Rage stood near the sand barge picking the sand out of her teeth. Jabba the Hutt laid sprawled out next to her, his servant fanning him and rubbing his disgusting body with oils and coolants. He was small for a Hutt but he was still young...only a 180 or so years old. Rage was fluent in Hutt and listened as he stated once again what a grievance coming out here and letting her pick through HIS town was. "Yes, I understand that, sir. But the Empire is extremely grateful. We are in need of those supplies stolen, they are to feed many of our hungry civilians in the core." The Hutt chuckled, and spoke again. Rage keeping her face looking out at the dunes, prayed to the Force for a clean fresh breeze that would take his stench away. "Yes, of course. I am aware that many of the smugglers are under your protection. We'll clear all matters with you after we find this rebel and will pay you compensation for his loss."

Jabba belched loudly and grunted a notion of agreement. The stench from his gullet made spots appear in front of her eyes and she swayed...her sinus cavity burning like she had inhaled acid. She felt a hand on her arm steady her and a rough, filtered voice whisper into her ear. "You should have worn your Sith Mask."

Rage turned away form Jabba and looked down at Fett. "Wouldn't have been diplomatic." Rage turned back to the Hutt briefly to excuse herself and stepped away with Fett at her side. "He's getting too powerful...the Emperor should put an end to it."

"The Hutt's make life miserable enough that many choose the empire. That has it's advantages. How is the Thalcein doing?" he asked somewhat casually

"Good.....well physically. Drakahn has ways of getting around her suicidal tendencies." Rage was suddenly suspicious. "Why?" Fett just looked at her in silence. Rage rolled her eyes. "All right....how much."

Fett crossed his arms over his armoured chest and looked up at the taller, black clad Sith. "Twenty five."

Rage's teeth ground. "Fifteen." Fett turned and walked towards his swoop, obviously not impressed. Rage reached out and caught his arm, careful not to be too forceful. "All right, bounty hunter. Twenty and that new targeting software for Slave 1 you've been bitching for."

"Agreed. You have a rebel in your midst. He leaked out information about Rehn Gade and a couple of Rebels have gone rogue. One of them is an infiltrator of some repute. They're stalled right now but a rescue attempt is being planned."

Rage's eye locked on the black visor of the hunter's helmet. "Names?"

"For twenty?" Fett asked as if she had just asked a stupid question.

"Names…"

He stared at her through his mask. Rage clicked her teeth - she couldn't afford anymore, and he knew it. He was after something else - the armor plating that was being used on the new battle station, but she didn't have that kind of power. Rage reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a data record, punching in her code and the amount before handing it to him. "Thank you Fett. I talk to you later."

"Only if they raise your allowance." He replied dryly. "Lady Vader." he said, dismissing himself and returning to Jabba.

**********

Rage stood at the front of the open troop skimmer, letting the wind cool her slightly as the double suns beat down on her. She wore her normal sleeveless black top, commando pants and special goggles blocking the suns harmful glare from her eyes. Her mind turned over Fett's information and what she could do with it as the skimmer pulled into Mos Eisley. It came to a gentle halt and she jumped down. The natives grew nervous at the sight of her, as she cut an imposing figure; eyes hidden behind her goggles, dressed in all black, her figure striking and held tightly by her clothing. A black hooded cape whipped out behind her in the wind and she folded her arms in front of her. Before her were a large group of citizens that were standing in line waiting to be questioned. Large shipments of Imperial supplies had been raided and Lord Vader had traced the pirates to Tantooine. They were going to be found if they had to tear the planet apart.

Rage unsnapped the cape from her shoulders and tossed it back on the skimmer. The citizens, standing in a staggered line, pressed back from her presence as she walked into the shade and her bored eyes scanned over the crowd. She caught sight of a young man only about a year older than herself, the look of naive innocence seemed to gleam from his light blue eyes. She'd caught him looking her over and he blushed a deep red. Rage started over towards him, almost drawn to him for some reason, when something in the Force made her turn as a man began screaming at the stormtrooper Captain. She change direction without breaking strike and headed in the direction of the disturbance, missing the exchange between the boys aunt and uncle and an older hooded figure farther back in the crowd.

"Captain Andra. Is something the matter?" Her voice was almost pleasant and tinged with amusement.

"No, M'Lady." the trooper replied "Though this fellow seems to believe that he has the right not to answer our questions."

Rage took the chart from the Captain and looked over the conversation as it had been recorded."So you sir are the local mayor?"

"Yes!" the man replied indignantly "As I have been telling these fools! My people have to get back to their jobs! We have moisture to collect before the Sand People get to it!"

Rage turned and handed the data board back to another officer and fixed the mayor with a questioning stare "Your people?"

"Yes…" he replied, sounding frustrated and gesturing around him "My people here..."

"Your people?" She stepped closer to him and towered over him, he stepped back and bumped into an stormtrooper who stood behind him "There is no 'your' people. You live because the Empire has a use for you and when that use runs out you will no longer live. It is a simple way to exist. A hardy way. A way full of order. This order is what I enforce, and you sir, are disrupting my order. You will stand by and help with this investigation or you will become un-useful. Do you understand this?" the man was now literally quaking in his boots

His head bowed unable to look her in the eye anymore. "Y...yes.. my Lady."

There was a kind of sigh of relief that ran through the crowd as the mayor backed down…. except for the older man in the back, wearing the worn robe. He suddenly tensed. Rage looked down at the shorter, grey haired mayor and her eyes were unforgiving. "No I don't think you do. Not completely." She gestured with her head at the young, apprehensive couple standing a few meters away. "This is your son and his wife?" She stepped past the mayor and reached a black gloved hand into the crowd, pulling the handsome young man in his early twenties.

"..Yes M'Lady." the Mayor's eyes became confused.*

"Hmmm, good looking guy." she commented "I see you have a grand child on the way... Make sure you tell her why her father died." the young man suddenly grabbed at his throat as it was crushed by an invisible force, his eyes bulging as he clawed at his neck leaving obscene tears in the flesh.

"NO! JEUSON! No no, please M'lady...don't!" He ran to his son, but Rage released her Force grip on the young man and he toppled, vomited blood then fell on his side - dead. His pregnant wife knelt crying at his side, shaking his shoulder.

"So now, if you don't want to see your grandchild aborted before your eyes, I suggest you try to be a little more helpful." She gave him a pleasant smile "Have a nice day!" Rage turned and walked towards a duo of black uniformed Lord's Guards. The Guard were the elite of the elite, special officers to Lord Vader himself. The blonde Guard stood shaking his head and chuckling. Rage shook their hands and they began to chat and joke around, ignoring the scene behind them.

"Lady Vader I'm a bit surprised to see you here. Thankful but surprised." Sai Tyler said in greeting. He was taller than Rage, with golden blond hair, dark, mysterious brown eyes and look like a recruitment poster boy.

"Yes, well the Emperor took this larceny personally. Seems some of his property was taken, a young girl from Debina I believe. She was on the shipment." A trooper stopped and handed her a chart that she signed after reading it over, giving one of the farmers their walking papers.

"Yes, and Lord Vader won't come to this accursed planet. I always wondered if it was because of the heat or the smell of the Hutts!" Tyler mused. The group chuckled.

Jesh Mirsa, somewhat shorter than both Tyler and Rage with jet black hair and blue eyes, shook his head as he signed a chart. Every chart giving the citizens back their freedom needed a the personal signature of a Lord's Guard or Lady Vader. It was tedious work and they barely read them over before signing. "He won't go to Naboo either. Now their is a planet I wouldn't mind being stationed on. Clean air! Beautiful, rich women! Of course they all pale in comparison with Lady Vader but M'Lady only has so many sleep cycles."

Rage chuckled. "Keep that crap up and I'll have you sitting on the senate making trillions and snorting spice straight from the spider's ass."

Jesh snorted a laugh. "And miss all this glamour and excitement? No way. Still… I wonder why no Naboo."

Internally Rage searched for an explanation, or at least anything but the truth. The lie slipped off her tongue as easily as her recent murder slipped off her conscience. "Probably those damn Gungans. By the Force they're pesky, annoying creatures."

Jesh nodded in agreement but smiled. "Yeah but I hear their legs taste good roasted over a sharp flame with a little rincer oil." They all laughed.

Tyler's laugh died off first as he read over the chart he had in his hand. "Kenobi....Kenobi....why does that name seem so familiar."

Rage's smile died abruptly and she looked up sharply. "First name?"

"Ben?" Tyler shrugged.

They turned and walked over to where the older man stood draped in a tattered robe. "Good afternoon, citizen. Are you wanted in any system for offences against the empire?" Tyler asked in an official voice.

The man had a white beard and blue eyes. His skin was tanned and almost leathery from years of exposure to the elements. Rage felt a chill down her back as her black eyes locked with his blue ones. "No, of course not." he replied affably "I'm a hermit. I haven't been off this planet since ....oh before her Ladyship here was born."

Rage studied him and touched the Force, felt it flicker then die off. No this wasn't the Obi Wan Kenobi she had heard stories about. Defeating the Trade Federation and running off with the wife of Darth Vader. Too bad, that would of been interesting. She smiled and he returned it. "I don't suppose you have Amidala Skywalker stuck under your robes anywhere do you?" She laughed and the rest of the group including the old man just stared at her. She stopped laughing and waved dismissively at her humour "Never mind. Inside joke."

As they spoke, the Lars family with their nephew Luke Skywalker in tow, received their papers. Rage signed them without even reading the names. "No, Lady Vader. I have no idea what you're talking about." The old man replied.

A local official looked up and scoffed at the man. "That's just old Ben. He lives out beyond the dune sea. Just kind of a strange old wizard."

Rage lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms, her curiosity and suspicion piqued. "Wizard?"

Tyler leaned forward signing the papers. "Why you in town then, if you're a hermit? Picked a bad day..."

"I was wondering what all of the noise was about, and I needed supplies." Ben just caught Owen Lars' gaze and quick nod and the family walked quickly away. He relaxed a bit turning back to Rage. "They call me wizard because I know a few tricks."

Tyler looked at him handing him his papers. "Kind of nosey for a hermit aren't you? I don't suppose you've seen anything out on the dunes...a ship...men...maybe moving contra band?"

Rage shifted her feet, biting on the inside of her cheek. Her eyes locked with the hermit's. "What kind of tricks?" Tyler shot her an annoyed glance but she ignored him. Ben stepped forward and slowly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. As his hands came back into view, a small rodent with big ears was now sitting on his finger tips. "OH! That is so cute!" Rage took the small white creature from him and cradled it carefully in her hands like a child. "Hello there little guy! I think I'll call you Xizor. Yeah.....he's a rodent too but you're much cuter...so much cuter.. yes you are!" She brought the softly furred creature to her face and it licked her nose. "Ahhh, did you see that Tyler? He gave me a kiss."

"Yes, Lady Vader...very interesting. If you don't mind I'm asking this citizen some questions." She stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to 'Little Xizor'. Kenobi watched with fascination. Could this be the same person that killed an innocent boy because his father had been too strong willed? This child-like enforcer who was fascinated by a furry animal and a simple trick of the hand? The same person who could kill a person and destroy life with a mere thought? It was amazing. Her resemblance to her grandmother was startling on the outside but her character and inner light was completely different. A Force user wouldn't even know they were related but without the Force they were looked almost identical. Rage was several inches taller and a lot more muscular than her grandmother and her eyes were a deep blue/black while her grandmother Rave's were a deep violet.

Rave Dawnstar was one of the most noted of Jedi heroes. She had given up all her glory, never to attain the rank as a master, all for the love of her husband Sierra Dawnstar. Sierra was the greatest political leader of the Jedi ever to be documented, his disappearance causing the Jedi became disorganized and to fight amongst themselves and helping to bring about the mighty Jedi purge. With last of his line was turned to the dark side and adopted into a royal Sithian house, the final last stake had been driven through Sierra's heart Kenobi answered the Lord's Guard's questions while watching Rage play with the rodent. She finally set him in one of her pockets, squeaking to him. The Guard signed the old man's papers and Obi-Wan walked away, his heart heavy.

-Kelly Black-