Shara found herself stepping out onto a large balcony. The air felt cool and aided her burning throat.
Though parts of it's stone flooring had been torn off during the war most of it remained intact. The balcony jutted out from the remains of what appeared to have been a towering building. The top floors had crumbled to the ground leaving only a small skeleton of what once had been. However, Shara knew now that this building held more than what it seemed. Most of the base was tucked deep underground, protected from the reaches of simple hand grenades and detonators.
Shara walked forward towards the edge of the balcony. The balcony led to a drop off some hundred feet below. One half the stone railing had been ripped off by a blast and fallen to the depths below. She made her way carefully to the edge, testing the balcony as she walked. As she drew near to the edge she dropped to her belly and peered over. She had never been afraid of heights wanted to be cautious.
She breathed in deeply and let out a sigh. She needed water. As she turned and rose to go back, a movement over the edge caught her eye. She froze. There was a dark figure crawling up the rock wall of the drop-off. She squinted, trying to make out its shape. The figure had white hair but was clothed in black from head to toe. Something about it made her uneasy. She thought about running and alerting someone just to be safe.
She froze.
The figure had white hair. Most Chacune were brunettes.
Shara turned and ran for the door. She reached to grab the handle but her hand never made it. A strong hand clasped over her mouth and she felt herself being pulled away from the door. She tried to scream for help out but no noise could escape through the gloved hands that covered her mouth.
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"This has to be the room. He said the second one on the right."
"I don't think this is it."
Tenel Ka awoke to the sound of whispering voices. Her eyes flew open, only to find herself in a pitch-black room. She could sense that something was not right. She tried to remember where she was.
Gala. She was on the planet Gala as a peacemaker.
The night before she had been given her own private room to rest in. Alone.
She sat up in one fluid motion, careful not to make a sound. Her hand reached down towards her lightsaber.
She jumped up and landed silently on the floor. She carefully eased her way over to the intruders. The room lit up as she flipped on the switch to her lightsaber.
Three men stood by the door, blasters in hand. Tenel Ka did not recognize any of them. They turned suddenly at the sound the ignited lightsaber.
"May I help you gentlemen," Tenel Ka asked. Her face was sincere and stern.
The intruders jumped back in surprise. One took aim at her and fired.
Tenel Ka deflected it harmlessly out of the way. Another shot was fired and once again she blocked the shot effortlessly.
"We can play games all night, gentlemen. But personally I don't want to have to dispose of you."
"Is that a threat?" one of the men hissed.
"If you wish it to be." Tenel Ka smirked. "Put your weapon down and no one will get hurt."
One of the men dashed for the door. Tenel Ka leapt at him, dodging blaster bolts that were emitted from the other men's blasters. Within seconds the man's blaster lie smoldering on the ground. The man backed away from the door, a look of disbelief on his face.
Tenel Ka moved quickly towards the other two men. She reached out with the force, tugging slightly at one man's blaster. He let out a cry as he tried to grasp it. It fell with a clatter to the floor. Tenel Ka destroyed it in one swift stroke and moved to the remaining man.
"Jedi!" he cursed.
The man began firing wildly at her. She took each shot as it came and deflected each. One bolt flew back at the man and hit him in the hand. He fell to his knees with a sharp cry, as he cradled his injured hand.
"Drop the blaster," Tenel Ka demanded.
The man tossed the blaster to his side. Tenel Ka used the force to call the remaining weapon. She grabbed it with her open hand and tucked it safely away in her utility belt.
"Now gentlemen. Allow me the honor of escorting you to Tyla."
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