Echoes of the Past

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Summary: Luke watches as an all too familiar pattern unfolds. Fear, love, anger, hate, death. Can he learn from his mistakes and stop what is happening or is the past doomed to be repeated and the republic plunged back into war?

IOIOIO

The cross hairs were directly aligned with Risha's head, the entry point would be directly at her temple. She would not survive, then again, with a man of his marksman ship, no one survived.

"Talen! You up here?" The cry alerted the gunman and he stashed the gun away. Damn, he'd have to take care of her first.

Ariot looked around the deserted balcony, searching for Talen. Kolan had said he'd come up to the balcony to do the half hourly check and wasn't back yet but she could find no trace. "Talen?" She called, walking across the balcony. There was no one there that she could see, which was odd as usually there were two guards stationed up there. It was then she noticed the boot sticking out slightly from behind one of the pillars. Drawing her blaster she inched forward then swung around, pointing her blaster at the foots owner. One, unconscious, Talen.

"Talen." She scanned the balcony again but saw no one so she holstered her weapon and knelt down beside him, checking his pulse. It was fast but strong. "Talen, come on, wake up." She said, slapping his cheek. Talen groaned, his eyes fluttering open for a second, then, without warning he reared up, catching her by the throat and tossing her back. He drew the knife from his boot, ready to plunge it into her heart.

"TALEN!" She screamed, trying to throw him off and immediately he let her go.

"Captain! I thought it was whoever knocked me out. I came up here to make my check and the next thing I know…My god, I'm sorry." He leant back on his haunches, slipping the knife back into his hiding place. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sure no permanent damage was caused." She coughed, a hand moving to trace the angry red marks appearing on her throat. "Did you see who it was who attacked you?" Talen shook his head.

"No, whoever it was, they were humanoid and large. That's about all I can tell you, Sir." Ariot sighed, shaking her head.

"That describes about half the delegates here…Well they're long gone now, why aren't there guards stationed up here?"

"I don't know, lucky you're paranoid and have us do checks, eh?" Talen got to his feet, rubbing his cheek and grinning at Ariot's dirty look. "Here let me." She took the hand he offered up and was forced to clutch his shoulders as he pulled her up to quick and she collided against him. Their eyes locked for a moment, hers surprised, his amused.

"Ehem!" Ariot jerked away from Talen as if burned and swung to face Ryan who was standing in the doorway. "I hate to break up your little cuddle session but Ariot, I need to speak with you." Ariot's face flushed red and she nodded to him.

"Right, Talen, tell Kolan to alert the guards and get yourself seen by a droid. Make sure whoever it was who hit you didn't do you any damage." She gestured for him to leave and with a look to the dark corner of the room he jogged down the narrow stairs. Ariot turned back to Ryan who was leaning against the door frame looking bored and a little amused at having caught her. She walked past him down the narrow stairway that Talen had just disappeared down and he fell into step behind her. "Whatever you think you saw you were wrong, he merely helped me up off the floor and I lost my balance."

"I don't care what you were doing, really, we have more important things to worry about." At Ryan's serious tone her embarrassment faded.

"What did you find out."

"Well, first off that Neka was really easy to break, I only hit him once, but apart from that, he's just a pawn. This isn't just about Risha, this is about controlling the senate. Neka is just one of the senators they're after getting one up on. He only knew his contact from the organization, a Zabrak named Ykar." Ariot stopped so suddenly Ryan crashed into her back with a loud 'Oof'.

"Ykar? As in, Admiral Ykar. The Zabrak who ran a crime ring throughout the whole outer rim, who nearly destabilized, a cold blooded evil murderer who's supposed to be in a Jedi Prison?" Her voice had risen to a shout by the end of the sentence and Ryan took a step back to avoid the spittle.

"Yep, same guy. Why? You know him?"

"Of him." She said, turning away. "I read about him when I was in the academy. How could he be involved, he's locked up." Ryan shook his head.

"No, he wasn't. His transport was high jacked on the way to jail, several Jedi and prisoners killed. He hasn't been seen in over a decade. I remember reading about him in the Academy. He killed some Master and his Padwan went insane."

"Insane? How'd you mean?" She asked, resuming their journey down the stairs.

"I dunno, I was out of the temple by then but apparently she tried to kill Ykar and fled. They've been trying to track her down since but god only knows what happened to her."

"Odd, I thought Jedi were meant to have superb emotional control." Ryan's hand shot out and swung her around.

"What the hell do you have against Jedi? I may not like them a whole lot either but I respect them and what they do. You seem to hate any one who uses the force as if they knocked up your little sister or something."

"I hate to break this to you but I was an only child."

"You're avoiding the question. What do you have against Force Sensitive people?"

"Everything." She hissed. "The Jedi ruined my life. My family was slaughtered because of them. I was put into a orphanage and grew up not knowing who I was or where I'm from. Ariot isn't even my real name, Ryan, it's a name I made up cause I didn't have one. I didn't have one because of the Jedi. Them and their stupid order. Why couldn't they have just left my family alone?" Tears welled up in her eyes and Ryan was immediately sorry he had broached the subject.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She clenched her jaw and turned away.

"Of course you didn't." She snapped, walking quickly across the hall. "And if you ever repeat what you heard then I'll castrate you with chicken wire."

"Ariot…where are you going?" Ryan asked as she turned down a corridor.

"Back to Neka."

"Why? He's unconscious and Fa'rel said she'd take care of him. We have to get Risha out of here now. Don't you see, she's one of the leading politicians who oppose Neka and his allies. If she is taken down and replaced by someone corrupt then a lot of influence in the Senate will be lost and it's only a matter of time before corruption becomes absolute and a new Empire is just around the corner from that. You may be too young to remember the scars of the Empire but my family was originally from Alderann. I was told the story all through my youth of what it was like and how beautiful it was until the Empire destroyed it. I grew up on Korriban, a world known as the Sith World from the Old Republic Wars. The Empire had a huge garrison there and the scars were all around us. I grew up in the ashes left by the Empire, I didn't come from a cushy place like Naboo that was spared by the Emperor." Ariot smiled and turned to face him.

"Ryan. I'm not from Naboo." She said, shaking her head. "Don't presume you know anything about me. You know nothing."

"I know a lot more than you think. I did a rather thorough background check. You covered your tracks well but I think I know you a little better than you think." Ariot smiled, though there wasn't a hint of warmth in it.

"Oh really, and just what is it you think you know? Well?" Ryan straightened, attempting to tower over her but Ariot was still at eye level and glaring fiercely at him. Ryan cocked his head arrogantly.

"Ariot, you have some skeletons in your closet that are just itching to burst out, and, given time, I'll get to know every single one of them, but we have more important things to worry about now. Risha's life is in danger. Don't you even care?" Something in Ariot's stance changed and Ryan regarded her suspiciously. Had he touched a nerve?

"Of course I care, if she dies I'll get a bad mark on my record." Ariot brushed past him, making it a point to collide with his shoulder. At the touch Ryan gasped, he felt as if cold ice had just been dropped down his back. What the hell was that? He wondered, watching her retreating form. Whatever had happened wasn't natural and he was determined to find out who or what Ariot was and what she was hiding.

IOIOIO

Risha smiled up at the surrounding delegates, trying to appear calm, cool and confident when inside she was anything but. Had she been in private she'd be pacing constantly while wringing her hands and biting her lower lip. It had always amused Ariot, her nervous tics. Then again, everything Risha did seemed to amuse the unshakeable Ariot. Risha wondered if she ever got worried, she always seemed so cool and detached in crisis situations. So, taking her guards example, she schooled her face into a calm mask and played the part she was born and bred to play…that is until Ryan grabbed her arm and yanked her unceremoniously away.

"If you'll excuse us a moment." He said quickly to the Senators before spiriting her into the hallway where Ariot waited with Talen, Kolan and two other guards.

"What's all this about? Ryan, let go of my arm. What's wrong?"

"You're in grave danger, we have to get you out of here and now." Risha's face paled as Ariot and her men surrounded her and marched towards the back exit.

"My car is…"

"We're taking a public flitter. It's safer." Ryan said, pulling her into the alleyway behind the building. Talen was up front and calling over a taxi before she had even made it to the mouth of the alley and she was shoved inside.

"Ariot, what did you find out?" She asked as her body guard took the seat beside her with Ryan on the other side and Talen up front. The other three guards saluted and walked back inside. "Where are they going?"

"They'll take the flitter home in about an hour." Ariot clarified. "Senator, we have to leave Coruscant. We have to get you somewhere safe, somewhere no one would expect. Is there anywhere we could go?"

"…Err. My estate on Kereys. I'm sure my father would be more than happy to take us in." Ariot shook her head.

"No, that'd be under watch. Do you have anywhere discreet, not well known?" She asked, Risha thought a moment.

"Kohmdal has this little house on a small mood orbiting Tiaris IV. We could go there." Risha offered and Ariot saw Ryan stiffen, his jaw tightening, and she filed it away for further reference.

"No, not there." He said dryly. "We can't go anywhere associated with you. Is there no where else?" Ariot squirmed uncomfortably and Ryan looked over at her, raising one eyebrow.

"You got any ideas, Arie?" Ryan asked, regarding her suspiciously.

"There is…one place…that we could…possibly…go. If you want to disappear, there's no place better. No one will find you there, no one will even look."

"Well." Ryan said angrily. "Where is it?"

"…Home." Ariot said uncomfortably. "We could go…back to my home world. It…it doesn't have a name. Not many people live there and it's not on most star maps. I know the coordinates though. I could take you there but we'll need a very fast ship. It's far away." Ryan puffed up with pride.

"Please, my ship could make most Republic scouts look like tricycles. Driver, take us to the North Senatorial Hangars. Faster you get there the more we'll pay you." Ariot shook her head.

"Driver, belay that order." She shifted in her seat to face Ryan, her face grim. "Ryan, you can't come."

"The hell I can't."

"This is a guard matter. I can't let you in on this. Protocol."

"Don't make me tell you where you can stick your protocol."

"If you go there you'll die!" Ariot snapped. "For once in your bloody life listen to me and do what you're told. You can not come, get that through your thick head now, because if you step foot on that planet you'll be killed before you take a second step. On this I can promise you." Ryan looked as if he was going to make an argument but Risha just reached across and placed her hand on his arm.

"Ryan, please. I need someone here to keep an eye on things anyway. To warm the other delegates and to tell Kohmdal that I'm safe. He worries about me." Ryan looked between the two of them angrily.

"Women." He said angrily, shifting to look out the window. Risha smiled sympathetically at Ariot and turned back to Ryan.

"Ryan, it's for your own good…we'll take my ship." Risha said, leaning forward to give the driver his new orders.

"That'll be traced. Take my ship. Most of them are unlicensed." Ryan mumbled, still not looking at them.

"What type is it?" Talen asked from the front.

"Why should you care?" Ryan asked, looking up at the pale skinned and dark haired man in front.

"Because he's a pilot. He'll do the flying. I can't tell the inertial dampeners from the landing gear." Ariot said, sighing.

"It's a modified firebird with Naboo grade III engines. It's fast, it's tough but it maneuvers like a brick." He groused. "I'll show you it when we get to the hangar." Talen nodded and turned back to face the windscreen.

"Don't worry, Mister Ryan, I'll take care of everything." He smiled encouragingly back at Ryan from the window. Ryan decided he didn't like Talen right then.

"You better, if either of them gets hurt I'll personally hunt you down."

"I'm touched." Ariot joked, raising a sarcastic eyebrow.

"The only reason you're still alive is cause Risha would bitch if I killed you." He groused, watching the cars beneath him. He couldn't help but notice the black car that was flying directly below them. He had notice it on the way to the gala and thought it was following them but it veered off to the left as soon as they had reached the Senatorial District. He thought it a coincidence before but now… It was just a coincidence. It was probably a different car. How could they possibly know they were in this car?

Even though he tried to rationalize it in his mind, his Jedi senses tingled. Something was wrong…but what? And why was he sure it had something to do with Talen?

"Driver, step on it. Now."

IOIOIO

Ykar sat back and watched the recording his security bot was showing him. The glass in his hand shattered without him even noticing as he inched closer to the screen.

"A Jedi." He snarled, "She's being protected by a Jedi."

"Even I could have told you Ryan was a rouge and that Risha was his benefactor. It's hardly a secret." Senator Keghan said, crossing her arms. Neka's unconscious form was draped unceremoniously across the table beside her with her body guard looming over him, behind her.

"I'm not talking about Risha and Ryan, look at this." He pointed to the screen. Kamir stood, his blaster raised and Ariot in front of him. He fired and Ariot threw her hands up over her face as the lightsaber beside her flew up from the table, deflected the shot and fell to the floor. "That wasn't Ryan's doing and Risha is as force sensitive as a rock." He hurled the remains of his glass against the wall. "It's HER! IT'S THAT BRAT THAT GAVE ME THIS!" He ripped open the front of his tunic to reveal the mechanics that were wired into his systems. She had crushed every bone in his body and left him for dead, the Jedi had barely saved his life and used their technology to turn him into more machine than man. The rhythmic hiss of his breathing aide, he was told, reminded people of Darth Vader but he was no Sith. His entire chest was coated in metal to aide his damaged organs that ten years on, still weren't healed. "HUNT THEM DOWN! BRING ME ARLENA'S HEAD!" He stormed out of the room then, leaving Keghan with an unconscious Neka and her guard. Stepping forward she squinted at the screen, she could see Risha lying on the floor and Ariot covering her head…was that a girl hiding behind crates? Could she be the Arlena he was talking about?

"Kiliahc, I want you to find out everything you can about this Arlena person. Who is she and why is she so important to Ykar." The Zabrak slapped his closed fist against his chest and marched out of the room. Keghan slipped a dagger from beneath her robes and approached Neka. "Now, time to deal with you my dear, weak, senator."

IOIOIO

Name: Talen Nimoral

Age: 28

Home planet: Naboo

Occupation: Lieutenant Senatorial guard, currently assigned to Risha

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Height: 5 11"

Marital Status: Single.

Basic history: Talen was an only child, spoilt rotten by his rich, noble father. His mother died in birth so he was brought up solely by his father. Talen entered pilot school intending on becoming a Naboo Fighter Pilot but was discharged from the academy for striking a superior officer. He moved to Coruscant with the intention of finding his fortune and getting a ship of his own, instead he joined the Senatorial Guard, hoping to be assigned to the Flying Division however his noble upbringing saw him learning fencing and martial arts which was considered far more of an asset than his six months in flight school and he was assigned to the senator of Kereys. He is also a master marksman and has several commendations for his skill with a blaster. He'd most likely be a Captain himself if it wasn't for his lack of discipline.

Personality: Being an only child of a rich man, Talen was spoilt beyond his wildest dreams. He's used to getting what he wants and when he doesn't he can throw childlike temper tantrums. This has greatly impeded his advancement in the Senatorial Guard. He is a ladies man, often incredibly charming and smooth but he has a wicked temper and great ambition. Easily slighted or offended, he goes to great lengths to get revenge and can become insanely jealous. The only one who has ever bested him in sword fighting and hand to hand combat is Ariot and because of that he has a grudging respect for her ability. He has been perusing romantically ever since but Ariot is either unaware of his advances or ignoring it. Talen is a dangerous man to cross and should be avoided.