Mashki was in a foul temper, which was far from unusual. He was always angry and peeved. Loudly he stomped out of his speeder and up the front steps to the Temple. How he hated being here! These high-and-mighty Jedi thought they were so important! Ha! Not that he was fool enough to challenge them. In fact, he was quite scared of them, but covered well with his rage. His wide feet announced his approach to the languid guards. They glanced him up and down and let him pass without a word. Mashki sneered at them once he was out of sight and plodded heavily up the hall.
The Bermuian's flaps of pale skin hung about him in vast ornamentation: some colored red, others blue and even bright green. His helm of office, the office of Accountment Chief (whatever that meant) glowed pale pink from its jaunty angle atop his smooth scalp. What held it there was a great mystery.
Mashki knew just where he was to go; he had done so far too many times before. He grumbled as he walked, cursing the entire Jedi Order for the constant trouble they caused him. Now, most would say that saving a being's home world was a fine thing; and act worthy of praise not curses, but Mashki was not most beings. He was a Bermuian, and a particularly peevish one at that. His overlord, Nashok, sent him to the Temple on regular occasions to address disputes and generally quarrel with the Jedi. As much as Mashki hated being in the Temple, hated Jedi, he did relish a good argument. Even as he walked toward the conference room, his beady eyes brightened and he began to mentally tally things he knew would rankle the Council. He was in for a surprise.
The second he opened the door and headed for his seat, he noticed that the Jedi were not, as usual, ignoring him pointedly as was their wont. Instead, every eye was fixed upon him and followed him to his seat. Nervously, he searched his twisted brain for a phrase to set them to arguing. But he was not allowed the chance.
"Welcome, Mashki, Accountment Chief of the Bermuians." Master Yarduk began. Moshki blinked, A welcome? "We have called you here today to discuss a matter of extreme importance."
Finally he found his voice. "Called me? I was sent!" The words oozed acidly through his thick lips and he noted with astonishment a smile curl at Yarduk's mouth.
"You were summoned. Apparently Nashok deemed it unnecessary to tell you." He quelled any reply by quickly continuing. "Your planet, Bermui lies far in the Outer Rim, which I'm sure you well know. It happens to be of strategic importance to us at this time." He raised an eyebrow, inviting Mashki's questions.
"How can we be of service?" He sneered, showing his blunt orange teeth. It pained him to even pretend to be helpful.
"Situated a mere parsec from your home world is the MaarZak system. Have you heard of it?"
"Of course I've heard of it! It is, after all, a neighbor." He allowed himself satisfaction at the quick response. Yarduk merely shook his head and glanced toward another Jedi. "Master Nithi?"
Master Geo Nithi turned her unblinking black Nautolan eyes on Moshki. "What can you tell us of the planet MaarZak III?"
Moshki snorted. "Nothing. I have never been there, nor do I plan to visit. I have not even seen any literature relating to the third planet." He glared at the green-tentacled female. Why do the Jedi not call their females Mistress? Bah!
"We only wish to know so that we can effectively rescue a Jedi and extract the rescue team. We may also have to prepare for a minor skirmish, in which case, we will require the use of your planet as a base." Master Nithi explained cordially.
"A minor skirmish! Eh? You have never seen such a thing!" Moshti glared at her, his eyes going red. "You wish to run a war from my peaceful planet? I think not! The Overseer will never hear of it." At once he realized his mistake. He had indicated a higher power.
Master Nithi nodded along with the other seven Council members. "We have discussed it with Nashok. Apparently he deemed it necessary for us to tell you of your duties with the Jedi." She allowed herself a grin, the most common emotion of a Nautolan when they win.
Moshti looked down, thinking hard on how to extricate himself from this verbal sparing session. Finally he looked up. "What do the Jedi Require of me?" This time some sincerity crept into his voice.
Rusco entertained a brief scouting expedition, angling for a better view of the valley where her ship was grounded. She stuck to the crest of rocks, and when a startled animal dashed down the hill she froze to the stone. The animal was blasted and its light blue fur floated into the breeze. Two soldiers immediately detached from the guard ring and climbed the hill to the origin of the animal. Rusco led them on a merry chase with imagined sounds far from her hideout. When they grew bored and rejoined the guards, she continued. From her new perch she could easily see the entire detachment and also the whole road leading to the small port city of Mazd. Boredly she watched the guards in their relentless patrol and counted the hours.
On the third day of her stay on MaarZak, Rusco watched in horror as the guards dragged her ship away from the landing port and into the walled city itself. She was powerless to stop them, though she tried every distraction she knew. They simply brought several large droids who gripped the Flying Fox and lifted it as if it weighed nothing. She kept to her hiding place along the ridge, but could no longer watch over her beloved ship. Rusco kept her cool. Few would, she knew. Most people were so attached to their ships that they would do rash things in order to protect them. She had no intention of leaving the planet without the Fox, but she was not going to endanger herself at the moment. Maybe later.
The Eagle Talon zipped through hyperspace, leaving the mottled colors that were stars far behind. Every second millions of light years were passed by. Fea, at the helm, paid the streaks of color no mind. They required none. She instead concentrated on making sure each calculation was precisely correct. "Entering normal space in exactly four minutes and 34, 33, seconds." She stated to the three other Jedi on the deck. Each calmly took a seat on the padded couches and awaited the transition.
The Talon came out of hyperspace a great distance away from the planet MaarZak III. This way, Fea could maneuver the ship onto the planet with less chance of being spotted. As they approached, her team unstrapped and readied themselves for the extraction. Fawks came over and stood by Fea as she maneuvered the ship.
"So far away. I hope she is ok. It has been so long." She peered at the planet, eyeing it with contempt.
"She be a Jedi and used to hardships."
"Wot ees dis 'bout hard sheeps?" Master Rikko Bund asked extending his long neck between the other two and studying the screen. "I see no sheeps!" He turned his fuzzy muzzle toward Fea.
"No ships be on radar, Rikko. We be talking of Jedi life." She chuckled.
"Ahkay. Yeh, I git it." He nodded and pulled his head back onto his shoulders.
The other Jedi did not speak. In fact, he showed no interest whatsoever in the others. He simply organized his supplies, sat for a few minutes, then reorganized them. The others ignored him as efficiently as he ignored them. Eez Thuy was Kel Dorian. He was notorious for his lack of desire to converse. Behind his elaborate breathing mask, his expressions could not be read. But Fea had chosen him because he was the best scout in the Temple. He had once made a life for himself as a thief and he had lost none of that skill. Now, his cunning combined with Jedi Force powers, he was a perfect assassin and all around sneak. This was something he apparently had no problem being labeled as.
As Fea urged the ship covertly toward the planet she talked reassuringly to the Padawan. "Your Master be one of the deadliest Jedi to ever wield two sabers. She even did invent her own fighting style with them. One I be sure she will soon teach you."
"I have seen her fight. I guess I really don't know quite enough about the style to recognize that hers is different. How good is she really? I mean, like, who has she beaten?"
"Well, though I be hating to admit it, she has bested me. So many unexpected and, well, uncouth moves. And, though he be hating to admit it, she has beaten Master Yarduk." Buc could only stare in amazement and disbelief. "You be taught by the best, young one." Fea consoled her.
From that point on Liadyn Fawks made every effort to emulate her esteemed Master. She resolved to learn everything that she was taught, everything she could pry from Rusco. She resolved that the two of them would be the most powerful pair of Jedi in history.