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?

A/N: I love cliff hangars. Ah, the hanging goodness.

Orka: I want to apologise. When I read your review to do with lemur's I was like 'Has orka finally lost it? Had the little man in her head clawed its way out and begun to use her fanfiction account? but then i saw Madagascar and realised you're still sane...well, relativly. Hope you like this chapter, lots more lemurs. (I like to move it, move it. I like to...MOVE IT!)

Gevaden: Assume nothing. That's all I'm saying. Ariot may not be what she may seem but that doesn't mean she and Arlena are the same person but I grantee, Arlena will be coming back into the fic very soon and nothing will be the same. Assume nothing...

IOIOIO

The speeder swerved down into the traffic below them and Risha was forced to grab Talen's chair to stop herself being thrown about the speeder.

"Alright Senator?" He asked, looking back with a grin on his face. "Nothing like a high speed chase to get the blood pumping, is there?" He laughed as they were jostled some more.

"Quite." She whimpered as she was thrown first against Ariot then against Ryan. Without thinking Ryan wrapped his hand around her to steady her as he looked out the window.

"We're losing them. They were struck by several hovercrafts when they dropped down with us. Take us by the old Jedi Temple before swinging round to the Hangars." He ordered the driver who complied with little more than a grunt before the speeder vaulted off in another direction. Risha clung tighter to him and looked over at Ariot who was sitting unnaturally still, considering the speeder was being jostled about something terrible.

"Ariot, are you alright?" Risha asked, noticing her ashen complexion.

"All this movement isn't agreeing with my stomach, Senator, that's all." She mumbled, looking out the window, her attention focused solely on one thing. The old Jedi temple.

Risha had always thought it had been a rather morbid structure to leave standing. Stretching up hundreds of floors, what once must have been a beautiful building with pillars and arches and statues, flooded with light and the force, was now little more than twisted metal fingers reaching for the sky with the remnant of a floor here or bit of pillar still clinging to life there. It looked ghastly, sad…maybe even a little bit evil, or good tainted evil.

"Have you never seen it before? The old temple. There's a memorial to everyone who lost their lives in the galactic war on the first floor. It was the first thing I saw when I first came here. All Senators are sworn in there to remind them of what corruption can lead to." Risha said, watching the intense sorrow that passed across Ariot's face.

"I know." She said quietly. "I've been there." The Old Jedi Temple was soon left behind them as they came upon the North Senatorial Hangars. Ryan tossed a black key card over to Ariot.

"Hangar Six B, it's the black ship."

"I don't see why we can't take the ship you gave Risha, it's fast, it's got good shields and it…" Ryan cut Ariot off before she could finish the thought.

"Is most probably being watched. Did you forget we were followed to the South Hangars and that we were attacked there. You know, for a guard, Ariot, you have very little idea of Security. It's probably already been tagged." Ariot's glare would have had most men running but the most she got off Ryan was a cock of his eyebrow and a smug half smile.

"Alright, we'll do this your way but you still can't come." Ariot spat, Risha could feel Ryan's muscles tensing beneath her grip so she decided to interject some diplomacy into the situation before blood was shed.

"That's because we need you here Ryan. We need to know what's going and we need someone to warn the other Ambassadors. You're used to striking out on your own and will be far more capable of taking care of yourself in these dangerous times. Not that Ariot or Talen aren't capable but I'd just feel safer knowing it was you." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"We've already had this conversation." He snarled, pointedly not looking at either Risha or Ariot. He did, however, see Talen's smirk in the window. He really, really didn't like that man.

"Alright, that's fifteen republican credits, plus fifty for the damage during the chase, plus ten for the chase, plus twenty for my silence on your plans and five for a tip cause I'm just such a great driver."

"Hundred creds for a cab? Scandalous." Talen joked in the front seat. "Well I don't have a wallet." Ryan pulled out a credit chip and tossed it to the driver.

"You know, I'm kinda glad I'm not going. It means you get to keep all those teeth of yours in your mouth." He snarled at Talen in front.

"Ryan, Talen, play nice." Ariot sighed, getting out of the cab. Talen flashed her a remarkably white smile before stepping out with a hand on his blaster, dark eyes scanning the area for any sign of trouble.

"Risha, if you get into any trouble, just use this and contact me." Ryan whispered as he slipped something into her pocket. "I'll be there as soon as I can, alright?" Risha smiled up at him and nodded.

"Thank you." She went as if to kiss his cheek but thought better of it and slid out of the speeder. "Don't forget to tell Kohmdal that I'm safe and Ryan…I know you don't like him but…play nice."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and the cab sped off.

"So, who's this Kohmdal fella'?" The cab driver asked, looking back in his rear view mirror.

"Her fiancé." Ryan snarled, "And the prince of Kereys."

"Well, important lady she is then?"

"Yes." Ryan whispered. "Yes she is."

IOIOIO

Ariot took her seat next to Talen in the front of the ship and looked at the hangar as the ship turned for launch.

"How can a guy who rummages around in trash all day get so many ships?" Talen asked, jealousy clear on his face. "Look, most of them are antique fighters. Where did he get those? They're like gold dust, and in such good condition as well." Ariot heaved a sigh, noting that she had been doing this a lot in the past hour.

"I presume he finds them, does them up, and puts them on display here. Plus, he'd know guys who has access to this kind of merchandise, you should suck up to him. Maybe he'll drop you a hint about where he gets them from."

"Fat chance." Talen grumbled as the ship taxied out the hangar doors.

"What, that you'll suck up or he'll tell you?" Talen didn't answer her but continued with preparation for take off. He communed with the control tower for a few seconds and then, without a word of warning, the buildings on either side of them streaked away as they took off with a roar of engines that died seconds later when they hit space.

"I'll need you to put in the coordinates now, Captain." He said, leaving the Coruscant Orbit Traffic Lanes. "So I can plot the hyper drive course." Ariot nodded and leaned across, typing in seemingly random numbers and inputting a safe course for them to take.

"I've made this trip a thousand times, trust me, the course is safe, Talen." She said as he bent to check it. "It'll take just under ninety six hours to reach the planet. I'll set us up with accommodation for however long we'll be there."

"Alright then Captain. I trust you." He flashed her another smile that made her squint with the brightness. Did he rub Denebian glow worms on them or something? "So…the Senator tucked up tight in back?"

"Yeah. There's only one room apart from the cargo hold. Risha's in there. I tossed a mattress in the hold we can sleep on." At this Talen smirked again, casting her a less than professional smirk. "We'll take turns manning the Con. I'll take the first watch, you can go in back and crash for a while." His smile fell a bit at this but Talen figured he had the next Four days and however long they'd be on the planet to get into her bed.

"Yes M'am." He gave a half assed salute then ducked in back to check on Risha. He stooped down to move through the corridors and knocked on the small hatch door. "Senator?"

"Come on in, Lieutenant." She called and he pulled up the heavy lever to allow him access to the room. He found her sitting on a small narrow bunk in what appeared to be the only bedroom in the ship. It was small and cramped and had various bits of junk strewn around it.
"Estimated time of arrival is about ninety hours. Ariot said she'd hook us up with accommodation once we get there. If you need anything just call, I'll be in the cargo hold or in the Con."

"Thank you Talen." Risha said, picking up a cube like device that rested perfectly on one of its corners. She tossed it from hand to hand, trying to figure out what it was before she put it down. A row of crystals lay on a work bench over in one corner and she got up to inspect them. "Talen." She said as he turned to leave. "What's going on between you and Ariot?" At this he turned back to face her, raising one slim black eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" He asked and Risha smiled, shaking her head.

"Now, now, Talen. I know my Captain a lot better than you may think and I've seen your advances towards her." Talen stuck his chin out, his cheeks colouring even though it wasn't exactly a secret.

"Do you have a problem with it?" He asked, defensively and Risha gave a low chuckle.

"No Talen, not as long as it doesn't affect your work." Talen smiled his trademark, whiter than white, grin.

"Don't worry, I'm sure work wont affect the progression of our relationship at all." Risha's eyebrows drew together at the tone of his voice and his smile took on a whole new dimension that made her skin crawl. There really was very little she knew about the young Lieutenant.
"You're being a bit premature, aren't you? She hasn't accepted yet."

"Nor has she turned me down. Good night, Senator." Talen ducked out and into the back. Seconds later Ariot entered.

"He tell you our ETA?" She asked, jerking her head towards the door to indicate Talen.

"Yes." Risha said, picking up a small pyramid and turning it over in her hands.

"I wouldn't go at that if I were you, who knows what all the stuff in Ryan's room does." Ariot said, her eyes sweeping across the crystals with a sneer.

"Most of the stuff doesn't work. Here, you try." She tossed it at Ariot who caught it without thinking. Immediately it began to glow blue and hum, the tip of the pyramid extending out. Ariot threw it away as if burned, wiping her hands off her black leather pants in disgust. "How'd you do that?" Risha asked, peering at the once again dead pyramid.

"I don't know, I must have pressed a button or something." She said, reaching into her jacket and pulling out a pair of navy gloves she often wore with her usual guard uniform.

"That'll clash, black and navy." Ariot raised her eyebrow as if to say 'should I care' and slipped them on. "Ariot…about Tal…" A shout from the cargo hold drew both of their attention and Ariot grabbed the blaster strapped to her leg, ducking out of the hatchway and pulling open the door only a foot away to the cargo hold. Inside was dark and crates held to each wall by dark green netting cramped the small space further and provided perfect cover and hiding for a stow away. She saw the bunk she had pulled out and Talen's jacket draped across it but no Talen. Her eyes glinted in the darkness as it became accustomed to the dark, crouching down she scanned the floors and shadows for some trace of the Lieutenant or an intruder. Her boots made no sound as the slipped across the metal floor…then it landed in something slippery. Reaching down she smelt the substance that coated a gloved hand and smelt the distinctive coppery tang of blood. Following the trail she saw an unconscious Talen and a figure slumped over him. She raised her blaster and aimed, the red pointer coming on and alerting the intruder to her presence, she aimed at the head, knowing that was the weakest point on any specie.

"Don't move, hands behind your head, stand up."

"I am standing up." Came a female voice and Ariot squinted to get a better look. The person she was pointing the gun at was a child, and Talen wasn't moving. Then she heard the sound of a blaster being powered and the cold nozzle of a blaster was pressed against her temple.

"Whersa Ryan?"

IOIOIO

Ryan relaxed back on the couch in the waiting quarters of the Senatorial Palace. He had made an appointment to speak with Senator Bevan almost as soon as he had left Risha at the hangars and four hours on he was still waiting.

"Mister Ryan?" He looked up at the young Legosian who had scurried out of the office. For some strange reason he was reminded of a lemur with thick, bottle glasses and a blue bathrobe on when he looked at the secretary. "Senator Bevan of Legos will see you now."

"Thank you." Ryan rose and pulled the long jacket closer around him. If it got any colder he half expected it to snow, to make it worse when he stepped into Senator Bevan's office he saw large ice sculptures of beasts from Legos in various fierce poses. He knew Legos was a glacial world but this was ridiculous.

"Ah, Ryan. Sorry to have kept you waiting, please, sit." Senator Bevan was no larger than her secretary and reached only to about Ryan's knee. Unlike her secretary she was dressed in pink fluffy robes that bore no resemblance to a bath robe but did make her look like a giant slipper. Her white whiskered face and large black eyes were almost lost amidst the pink foliage and Ryan was finding it difficult to keep a straight face while addressing her.

"Senator Bevan, I bring grave news. You life is in serious danger. I believe you aided Senator Y'darb in the capture of Neka Rin? You supplied us with the schematics of the building and…persuaded a few guards to…not do their rounds at the appointed times?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about?" Bevan said, her eyes twinkling mischievously indicating that she did indeed know exactly what he was talking about.

"We questioned Neka Rin, he is indeed as corrupt as ye have thought and more. This goes a lot deeper than we ever realised. We knew he had allies in the Senate but the operation we uncovered is massive. Someone, we don't know who yet, is trying to gain control of the Senate by placing Senators of his choosing in positions of his choosing. He's trying to control the Senate, turn it into a new Empire." Bevan smiled and nodded.

"I know."

"You know?" Ryan asked, a tingling moving up his spine and sending his sense on alert. "Then why haven't you done anything about it?"

"I am." Bevan said, nodding. Ryan swung around and swatted the first dart away, diving for cover, but four more impacted his side and the drugs that entered his system were potent enough to drug a Rancor. He faded into unconsciousness as he heard the beeping of Risha's distress call go off in his pocket.

IOIOIO

Cliff-hangers, mmm...oh wait...I'm afraid of heights! Someone hold me! (clings to furry fur because she / he is furry.) Still, feel free to give feed back and tell me what you think, ideas, hypothesis, random ramblings. Now, like I said...gotta get that caffeine. (Continues crawling away)