II. JOURNEY TO IEGO
The main hangar seemed to be the dirtiest place in the City. It was a large building roofed by a wide, curving dome, open only from two sides. The dust whipped through here and stained the many, settled starships. Garqhuin Padawan and Kane Starkiller stood silently by their Jedi ship awaiting their companions.
From the twirl of dust in the air emerged two figures -- Ze'Losh Merle and Deak Starkiller. They hurried inside, half jogging. Deak walked up from behind and wiped the dust from his cloak. He winked at his older brother.
Kane looked the younger over, rather annoyed. "What are you doing here?"
Deak grinned impishly. "Master Beren's going to need a top-notch pilot y'know."
"Master Beren can pilot well enough."
"Yeah, but he's going to need a mechanic too," Deak retorted, the trademark grin untiring.
"Are you sure he let you on just like that? You'd slow him down."
"Well, it took a little convincing, but in the end, he agreed." Deak shrugged and winked at Ze'Losh.
"Bah, leave the little one alone!" yelled a brusque voice from inside the dust storm. Master Beren came hobbling forward, through the beach sand at a faster-than-usual pace. He seemed unusually excited by the looks of it. He wore a pair of old-fashioned flight goggles over his eyes and a carrying pack on his back -- the small child asleep with his head propped out.
The Master tightened the hood around his face, smiling broadly. Ze'Losh couldn't help but laugh out loud at the spectacle.
"Bah! What is it, Ze'Losh?" The Master spun.
"Oh, nothing, Master Beren -- it's just." She broke out in laughter once more.
"Do you find my appearance humorous?" Master Beren raised an eyebrow.
The laughter caught hold of everyone then, including the Starkillers, and eventually Master Beren himself. Only Garqhuin Padawan remained stale-faced as the baby, on Beren's back, gurgled on asleep.
"Well then," Master Beren began, "shall we be heading out, Garqhuin?"
"Of course, sir." Padawan signaled the group to move up the ramp. "Everyone onboard and we'll be off."
The City's beach hangar bustled with life as villagers came in and out. The entire spaceport area ran amuck with chatter and a large mass of spectators assembled around the Jedi starship to bid their heroes farewell.
Kane pulled back on the flight controls, launching the ship into midair. The craft rumbled as it shifted to settle into flight position.
Deak pressed against a window. "Who are all they?" he asked, staring out at the crowd.
Master Beren took a seat in the back of the ship and set his goggles atop his forehead, gently laying the child onto his lap. "They are friends who wish us well. Wave back, for we carry their hope and future on our shoulders."
The Jedi starcraft hummed backwards as it's engines churned with power. The dust stirred and suddenly settled as the ship lay motionless in the slight breeze. Gradually, a faint whirl built up within it's metal heart.
Padawan took a seat next to Master Beren, Ze'Losh on the other side. He looked down at the child, a half smile on his wrinkled face. "So Master Beren, what is this child's name?"
Master Beren noticed the slight interest in his former student's voice. "His name, well, perhaps the Whills will help us decipher that riddle, my friend. They know a great many things."
Padawan nodded slightly. "Is this why you insist on going so suddenly? Is this young child the reason?"
"No, my old friend. Though this child will have a great impact on the future, it is not the reason I leave Alderaan."
"Then why, Master? What makes this so urgent?"
"I am dying, Garqhuin, and sometimes I feel the Order is with me. I travel to the Whills now to seek a light -- a light that will heal the Order before it is too late -- something, anything -- to soothe the path it marches upon."
"Have we become so terrible?" Padawan asked, a humbleness in his voice.
"No, Garqhuin. For the most part, I feel the Order will stand for the principles it was founded upon -- peace, justice, and a service to all peoples. However, we are losing our values -- our path is becoming crooked -- lopsided. It is hard to understand -- hard to perceive, I know. All I know is that the Order is changing. And though, in many cases, change is good -- there is no room for change when it comes to the teachings of the Force. If we change the teachings, we bend the truth."
He looked at Padawan, searching his feelings, and sensed a sentiment of understanding.
"Prep yourselves!" Deak yelled back, seated in the co-pilot chair.
The starcraft suddenly dipped and pulled upwards at the same moment, as it began it's hover through the hangar. A sea of villagers scattered underneath, waving and cheering, following the starship towards the exit.
As the engine boiled with anticipation, Kane, in the pilot seat, stroked the throttle. Soon, the fellowship would leave the planet, and its fate lay with those who traveled aboard that very starcraft.
Leaning forward, the Jedi shuttle trickled through the hangar and entered the open air. It slowly ascended higher until it was immersed in the clouds and hovered far above the City of the Jedi. The shuttle sifted through the clouds as Kane managed the passage among the fog and vapors. Sunlight strained through an opening and Kane drove towards it.
Subliminally shifting on a variety of flight controls, Kane focused through the tinted view-screen. With great weight he flung forward on the flight stick and released the carnage burning deep within the belly of the transport. The shuttle rocketed towards the sun as it's passengers hung in turbulent suspense.
The mighty heft of the engine propelled the starcraft out of the atmosphere and into the stars, as it lay in the caress of Alderaan's orbit. The Starkiller brothers immediately threw their hands amongst a muddle of machinery, readying the shuttle for hyperspace.
As they tended to preparations for traveling lightspeed, Master Bendu Beren tilted his head to look out the window, one last time. There, suspended in space, lulled sweet Alderaan. Master Beren gazed upon it with a loving stare. He knew then, that he would no longer see her again -- that peaceful world. No more would he watch her shores or lie in her lap. Now, he would tend to the future and the fate of all living beings in the Galaxy -- one last time.
The hyperspace engine began to rumble and the engine roared. Master Beren shut his eyes and whispered to himself and the child. "And so the Jedi Master embarks on the great quest." He smiled. "One last time."
______________________________
From high above, Iego was a mixture of yellow, blue, and green -- a lovely planet with a dreaded connotation. The many moons poured down their light upon the tiny winding walkways of the capital city and illuminated the outside of the tropical forest that surrounded the group. It was early morning but still late night. The sun would rise in only a few hours.
Ze'Losh hugged the cloak around her shoulders. The tropical appearance of the planet seemed deceiving to her -- as the air was very cold. She glanced about noticing the bending walkway that disappeared into the jungle. What the moonlight could not reveal, the orange lampposts could.
She turned towards the ramp of the shuttle and helped her Master clumsily scamper down. He seemed rather childish since the other day -- in a good way, of course -- more ordinary than most of the other high ranking Jedi. She smiled at him and noted the child, asleep again, clinging to his back.
The whole lightspeed trip, Ze'Losh had watched Master Beren cuddle the child in his furry grasp. He fed the child and pampered him and very silently even sang to him! Master Beren was a loving person -- a being who showed great emotion -- and this was warmly familiar.
She had smiled the whole trip, watching her Master and the child, all the while trying to ignore Deak's sly attempts to snatch her attention. She remembered the same fatherly fondness Master Beren had showed her when she was a young orphan. She realized then, that Master Beren, the child, and her, all shared a common bond.
Born to an interstellar human trader and a dancing Twi'lek, Ze'Losh was abandoned at an early age. It was Master Beren who found her, raised her, and then trained her as his apprentice when she came of age. She saw the same thing happening with this child. But that wasn't the half of it.
Growing up, Ze'Losh always felt different than the others -- she was a rare hybrid species -- and always felt very alone. This child now, now he came from Dagobah -- an uninhabited place -- all alone and with no known species or kin. She was reminded of Master Beren then -- another being of a strange and rare species. Bendu Beren was the last of his kind -- a kind blessed with extremely long lives but burdened with the inability to produce any offspring. His past was a blur to him -- it was so long it seemed that he could not remember even his parents. He knew though, that they died when he was very young.
Ze'Losh understood why her Master had a passion for helping the underprivileged, the orphaned, and the alone. He was a great man -- and, in her eyes, he was always her father.
"You there!" shrieked a fidgeting voice. The group turned to encounter an uncouth fellow, limping around the bend emerging from the jungle. "Ah, hi there!" he reworded.
Master Padawan walked up to the lumbering man. "We're here to see Mistress Invidia of the Angels of Iego."
"Of course, you are," he replied, flashing a fake smile. The man dipped into his pockets and snapped out with a black datapad in his hands. Frantically, he fingered a medley of buttons, searching through his records. In all his excitement, the clumsy host managed to drop his pad -- breaking it in the process. "Oh my. It just slipped out of my fingers."
"I am Garqhuin Padawan." The Jedi bowed.
"Oh, yes!" The man hopped. "Of course! Silly old fool I am. Yes, yes, follow me. The Lady has been expecting you." He motioned for all the Jedi to follow his lead, as he hurriedly strode forward, far ahead of the group.
"He's a rather odd fellow," commented Kane to his brother, as he passed the group up. Deak and Ze'Losh followed, Master Beren and Master Padawan behind the rest.
A slippery wind howled through the dark sky and shook the leaves on the trees. Ze'Losh eyed left and right, constantly, struggling to search the lush heap of forest greenery that prattled with hidden chatter. She marched forward, Deak at her side -- each pair keeping their distance -- Kane and the fumbling host now together, far in front.
Moving closer, Deak whispered to Ze'Losh. "Hey Zay, you cold?" he asked.
"Just a little," she mused, "but I can handle it."
"You sure?" he prodded, a little dismayed.
"I'm sure, Deak."
Deak nudged her. "Something's wrong, huh? What's up?"
"Nothing." She shut him off.
Deak watched her closely then. Her gaze was lowered, as her feet fluttering forward, delicate steps, one by one. Her hands were brought up close, her long fingers scrunched, tightly pressing a tarnished cloak to her long lavender neck.
The young Jedi opened his mouth and shut it, quickly sparing himself a flood of embarrassment. He wouldn't dare a struggle with words that could only result in a slosh of incoherent nothing -- not here -- especially not now -- not again -- not yet, at least. Still, Deak wasn't the kind of roguish soul to back off so easily.
Glancing back, he put on another mischievous grin. "So, Master Beren o'er there seems awfully engrossed with that kid, eh?"
"So?" Ze'Losh fired back, her eyes still watching the trail.
Deak nervously waved a hand through his dirty brown hair. "Uh, I don't know," he struggled, "I just was pointing that out."
"Well, thanks for pointing that out," she stabbed, with little remorse in her voice.
Deak was beat. He slumped his shoulders and slipped out a hushed sigh to himself. Something was up, he just couldn't untangle the mess. Ze'Losh was a good natured, kind, and honest person -- bearer of attributes extremely rare in the Galaxy, even on Alderaan. She was special and in all the years Deak had known her, he could never figure out the best way to tell her that simple truth.
Lagging behind the others, Garqhuin Padawan briefed Master Beren of the mission at hand. Their cloaks hung dragging behind, dancing on the crooked trail.
"There will be a path curving to the right not far from here. Your transport waits for you there."
Master Beren nodded. "Is a garbage transport necessary?"
"It was the only transport we could find traveling the direction you're heading. It's a rather inconspicuous craft. You should have no trouble with the Sith lurching about. The transport is only an extra precaution though, I do not think you will confront the dark ones on your journey."
"I doubt that, Garqhuin. Rather, we will have many encounters with them. That much I know. This smelly spaceship is our only choice I suppose."
"I've assurances that it's unsoiled -- upgraded even -- with stealth features," Padawan added, completely serious.
Master Beren harrumphed. "What kind of garbage carrier, in their right mind, would add stealth features to a rickety-old transport?"
"Oh, we sent along a good sum of Core Region currency. We paid for those features -- and silence."
"Silence?" asked Beren.
Padawan nodded. "Yes. We do not want our garbage carrier spreading rumors, that the Jedi seek his transport." He halted to point out the approaching junction.
The winding trail sprout off into another bend that permeated through the dense tropical forest. High above, the lamppost between the two trails flickered in despair. Deak and Ze'Losh stood together waiting for the Master.
Padawan paused as Master Beren joined hands with Deak and Ze'Losh. "Your transport is waiting for you, Master Beren. We are late, you know," Padawan stated, very bluntly.
"Yes, it is. I see the other Starkiller has passed us up. He is a determined fellow and I admire that in him." He smiled, a glint of joy in his stare. "And we must press on as well. Goodbye, ol' friend. Send Master Kane my farewell."
"I will, my Master," Padawan answered, slightly bowing.
Ze'Losh began tugging at her Master. He spun to acknowledge her. "We're going, my dear." He turned again to face his old student, a final time. "When you meet the Lady, humble yourself and treat her well. Remember, there is no arrogance in the Jedi Order." He shifted on his staff. "And now, we must be off. Goodbye again, Garqhuin, and may the Force be with you."
Padawan nodded. "And you, as well," he replied, slowly nodding again -- this time a gesture of goodbye. He turned and marched away, continuing into the darkness of the shimmering green jungle.
The three Jedi were left standing alone -- a new path in front of them.
The child, in Master Beren's pack, began to squirm restlessly. Ze'Losh slid the baby from his makeshift bungalow, gently hushing him back to slumber.
Master Beren smiled, broadly. "This young one sleeps often."
"Yes, but at least he seldom cries," replied Ze'Losh, soothingly nuzzling the child.
Deak felt the need to add a comment. "Maybe he's dead?" he teased, a silly grin plastered on his face.
Two cold stares drove undeniably in his direction. Bad joke. He shrugged his shoulders. "I was only kidding." He backed off, mumbling, "everyone's so uptight these days."
Master Beren and Ze'Losh subtly smiled at each other as Deak turned his back, heading up the trail. They soon joined him, moving on with their quest.
They arrived at a round concrete clearing that smelled of mist and burnt wood. The soil was shrouded in dense fog and only the top of the large bulking transport could be seen. A collection of muffled lampposts encircled the grounds. Off to the side, a number of dilapidated shanties, strung against one another, plopped in disarray.
Limping from one of the sludgy shacks came a heavyset slob, dragging his feet. "You Jedi there!" he bellowed. "You come for ma' ship?" He peeled an assortment of greased papers from his stubby fingers before tilting his head towards the group.
"That is correct," answered Master Beren, warming his hands in his pockets.
"Huh," the stranger scoffed, with a sneer on his blubbery muzzle. "Well I gots' your monies. Sorry ta' says to ya'," he paused, "but it ain't gunna' be enough."
Master Beren shook his head rather calmly. "I was assured you were paid in full." He smiled. "And at the price you, yourself requested."
"Yea, so?" the garbage carrier bit back. "Well, I change ma' mind. Now pay up or get outta' here." He crossed his arms and stood tall on his feet, attempting to terrify the trio in front of him.
"I'm not the least bit intimidated," Master Beren countered, unmoving from his position.
"Huh?"
"You agreed to allow us to use your vessel for the amount you had specified. It's too late to bolster your prices now."
The alien transporter guffawed. "Oh-hoh -- tough guy, ey? Talk with Marg, you do! I want more, you give may more. It's only thawt easy. Why you think you can get away without paying what I want now?!"
Master Beren attempted to untwine the puzzle of words floating in the air. "Simply said, it's bad business, my friend."
Clearly annoyed, the hot-headed pilot wrestled into his drooping waist-buckle and avulsed a hanging wrench, tearing the side of his belt. Gracefully, his pants flung off his potbelly and floated to the paved landing pad. He shrieked in maddened embarrassment. "Now you made Marg angry!" He drew the wrench into the air.
With a delicate sway of the hand, Master Beren persuaded him otherwise. The wrench fell to the pavement with a clang.
"You will allow us to use your ship, Marg."
"I will allow us to use your ship, Marg," repeated the transporter, hypnotized, smitten by the Force.
"Thank you, Marg. We are indebted to you for your hospitality." Master Beren smiled. "Goodnight, my friend," he finished, turning to his waiting companions.
"Yes, ma-ah, Jedi. Betted hospital, my. Night good, friend," struggled Marg, as the three Jedi boarded the garbage transport.
They quietly walked up the ramp as Marg stood alone, staring blankly at his pants -- blabbering to himself an unintelligible pile of nonsense.
The main hangar seemed to be the dirtiest place in the City. It was a large building roofed by a wide, curving dome, open only from two sides. The dust whipped through here and stained the many, settled starships. Garqhuin Padawan and Kane Starkiller stood silently by their Jedi ship awaiting their companions.
From the twirl of dust in the air emerged two figures -- Ze'Losh Merle and Deak Starkiller. They hurried inside, half jogging. Deak walked up from behind and wiped the dust from his cloak. He winked at his older brother.
Kane looked the younger over, rather annoyed. "What are you doing here?"
Deak grinned impishly. "Master Beren's going to need a top-notch pilot y'know."
"Master Beren can pilot well enough."
"Yeah, but he's going to need a mechanic too," Deak retorted, the trademark grin untiring.
"Are you sure he let you on just like that? You'd slow him down."
"Well, it took a little convincing, but in the end, he agreed." Deak shrugged and winked at Ze'Losh.
"Bah, leave the little one alone!" yelled a brusque voice from inside the dust storm. Master Beren came hobbling forward, through the beach sand at a faster-than-usual pace. He seemed unusually excited by the looks of it. He wore a pair of old-fashioned flight goggles over his eyes and a carrying pack on his back -- the small child asleep with his head propped out.
The Master tightened the hood around his face, smiling broadly. Ze'Losh couldn't help but laugh out loud at the spectacle.
"Bah! What is it, Ze'Losh?" The Master spun.
"Oh, nothing, Master Beren -- it's just." She broke out in laughter once more.
"Do you find my appearance humorous?" Master Beren raised an eyebrow.
The laughter caught hold of everyone then, including the Starkillers, and eventually Master Beren himself. Only Garqhuin Padawan remained stale-faced as the baby, on Beren's back, gurgled on asleep.
"Well then," Master Beren began, "shall we be heading out, Garqhuin?"
"Of course, sir." Padawan signaled the group to move up the ramp. "Everyone onboard and we'll be off."
The City's beach hangar bustled with life as villagers came in and out. The entire spaceport area ran amuck with chatter and a large mass of spectators assembled around the Jedi starship to bid their heroes farewell.
Kane pulled back on the flight controls, launching the ship into midair. The craft rumbled as it shifted to settle into flight position.
Deak pressed against a window. "Who are all they?" he asked, staring out at the crowd.
Master Beren took a seat in the back of the ship and set his goggles atop his forehead, gently laying the child onto his lap. "They are friends who wish us well. Wave back, for we carry their hope and future on our shoulders."
The Jedi starcraft hummed backwards as it's engines churned with power. The dust stirred and suddenly settled as the ship lay motionless in the slight breeze. Gradually, a faint whirl built up within it's metal heart.
Padawan took a seat next to Master Beren, Ze'Losh on the other side. He looked down at the child, a half smile on his wrinkled face. "So Master Beren, what is this child's name?"
Master Beren noticed the slight interest in his former student's voice. "His name, well, perhaps the Whills will help us decipher that riddle, my friend. They know a great many things."
Padawan nodded slightly. "Is this why you insist on going so suddenly? Is this young child the reason?"
"No, my old friend. Though this child will have a great impact on the future, it is not the reason I leave Alderaan."
"Then why, Master? What makes this so urgent?"
"I am dying, Garqhuin, and sometimes I feel the Order is with me. I travel to the Whills now to seek a light -- a light that will heal the Order before it is too late -- something, anything -- to soothe the path it marches upon."
"Have we become so terrible?" Padawan asked, a humbleness in his voice.
"No, Garqhuin. For the most part, I feel the Order will stand for the principles it was founded upon -- peace, justice, and a service to all peoples. However, we are losing our values -- our path is becoming crooked -- lopsided. It is hard to understand -- hard to perceive, I know. All I know is that the Order is changing. And though, in many cases, change is good -- there is no room for change when it comes to the teachings of the Force. If we change the teachings, we bend the truth."
He looked at Padawan, searching his feelings, and sensed a sentiment of understanding.
"Prep yourselves!" Deak yelled back, seated in the co-pilot chair.
The starcraft suddenly dipped and pulled upwards at the same moment, as it began it's hover through the hangar. A sea of villagers scattered underneath, waving and cheering, following the starship towards the exit.
As the engine boiled with anticipation, Kane, in the pilot seat, stroked the throttle. Soon, the fellowship would leave the planet, and its fate lay with those who traveled aboard that very starcraft.
Leaning forward, the Jedi shuttle trickled through the hangar and entered the open air. It slowly ascended higher until it was immersed in the clouds and hovered far above the City of the Jedi. The shuttle sifted through the clouds as Kane managed the passage among the fog and vapors. Sunlight strained through an opening and Kane drove towards it.
Subliminally shifting on a variety of flight controls, Kane focused through the tinted view-screen. With great weight he flung forward on the flight stick and released the carnage burning deep within the belly of the transport. The shuttle rocketed towards the sun as it's passengers hung in turbulent suspense.
The mighty heft of the engine propelled the starcraft out of the atmosphere and into the stars, as it lay in the caress of Alderaan's orbit. The Starkiller brothers immediately threw their hands amongst a muddle of machinery, readying the shuttle for hyperspace.
As they tended to preparations for traveling lightspeed, Master Bendu Beren tilted his head to look out the window, one last time. There, suspended in space, lulled sweet Alderaan. Master Beren gazed upon it with a loving stare. He knew then, that he would no longer see her again -- that peaceful world. No more would he watch her shores or lie in her lap. Now, he would tend to the future and the fate of all living beings in the Galaxy -- one last time.
The hyperspace engine began to rumble and the engine roared. Master Beren shut his eyes and whispered to himself and the child. "And so the Jedi Master embarks on the great quest." He smiled. "One last time."
______________________________
From high above, Iego was a mixture of yellow, blue, and green -- a lovely planet with a dreaded connotation. The many moons poured down their light upon the tiny winding walkways of the capital city and illuminated the outside of the tropical forest that surrounded the group. It was early morning but still late night. The sun would rise in only a few hours.
Ze'Losh hugged the cloak around her shoulders. The tropical appearance of the planet seemed deceiving to her -- as the air was very cold. She glanced about noticing the bending walkway that disappeared into the jungle. What the moonlight could not reveal, the orange lampposts could.
She turned towards the ramp of the shuttle and helped her Master clumsily scamper down. He seemed rather childish since the other day -- in a good way, of course -- more ordinary than most of the other high ranking Jedi. She smiled at him and noted the child, asleep again, clinging to his back.
The whole lightspeed trip, Ze'Losh had watched Master Beren cuddle the child in his furry grasp. He fed the child and pampered him and very silently even sang to him! Master Beren was a loving person -- a being who showed great emotion -- and this was warmly familiar.
She had smiled the whole trip, watching her Master and the child, all the while trying to ignore Deak's sly attempts to snatch her attention. She remembered the same fatherly fondness Master Beren had showed her when she was a young orphan. She realized then, that Master Beren, the child, and her, all shared a common bond.
Born to an interstellar human trader and a dancing Twi'lek, Ze'Losh was abandoned at an early age. It was Master Beren who found her, raised her, and then trained her as his apprentice when she came of age. She saw the same thing happening with this child. But that wasn't the half of it.
Growing up, Ze'Losh always felt different than the others -- she was a rare hybrid species -- and always felt very alone. This child now, now he came from Dagobah -- an uninhabited place -- all alone and with no known species or kin. She was reminded of Master Beren then -- another being of a strange and rare species. Bendu Beren was the last of his kind -- a kind blessed with extremely long lives but burdened with the inability to produce any offspring. His past was a blur to him -- it was so long it seemed that he could not remember even his parents. He knew though, that they died when he was very young.
Ze'Losh understood why her Master had a passion for helping the underprivileged, the orphaned, and the alone. He was a great man -- and, in her eyes, he was always her father.
"You there!" shrieked a fidgeting voice. The group turned to encounter an uncouth fellow, limping around the bend emerging from the jungle. "Ah, hi there!" he reworded.
Master Padawan walked up to the lumbering man. "We're here to see Mistress Invidia of the Angels of Iego."
"Of course, you are," he replied, flashing a fake smile. The man dipped into his pockets and snapped out with a black datapad in his hands. Frantically, he fingered a medley of buttons, searching through his records. In all his excitement, the clumsy host managed to drop his pad -- breaking it in the process. "Oh my. It just slipped out of my fingers."
"I am Garqhuin Padawan." The Jedi bowed.
"Oh, yes!" The man hopped. "Of course! Silly old fool I am. Yes, yes, follow me. The Lady has been expecting you." He motioned for all the Jedi to follow his lead, as he hurriedly strode forward, far ahead of the group.
"He's a rather odd fellow," commented Kane to his brother, as he passed the group up. Deak and Ze'Losh followed, Master Beren and Master Padawan behind the rest.
A slippery wind howled through the dark sky and shook the leaves on the trees. Ze'Losh eyed left and right, constantly, struggling to search the lush heap of forest greenery that prattled with hidden chatter. She marched forward, Deak at her side -- each pair keeping their distance -- Kane and the fumbling host now together, far in front.
Moving closer, Deak whispered to Ze'Losh. "Hey Zay, you cold?" he asked.
"Just a little," she mused, "but I can handle it."
"You sure?" he prodded, a little dismayed.
"I'm sure, Deak."
Deak nudged her. "Something's wrong, huh? What's up?"
"Nothing." She shut him off.
Deak watched her closely then. Her gaze was lowered, as her feet fluttering forward, delicate steps, one by one. Her hands were brought up close, her long fingers scrunched, tightly pressing a tarnished cloak to her long lavender neck.
The young Jedi opened his mouth and shut it, quickly sparing himself a flood of embarrassment. He wouldn't dare a struggle with words that could only result in a slosh of incoherent nothing -- not here -- especially not now -- not again -- not yet, at least. Still, Deak wasn't the kind of roguish soul to back off so easily.
Glancing back, he put on another mischievous grin. "So, Master Beren o'er there seems awfully engrossed with that kid, eh?"
"So?" Ze'Losh fired back, her eyes still watching the trail.
Deak nervously waved a hand through his dirty brown hair. "Uh, I don't know," he struggled, "I just was pointing that out."
"Well, thanks for pointing that out," she stabbed, with little remorse in her voice.
Deak was beat. He slumped his shoulders and slipped out a hushed sigh to himself. Something was up, he just couldn't untangle the mess. Ze'Losh was a good natured, kind, and honest person -- bearer of attributes extremely rare in the Galaxy, even on Alderaan. She was special and in all the years Deak had known her, he could never figure out the best way to tell her that simple truth.
Lagging behind the others, Garqhuin Padawan briefed Master Beren of the mission at hand. Their cloaks hung dragging behind, dancing on the crooked trail.
"There will be a path curving to the right not far from here. Your transport waits for you there."
Master Beren nodded. "Is a garbage transport necessary?"
"It was the only transport we could find traveling the direction you're heading. It's a rather inconspicuous craft. You should have no trouble with the Sith lurching about. The transport is only an extra precaution though, I do not think you will confront the dark ones on your journey."
"I doubt that, Garqhuin. Rather, we will have many encounters with them. That much I know. This smelly spaceship is our only choice I suppose."
"I've assurances that it's unsoiled -- upgraded even -- with stealth features," Padawan added, completely serious.
Master Beren harrumphed. "What kind of garbage carrier, in their right mind, would add stealth features to a rickety-old transport?"
"Oh, we sent along a good sum of Core Region currency. We paid for those features -- and silence."
"Silence?" asked Beren.
Padawan nodded. "Yes. We do not want our garbage carrier spreading rumors, that the Jedi seek his transport." He halted to point out the approaching junction.
The winding trail sprout off into another bend that permeated through the dense tropical forest. High above, the lamppost between the two trails flickered in despair. Deak and Ze'Losh stood together waiting for the Master.
Padawan paused as Master Beren joined hands with Deak and Ze'Losh. "Your transport is waiting for you, Master Beren. We are late, you know," Padawan stated, very bluntly.
"Yes, it is. I see the other Starkiller has passed us up. He is a determined fellow and I admire that in him." He smiled, a glint of joy in his stare. "And we must press on as well. Goodbye, ol' friend. Send Master Kane my farewell."
"I will, my Master," Padawan answered, slightly bowing.
Ze'Losh began tugging at her Master. He spun to acknowledge her. "We're going, my dear." He turned again to face his old student, a final time. "When you meet the Lady, humble yourself and treat her well. Remember, there is no arrogance in the Jedi Order." He shifted on his staff. "And now, we must be off. Goodbye again, Garqhuin, and may the Force be with you."
Padawan nodded. "And you, as well," he replied, slowly nodding again -- this time a gesture of goodbye. He turned and marched away, continuing into the darkness of the shimmering green jungle.
The three Jedi were left standing alone -- a new path in front of them.
The child, in Master Beren's pack, began to squirm restlessly. Ze'Losh slid the baby from his makeshift bungalow, gently hushing him back to slumber.
Master Beren smiled, broadly. "This young one sleeps often."
"Yes, but at least he seldom cries," replied Ze'Losh, soothingly nuzzling the child.
Deak felt the need to add a comment. "Maybe he's dead?" he teased, a silly grin plastered on his face.
Two cold stares drove undeniably in his direction. Bad joke. He shrugged his shoulders. "I was only kidding." He backed off, mumbling, "everyone's so uptight these days."
Master Beren and Ze'Losh subtly smiled at each other as Deak turned his back, heading up the trail. They soon joined him, moving on with their quest.
They arrived at a round concrete clearing that smelled of mist and burnt wood. The soil was shrouded in dense fog and only the top of the large bulking transport could be seen. A collection of muffled lampposts encircled the grounds. Off to the side, a number of dilapidated shanties, strung against one another, plopped in disarray.
Limping from one of the sludgy shacks came a heavyset slob, dragging his feet. "You Jedi there!" he bellowed. "You come for ma' ship?" He peeled an assortment of greased papers from his stubby fingers before tilting his head towards the group.
"That is correct," answered Master Beren, warming his hands in his pockets.
"Huh," the stranger scoffed, with a sneer on his blubbery muzzle. "Well I gots' your monies. Sorry ta' says to ya'," he paused, "but it ain't gunna' be enough."
Master Beren shook his head rather calmly. "I was assured you were paid in full." He smiled. "And at the price you, yourself requested."
"Yea, so?" the garbage carrier bit back. "Well, I change ma' mind. Now pay up or get outta' here." He crossed his arms and stood tall on his feet, attempting to terrify the trio in front of him.
"I'm not the least bit intimidated," Master Beren countered, unmoving from his position.
"Huh?"
"You agreed to allow us to use your vessel for the amount you had specified. It's too late to bolster your prices now."
The alien transporter guffawed. "Oh-hoh -- tough guy, ey? Talk with Marg, you do! I want more, you give may more. It's only thawt easy. Why you think you can get away without paying what I want now?!"
Master Beren attempted to untwine the puzzle of words floating in the air. "Simply said, it's bad business, my friend."
Clearly annoyed, the hot-headed pilot wrestled into his drooping waist-buckle and avulsed a hanging wrench, tearing the side of his belt. Gracefully, his pants flung off his potbelly and floated to the paved landing pad. He shrieked in maddened embarrassment. "Now you made Marg angry!" He drew the wrench into the air.
With a delicate sway of the hand, Master Beren persuaded him otherwise. The wrench fell to the pavement with a clang.
"You will allow us to use your ship, Marg."
"I will allow us to use your ship, Marg," repeated the transporter, hypnotized, smitten by the Force.
"Thank you, Marg. We are indebted to you for your hospitality." Master Beren smiled. "Goodnight, my friend," he finished, turning to his waiting companions.
"Yes, ma-ah, Jedi. Betted hospital, my. Night good, friend," struggled Marg, as the three Jedi boarded the garbage transport.
They quietly walked up the ramp as Marg stood alone, staring blankly at his pants -- blabbering to himself an unintelligible pile of nonsense.
