The Bounty Huntress
Revealed
(Author's note: Sorry, the story is almost finished but unfortunately school has slowed me down alot. I originally had about 5 chapters typed ahead of time. Now I'm down to typing and finishing the story as it goes along. Don't worry, what's not written is all in my head. I will finish this with quite a bang and then leave it ready to run in smoothly with Episode 4 A New Hope)
Obi-Wan stood behind Sim on deck. He watched as she pulled her bounty hunter helmet off and tucked it into her clothing. She turned, smiled, and winked at him. 'Simi.' His heart ached. Her knee length hair was in a tight braid and had fallen over one shoulder. Her eyes showed a tiredness that made him feel a sudden urge to protect her with his life. No matter what mixed feelings he had about her sincerity in this mission. 'You,' he thought, 'could be my Padawan. Not that you really need any training. After this,' his thoughts ran wildly, 'Yoda would be sure to agree. Perhaps make you a knight without any trials. What's the point of trials when there is no council to decide. When there is only Yoda and me!' His thoughts were in a whirl as he watched her. She was smiling at him, shaking her head. She walked up to face him during this rush of thoughts.
"When you return, ask Yoda. I am Jedi." She produced an amazing lightsaber from inside her loose shirt.
Obi-Wan furrowed his brow, confused. At that moment, General Toomaksu appeared seemingly out of nowhere beside him. The General looked confused as well.
"Yes, General. Can we help with something?" asked Sim smoothly.
"Uhhhh?!!! I just--wanted--to say-we will be leaving hyperspace in --- about 10 standard minutes." He could not take his eyes off Lesrhett, who was completely, obviously, well---Female.
"I find it very reassuring to see others of my sex represented in your forces today." Sim said almost laughing at the shocked General.
"I---I have---yes, well, Commander Liss Arianna is the first, uh, yes. Well, I have other matters--I--" flustered at his tumble of words he stopped speaking for a moment and simply stared. Finally, "With so many traitors exposed the need for replacements was urgent and Liss Arianna had always proved her self exceptional."
"It's unfortunate she was only given the opportunity to move up in the ranks under such terrible conditions." Sim pointedly spoke. "However, I have spoken with her. She's amazing and those under her command certainly respect her."
"Yes. Yes." General Toomaksu nodded his head but was still very confused that Viceroy Organa had commissioned this attack under the information presented by a woman. Yet there was no time to ponder it. Gathering his senses, "May the Force be with you." He looked to them both before turning away.
"We must go and ready to disembark."
Obi-Wan followed silent for a moment. In the hallways people were rushing every which way. He barely noticed the lightsaber marks along one wall where barely a week before he had fought for his life.
"Sim, how can you be Jedi?" He finally asked. "You never took the trials."
She glanced up at him, "Visions," her pace picked up, " of falling to the dark side. Visions that tormented me from the time I was a child; tormented me until I gave in and spoke to Master Devos It was too late then in some ways." She shook her head. "I had passed my trials, you were under mandate in the Lornova system with Master Qui-Gon." Sim took a deep breath, "I couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't want to do the trials, I never mentioned to you or Orion the day they were to start. I didn't want to, but how could I let Master Deovs down?!! That's how I thought at the time that I couldn't let Master Devos down. Afterwards, when I passed, and I spoke to Master Devos. He, of course, went to the Council. The Council refused to let me go; to step down as Jedi. I was sent away."
"Sent away!" he responsed in disbelief.
"Yes. Too dangerous to stay, too dangerous to release. I asked to go to Malorea, it was agreed that I would be easier to keep an eye on there and out of the way at the same time. Make sense?"
"NO!"
"I loved you. I didn't want to. For Jedi there are no attachments. You know that." She stopped walking to look at him. "Obi-Wan, think. I was a liability at 17 years old. Now, I have nothing to lose." She continued to the disembarking area, looked quickly about, " Lead Commander Sabia, I need one sharpshooter, who is your best?"
Lead Commander Sabia registered surprise on his face, then glanced at Obi-Wan who nodded agreement without knowing why. "I can spare Torros." He pointed to a Kalgorian.
"Thank you."
"Torros, come here please."
"Sir!" he saluted.
"You are being transferred to be under orders of...."
"Lesrhett" spoke Sim.
"Yes," doubtful, then speaking in a stonger vioce, "under Lesrhett."
For his part, Torros didn't flinch. "Sir, yes, sir." And he saluted his Lead Commander again.
"Follow me." Sim said.
Though not invited Obi-Wan walked along to one corner of the area with them.
"This R-2 unit will be under your protection at all cost. It's programmed to override the doorway system of Tipoca City. It will buy time, perhaps only seconds. But no matter, it's imperative it's protected and brought back to the ship as soon as all teams re-group. Understood?"
"Completely." Responded Torros.
"Back on board, you will turn it over to the flight specialist, Lieutenant Corge on deck. Tell him it must be connected to the main cannon system." Then turning to Obi-Wan. "You help remind him of it."
Obi-Wan searched her eyes, "You were always programming one droid or astromech. If this is what you want. You can do it." He said feeling insolent, how could he never have been told that Sim was Jedi!
Sim licked her lips patiently waiting for Obi-Wan to sort his feelings. "Yes, but remember it just the same." She turned, walked to the lines of Rebel soldiers waiting to disembark and took a place agmonst them.
Torros said, "Master Obi-Wan, I will do as she says."
"Of course." Obi-Wan managed and slapped the soldier on the back. "Of course." And he nodded his head, confused, doubtful, bewildered by this strange turn of events. He felt like his head would explode.'Sim-Jedi? All these years, her visits to Coruscant.' His thoughts slowed as he surveyed her standing in line. 'Then the council had given her mandates and kept her in hiding all at the same time. Hidden from me.' His whole life seemed a sort of sham, as if everything he had ever been taught, all the talk of honor and duty and sacrifice. 'For what?' he thought bitterly now. 'I was taken from a family I never knew, I've given my entire life, and....Sim, Simi.' His face showed nothing of his thoughts; he was too much of a Jedi to allow that, but in his momentary agony Sim turned to look at him. He scanned the darkness of her eyes, the wisps of black hair that forever fell out of her braid, and the bow of her soft lips. She left her place and waked up to him.
"Have you ever wondered," she began, "about all the Jedi talk of choosing your path, then whatever happens is destiny? It often confused me until one day I realized the two are not separate; they are on and the same. I have chosen MY path, MY destiny, Obi-Wan. A life to be shared between us...has never been apart of it. My path, my destiny is not a part of yours." With that she turned, her shoulders up, and the tiredness that Obi-Wan often sensed in her seemed to fall away. Obi-Wan sensed a relief in her, as if some burden that she had carried all her life, through her years as a Padawan even, suddenly dropped from her and she found peace.
(Author's note: Sorry, the story is almost finished but unfortunately school has slowed me down alot. I originally had about 5 chapters typed ahead of time. Now I'm down to typing and finishing the story as it goes along. Don't worry, what's not written is all in my head. I will finish this with quite a bang and then leave it ready to run in smoothly with Episode 4 A New Hope)
Obi-Wan stood behind Sim on deck. He watched as she pulled her bounty hunter helmet off and tucked it into her clothing. She turned, smiled, and winked at him. 'Simi.' His heart ached. Her knee length hair was in a tight braid and had fallen over one shoulder. Her eyes showed a tiredness that made him feel a sudden urge to protect her with his life. No matter what mixed feelings he had about her sincerity in this mission. 'You,' he thought, 'could be my Padawan. Not that you really need any training. After this,' his thoughts ran wildly, 'Yoda would be sure to agree. Perhaps make you a knight without any trials. What's the point of trials when there is no council to decide. When there is only Yoda and me!' His thoughts were in a whirl as he watched her. She was smiling at him, shaking her head. She walked up to face him during this rush of thoughts.
"When you return, ask Yoda. I am Jedi." She produced an amazing lightsaber from inside her loose shirt.
Obi-Wan furrowed his brow, confused. At that moment, General Toomaksu appeared seemingly out of nowhere beside him. The General looked confused as well.
"Yes, General. Can we help with something?" asked Sim smoothly.
"Uhhhh?!!! I just--wanted--to say-we will be leaving hyperspace in --- about 10 standard minutes." He could not take his eyes off Lesrhett, who was completely, obviously, well---Female.
"I find it very reassuring to see others of my sex represented in your forces today." Sim said almost laughing at the shocked General.
"I---I have---yes, well, Commander Liss Arianna is the first, uh, yes. Well, I have other matters--I--" flustered at his tumble of words he stopped speaking for a moment and simply stared. Finally, "With so many traitors exposed the need for replacements was urgent and Liss Arianna had always proved her self exceptional."
"It's unfortunate she was only given the opportunity to move up in the ranks under such terrible conditions." Sim pointedly spoke. "However, I have spoken with her. She's amazing and those under her command certainly respect her."
"Yes. Yes." General Toomaksu nodded his head but was still very confused that Viceroy Organa had commissioned this attack under the information presented by a woman. Yet there was no time to ponder it. Gathering his senses, "May the Force be with you." He looked to them both before turning away.
"We must go and ready to disembark."
Obi-Wan followed silent for a moment. In the hallways people were rushing every which way. He barely noticed the lightsaber marks along one wall where barely a week before he had fought for his life.
"Sim, how can you be Jedi?" He finally asked. "You never took the trials."
She glanced up at him, "Visions," her pace picked up, " of falling to the dark side. Visions that tormented me from the time I was a child; tormented me until I gave in and spoke to Master Devos It was too late then in some ways." She shook her head. "I had passed my trials, you were under mandate in the Lornova system with Master Qui-Gon." Sim took a deep breath, "I couldn't stand it anymore. I didn't want to do the trials, I never mentioned to you or Orion the day they were to start. I didn't want to, but how could I let Master Deovs down?!! That's how I thought at the time that I couldn't let Master Devos down. Afterwards, when I passed, and I spoke to Master Devos. He, of course, went to the Council. The Council refused to let me go; to step down as Jedi. I was sent away."
"Sent away!" he responsed in disbelief.
"Yes. Too dangerous to stay, too dangerous to release. I asked to go to Malorea, it was agreed that I would be easier to keep an eye on there and out of the way at the same time. Make sense?"
"NO!"
"I loved you. I didn't want to. For Jedi there are no attachments. You know that." She stopped walking to look at him. "Obi-Wan, think. I was a liability at 17 years old. Now, I have nothing to lose." She continued to the disembarking area, looked quickly about, " Lead Commander Sabia, I need one sharpshooter, who is your best?"
Lead Commander Sabia registered surprise on his face, then glanced at Obi-Wan who nodded agreement without knowing why. "I can spare Torros." He pointed to a Kalgorian.
"Thank you."
"Torros, come here please."
"Sir!" he saluted.
"You are being transferred to be under orders of...."
"Lesrhett" spoke Sim.
"Yes," doubtful, then speaking in a stonger vioce, "under Lesrhett."
For his part, Torros didn't flinch. "Sir, yes, sir." And he saluted his Lead Commander again.
"Follow me." Sim said.
Though not invited Obi-Wan walked along to one corner of the area with them.
"This R-2 unit will be under your protection at all cost. It's programmed to override the doorway system of Tipoca City. It will buy time, perhaps only seconds. But no matter, it's imperative it's protected and brought back to the ship as soon as all teams re-group. Understood?"
"Completely." Responded Torros.
"Back on board, you will turn it over to the flight specialist, Lieutenant Corge on deck. Tell him it must be connected to the main cannon system." Then turning to Obi-Wan. "You help remind him of it."
Obi-Wan searched her eyes, "You were always programming one droid or astromech. If this is what you want. You can do it." He said feeling insolent, how could he never have been told that Sim was Jedi!
Sim licked her lips patiently waiting for Obi-Wan to sort his feelings. "Yes, but remember it just the same." She turned, walked to the lines of Rebel soldiers waiting to disembark and took a place agmonst them.
Torros said, "Master Obi-Wan, I will do as she says."
"Of course." Obi-Wan managed and slapped the soldier on the back. "Of course." And he nodded his head, confused, doubtful, bewildered by this strange turn of events. He felt like his head would explode.'Sim-Jedi? All these years, her visits to Coruscant.' His thoughts slowed as he surveyed her standing in line. 'Then the council had given her mandates and kept her in hiding all at the same time. Hidden from me.' His whole life seemed a sort of sham, as if everything he had ever been taught, all the talk of honor and duty and sacrifice. 'For what?' he thought bitterly now. 'I was taken from a family I never knew, I've given my entire life, and....Sim, Simi.' His face showed nothing of his thoughts; he was too much of a Jedi to allow that, but in his momentary agony Sim turned to look at him. He scanned the darkness of her eyes, the wisps of black hair that forever fell out of her braid, and the bow of her soft lips. She left her place and waked up to him.
"Have you ever wondered," she began, "about all the Jedi talk of choosing your path, then whatever happens is destiny? It often confused me until one day I realized the two are not separate; they are on and the same. I have chosen MY path, MY destiny, Obi-Wan. A life to be shared between us...has never been apart of it. My path, my destiny is not a part of yours." With that she turned, her shoulders up, and the tiredness that Obi-Wan often sensed in her seemed to fall away. Obi-Wan sensed a relief in her, as if some burden that she had carried all her life, through her years as a Padawan even, suddenly dropped from her and she found peace.