan.
Davro and Kayylla entered the lounge side by side moments later. Riley had finished setting the table in the booth, when she noticed their arrival. She gave Kayylla a sly smile and headed back to the food prep in the corner.
"Since our supplies are dwindling I had to whip something up from a mix of a few rations and some items from the food prep. I've put in plenty of spices to at least give it some flavor." She said once she placed a steaming pot of something in the middle of the table.
As Kayylla slid into the booth she wrinkled her nose at the contents in the pot.
"I don't want any of that either. At least try it, it's not like it's going to kill you." Riley commented when she saw Kayylla's disapproving look at the meal.
"What did I do?" Kayylla teased her friend.
"Don't make me beat you." Riley responded after placing a server into the pot.
"That will have to wait until the meal is over, that is if we don't die first." Kayylla added ducking the dish rag Riley had thrown at her.
"Is there anytime when you two aren't fighting?" Jace asked as he started spooning everyone up a plate of Riley's concoction.
"What this? Oh this isn't fighting. Riley doesn't like it when I tell her the truth about her cooking skills." Kayylla responded handing a plate to Davro.
"It may not be the food that will kill you." Riley said as she sat next to Jace.
"Could we please eat 'one' meal that you two don't bicker through?" Jace asked with a smile and putting a stop to the argument. He didn't wait for the silence to linger for long before he asked Davro a question. "So Dav, what do you plan on doing once you sell you N-1? Head back to 'The Rock' and get back on with your life?" He finished with a smirk.
Everyone, except Kayylla's, eyes were fixed on Davro and waited for his answer.
"Still considering my options..." he started, sampling the food. "Mmmm, this is really pretty good." He flashed a quick grin at Riley, then turned back to Jace. "I'll contact some of the old crew when we arrive. Captain Culley should still be around, he retired on Dantooine. Between them, I should be able to gather some intelligence on what's going on, maybe contact the collector and let him know the fighter is ready."
"Then I can probably assume that you will be staying with us right?" Jace asked around a mouthful of food. "I think we need to find a way to clear Kayylla's name from the Empires files. From there we can all get on with our lives. Maybe one of your friends can help." He asked looking at Davro.
But before Davro could answer the question Kayylla spoke up. "I don't really think kidnapping can be erased from anyone's files." Kayylla responded not looking at anyone.
"What?" Davro and Jace asked.
"I knew Mezz wouldn't have told you everything back there." She answered. With that she stood up on the bench she was sitting on, stepped up onto the table, making sure she didn't knock anything over and jumped to the deck. She landed without a sound and headed towards the hold.
No one said anything until after Kayylla left.
"What does she mean kidnapping? Who did she kidnap?" Jace asked turning to Riley.
"We didn't want to worry either of you with it. The reason I was on Ord Mantell was because I saw a warrant out for Kayylla's arrest. It barely mentioned her gypping the Empire. She's wanted for your kidnapping." She said looking at Jace. "I'm sure by now they have holo's of each of us. So whether we like it or not, we may not be able to go our separate ways for awhile." She added.
They sat there in silence, no one talking or looking at one another. Jace finally broke in. "I'm going to go and talk to her." He said.
Without a word Riley got up from the bench. "Are you sure? I can go and speak with her." She suggested once Jace had left the booth.
"No, I think I'm the one who should talk with her. After all, it mostly my fault the Empire's after her." He answered giving Riley a look that stopped the argument there, and walked towards the hold.
Riley glanced at Davro, who merely shrugged in response.
It didn't take him long to reach the hold. From inside he heard muffled sound followed by grunts of exertion. Stepping to the opened entrance way Jace saw what was making the noise, it was Kayylla. She had a bag of some sort in front of her, or rather it was infront of her until she kicked or punched it which sent it off in a new direction.
He stood there in awe at her agility and grace. In all his years of service to the Empire he had never seen a combatant who possessed those qualities. From his own combat training he could see that each blow she executed would have been fatal on any living being. He watched her waiting for a break so he could talk with her. Finding none he decided he'd better interrupt at a safe distance.
"Wouldn't it be more effective if your victim could fight back?" he asked from the entrance way.
Upon hearing the voice Kayylla whirled around staying in an attack position. Her auburn hair was plastered to her face, green eyes silted in concentration and small beads of sweat were trickling down her face. Recognition dawned on her face and she relaxed her stance.
"Most of my victims never live long enough to fight back." She answered picking up a towel from the deck to dry her face.
"Why didn't you tell me why the Empire was really after you? I could have done something to prevent it from going this far." He asked taking a few steps towards her.
"I didn't know I was charged for kidnapping until Riley met up with us on Ord Mantell. To many things were happening at once, I guess it slipped my mind." She answered staying where she was. "I should never have brought you into this in the first place." She added.
"You only invited me. I was MY choice whether or not to accept your invitation. I saw an opportunity for me to escape the empires control and their twisted idea about non-humans. I'll turn myself in and explain everything." Jace explained.
"No!" She said with force. "They would try you as a traitor and execute you. I can't allow that." She added throwing the towel to the deck. "I'm sorry. I'm not the one who should decide what you do and don't do. I don't want you to leave though. We make a great team. We all owe our lives to you, if you hadn't taken the controls when you did I'm sure the uglies back there would have disabled the ship we would have been
caught." She finished starring up at him and taking in his features. He had changed since they had left Coruscant almost a standard month earlier. He had allowed the hair around his mouth to grow out. He no longer looked like the Imperial officer she had met early that Coruscant morning.
He stood there arms across his chest giving her the opportunity to continue if she wished. Seeing that she had finished he responded with his own plan. "I'm willing to accept other ideas, but if I don't like them I'll go back to my own. I promise I will not reveal anything about what has gone on since my defection."
'Had he heard any of Riley's explanation about their species?' she asked herself. 'No that's impossible he was out of the ship being shot at by the bounty hunters when Riley and Davro had their talk.' She was about to voice her question but thought better of it. "Fine, lets go work out a plan with the others." She said as she headed towards the lounge once again.
"Where did you learn to fight like that? I've never seen anyone fight they way you do." He asked changing the subject.
"Many, many years of practice." Was all she said.
"What have you got there?" She asked nodding to the closed case.
"Oh, it's a nothing. Davro dropped it, I was about to return it to him." Kayylla answered moving to get around Riley, who moved to block her way.
"Why don't you ask him to stay?"
"What?" she responded, the confusion registering on her face.
"Oh come on. We can all see that you want him to stay, you only need the encouragement to tell him." Riley said.
"I don't know what your talking about." She answered innocently.
Riley didn't explain until she had the door shut and locked behind her. "Sit and listen." She said in a no-nonsense tone. "I've seen the way you look at him, the way you ask for his help on a modification that you already know how to fix and how you take his advise about everything over everyone else's. Admit it you like him and you want him to stay."
"I do not do those things. Besides it is his choice if he wants to stay or leave."
"But he's too much of a gentleman to ask to stay aboard with you. It's obvious that he cares for you as well. Why else would he have stuck it out with you for this long?" Riley asked placing her hands on her slender hips.
"Now you're stretching it."
"Am I? Jace sees it as well. Why else would he be so enthusiastic about him leaving?"
"That's obsured and you know it." Kayylla answered trying to get around her friend. "Would you move so I can give this back to him. You know I can hurt you."
"Oh yes." Riley said with a laugh, "now you're trying to threaten me with your combat training. I know you'll win only because you're the best we've got. I have a deal though." She purposed with a twisted smile. "If you do tell Davro to stay I'll fight you. If you don't, you won't get any practice in while I'm with you. It's up to you to decide what it's going to be: Fight me or loose someone you care about."
Kayylla only stood there mulling over what Riley had said. Was she right about her feelings for Davro? Could she actually ask him to stay? He had friends and employees to take care of though. The real question that was bothering her was simple, what if she did tell him how she felt and he turned her down?
Could she live with herself then?
"What is it going to be?" Riley asked again.
"I'll let you know when I've decided. Now if you don't mind I really need to give this back to him." She said moving Riley aside as she unlocked the door and left, still holding the medallion case.
She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going when she ran into something that knocked her to the deck. "Sorry." She apologized not looking up. When she did finally look up her face turned a light pink once she saw who it was she ran into. It was Davro, he was just coming out of the engine room.
"Here let me help you." He said offering her his hand when he noticed the black case still clutched in her hand.
"Here." She said quickly after she was on her feet and she thrust the case into his hand. "You dropped this back there. I didn't want you to forget it."
Taking the case from her he simply said thanks before he turned back to the engine compartment.
"Wait!" She said before he entered the compartment once again. "Davro, I need to tell you something."
He turned and looked at her with those hazel eyes that she loved to see change color.
"I know it's your life and you can do whatever you want with it." She said taking a deep breath and continued on. "I want you to know that you don't have to leave. I mean, I WANT you to stay with us. I would hate to see a great team split up. What do you say?" She asked, hope showing on her face. "Will you stay?"
Davro gazed at her a moment, slipped the case into a pocket, then narrowed his eyes slightly. He raised his right hand toward her, closed his eyes, and began breathing deep, relaxing breaths. Kayylla could have swore that she felt his touch upon her shoulder even though they were still a foot apart.
"There is more to this than just breaking up a team....", he said, eyes still closed. "I sense something deeper, but you are unsure of yourself, you're afraid of revealing more about your people, yet drawn to an offworlder. There is a rivalry within you for your feelings toward two men." He opened his eyes and smiled his damnable roguish grin. "It wouldn't be honorable for me to try and influence you. I'm way too fond of you to even try. You found my case on the floor next to my pack. I should have been more careful putting it away. I have been keeping too many things from you, and from myself. My old Captain was right; things do catch up with you, even when you run from them. You have many questions on your mind. Ask them, I will not keep anything from you.", he told her frankly, leaning back against a bulkhead. His eyes fixed on hers, he awaited her queries.
Kayylla stood there confusion and shock registering on her face. What was it that had touched her? Had Davro done it or was it something else entirely?
"What was that and what are you talking about?" She asked, her voice sounding dry from the shock at what she had felt.
"Are those the only questions you have for me?" He asked still leaning against the bulkhead.
"Well no." She responded.
"I think it would be easier if you asked all of your questions at once, then I can explain myself." He said still holding that smile of his.
A thoughtful look creased her brow as she thought of questions to ask him. "Alright, tell me why you left your home, how you got caught up with the Rebellion when it first started and if you could also tell me more about who you are. Riley told me she told you about us. I'm sorry that I can't tell you all that you want to know but I can tell more about me. Or at least what I can remember." She finished, looking at him waiting for his response.
Davro's smile changed from roguish to heartfelt.
"Why I left home....Corellia is quiet and peaceful. A young man eager for excitement is doomed in a place like that, so I sought employment on the first ship I could find that was hiring men on. The "Corellia's Gamble was the first ship. The Captain, same that you saw in Mezz's hologram back on Ord Mantell, took me on because he said he liked me. I later learned there was another reason. The 'Old Man', as the crew called him, was a Jedi in hiding. He personally interviewed anyone applying to crew positions both to get to know them, and to find any that The Force was with. He later revealed to me that he believed I had the potential to become a Jedi Knight, that I was honest, brave, good-hearted, and the Force was strong in me. He began training me the basics, but the Rebellion began mounting offensives against the Empire. He asked the crew for volunteers to fight for the Rebellion with him. No one left him. We all would win, or go down fighting for the cause of good. He seemed so alive then, like he envisioned the Jedi were back in power. We struck at every chance we had to hurt Imperial shipping and supply convoys, while at the same time delivering support materials to Rebel bases and outposts to relieve their troops."
He paused a moment to think.
"We then got word that Barkhesh was under a blockade by Imperial frigates. The rebel outpost there was out of supplies and were starving. Imperial ground forces couldn't locate the entry to the outpost, but it was only a matter of time before they died. Mon Mothma asked us to help. The 'Old Man' came up with a plan; the "Corellia's Gamble" would run the blockade, feign severe damage to draw the frigates away, and cause an opening for several medivac shuttles to hyperspace in and rescue the outpost troops. We started our run, cut through the lines of the slower frigates, then ran parallel with them trading laser fire. Rebel fighter support arrived to hold off the frigates' fighters and harass the frigates even more, but they still held their ground. Our shield were weakening and we had minor damage, but the captain pressed on. He ordered me down to engineering to keep those shields up, turned the ship, and charged the frigates again. Using our corvette's superior speed and agility, he flew us between the frigates, letting them tear at each other with their missed shots. His tactics worked, we killed four frigates in succession before they began to try and chase us off, fearing more losses. The gap they left was huge, and the shuttles had no trouble finishing the mission. Our fighter escort retreated, then we learned that our hyperdrive had been hit. I was working on it when we took another hit and we lost our atmospheric pressure. All of us were wearing spacesuits, but air escaping pulled many into space. I managed to snatch hold of a ladder and wildly grabbed at Mezz's hand as he was sucked by me, yelling for help in his helmet's commlink. I held onto him until the air was gone, then lowered him to the deck. We went back to fixing the hyperdrive, finishing just before the frigates had reached the range for their tractor beams. We sealed the hole in the hull and said a prayer for our lost shipmates."
He snaps out of his remembrance to see Kayylla listening intently. Smiling briefly, he continues.
"What you felt was one of the first things I was taught; how to tell what another is thinking. I don't have much chance to use it, I feared I was out of practice. My 'master', the captain, also taught me use of the light saber. I knew that my medal had fallen on the floor because you didn't dig into my pack, and I knew that because I keep the light saber that the captain gave me in the bottom. It was his, but he passed it on when he retired. After that, the crew went it's separate ways, but vowing to fight the Empire when they could." He glanced at his watch. "Heh, we're a little late for dinner. C'mon, Riley and Jace will be talking by the time we get there..." he said, helping her to her feet and tossing a wink at her.
Weeks earlier General Derricote received a holo signal from Coruscant. He wiped the soil from his hands on a rag at his belt. "What is it?" He called after activating the miniature projection pod near the work bench in his Alderaanian Botany lab. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Sorry General." The Imperial captain in the holo said apologetically. "You gave orders to notify you of any information we receive on a Cloakshaped Fighter." The captain continued.
"You've found them already? Very well, bring them to Blackmoon at once." The General interrupted.
"No sir. I am informing you that they have been sighted."
"Where?"
"Five standard days ago, Star Destroyer 'Vengeance' reported of a dogfight between the 315th and an unidentified starfighter in the Tarneb system. When 'Vengeance' no longer received comtraffic from the TIE squadron they went to investigate, they received a visual confirmation of a CSF making a jump into hyperspace. They made a scan of the area and found no other signs of life, they did however find the remains of the four TIE's that were sent out on a scouting mission." He paused to check his notes. "Once a thorough search was made of the system they found no other signs of life. They plotted a likely course the fighter would take and went off in pursuit."
"We later received a report from Kuat Drive Yards that a CSF had come into the system. Our men at the KDY made a search of the docking platforms and found a fighter that matched the descriptions of the one that blasted off from Coruscant. They questioned a local salesman who gave into the interrogation the
troops put him through. He informed them that he had received the ship as a trade in for a YT-2800 Corellian freighter, though he would not reveal who he sold the ship to. We later found out a YT-2800 had attacked the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett's personal ship 'Slave I'. They were able to disable it for the
time being. We lost track of the freighter until we received word from the spaceport on Ord Mantell that a YT-2800 had attacked the planetary defenses. The defense team was going out on a routine search when they were attacked. All members were destroyed. We have not been able to find the freighter since."
"Thank you captain. Keep me informed on any other leads you come across. I also want all security holos form Ord Mantell and Kuat searched through until you can find that alien who cheated us. I also want still holos of anyone who is seen hanging around her. I want a bounty of one hundred and fifty thousand on each of her accomplices heads. I also want the bounty on her head increased to five hundred thousand, she is also to be unharmed." Derricote said his plump face growing red as the blood rushed to it. "Have you heard anything else on Major Fenel?"
"No sir, we believe he is still being held captive by this strange alien. We have not received a ransom yet, we are still waiting on that." The captain responded keeping his posture military precise.
"Thank you captain that will be all." Derricote finished and went back to work with his plants. His face gradually went back to its normal color as he engrossed himself into the last plants from Alderaan.
Davro and Kayylla entered the lounge side by side moments later. Riley had finished setting the table in the booth, when she noticed their arrival. She gave Kayylla a sly smile and headed back to the food prep in the corner.
"Since our supplies are dwindling I had to whip something up from a mix of a few rations and some items from the food prep. I've put in plenty of spices to at least give it some flavor." She said once she placed a steaming pot of something in the middle of the table.
As Kayylla slid into the booth she wrinkled her nose at the contents in the pot.
"I don't want any of that either. At least try it, it's not like it's going to kill you." Riley commented when she saw Kayylla's disapproving look at the meal.
"What did I do?" Kayylla teased her friend.
"Don't make me beat you." Riley responded after placing a server into the pot.
"That will have to wait until the meal is over, that is if we don't die first." Kayylla added ducking the dish rag Riley had thrown at her.
"Is there anytime when you two aren't fighting?" Jace asked as he started spooning everyone up a plate of Riley's concoction.
"What this? Oh this isn't fighting. Riley doesn't like it when I tell her the truth about her cooking skills." Kayylla responded handing a plate to Davro.
"It may not be the food that will kill you." Riley said as she sat next to Jace.
"Could we please eat 'one' meal that you two don't bicker through?" Jace asked with a smile and putting a stop to the argument. He didn't wait for the silence to linger for long before he asked Davro a question. "So Dav, what do you plan on doing once you sell you N-1? Head back to 'The Rock' and get back on with your life?" He finished with a smirk.
Everyone, except Kayylla's, eyes were fixed on Davro and waited for his answer.
"Still considering my options..." he started, sampling the food. "Mmmm, this is really pretty good." He flashed a quick grin at Riley, then turned back to Jace. "I'll contact some of the old crew when we arrive. Captain Culley should still be around, he retired on Dantooine. Between them, I should be able to gather some intelligence on what's going on, maybe contact the collector and let him know the fighter is ready."
"Then I can probably assume that you will be staying with us right?" Jace asked around a mouthful of food. "I think we need to find a way to clear Kayylla's name from the Empires files. From there we can all get on with our lives. Maybe one of your friends can help." He asked looking at Davro.
But before Davro could answer the question Kayylla spoke up. "I don't really think kidnapping can be erased from anyone's files." Kayylla responded not looking at anyone.
"What?" Davro and Jace asked.
"I knew Mezz wouldn't have told you everything back there." She answered. With that she stood up on the bench she was sitting on, stepped up onto the table, making sure she didn't knock anything over and jumped to the deck. She landed without a sound and headed towards the hold.
No one said anything until after Kayylla left.
"What does she mean kidnapping? Who did she kidnap?" Jace asked turning to Riley.
"We didn't want to worry either of you with it. The reason I was on Ord Mantell was because I saw a warrant out for Kayylla's arrest. It barely mentioned her gypping the Empire. She's wanted for your kidnapping." She said looking at Jace. "I'm sure by now they have holo's of each of us. So whether we like it or not, we may not be able to go our separate ways for awhile." She added.
They sat there in silence, no one talking or looking at one another. Jace finally broke in. "I'm going to go and talk to her." He said.
Without a word Riley got up from the bench. "Are you sure? I can go and speak with her." She suggested once Jace had left the booth.
"No, I think I'm the one who should talk with her. After all, it mostly my fault the Empire's after her." He answered giving Riley a look that stopped the argument there, and walked towards the hold.
Riley glanced at Davro, who merely shrugged in response.
It didn't take him long to reach the hold. From inside he heard muffled sound followed by grunts of exertion. Stepping to the opened entrance way Jace saw what was making the noise, it was Kayylla. She had a bag of some sort in front of her, or rather it was infront of her until she kicked or punched it which sent it off in a new direction.
He stood there in awe at her agility and grace. In all his years of service to the Empire he had never seen a combatant who possessed those qualities. From his own combat training he could see that each blow she executed would have been fatal on any living being. He watched her waiting for a break so he could talk with her. Finding none he decided he'd better interrupt at a safe distance.
"Wouldn't it be more effective if your victim could fight back?" he asked from the entrance way.
Upon hearing the voice Kayylla whirled around staying in an attack position. Her auburn hair was plastered to her face, green eyes silted in concentration and small beads of sweat were trickling down her face. Recognition dawned on her face and she relaxed her stance.
"Most of my victims never live long enough to fight back." She answered picking up a towel from the deck to dry her face.
"Why didn't you tell me why the Empire was really after you? I could have done something to prevent it from going this far." He asked taking a few steps towards her.
"I didn't know I was charged for kidnapping until Riley met up with us on Ord Mantell. To many things were happening at once, I guess it slipped my mind." She answered staying where she was. "I should never have brought you into this in the first place." She added.
"You only invited me. I was MY choice whether or not to accept your invitation. I saw an opportunity for me to escape the empires control and their twisted idea about non-humans. I'll turn myself in and explain everything." Jace explained.
"No!" She said with force. "They would try you as a traitor and execute you. I can't allow that." She added throwing the towel to the deck. "I'm sorry. I'm not the one who should decide what you do and don't do. I don't want you to leave though. We make a great team. We all owe our lives to you, if you hadn't taken the controls when you did I'm sure the uglies back there would have disabled the ship we would have been
caught." She finished starring up at him and taking in his features. He had changed since they had left Coruscant almost a standard month earlier. He had allowed the hair around his mouth to grow out. He no longer looked like the Imperial officer she had met early that Coruscant morning.
He stood there arms across his chest giving her the opportunity to continue if she wished. Seeing that she had finished he responded with his own plan. "I'm willing to accept other ideas, but if I don't like them I'll go back to my own. I promise I will not reveal anything about what has gone on since my defection."
'Had he heard any of Riley's explanation about their species?' she asked herself. 'No that's impossible he was out of the ship being shot at by the bounty hunters when Riley and Davro had their talk.' She was about to voice her question but thought better of it. "Fine, lets go work out a plan with the others." She said as she headed towards the lounge once again.
"Where did you learn to fight like that? I've never seen anyone fight they way you do." He asked changing the subject.
"Many, many years of practice." Was all she said.