Chapter One~ Stranded
"Blasted bloody old piece of junk!" screamed the woman as she shape-shifted back to her brown-hair, hazel-eyed and pointed ears form. Not far from Endor's Forest Moon, she had landed on a desolate planet due to lost hyperdrive core and not enough fuel.
She then noticed a familiar ship in the hanger nearby. Pondering over this and after giving her ship a good kick, Jyana walked off towards the nearest cantina to look for the pilot of that ship.
Entering a local cantina that was near enough to the hanger as possible like she owned the place, like she did most places, she headed in the direction she sensed would be right. She walked with confidence and sometimes with what appeared to be arrogance, the air that said she was not one to be messed with. Jyana spotted a familiar face in the crowd and found the person she was looking for yet the woman appeared busy with another character she sensed she knew of yet she had never seen in person before. She made her way over to that area without any more thought to the matter.
"I wish to speak to J Solo," Jyana said to the man she recognized as the smuggler's co-pilot from the years before of which she had met her.
The man obviously didn't recognize her. A lovely dilemma she faced sometimes as a shapeshifter was not being able to remember which form she had went under the last time she was with these people. Now after shifting again, her red long hair was tied into twin long braids and twisted together as one and laid down her back. Her eyes were back into their normal color, which actually changed more on their own without much thought from Jyana herself. She had traveled with the smugglers long before and they should remember who she was. She had no doubt that J would see her despite any roadblocks that may have arisen.
"She is in a business conference at this moment. May I ask who wishes to speak with her?" He was a medium sized man with dark brown hair with a streak of silver near the front of his head. He looked like an aged spacer and yet his stance was young and spontaneous. Her memories of this man told her of how often he fell over laughing hysterically. Jyana remembered hearing that he was J's new love interest soon after she got badly hurt from her "first love," Keldin Hiswe, the 2nd human ever to podrace (and was still doing it to this day her sources told her). Jaden Koral, the man in front of me, had just been her friend and co-pilot. She now wondered if their was more to this.
"Tinu Jade." She normally did not go by "Jyana" among common people, for it was her formal and Jedi name, as well as the only trace of her heritage as an Eleutherian.
Jaden's green-grey eyes brightened in recognition and let her in to see J without any more thought to the situation.
She recognized Met Lyka, one of the Hutt's agents, speaking with J Solo. Met was a tall, thin and dark personality. He had dark hair, dark eyes and as always dressed in all black. Something about this "business conference" gave her a weird feeling that she could not understand. Jyana, being good at blending into the shadows. She was not recognized as even existing for some time.
"You are behind again," Met told J.
"I just need more time," the girl, er, woman, sighed looking down. She had to be about 25 now, Jyana thought.
The man in front of her sighed as well. "J don't put me through this. They want their money."
"They will get their money, I just need more time."
"They're getting impatient. I can't keep bailing you out," his hand reached across the table and his thumb caressed the top of her hand.
"I know..."
"The Hutts are not easy to bargain with and do not like to have time that you claim you need."
"They are unforgiving."
"Precisely. They hired you because you were good. You have lost your touch."
J ripped her hand away from Met's grip. "I have lost nothing. It's the bloody Clone Wars."
"The Hutts do not care about the Wars in the Republic."
"But the Clone War is making us lose our customers. The people are afraid."
"Yes they are," Met relented to agree.
"The Hutts should at least understand that."
"Unfortunately, they do not care."
"They should if they want their money."
"Well they don't."
"Not many people do care," J sighed and rested her head on her hands.
Met seemed to wear a hurt expression. "Stop saying that."
"Why?"
"You know I care about you."
"So long as you get the money..."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know."
Met just sighed. To Jyana it didn't seem like he would deny it and that bothered her a bit. She was sure it bothered J as well.
J's hazel eyes looked up again at Met and then past him as if searching the shadows for something. Jyana then decided to let her presence known.
"Tinu?" she asked recognizing me.
She nodded, adjusting her forest green corset top, attempting to pull it down to meet her belt and brown pants, but it had a tendency to show off her stomach. "Good day to you J, I hope I'm not intruding." Jyana kinda felt as if she was because of how Met had caressed her hand. She had a flash of desiring to have someone herself, but with the Jedi Code how it was, she knew such as possibility is doubtful.
"No, have a seat," J motioned Jyana sit beside her.
"Should I leave?" Met asked. He began to look a tad uncomfortable and like he no longer wanted to be there now that he was no longer alone with J.
"No," Jyana said before J could, "I may need your help as well."
"How may I help you, Tinu?" J asked her like an old friend would.
"First, I need a ride to Alderaan as soon as possible... we may discuss that later though. Next I need to know the status of the Dark Jedi Xekral Prydon, because I may need his aid."
"What are you going to do?" J asked.
"I'm helping the Jedi in the Clone Wars. Master Windu has put me under the charge of Master Kenobi."
"The Dark Jedi is unlikely to help the Jedi."
"We have a common threat. The Sith are behind this war I am certain. The Dark Jedi despise the Sith as well."
J sighed. "I do not know about the Dark Jedi..."
Met nodded, "Nor do I."
Jyana sighed and looked about the room. "So how may I help you?"
"I do not think you can help."
"How much does she owe the Hutts?" Jyana asked looking over at Met.
He stated the large amount of money and the Eleutherian could feel her heart almost fall. Met then preceded to give the run down on how J had come into this debt and when she was supposed to get it to him. While he did this the female smuggler occasionally glared at him between looking down and ashamed.
"I have a proposition," the Jedi offered after much thought, "If you can get me to Alderaan I will get you that money. Since I am serving with Master Kenobi and he is under Senator Bail Organa, the Alderaanian government may be happy to front the cash."
Met looked over at J, whose eyes were wide. "Would you do that?"
"Why not?"
Met nodded that it would be fine and J grinned big. "Deal," he said for her and then made his way back up to the bar for more drink as J looked at Jyana with eyes that said, "Thank you very much." Finally alone to talk business with J, Jyana looked at her inquisitively.
"I know what you're thinking," the smuggler sighed.
"When did you acquire Jedi traits, girl?"
"It's written on your face."
"Only you can seem to read my face. So what am I thinking?" Jyana challenged her friend and soon to be again colleague.
"Something is up with me and Met. That is what you are thinking."
"Is my feeling correct?"
"Sort of."
"Oh?"
"It's complicated."
"I have time."
She only sighed.
"What happened to Keldin?"
"Claimed insanity and that he didn't know if he loved me anymore. Broke up with me over holo." Jyana could sense the bitterness J still carried with every word she spoke about the matter.
"And Jaden?"
"Could never seem to escape from friendship."
"And now Met?"
"Similar to Jaden, but even more complicated."
"I have time."
"Why does life have to be so complicated?"
"Love, life is only as complicated as you make it."
"I know," she sighed again, "You're so lucky Tinu."
"Why?" Jyana wasn't too pleased with the slight change of topic direction.
"You don't have to deal with this kinda crap."
"It's my choice. I choose not to bother myself with it."
"But the Jedi Code..."
"Has absolutely nothing to do with my status of singleness."
"What?"
"I'm the last surviving member of my species. It is doubtful that they will make me adhere to that stupid rule."
"Attachment to a man is devastating..."
"It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. You cannot deny the nature of our species from that which we were created for... even in the name of the Force can bring two people together."
J sighed again.
"So, what's this with Met?"
"It's complicated."
"I have time."
"It's too complicated."
"You need rant time. Vent. Please. You will find more peace if you let it go."
J sighed again. "It's so bloody confusing!" she exclaimed, "Two weeks we went out and he expressed a great deal of interest in me. I was skeptical at first but I didn't want to hurt him."
"Why skeptical?"
"He's like a helper of the Hutts. Most helpers have no sense of loyalty to friends. They are more concerned about themselves and their fortunes."
"That's not good."
"But he won me to him. He made me fall for him. And then I have to leave the planet I met him on, Ord Mantell, I think, to go to Corellia with business. I grew attached to him way too quickly... and with the distance he loses interest."
"Didn't want a long distance relationship?"
"Yeah... well now he came after me, on business for the Hutts. What they want is more important to him than my feelings... but..."
"He's still somewhat interested?"
"I don't know. I don't have a bloody clue. Could you sense anything?"
"It's not my place..."
"Please?"
"I make it my business not to meddle in others."
"Please?"
It was Jyana's turn to sigh. "Honestly, I cannot sense Met in the Force."
"How?"
"I haven't a clue..." Jyana was more puzzled over this phenomena than J could ever be.
It was time to get back to real business rather than relationship type chatter. "So, when do you need to go to Alderaan," J asked.
"Immediately."
"All right, we should ready our ship then."
"Okie dokie."
The two women then went off and got the crew together. The crew included Jaden and Met and this other character that was called Homis. Before we headed off we added on another smuggler who needed transport to Alderaan for reasons kept her herself. She called herself Jade Fel Horn. With this crew Jyana Tinu Jade now had passage to Alderaan.
"Blasted bloody old piece of junk!" screamed the woman as she shape-shifted back to her brown-hair, hazel-eyed and pointed ears form. Not far from Endor's Forest Moon, she had landed on a desolate planet due to lost hyperdrive core and not enough fuel.
She then noticed a familiar ship in the hanger nearby. Pondering over this and after giving her ship a good kick, Jyana walked off towards the nearest cantina to look for the pilot of that ship.
Entering a local cantina that was near enough to the hanger as possible like she owned the place, like she did most places, she headed in the direction she sensed would be right. She walked with confidence and sometimes with what appeared to be arrogance, the air that said she was not one to be messed with. Jyana spotted a familiar face in the crowd and found the person she was looking for yet the woman appeared busy with another character she sensed she knew of yet she had never seen in person before. She made her way over to that area without any more thought to the matter.
"I wish to speak to J Solo," Jyana said to the man she recognized as the smuggler's co-pilot from the years before of which she had met her.
The man obviously didn't recognize her. A lovely dilemma she faced sometimes as a shapeshifter was not being able to remember which form she had went under the last time she was with these people. Now after shifting again, her red long hair was tied into twin long braids and twisted together as one and laid down her back. Her eyes were back into their normal color, which actually changed more on their own without much thought from Jyana herself. She had traveled with the smugglers long before and they should remember who she was. She had no doubt that J would see her despite any roadblocks that may have arisen.
"She is in a business conference at this moment. May I ask who wishes to speak with her?" He was a medium sized man with dark brown hair with a streak of silver near the front of his head. He looked like an aged spacer and yet his stance was young and spontaneous. Her memories of this man told her of how often he fell over laughing hysterically. Jyana remembered hearing that he was J's new love interest soon after she got badly hurt from her "first love," Keldin Hiswe, the 2nd human ever to podrace (and was still doing it to this day her sources told her). Jaden Koral, the man in front of me, had just been her friend and co-pilot. She now wondered if their was more to this.
"Tinu Jade." She normally did not go by "Jyana" among common people, for it was her formal and Jedi name, as well as the only trace of her heritage as an Eleutherian.
Jaden's green-grey eyes brightened in recognition and let her in to see J without any more thought to the situation.
She recognized Met Lyka, one of the Hutt's agents, speaking with J Solo. Met was a tall, thin and dark personality. He had dark hair, dark eyes and as always dressed in all black. Something about this "business conference" gave her a weird feeling that she could not understand. Jyana, being good at blending into the shadows. She was not recognized as even existing for some time.
"You are behind again," Met told J.
"I just need more time," the girl, er, woman, sighed looking down. She had to be about 25 now, Jyana thought.
The man in front of her sighed as well. "J don't put me through this. They want their money."
"They will get their money, I just need more time."
"They're getting impatient. I can't keep bailing you out," his hand reached across the table and his thumb caressed the top of her hand.
"I know..."
"The Hutts are not easy to bargain with and do not like to have time that you claim you need."
"They are unforgiving."
"Precisely. They hired you because you were good. You have lost your touch."
J ripped her hand away from Met's grip. "I have lost nothing. It's the bloody Clone Wars."
"The Hutts do not care about the Wars in the Republic."
"But the Clone War is making us lose our customers. The people are afraid."
"Yes they are," Met relented to agree.
"The Hutts should at least understand that."
"Unfortunately, they do not care."
"They should if they want their money."
"Well they don't."
"Not many people do care," J sighed and rested her head on her hands.
Met seemed to wear a hurt expression. "Stop saying that."
"Why?"
"You know I care about you."
"So long as you get the money..."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know."
Met just sighed. To Jyana it didn't seem like he would deny it and that bothered her a bit. She was sure it bothered J as well.
J's hazel eyes looked up again at Met and then past him as if searching the shadows for something. Jyana then decided to let her presence known.
"Tinu?" she asked recognizing me.
She nodded, adjusting her forest green corset top, attempting to pull it down to meet her belt and brown pants, but it had a tendency to show off her stomach. "Good day to you J, I hope I'm not intruding." Jyana kinda felt as if she was because of how Met had caressed her hand. She had a flash of desiring to have someone herself, but with the Jedi Code how it was, she knew such as possibility is doubtful.
"No, have a seat," J motioned Jyana sit beside her.
"Should I leave?" Met asked. He began to look a tad uncomfortable and like he no longer wanted to be there now that he was no longer alone with J.
"No," Jyana said before J could, "I may need your help as well."
"How may I help you, Tinu?" J asked her like an old friend would.
"First, I need a ride to Alderaan as soon as possible... we may discuss that later though. Next I need to know the status of the Dark Jedi Xekral Prydon, because I may need his aid."
"What are you going to do?" J asked.
"I'm helping the Jedi in the Clone Wars. Master Windu has put me under the charge of Master Kenobi."
"The Dark Jedi is unlikely to help the Jedi."
"We have a common threat. The Sith are behind this war I am certain. The Dark Jedi despise the Sith as well."
J sighed. "I do not know about the Dark Jedi..."
Met nodded, "Nor do I."
Jyana sighed and looked about the room. "So how may I help you?"
"I do not think you can help."
"How much does she owe the Hutts?" Jyana asked looking over at Met.
He stated the large amount of money and the Eleutherian could feel her heart almost fall. Met then preceded to give the run down on how J had come into this debt and when she was supposed to get it to him. While he did this the female smuggler occasionally glared at him between looking down and ashamed.
"I have a proposition," the Jedi offered after much thought, "If you can get me to Alderaan I will get you that money. Since I am serving with Master Kenobi and he is under Senator Bail Organa, the Alderaanian government may be happy to front the cash."
Met looked over at J, whose eyes were wide. "Would you do that?"
"Why not?"
Met nodded that it would be fine and J grinned big. "Deal," he said for her and then made his way back up to the bar for more drink as J looked at Jyana with eyes that said, "Thank you very much." Finally alone to talk business with J, Jyana looked at her inquisitively.
"I know what you're thinking," the smuggler sighed.
"When did you acquire Jedi traits, girl?"
"It's written on your face."
"Only you can seem to read my face. So what am I thinking?" Jyana challenged her friend and soon to be again colleague.
"Something is up with me and Met. That is what you are thinking."
"Is my feeling correct?"
"Sort of."
"Oh?"
"It's complicated."
"I have time."
She only sighed.
"What happened to Keldin?"
"Claimed insanity and that he didn't know if he loved me anymore. Broke up with me over holo." Jyana could sense the bitterness J still carried with every word she spoke about the matter.
"And Jaden?"
"Could never seem to escape from friendship."
"And now Met?"
"Similar to Jaden, but even more complicated."
"I have time."
"Why does life have to be so complicated?"
"Love, life is only as complicated as you make it."
"I know," she sighed again, "You're so lucky Tinu."
"Why?" Jyana wasn't too pleased with the slight change of topic direction.
"You don't have to deal with this kinda crap."
"It's my choice. I choose not to bother myself with it."
"But the Jedi Code..."
"Has absolutely nothing to do with my status of singleness."
"What?"
"I'm the last surviving member of my species. It is doubtful that they will make me adhere to that stupid rule."
"Attachment to a man is devastating..."
"It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. You cannot deny the nature of our species from that which we were created for... even in the name of the Force can bring two people together."
J sighed again.
"So, what's this with Met?"
"It's complicated."
"I have time."
"It's too complicated."
"You need rant time. Vent. Please. You will find more peace if you let it go."
J sighed again. "It's so bloody confusing!" she exclaimed, "Two weeks we went out and he expressed a great deal of interest in me. I was skeptical at first but I didn't want to hurt him."
"Why skeptical?"
"He's like a helper of the Hutts. Most helpers have no sense of loyalty to friends. They are more concerned about themselves and their fortunes."
"That's not good."
"But he won me to him. He made me fall for him. And then I have to leave the planet I met him on, Ord Mantell, I think, to go to Corellia with business. I grew attached to him way too quickly... and with the distance he loses interest."
"Didn't want a long distance relationship?"
"Yeah... well now he came after me, on business for the Hutts. What they want is more important to him than my feelings... but..."
"He's still somewhat interested?"
"I don't know. I don't have a bloody clue. Could you sense anything?"
"It's not my place..."
"Please?"
"I make it my business not to meddle in others."
"Please?"
It was Jyana's turn to sigh. "Honestly, I cannot sense Met in the Force."
"How?"
"I haven't a clue..." Jyana was more puzzled over this phenomena than J could ever be.
It was time to get back to real business rather than relationship type chatter. "So, when do you need to go to Alderaan," J asked.
"Immediately."
"All right, we should ready our ship then."
"Okie dokie."
The two women then went off and got the crew together. The crew included Jaden and Met and this other character that was called Homis. Before we headed off we added on another smuggler who needed transport to Alderaan for reasons kept her herself. She called herself Jade Fel Horn. With this crew Jyana Tinu Jade now had passage to Alderaan.