Memories of a Childhood Whisked Away







Though out the day, Keilana moved continuously through the streets of Corusant. The docking bay that held her ship was quite far away from the Jedi Temple and Keilana had already cursed herself many times over for not thinking ahead. She knew she would have to move the Scrimshaw eventually, when she was closer to capturing her bounty but, for now, the ship was safe. At least Keilana sure hoped her beloved ship was safe. If not, the Bothan would find himself in deep shit and probably be taking a tour of space---without a suit.

Keilana chuckled to herself as she thought of the many terrible things she could do to the Bothan if one scratch came to her ship. She knew she had a sick and twisted mind. She knew it and she would definitely not blame it on herself. No, she would blame it one her father for he was sick also. He had brought up his daughter to follow in his path as a bounty hunter. He did not care, and had even scolded her, when she took interest in something that didn't have to do with her training.

All of Keilana's childhood had been a preparation for her life now. Nearly every waking moment was spent in training. Rarely was Boba Fett a father rather than an instructor.




An eight-year-old Keilana giggled softly as she chased her father through a large, open field. It was one of the rare opportunities she had as a child when her father was really a dad. This was not another one of his endless training's. This was not a strengthened endurance test. No, this was Boba Fett being a father to his child.

Keilana laughed out loud this time as she caught up to her father. He did a quick turn and picked her up, holding her in his arms. He still wasn't smiling, but there was something in his eyes that normally wasn't.

Boba Fett stopped quickly and sat on the ground, still holding his daughter. He put her down next to him and laid back, looking up at the sky as she plucked at the tall grass she was sitting in. He then turned his head slightly to look at the girl next to him. She had pale, pale skin just like her mother and dark hair like his. She had a feminine version of his nose and the full lips of her mother. This was a beautiful little child and Fett could not believe how he could have helped create something like this.

He reached out to touch her cheek and she shied away, not used to being touched. She looked at her father and gave him a crooked smile when she noticed a small smile spread across his face.

What's wrong, Dad? Keilana said, pulling apart yet another piece of grass.

What do you mean, Key?

I mean, you never smile, never. Not even when you bring women to the ship, Keilana answered, not looking her father in the eye. The last time I can remember you smiling was when I was six, maybe, and you had brought back a rather large bounty. Other than that, you really don't do much smiling.

I've had a hard life, Love, he said, sitting up and leaning back on his hands. Keilana looked at her father in surprise. Love' was something else he rarely called her. In fact, the word love' rarely escaped his lips, and it was certainly never used to express his feelings for his daughter.




Keilana shook her head as she moved through the streets, memories of her childhood flowing back into her mind. She could still remember the first blaster her father had given her. She could still hear his voice the few times he actually said I love you' and the way his lips formed the words. Keilana could remember laying in his bed while he was gone, the way the bed smelled like him and the way the sheets felt rough against her cheek.

Keilana squinted, trying to keep her tears from spilling over. You were a rotten father, Dad, a damned bloody rotten father.





Late that night, after a day of moving over Corusant, Keilana found herself on the top of a tall building. She was kneeling on the edge, the knuckles of her right hand planted securely between her feet to hold her balance. She was looking over the cityscape of Corusant in her brief moments of rest. Though Keilana was looking over the city planet, she wasn't seeing it. Instead, she was deep within the caverns of her mind playing over more memories of her young life.




Key, come here, girl, her father growled in his show of affection. The six-year-old Keilana walked through the halls of Slave I to her father's side and looked up at him. He was gazing back down at his daughter through the T-shaped visor of his helmet.

Dad, can't you take that helmet off. I don't like it, Keilana begged her father, pulling on his gloved hand. He moved away from the touch of his young daughter and Keilana turned away feeling rejected.

Key, I need you to go and be quiet in your room for a little while, Fett bent over on one knee. He reached out to touch his daughter's shoulder but she shrugged his hand off. Fett firmly turned his daughter around forced her to look at him. When she fought against him, Fett sighed and removed his helmet, placing it beside him. Is that better?

Keilana nodded and looked at her father, arms crossed and bottom lip pouty. Fett smirked at the young girl and, removing the glove from his right hand, he wiped a single tear away from her soft cheek.

Key, I've been hired again. I need you to go into your room and stay as quiet as you possibly can. Keilana nodded as her father spoke. You know where the blaster in your room is, right?

Keilana said, looking at the ground.

And you remember what I told you about it?

Keilana nodded again. You said set the blaster on stun in case I walk in.'

Good girl, Fett nodded. He slowly reached out and pulled his daughter toward him, planting a kiss on her hairline. Keilana could sense that her father was uncomfortable, so she wiggled out from his grip and stepped back. Now, get going, he growled again, sending Keilana away.





Keilana breathed. You loved me so much and yet, she sighed, it was so hard for you to show it. She smirked as she looked at the bright lights glowing around her. In front of her, Keilana could see the Jedi Temple. It stood out from the rest of the buildings for it had smooth, rounded sides rather than the sharp, angular buildings that surrounded it. It seemed peaceful.

Keilana smiled and shook her head. This is too easy, she said under her breath. There has to be some kind of catch.

Keilana sighed as she stood, stretching out her muscles and bones. She started to pace back and forth on the narrow ledge of the building as if she where a hunting feline, her eyes glued on the Jedi Temple. She then glanced down over the side of the building on which she stood and sighed. Keilana knew that if she brought this bounty in, she could be sitting pretty for a little while. She knew that if she succeeded, she would not have to hunt for quite sometime.

This thought made Keilana a little sad. She loved the thrill of the hunt. She loved to chase someone across the galaxy and get paid for doing it. It was one of the only things her father ever really taught her how to love. That and a love for her training. Her training would never abandon her, even if everything else did.

Keilana even found that she had a hard time having feelings for another being for her father had suffered from that problem too. He even had problems admitting feelings for and to his daughter, even though they had always been there. Even though they consumed him in every aspect of his life.

Shit, Dad. What the hell did you do to warp my mind when I was young, Keilana thought as she jumped over the edge.





Keilana ran to the edge of the building and gazed over the edge at her father. She could see him wiping himself off as he looked up to his twelve-year-old daughter, beckoning her to follow. Keilana firmly shook her head, refusing to jump the two stories to the ground. Boba Fett gave his daughter a stern look and made a hand gesture that said you better get you ass down here right now.'

Keilana sighed and, hopping up to the side of the building, she prayed quickly to the Gods above and leaped. Time seemed to slow down as she felt the cool air rush around her as she fell. Her father had taught her how to jump and land, but it all seemed to leave her head as soon as she was in the air.

Keilana's hair blew around her face as it slipped out of it's ponytail, covering her eyes so she could not see. She quickly moved it away and looked down to see the ground rushing up at her. Keilana frantically raked her brain to remember just what to do but she could not.

She could feel panic take over when she suddenly felt the ground under her feet and the cold cement with her hands. She let out a breath of air, not realizing that she had held her breath, as her father patted her on the back.

That'll do, Keilana, that'll do. Keilana wasn't sure whether her father was happy or not but, seeing as he hadn't started yelling, she felt pretty good about her performance.

As she stood up, Fett turned back to his daughter.

Next time, Keilana, try to breathe, okay? Keilana's face turned bright red as she wiped the dirt from her hands.







As Keilana landed, she winced as pain flared through her legs and hips. She grumbled to herself about stupid acts such as this as she tucked her head to her chest and clenched her teeth together. She tried to push the pain from her mind and was surprised to feel it ease up a little. Despite the pain from her five story jump, and all the unwanted attention she had suddenly gained, Keilana stood quickly and moved through the dark, crowded streets, avoiding contact with those around her.

She had to fight her way for she was going against the flow of traffic. Keilana heard many curses coming her way in several different languages, but she pushed on.

As she pushed through the crowd, she kept her eyes sharp for any passage that might lead her to another street, and closer to the Temple. She eventually found what she was looking for and moved through it silently until she found a street heading in the right direction.

As soon as she was heading the right way, Keilana felt as if she could relax, but only slightly. She had to stay on top of things and never let her guard down. She actually took time to look around at the street as she moved along it. Everywhere she looked there were bright, neon signs that marked the sleazy part of this sector. Every other establishment was a bar or night club and, in between those, there were casinos.

Though Keilana longed to stop into one of the bars for a quick drink, she knew she had to get to the Jedi Temple. She also knew that she had to shake the feeling growing in her gut that something about this job was wrong. Terribly wrong.