*Contains many loosely quoted passages from Star by Star and Balance Point*
Dagobah Slip Stream
Part Five
She watched the big Weequay pick up his drink and walk over to her 'ride'.
She knew what he was going to ask. She knew where they would go once they refused him.
She knew that was were she had to get, within the next three days, and that the Millennium Falcon was the only ship that could get her there in time.
She saw an anonymous woman walk into the room. Wow, how the woman looked like Syn. Syn was her apprentice, whom Cas had left on Jacen's tail.
Sure, Syn was only an apprentice it had been hard to leave her alone on a case. But the Academy's Master had said it would be good. And Syn was the only one with the foreknowledge and experience to accomplish Cas's mission, the way Cas wanted, without Cas actually being there.
She watched the Weequay, Plaan, get up and walk away to find two others to talk to.
She watched Han and Leia converse for a while and, thanks to Force-hearing, she heard them decide to wait one more day, then go to Coruscant.
It would be close, but she could make it.
'Red' and 'Meik' stood and left the Big Boom. Moments later they were followed at a 'discrete distance' by Leia's Jawa-sized bodyguards. She then stood and followed them. She followed the Noghri to where the Falcon was docked under the name Longshot.
She stopped to wait until Leia or Han showed up. She used the time to re-check her disguise.
Curly blonde hair in a high ponytail, full white contacts with blue/green irises and pale face paint to hide her tan. She looked almost exactly like Syn.
Her royal blue tunic was tucked into light brown combat pants, and secured with a black belt, tucked into black ankle high boots.
There, Leia was walking around to check the Sensor dish. She took a steadying breathe, fixed her emotional and Force mask in place, and walked forward with a long, confident stride.
The first Noghri, Meewalh, noticed her when she was more than twenty meters away and told his master of her approach.
"Hello!" She called up to Leia. "Can I talk with you? I need a ride to Coruscant. Can I catch one with you?"
"I don't know." Leia said looking around the hangar. Han walked down the entry ramp, with his blaster held at ready. Attracted to her voice like a moth to a flame.
She put her hands up, her blaster hanging heavily on her blaster belt, clearly out of her hands.
"What does she want, Red?"
"A ride to Coruscant."
"She paying?"
"Of course." Cas answered for Leia. "50,000 creds."
He smiled roguishly. "She got a name?"
"Misc." She said, smiling seductively, eyes only for him.
Keeping with her act Leia sidled over to Han and slid her arm around his waist and glared at Cas. Han slid his arm across her shoulders. "We'll think it over, where can we contact you?"
"I'll be at the Big Boom. If I see one of your two midgets I'll come. That'll keep any tail off of all of us." She winked and walked away, her gait exaggerating her small tight butt, strong shoulders and slim legs. "Safety first."
They'd probably make her wait an hour or two. This gave her time to send a transmission to a message box for her Masters on Dagobah, gather a few clothes and weapons hidden for her in places around Nova Station. And alert agents on Coruscant. She couldn't wait to see her Youngsters. -Youngsters are Padawans and Pre-Padawans in line for training and attention from a Knight.
The 'midget' appeared exactly two hours later. Twenty-three hours after that they were cruising at top speed to Coruscant.
They arrived at Coruscant as Rogue Squadron was rising to meet the Sweet Surprise, the ship Han and Leia were following. They rose to follow the Squadron as Colonel Darklighter was explaining it was a random search. The Surprise was starting to run, carrying a thousand refugees.
They all listened in pensive silence listening to a series of increasingly senior officers spoke. In the end the Planetary Defense Force Commander, demanded an explanation from Han.
"So, basically, you're telling me you've got a bad feeling about these guys?"
Han winced "That's about it, General."
"Colonel Darklighter," The old Commander said, " you know who this is?"
"General Rieekan, yes, sir."
"Good. I'm ordering you to keep that ship out of the mine shell. You understand? You have your orders. Rieekan out."
Cas felt a feral stirring in the Force. Voxyn. The Force screamed at her. She had been warned about them from the deployed Knights, warned about these Force killers. Needless to say, she was alarmed.
Looking at Leia, she felt it, too. The lady in question reached up and opened a comm channel.
"Colonels Celchu and Darklighter, this is Leia Solo. Your men will find more than smugglers on board. There may be a voxyn." Han looked over wide-eyed, but she ignored him and waited.
"Copy," Gavin said. "Voxyn?"
"Yuuzhan Vong monsters, Jedi-killers," Leia explained. "Stay away from something that looks like an eight-legged reptile. Far away. These things spit acid and screech blast waves. Maybe they do worse."
Moments later they received a call back from Colonel Darklighter. "Leia, how'd you say to kill these things?"
"Things?" Both women echoed.
"Four."
Han groaned.
Cas listened politely as they made plans to deal with it. She watched as Leia grabbed her Lightsaber and went aft. She knew the Noghri would be there, too.
She and Han watched over the cam feed as they faced the Voxyn and as Leia tempted them out.
The last thing she saw before going aft herself was the Noghri falling. And the first thing she saw as she rushed in was Leia stumbling back and falling.
"Leia, What's happening back there?"
Cas snatched up Leia's lightsaber and thumbed it back on.
"Go, Han." She said it with the most confidence she had allowed her self on the whole trip. The Falcon moved forward. But two voxyn were in the hold. She closed the outer door.
"Han," She said through the enter ship comm. "There are two here, and I ask, as representative of my people, let us take one. We will find its weakness, if there is one."
Han looked up at the mini holo-screen, seriously considering. "What ship?"
"The one three over to Port, the Liberty."
They were in space, once again floating around Coruscant, before Han spoke to her again. "So, What do we do with you?"
"Take me with you. I spoke with my superior, they say it is not time for me to reveal our hand. The Future has changed, my task has changed with it."
"You almost sound like a Jedi." Han remarked with a grin. He frowned. "You seemed familiar with Leia's Lightsaber, back there. You aren't…?"
She smiled. "My people believe in the old ways. And any one who can duel is held in the esteem of their peers. Honor, honesty, and Justice are key to life." Her eyes became cool, cautious for a moment. "That is all I can say… for now."
"Alright, Alright." He raised his hands. "You can stay. Just keep out of the way and keep your mouth shut."
"I'll keep your secrets, You keep mine." He finished.
They smiled.