The Odd-Couple
--sparkvallen

If you didn't realize by now, I don't own anything directly SW-related. ;) Lucas does.

Chapter Three

Pharinseaya walked quickly toward the open market, walking as though she were heedless of whatever dangers could come out of nowhere in the seedier area of Coronet City. She strode purposefully, her hands tucked into her dark blue robe, her eyes focused straight though she took in every detail of life around her. Once she has reached the bustling area of commerce uptown, Pharinseaya allowed herself to find somewhere to sit so that she could reflect on her mission thus far.

Master Skywalker sure has a strange idea of Jedi Missions, was her first thought.

His meeting with her on Yavin IV had been enigmatic, at best. Luke Skywalker, the most experienced of the Jedi at the Academy and perhaps in the galaxy at all, had summoned her to his quarters within the Massassi Temple one morning shortly after the youngest students had cleaned the mess hall, a process in which Pharinseaya normally served as supervisor for. The newest to become a Jedi Knight there, Pharinseaya hadn't begun to explore her niche in the fledgling Order and seemed – at present – to be content with the small duties she performed around the Temple, making sure things ran smoothly as a facility.

She was surprised to be requested in a meeting with Luke and had prepared herself as best she could, though having no idea what he might say.

"Pharinseaya, it's good that you could come," he said after returning her formal bow. "Please, come in and sit with me."

She smiled, seeing that he had no chairs in his office, only simple mats. Gingerly, she lowered herself to the floor as Skywalker did. "I'm honored by the invitation to speak with you," she replied.

He returned the smile. "I'd like to share with you a vision I had, Pharinseaya."

"OK, Master Skywalker."

"Please. You can call me Luke now. We are equals."

"Hardly!" Pharinseaya laughed. "You're... Master Skywalker! You're..."

"I put my tunic and pants on the same way you do, believe me," he countered her with a wink.

She flushed red. "OK... Luke."

"I had a vision last night that centered around you. Tell me how this resonates with you." Skywalker paused a moment, closing his eyes to bring the vision back to crystal clarity in his mind. "I see Coronet City, Corellia at first. Bustling as it often is. But I also see a certain need for a Jedi presence. Not trouble exactly, but a need for Jedi presence."

Pharinseaya listened intently.

"There's a mission to be accomplished there and I see you with someone, a guide of some sort. The two of you are meant to do something together. The mission will become clear once you've found this guide."

As he re-opened his eyes, they locked gazes. "I'm not sure I understand. I mean... well yes, I do understand, Master—Luke. But, the vision seems rather vague."

"The Force works in mysterious ways," he replied. "How does this resonate with you?"

Pharinseaya frowned, forcing herself to push aside the complacency she felt at remaining on Yavin IV. "I normally do better with explicit instructions or guidelines," she admitted. "But, who am I to question a vision you would have concerning me?"

"The very person who should be questioning such a vision," he said.

She sighed at the rebuke. He refuses to be put in the position he belongs! she thought. To his initial question of how it resonated with her, Pharinseaya replied, "It sounds interesting in its own strange way. When would you want me to begin this mission?"

"Whenever you feel comfortable," Luke replied vaguely.

Pharinseaya gave him an exasperated smile.

"It was my vision but concerning your journey as a Jedi Knight, Pharinseaya. Therefore, it's up to you to pursue it when the timing is right."

"Yes, Luke. Thank you. I'll do some research then on Coronet City and will inform you when I'm ready."

"Good, that sounds wise." He winked.

Pharinseaya brought her mind back to the present, watching the Corellians as they traded and bartered with the fellow citizens and visitors to the planet. The market was mobbed with people. Watching them, she considered her arrival to Corellia and the strong pull she'd felt toward – of all places – Wingnut's Garage.

She had purposely taken a public transport to the outskirts terminal for Coronet City. That much had been under Pharinseaya's control. Having had no luck in obtaining a ferry around the city to at least travel had not been in her plans. The clerk had explained the shortage of vehicles as being related to some sporting event elsewhere. So, she had proceeded slowly on foot, taking in the ambience of the city in all its splendor.

Wingnut's Garage just happened to be along the path she walked.

Seeing the fellow female's aura of Force sensitivity glimmering around her in a wide arc, Pharinseaya instinctly knew she'd found the person that Luke had suggested she was there to meet. She was certain of that much. Rym's attitude did surprise her a little, but she could chalk that up to her living conditions.

But what am I supposed to do now? she wondered.

When 1600 hours came and went, Pharinseaya had convinced herself that her intuition was wrong. Rym Svoby wasn't the person she was destined to find after all; she was merely a mechanic who had a natural Force aptitude, but not the key to the Jedi Knight's mission.

And then she slid silently into the seat next to Pharinseaya.

"Sorry for keepin' ya waitin'. Ran into some trouble with the 'rents of the Rodian kid who'd smashed up that speederbike." Rym shrugged. "Some people. They don't understand what service's all about."

"Nice to see you again too, Rym," Pharinseaya said with a wink. "I'm glad to see you here. I almost didn't think you were going to show."

"Jes' busy is all. So what's this all 'bout? You want me to be a tour guide?"

Straight and to the point, Pharinseaya thought. She thought a moment, searching for the right words to approach their situation. "Rym, how do I begin? I suppose I should be as straight with you as I can. If you didn't realize, I'm a Jedi Knight and—"

"WHAT?" Svoby nearly fell out of her chair.

"Oh, well, you didn't know that then. OK."

Rym's guard went up. "Yer Jedi and you just – what? – failed to remember to say that?"

"Is my life's vocation a problem?" Pharinseaya asked.

"Then you knew all 'bout me before you even talked at me, didn't ya?" she said with her eyes narrowed.

Pharinseaya kept her voice level. "You mean about the fact that you're Force sensitive?" She shrugged. "I saw you levitate the 'spanner to your hand, sure. How long have you been working on your skills? You seem pretty fine tuned, if you don't mind my saying so."

"Long enough," was the distant reply. "Look. If you aren't gonna be needin' a tour guide for real, I gots stuff to do. Sorry."

"Wait," Pharinseaya said.

Rym halted in mid-step. "What."

"Can we at least talk? I'll lay out for you why I'm here, why I ended up seeking you out... Then, if you still feel you have better things to do, you can move on."

She frowned then sat back down.

"Thank you," the Jedi said. "Now, listen. I'm not here to try and convert you, preach to you or anything else you might imagine, Rym. I was sent to Corellia on a mission by Master Skywalker based on a vision he—"

"Phary-see-ya, you know Luke Skywalker?" she interrupted. Rym was unable to restrain herself as much as she was unable to pronounce the Jedi's name correctly.

"Knowing him, since he's one of the few instructors, is sort of a given." Pharinseaya grinned.

"That's incredible. I'll be a Bantha shepherd before I ever know him."

"Anyway, it was a result of sharing his vision with me that led me to Corellia. Master Skywalker said that I was meant to find someone and in working with this person, the mission itself would begin," she went on. "Yes, I did sense you to be a Force sensitive and that – to me, at least – seemed like a sign that you might be the person I was meant to find here."

"Uh-huh. So, are you thinkin' that I'm 'sposed to have some magical thing to say to ya? What happens now?" Rym wanted to know.

"That is exactly what I was wondering," Pharinseaya admitted.

And that was when part of the casino some four blocks up the densely packed street exploded.