A/N: Hi everybody. Finished up another chapter for ya! Yay for me! And Obi's in it now too:) (Hope all you Obi fans out there are happy with the description;) Okay, on with the shoutouts!
kenjigirl: Yeah, make's it more dangerous for the universe;) But the question is, will she become a Jedi...or a Sith? Dundundun...
cat: I'm glad you like it:) Thankx much for the review! Hope you drop me a line again sometime.
Hathor Valerious: Really? Hadn't noticed;) Ahh...that's okay though. As you'll find out, I sorta am too. GO OBI:) He doesn't have too big of a role in this chap, but he will from here on out...I promise. Hope to hear from you again! (We Obi fans gotta stick together;)
Relyan: Thankx so much for the flattering review! I really appreciated it. I hope you continue liking it:)
JEDIKNIGHT32: Thankx...I'm glad you're still enjoying it.
A/N2: By the way, before I forget, I wanted to give a quick thankx to a good friend of mine for letting me use him as inspiration for Zeru Ditzye. (Hope you like your character D.P:)
Chapter 3:
New Friends
The kind smile drifting across Khyra's face did Yoda's heart good to see. "Much like your Grandfather, your heart is...always ready to give, yes."
"Thank you." Khyra answered softly; attention seemingly drawn to some interesting spot on the floor.
Mace knew that despite the information that was given her, Khyra was no doubt still confused on many things. "We are sorry we cannot explain everything to you, but all of your questions will be explained better in time."
"I know...I don't know why, but I do trust you on that." Mace watched Khyra lift her gaze to him with brilliant blue eyes that seemed to be completely trusting and sincere.
Mace and Yoda both bowed their heads in reply to her statement before Mace gestured toward the door and spoke. "There is a Jedi that is due to leave on a reconnaissance mission to a planet nearby Namacus soon. I believe you should accompany him. It is a three-day trip through hyperspace, so you should have plenty of time to think before you arrive."
"Hyperspace, huh? Cool." she smiled, trying to bite back the sudden fear growing inside her. 'What have you gotten yourself into, Khy?'
Before allowing either Mace or Khyra to leave the room, Yoda stepped forward and spoke strongly, "Fear I sense in you. Strange to you this life is, yes...but allow, you must not, fear to grow within you."
Trying to act with the customs that seemed to be 'natural' there, Khyra decided to bow respectfully toward Yoda in answer, instead of attempting to fumble for actual words.
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"If you would follow me," Mace gestured again towards the door.
Khyra nodded solemnly and followed Mace through the door and into the turbolift she had first arrived through. Lost in her thoughts, Khyra didn't notice the searching stare she was gaining from Mace.
"Lady Khyrana." his words were stern, as they had always been, but now there was a kind feeling of respect seeping through his voice that wasn't present before.
She turned to him with full attention as Mace continued. "I am aware you are unfamiliar with the ways of the Jedi, but if you are to be successful in this mission, you must keep your focus." He paused for a moment; searching the emerald shards deep in Khyra's eyes. "As a wise Jedi once said, you must stay in the here and now. Do not make the mistake of allowing your thoughts to wander."
Nodding in simple reply, Khyra still tried to make sense of the messy blur that was her thoughts. Still, among the mess, one clear thought managed to stand out above the rest. One single thought of surreal purity. 'This place...it feels so, right.'
"We're here." Mace's voice flooded through her ears as the turbolift came to a smooth stop; showing a place Khyra had not yet seen.
As the silver doors flew open, Khyra felt her lips fall apart for the third time that day. Before her was a massive hanger filled with sleek spaceships and fighters not too unlike those she had seen in many science-fiction movies on Earth. "Wow...incredible!"
"Yes they are." Mace smiled at the child-like expression on Khyra's face.
"Which one am I going in?" she asked; following Mace out of the turbolift and into the hanger.
"That one." Mace replied while pointing at the end of the hanger to an immaculate ship of a fairly large size, incredible wingspan, and unblemished chrome surface so perfect, it easily could have been used as a mirror. "It's called a Naboo Royal Cruiser. It was a gift from the people on a planet called Naboo after we helped in freeing their planet. We don't use it much, but it is the fastest we have available for the time being."
"Amazing..." she said softly as she stared ahead with wide eyes.
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"Master Windu!" the raised voice of a young man of about twenty suddenly rang through the air. Mace and Khyra both watched as human-like man came running toward them. Khyra had to fight within herself to keep a smile at his humorous appearance bit back. He was short, for one thing—a good head shorter then herself. His hair was a sandy ginger-brown and spiked so it stood a good four inches straight up. Even his bright green eyes were enough to make anyone smile, as they were as eager pools of light ready to do any task. And then there was his ears. Khyra had never seen ears like his before. They were long and pointed; each one must have reached eight inches in length. Kind of like the elves she had read about in books.
He must have been clumsy too, by the looks of it; for Khyra had to wince when she saw his feet get caught in a small tangle of cords lying on the floor and trip him up. Mace simply shook his head and closed his dark eyes when the young man fell face-first onto the floor.
"Owww...I'm okay." he groaned as he quickly picked himself up and (this time) walked the rest of the way to Mace and Khyra. "Master Windu!" he exclaimed again.
"Yes, Zeru?" Mace said in a calm, but exasperated tone.
The now-named, Zeru, stood up straight and tried to act as if his little 'mishap' never happened. "Master Kenobi wanted me to tell you that we just got word from Hallus and he said the way's all clear for us to make our journey."
"Thank you." Khyra watched as Mace turned his view to her and spoke, "Lady Khyrana, this is Zeru Ditzye."
Khyra nodded and extended her hand to Zeru, which he eagerly shook with a bright smile lighting his face. "Wow..." Zeru began in mid-shake. "You're the girl from Earth, right? It's an honor to meet you."
"Word travels fast around here, doesn't it?" Khyra asked Mace with a smirk matching that which was found on Mace himself.
"It's not supposed to." Mace spoke; his voice again holding an annoyed tone as he watched Zeru flash a guilty smile. 'Tahlan. He can never keep his mouth shut...' Mace thought of the mischievous padawan he had a recently left the company of.
Changing the subject before he got in even more trouble, Zeru swallowed nervously and turned his attention to Khyra. "So, you're gonna help us with the war, huh?"
"It seems that way." she laughed softly before turning her attention to another man now walking toward them.
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This man was different however, from Zeru. He was human, from the looks of him, and very calm and graceful in his stride. Khyra noticed he wore the same type of clothes as Mace, Yoda, and the men who had escorted her earlier. 'I wonder if he's a Jedi too?' As he drew closer, Khyra began to easily make out his features. His auburn colored hair seemed quite full in its cut, as somewhat unkept bangs fell over his forehead and just slightly over his eyes.
Ahh, his eyes. These are what captured Khyra most. Even with his good height, slender built, and handsome face, it was his eyes that stood out above all else. Like the shimmering lagoons she had seen hidden about the Earthly Caribbean Sea, his eyes glistened a brilliant turquoise with not a spec of imperfection within them. But what was this? As she had felt times before in herself, Khyra began to feel an unnatural aura of sorrow disguised through the light air surrounding the young man.
"Lady Khyrana?" Mace's words pulled Khyra from her thoughts. "I would like you to meet Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Khyra watched as this Obi-Wan before her bowed respectfully before offering a kind smile in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Master Kenobi."
"As it is you, milady." he said softly; surprising Khyra with a smooth voice accented lightly by something she found similar to Earth-born Scottish. "Master Windu," Obi-Wan said, turning to Mace. "I suspect Zeru has already given you my message?"
"He has. You are free to leave as soon as you can, but I have one more mission for you." Mace began, looking to Khyra as he spoke. "This is Coran Sylo's granddaughter from the planet Earth."
"Well then, it truly is an honor to meet you." said Obi-Wan with a smile that made Khyra blush.
"I need you to take her with you. Her relation to Sylo will be vital in deciding the outcome of this war."
"Of course, Master Windu."
"Lady Khyrana," Mace turned again to Khyra, "Thank you for doing this." he smiled as Khyra bowed her head in thanks. "Your Grandfather taught you well."
He then looked back to Obi-Wan and spoke a phrase that Khyra would soon find to be almost trademark for the Jedi. "May the force be with you."
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"Well, I believe we're about ready to leave then." Obi-Wan began as Mace walked back to the turbolift; leaving the three to their travels. "Zeru, will you please go check if all our supplies are loaded?"
"Sure. Nice to meet you again, Miss." Zeru said before running off behind the Cruiser.
"Lady Khyrana?" Obi-Wan called; noticing Khyra's attention jumping from one thing to another about the hanger.
"Hmm?" she began. "Oh, you can call me Khyra, if you'd like, Master Kenobi."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Well then, Khyra, I must insist you call me Obi-Wan."
"Fair enough."
"We're all ready to go Obi-Wan." Zeru's voice echoed through a speaker in a small communication device hidden away in a pocket on Obi-Wan's belt.
Without answering Zeru, Obi-Wan gestured toward the ship. "Shall we board?"
"Yeah, sure."