….."Lilli they want you for the murder of your family."……
Chapter 9
"Oh my God, you don't believe them do you Chi. I could never killed my family I could never do something like that..." she stumbled.
"I know that but there are others that don't. Lilly there is something going on here that is bigger than either you or me. Where are you staying?"
"The Temple. You?"
"A local hotel. Can you meet me back here tomorrow night?"
"Oh, course Chi."
"I have to go." and with that he got up and left her there in shocked silence. As his figure passed out of her vision she saw another heading her way. Chade. He sat down casually but his eyes held an intensity that belayed his casual appearance
"What was that about?" he asked dangerously calm
"Absolutely nothing" she lied "don't you have anything better to do all day than stalk me?" her temper rising.
"Lower you voice," he warned "And not while I suspect there's things you're not telling us." That was about all she could handle. She slapped him and walked out of the bar. She marched angrily back to the temple her shopping forgotten and went to her room. She made double sure to lock the door and windows and retired for a nap hoping to absorb some of the day's events.
A knock came at her door around dinnertime and she answered it relieved to find Name standing there. "Dinner?" she asked.
"Sounds great" Tests finished for her as they left for the temple cafeteria. Dinner was as entertaining as usual and she decided she would not worry about tomorrow till tomorrow.
As she left the cafeteria to go to bed she was confronted by Chade. She found herself directed to a lesser-used hall and backed into a wall. He placed his hands against the walls on either side of her not touching her but efficiently trapping her. She had to crane her neck painfully to see his face but was rewarded by finding a red mark still on his right cheek.
"Let me go." she said coldly but he made no move to comply instead he demanded,
"I want to know why you where meeting a known smuggler."
"That is no business of yours." she replied voice like ice.
"But your safety is and he's a known smuggler" he countered
"Chavi would give his life for me and I would give mine for him" she replied without emotion. "Now let me go."
"No." he replied just as emotionlessly "you still haven't answered my question"
"And I'm not going to" she said in dangerous tones. A knife appeared in her hand as she said "I suggest you let me go before I take off something very precious to you." He was not daunted and held her there captive for a minute more to prove it but then backed off anger in every line of his body. As soon as she was free she ran. She didn't slow down until she had locked herself back in her room.
The next morning she woke, showered, and got dressed debating on weather or not to show up. Eventually she decided she would she opened the door to let the cat in and left to find D-09. As she entered she found Chade waiting for her
"Good morning." he said as if nothing had happened last night. That rubbed her the wrong way but she replied "Good morning." and so her day began. Chade was a surprisingly good teacher neither appearing to favor her or pressure her excessively. They started with the things she knew best: staff and knife. Then they moved on to hand to hand combat and toward the end of the session he let her play with the 'light saber' the laser sword he had used on Ravja. It felt awkward in her hands.
"We need to get you some more appropriate clothing," he said eyeing her up and down. "Frankly I don't see how you can move at all in that dress."
"With difficulty" she replied "but you get used to it."
Later he let her go with instructions to go to see Master Skywalker. Tired and sore from the variety of bumps and bruises she had acquired from Chade she marched up to her next 'class' and opened the door cautiously. The attack she had been half expecting did not come as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. Safely through the door or not she still did not trust the man sitting in the middle of the floor.
"Relax" she heard him say, "I don't bite." Biting is not what I'm worried about she thought to herself. Fear rising from the pit of her stomach but determined not to let him see she was afraid. Just thinking about the 'force' stirred horrible memories and gave her nightmares but despite her fears or perhaps because of them all they did was talk and meditate. Still she was glad to go when he finally dismissed her.
She headed to the Cafeteria for lunch and the second half of the day was all academics with the other students. When the day was done she did not follow the rest of the students to the mess but instead went back up to her room to pack. She entered, turned on the small vid they had given her, and began packing.
A knock came at the door and she went over to open it thinking it Name inviting her to dinner. She was wrong. She opened the door to see Chade standing there with what looked like a bundle of cloth in his arms. He handed her the clothing as he half entered blocking the door with his body.
"These are for you. Going somewhere?" he asked casually glancing at the bags on her bed.
"As a matter of fact I am." she replied as she gathered strength to push past him but at that moment something on the vid caught her attention and she turned around.
"We are live here at the scene of the accident where an runaway transport is responsible for the death of one man and the injury of several more." the picture zoomed in and she saw the body.
"Chi!" she screamed as she fell to her knees. "Oh God Chi." Chade was instantly by her side
"Who's Chi?" he asked, fiercely shaking her.
"Chavi... I was suppose to meet him at the bar but... Oh Chi, Chi" she turned on him "Did you know there's a warrant out for my arrest? They want me for the death of my family! Can you believe it they think I killed my own family." she was getting frantic now "Chavi knew. I have to get out of here." Rising to her feet she moved to get her bags but realized that something was restraining her. She looked down to find Chade's hand holding her wrist.
"Where do you think your going?" he asked in a controlled voice
"Home"
"Why?"
"To find out what really happened to my family"
"What if they catch you?"
"Then they kill me and all this craziness ends."
"And if I tell you I know who killed your family?" That stopped her and she went completely still unable to respond for the pounding of her heart. "Will you promise to stay at the temple?" she could only nod mutely.
"Ravja." he hissed "and his Sith master ordered your family's death."
"But why" she asked dumbly
"That" he continued in her ear "is what we are trying to discover."
"Stop touching me." was her only response. He dropped her wrist instantly regaining his feet. "It is also why we are trying to keep you alive" he said his voice low.
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"This is getting out of our control" Leia said to Luke when they had a minute alone. "At first it was just little mistakes which we could forgive him but it's gone way past that now he's getting reckless and dangerous to himself and those around him. Not to mention we're never going to get any kind of information from the girl if he keeps driving her to silence. Poor Jonathan said he's become impossible to live with jumping to conclusions and going off without warning. One of the students said they saw him threatening her after dinner and that she pulled a knife on him. A knife! In the temple! She's never felt the need to pull a knife before on temple grounds let alone on a person in the temple. If we don't find a way to control him soon he's going to do something stupid."
"What do you suggest" Luke said tiredly "we order him from her? He is still the best protection we have for her and I don't think he would obey without being forced."
"But you agree we must do something? What else is there to do?" Leia countered
"I don't know." Luke said shaking his head
"Jonathan can watch her just as well as Chade and right now maybe even better."
"Fine" Luke said resigned "right now I can see no other way. Tell Chade to come and see me ASAP." They broke the conversation off as two more masters joined them.
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Chade came as soon as he got word. He entered Luke's quarters and bowed "You wanted to see me?"
Luke sighed, "It's about the girl, Tests. I want you to stay away from her. No. We order you to keep away from her and this order we will enforce without your will if you disobey." Chade stood there opened mouthed. In all the years they had know each other Luke had only given a direct order rarely and never outright threatened him. Luke continued, "We're afraid she's impairing your judgment and that you'll end up getting yourself or someone else killed. We can't afford to lose either or you."
"Who will protect her?" Chade asked still shocked
"Jonathan"
"But he's still an apprentice."
"And he will keep her safe. You may have him watch her for you if you like but you may not interfere with her in any way. Clear?"
"Perfectly." Chade said and stormed out. Luke slumped back in his chair. He hated this but it had to be done.
"How'd he take it?" Mara asked coming out of the bedroom.
"Better than I expected."
"Do you think he'll obey?"
"No," he sighed again "not willingly but I fear the damage has already been done."
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She couldn't sleep at all that night. Most the night she paced trying her best not to think about the revolutions of the last two days. When the first rays of light came in her window she made her morning cup of coffee and drank it black. She dragged her form into her bedroom and considered her sorry wardrobe, after a few minutes debate she put on the outfit Chade had brought her last night.
They where the robes and such that almost everyone around here wore but they looked more comfortable than her old dresses. She was interested to find that it fit perfectly and she had surprising freedom of movement.
She left Millow in their room and went down to the workout room to meet Chade. He seemed distracted, angry even, his normal immaculate appearance disheveled, but it did not seem to affect his teaching, he even commented jokingly about her change of style. When he sent her off to Master Skywalker she was too tiered to care about much more than getting the day over with. As she dragged her form into the room Luke asked "Are you feeling alright?" clearly concerned
"Yeah, I'm fine." she muttered. He only shrugged not looking entirely healthy himself. "I think it's time we finished our talk. Alright with you?"
"If it will help you figure you why they killed my family," she said
"How much did he tell you?"
"Enough." Luke began to sigh but then caught himself. He seemed to be sighing a lot lately with these two.
"Ok, then I won't sugar coat this. Did you hear any unusual rumor when you where working in the bars?"
"How many bars have you been in? There are always strange rumors in bars. I try my best not to listen to any because it's unhealthy for a barmaid to learn to much."
"What about Ravja's offer?"
"It was not any different than any other offer I was ever given"
"You're not being very corporative" Luke told her
"I know, I know it's just not something I'm used to talking about"
"Well if you think of anything at all come and tell us. Its vital that we get to the bottom of this" he let her go early.