She muttered something obviously tactless in an unfamiliar language. Han stepped in.
"Luke and Jessi, this is Salmina. I've hired her to find Leia. Salmina, this is Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, and Jessi Hamilton his apprentice."
Jessi gave an embarrassed grin, remembering how this younger girl, who was not even a Jedi, had tackled her to the ground. Luke nodded hello, at a loss of what to say in these circumstances. She continued staring at them through narrowed eyes.
Jessi felt it had gone on long enough. She stepped forward. "I suppose that misunderstanding the other day was my fault. I should have watched where I was going. Sorry if we startled you."
For a moment there was a look of uncertainty in Samina's face. Then she glanced at Luke and it was replaced by the look of determination that they grew to realize was her normal expression.
"My apologies for what happened. I had thought that... that you were Imperials."
Han looked baffled. "So you've met?"
Luke shook his head regretfully. "It was under unfortunate circumstances. I hope, Salmina, that we can be friends."
Salmina cocked her head in a gesture of uncertainty. A hunted look crept into her dark eyes.
"Well, how about allies then?"
"It's just that... you might not... oh all right. Allies." They shook hands. Just as it should be, I guess, thought Salmina.
"I'm glad you're all getting along," growled Han, "but I've still got a wife to find." He explained the details and the two Jedi agreed to help.
So began months of planet-hopping. The first problem was a ship, since the Millennium Falcon was gone. He hoped that Leia had taken it along with Luke's droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, who Luke had dropped off for a visit earlier. Salmina reluctantly offered to lend her Shadow Chaser. With a little bit of modification it worked fine despite the cramped conditions.
During the trip, Salmina grew to have a great respect for the Jedi. She often watched Jessi's and even joined in for the more aerobic parts. The three became inseparable, but it always seemed as though they received no output of thought and feelings from the small, dark member of the trio. It bothered Luke that they couldn't get close to her. He knew she was hiding something, but whenever they asked about it she went into rage that ended in her storming out and not talking to them for the rest of the day. Luke once even expressed his concern to Jessi as to whether she was truly an ally. After a few incidents on different planets, however, she not only proved herself to be a worthy ally, but proved also that she held a deep hatred for Imperials.
Jessi's training progressed slowly on the trip, but was growing quite competent in using the Force. Luke even found himself feeling proud of her.
Luke lay awake in bed late one night. This was not the first. With a sigh he gave up trying to unravel Salmina's secrets and once again punched his pillow into a more comfortable shape. He closed his eyes and tried for the hundredth time to locate his sister through the Force, scratching yet another mental tally line when it failed. Instead, he always bumped up against a familiar feeling of urgency that grew stronger every with each passing night. He rolled over, shoving his face in the pillow and accidentally knocking his good hand painfully on the wall. This wasn't what they should be doing. He was anxious to find his sister, but this didn't feel right. He rubbed his stinging knuckles as he assessed the time. They'd wasted about four months, standard Coruscant time. Finally he made up his mind to call off the search the next day. Han wouldn't be happy.
"Ugh, I hate this planet. It's so small and cold and gray." Jessi wrinkled her nose disgust. "It doesn't even have any industries or anything! It's just a cold, gray, pile of junk."
Jessi had about summed it up with one blunt statement. So small they almost missed it, the gravity was low and the whole plant's surface looked gray. They were walking down some sort of paved street. It was ornamentally carved, but very gray. It matched the gray, dusty ground around it perfectly. It was impossible to tell what the entire landscape was like because it was so dark.
Han smiled his lopsided grin. "Could be why it's not marked on the map, kid."
Luke looked thoughtful. "Still, you'd think someone would have found it before now. But I guess it is so small it's very easy to miss."
"Oh knock it off. I told you this was our last stop, and I meant it. It should only take a couple of days to scour this chunk of dust. If we don't find her here, you quitters can give up and go home."
"Han-"
"And don't lecture me on that Force thingy again." Luke abruptly and wisely snapped his mouth shut at the look in Han's eye. Han stopped suddenly and gazed upward, arms flailing to regain the balance that Jessi had inadvertently thrown off as she bumped into him.
In front of them was a very large building resembling a temple. From what they could make out there were three carved pillars in the front with extravagant designs. The rest of the domed building was similarly decorated. Han squinted his eyes.
"Uh-oh, this building looks important. There might be a lot of natives around here. It might me easier if it wasn't so dark."
Luke turned to Salmina. "Feeling Kimiro-ish enough today to take a look around?"
"Kimiro-ish?" Both Han and Jessi asked at the same time.
Salmina ignored them and closed her eyes, trying to mold herself into the shadow. Today her Kimiro skill was working. Why doesn't it always work? She asked herself angrily. As she did so her mind snapped shut. She took a deep breath and tried again. Her mind's eye traveled along what seemed to be a wall for a bit, then hit two pools of energy she was sure were life forms. They were closing in fast.
She came back to herself to hear Luke, Jessi, and Han arguing over something about the proper use of the name "Kimiro". She opened her mouth to warn them, and to tell them that Luke could say "Kimiro-ish" if he wanted to, when two scaly creatures appeared. They were like lizards standing on their back feet, with long earless heads and pointy tongues. In their three-fingered hands they held spears. Their large red eyes glistened in light that the travelers may have otherwise doubted was there. It was quite clear that the strangers were prisoners. The aliens clicked their jaws and hissed through their pointy a threat to the strangers if they wouldn't comply. Luke nudged Jessi with the Force, knowing this was her forte.
Jessi nodded and focused on the creature's small brains.
"We need to leave now, thank you," she said earnestly, her fingers barely moving. No response. Jessi was almost better then Luke when it came to suggesting. If she couldn't do it...
Suddenly Jessi had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, she could... She thought for a second. Would doing it be brushing the dark side? Rashly, she threw that thought aside.
Once again she reached out with the Force into the native's brain. She concentrated her focus on a smaller and smaller point, then, with the slightest finger motion...
The creature fell unconscious to the ground.
Luke whipped out his lightsaber and the rest of them jumped out of the way. Within moments the group was piling in the Shadow Chaser and taking off. Real fast.
"I guess we'll never find her. We can't go like this forever," Han admitted despondently.
"Aw, cheer up Han, maybe she'll find you. Hey, did you see me knock out that lizard thingy?"
"That was you, kid? Maybe you can teach Luke a thing or two!"
Luke laughed. "Just spare me the one-on-one demonstration. He turned towards the cockpit. "Salmina, you wouldn't mind dropping us off on Tatooine, would you?"
"As you wish."
Han sighed. "After that you're free to go."
Jessi frowned. "Where will you go, Salmina?"
"To look for another job."
Luke was concentrating on a map he held in his lap. Without looking up he said, "You could get better training if you came with us. We could use you on our team."
Salmina nodded in acknowledgement. After a pause she replied "Thank you."
"Luke and Jessi, this is Salmina. I've hired her to find Leia. Salmina, this is Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, and Jessi Hamilton his apprentice."
Jessi gave an embarrassed grin, remembering how this younger girl, who was not even a Jedi, had tackled her to the ground. Luke nodded hello, at a loss of what to say in these circumstances. She continued staring at them through narrowed eyes.
Jessi felt it had gone on long enough. She stepped forward. "I suppose that misunderstanding the other day was my fault. I should have watched where I was going. Sorry if we startled you."
For a moment there was a look of uncertainty in Samina's face. Then she glanced at Luke and it was replaced by the look of determination that they grew to realize was her normal expression.
"My apologies for what happened. I had thought that... that you were Imperials."
Han looked baffled. "So you've met?"
Luke shook his head regretfully. "It was under unfortunate circumstances. I hope, Salmina, that we can be friends."
Salmina cocked her head in a gesture of uncertainty. A hunted look crept into her dark eyes.
"Well, how about allies then?"
"It's just that... you might not... oh all right. Allies." They shook hands. Just as it should be, I guess, thought Salmina.
"I'm glad you're all getting along," growled Han, "but I've still got a wife to find." He explained the details and the two Jedi agreed to help.
So began months of planet-hopping. The first problem was a ship, since the Millennium Falcon was gone. He hoped that Leia had taken it along with Luke's droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, who Luke had dropped off for a visit earlier. Salmina reluctantly offered to lend her Shadow Chaser. With a little bit of modification it worked fine despite the cramped conditions.
During the trip, Salmina grew to have a great respect for the Jedi. She often watched Jessi's and even joined in for the more aerobic parts. The three became inseparable, but it always seemed as though they received no output of thought and feelings from the small, dark member of the trio. It bothered Luke that they couldn't get close to her. He knew she was hiding something, but whenever they asked about it she went into rage that ended in her storming out and not talking to them for the rest of the day. Luke once even expressed his concern to Jessi as to whether she was truly an ally. After a few incidents on different planets, however, she not only proved herself to be a worthy ally, but proved also that she held a deep hatred for Imperials.
Jessi's training progressed slowly on the trip, but was growing quite competent in using the Force. Luke even found himself feeling proud of her.
Luke lay awake in bed late one night. This was not the first. With a sigh he gave up trying to unravel Salmina's secrets and once again punched his pillow into a more comfortable shape. He closed his eyes and tried for the hundredth time to locate his sister through the Force, scratching yet another mental tally line when it failed. Instead, he always bumped up against a familiar feeling of urgency that grew stronger every with each passing night. He rolled over, shoving his face in the pillow and accidentally knocking his good hand painfully on the wall. This wasn't what they should be doing. He was anxious to find his sister, but this didn't feel right. He rubbed his stinging knuckles as he assessed the time. They'd wasted about four months, standard Coruscant time. Finally he made up his mind to call off the search the next day. Han wouldn't be happy.
"Ugh, I hate this planet. It's so small and cold and gray." Jessi wrinkled her nose disgust. "It doesn't even have any industries or anything! It's just a cold, gray, pile of junk."
Jessi had about summed it up with one blunt statement. So small they almost missed it, the gravity was low and the whole plant's surface looked gray. They were walking down some sort of paved street. It was ornamentally carved, but very gray. It matched the gray, dusty ground around it perfectly. It was impossible to tell what the entire landscape was like because it was so dark.
Han smiled his lopsided grin. "Could be why it's not marked on the map, kid."
Luke looked thoughtful. "Still, you'd think someone would have found it before now. But I guess it is so small it's very easy to miss."
"Oh knock it off. I told you this was our last stop, and I meant it. It should only take a couple of days to scour this chunk of dust. If we don't find her here, you quitters can give up and go home."
"Han-"
"And don't lecture me on that Force thingy again." Luke abruptly and wisely snapped his mouth shut at the look in Han's eye. Han stopped suddenly and gazed upward, arms flailing to regain the balance that Jessi had inadvertently thrown off as she bumped into him.
In front of them was a very large building resembling a temple. From what they could make out there were three carved pillars in the front with extravagant designs. The rest of the domed building was similarly decorated. Han squinted his eyes.
"Uh-oh, this building looks important. There might be a lot of natives around here. It might me easier if it wasn't so dark."
Luke turned to Salmina. "Feeling Kimiro-ish enough today to take a look around?"
"Kimiro-ish?" Both Han and Jessi asked at the same time.
Salmina ignored them and closed her eyes, trying to mold herself into the shadow. Today her Kimiro skill was working. Why doesn't it always work? She asked herself angrily. As she did so her mind snapped shut. She took a deep breath and tried again. Her mind's eye traveled along what seemed to be a wall for a bit, then hit two pools of energy she was sure were life forms. They were closing in fast.
She came back to herself to hear Luke, Jessi, and Han arguing over something about the proper use of the name "Kimiro". She opened her mouth to warn them, and to tell them that Luke could say "Kimiro-ish" if he wanted to, when two scaly creatures appeared. They were like lizards standing on their back feet, with long earless heads and pointy tongues. In their three-fingered hands they held spears. Their large red eyes glistened in light that the travelers may have otherwise doubted was there. It was quite clear that the strangers were prisoners. The aliens clicked their jaws and hissed through their pointy a threat to the strangers if they wouldn't comply. Luke nudged Jessi with the Force, knowing this was her forte.
Jessi nodded and focused on the creature's small brains.
"We need to leave now, thank you," she said earnestly, her fingers barely moving. No response. Jessi was almost better then Luke when it came to suggesting. If she couldn't do it...
Suddenly Jessi had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, she could... She thought for a second. Would doing it be brushing the dark side? Rashly, she threw that thought aside.
Once again she reached out with the Force into the native's brain. She concentrated her focus on a smaller and smaller point, then, with the slightest finger motion...
The creature fell unconscious to the ground.
Luke whipped out his lightsaber and the rest of them jumped out of the way. Within moments the group was piling in the Shadow Chaser and taking off. Real fast.
"I guess we'll never find her. We can't go like this forever," Han admitted despondently.
"Aw, cheer up Han, maybe she'll find you. Hey, did you see me knock out that lizard thingy?"
"That was you, kid? Maybe you can teach Luke a thing or two!"
Luke laughed. "Just spare me the one-on-one demonstration. He turned towards the cockpit. "Salmina, you wouldn't mind dropping us off on Tatooine, would you?"
"As you wish."
Han sighed. "After that you're free to go."
Jessi frowned. "Where will you go, Salmina?"
"To look for another job."
Luke was concentrating on a map he held in his lap. Without looking up he said, "You could get better training if you came with us. We could use you on our team."
Salmina nodded in acknowledgement. After a pause she replied "Thank you."