The Last of Sapharin?
by
Sapharin
The door of the Cantina banged open; dust swirled around the feet of the hooded figure who stumbled down the steps. For a moment all sound stopped, then laughter broke out, as the figure staggered it's way to the bar furtherest away from the door. The music, and raukus noise then started up once again.
The bartender knew this figure well, and just handed over a bottle, feeling sorry for the rag-tag creature before him. A coin of the Empire appeared on the bar to cover the cost of the bottle. And then the tattered figure staggered to an empty table, shakingly filled the dirty glass and began drinking, still silent.
A rough blow to the back of the head, and the tattered brown hood fell back, revealing a white-haired old woman.
A portly Human male, with liquior on his breath, bent down in the woman's face.
"Wheeeeeel.." he said, breathing heavily into her face, "If it t'aint a Jeeedi!" and broke into loud noisy laughing.
The woman sat stock still resisting the urge to knock this drunken man on his ass. She looked up at him and said, "No Jedi, no more, now lemme be..." Her words were slurred. She started to drink, when the glass and herself were slapped to the floor. More laughter followed.
The woman stayed down; she had to make it look good if she was to serve the greater good in the long run.
"Awwwww leave her alone, " came the voice she recognised as the Bartender. "I'd drink too, if my whole life was turned upside down, now leave her be, or I'll have you removed from here."
"Bless him, " she thought to herself.
"Yeah, your world turned upside down when you married that tranuck from..." the drunk started to say, and stopped short as he was confronted by a blazing blade of light.
The white-haired drunk had gotten off the floor and now stood quite in control of herself. Still she purposely slurred her words...
"May not be no Jedi no m-m-more, but won't stan fo' no disrespect."
The drunken man started to confront her then backed down as his pickled brain registered that he might be in over his head and could well lose it literally.
"Awww come-on now..." he said, laughing nervously, "I'sa jess funnin' wit ya! No harm done, eh?"
The man stuck his hand out, and then howled in pain as his hand stung smartly from a delicate smack on the hand from the light-blade.
"I sssaid...lemme be"
"Ain't the lass of dis, " the man warned, but he moved away back to his table, seating himself and laughing nevously in the company of his friends, while nursing his wounded hand.
The woman put away the blade, and returned to the bar for yet another bottle.
When she tossed a coin on the bar, the Barkeep told her that she would drink for free now, and returned her coin.
The woman took the bottle and returned to her table to continue drinking...
or so it appeared...
Her name was Sapharin, and she was no more drunk than the twin suns of Tattooine were chance cubes. It was all an act to establish a base from which to work. Though it was true the Jedi Order no longer existed, Sapharin hated the Empire with a passion.
But for now, like many others, she had to work within the Empire to fight against it.
Darkness covered Tattooine as Sapharin left the Cantina ; no longer having to pretend she was drunk, she quickly moved with stealth and made her way to her home on the edge of the Jundland Wastes which appeared from a distance to be a small mound above ground; Sapharin has built it in the hopes of being harder to be found.
She activated her security system for the night, and then went deep into the lower regions of her house; A living area, a food prep area, a sleep area, a simple Fresher, and a decrepit looking communications center hidden behind a secret door.
She quickly fired up the equipment and sent off a series of code, which when translated, would give the fledgling Rebel Alliance desperately needed information, and then shut down just as quickly to keep from being traced. Her duty done, she rewarded herself with a cleansing shower, a quick tray of foodstuffs and fell senseless into bed for the night.
Upon rising in the morning, she focused on gathering the precious water from the evaporators, filtering it and preparing it for sale to desperate planets. Since the rise of the Empire, the commodity of water had become just as rare as bacta. The Empire had strangled the trade route to near extinction, and that which was allowed through, was taxed nearly beyond affordability. Sapharin cautiously sent amounts out, that could not be traced to her, in sporatic pattern, and then take to the sky after darkness, following the route of connections to the final destination, to ensure that the water was getting to the planets in desperate need. She detested the coin of the Empire, but she had to play along, in order to serve the those who also hated the rule of Palpatine. And the Emperor's coin used in the right places could be made to work against him.
Eyes followed the sharp dressed woman of dark hair, as she entered the posh food establishment. She was dressed quite elegantly, as befitting her status. She was a wealthy businesswoman and she was the owner of the resturant. She flitted from table to table, speaking with various lifeforms and making sure they were pleased with the service and the food.
One table was full of Aides to the Emperor.
The woman was particularly attentive here.
It would be well that she provide extra service here.
Comfortable surroundings, good food, good drink & full stomachs were often conducive to loose lips...
and it did.
The woman sat a few tables away appearing to balence the resturant reciepts, but she wasn't. She was secretly recording the conversations.
"Excuse me, m'lady, " a Human waiter, spoke quietly in her ear, "There's is a special customer who has arrived."
The woman nodded, not speaking, and followed the young man through the kitchen to where a elderly man stood.
The elderly man broke into a smile, and gave slight bow. Blue eyes met brown. The smile and bow was returned.
"It is good to see you, Sapharin, " a warm voice, stated.
"And you...'Uncle'," Sapharin replied, cautiously.
The 'Uncle' smiled.
"Give this man anything he wants to eat and drink; make sure he has his fill, " Sapharin ordered, "Do not charge him what so ever. Set him a table in a closed private room."
The kitchen staff hurried to do as asked; they knew to move efficently and quietly. Many had been on the worst recieving end of the new Empire; they were greatful to have a job, to eek out a living, and none had any love for the Empire.
Sapharin moved back to her table; a waiter handed her back her disguised recording pad.
The Aides were preparing to leave; as always they tipped generously. More coin to be used to bring about their fall...eventually.
Sapharin moved to record the overly generous tip into the profit of the resturant; she then turned and started to check on "Uncle" when an ice-cold Taysin drink went down the front of her gown and her shoes.
A set of terrified blue eyes looked into brown ones. A girl...no, a young woman... scooted backwards in abject fear...
"S-s-ss--so sorry, M'Lady" came a quaking voice, "I-I-I-I..."
The woman groveled before her.
Sapharin felt a familiar feeling; one she'd not felt in a very long time. The woman before her was Force sensitive.
Sapharin drew herself up smartly and appeared angry.
"Indeed! You are a sorry piece of work! And who is going to pay for this?" she indicated her wet gown, "This is the finest of rare materials!"
The woman cowered but managed to squeek out that her Master, a Master Dorron, would be the one to speak to in regard to getting the gown paid for.
"...after he beats me for this first..." came the woman's thought.
Inwardly, Sapharin cringed. She'd seen the rise of open slavery since the Empire had come to power; she'd seen the end result of some of those beatings.
Sapharin continued to play her part of irate owner.
"Well...do lead on.." she said to the woman at her feet, "I haven't all day to waste."
The woman stood up, still shaking, and led the way to the table of this Master Dorron, whom Sapharin recognized as the drunk who had slapped her to the floor a few nights before when she was in disguise as the aged sot.
She kept herself in her role.
"You Sir, owe me a gown," Sapharin demanded, "Your impudent lackey here has seen fit to insult me."
Dorron looked at the young woman, and angerly said, "And just what have you done...NOW?"
The nameless woman cowered and then flinched as Dorron went to strike her.
Sapharin grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"I..." she said, importantly, "demand satisfaction in this matter, Sir, and I WILL have it!"
Dorron looked at her, clearly at a loss as to how to resolve the matter. For whatever reason, this Dorron wanted no trouble with the well-dressed woman before him. For all he knew, she could be a Senator or an Aide to the Emperor, and he surely wanted no trouble from the Emperor!
"M'Lady, surely we can come to some type of compromise," he said, smiling his best smile, "I can assure you that my slave here WILL pay most dearly for her insolence..."
"Oh, I can assure you, she WILL", Sapharin snapped at him, "Because she becomes MINE!"
Dorron visibly flinched. He swallowed hard.
"M'Lady, this worthless slave, WILL be dealt with, I assure you, but she is quite valueable to me, as my house-slave. She cooks, cleans, and fetches for me as I wish. I surely cannot afford to buy another to do for me, if you exercise your right to take her as restitution for your damages..."
Sapharin bit her tongue and refrained from telling the man what she thought of him, his laziness, his enslavement of another Lifeform, and the Empire as a whole.
Again, she had to play many parts for now.
Sapharin played with the money-bag at her waist. Dorron's eyes lit up greedily.
"Good," she thought to herself, "Greed can be a powerful ally..."
"I think we might be able to come to a compromise, " Sapharin said, sweetly, "I'll make it worth your while. I'll give you what is in this bag so you can purchase a replacement, in exchange for your slave, and the deactivation device of her transmitter...you have no further contact with her...and..." She paused for dramatic effect..."NO trouble from the Empire. Do we have a deal, Dorron?"
The young woman looked back and forth between the two, terrified to stay with Dorron, knowing what she had coming, and this elegantly dressed woman and an uncertain future with her.
"Deal!" Dorron agreed, wiping a bead of sweat from his face. He fumbled in his clothing and brought out a small palm-sized transmitter, and keyed in the deactivation code, which was the name of his favorite drink.
The threat of Empire involvement had convinced him that giving up up a slave might be the wisest course of action over
all. And he was coming out ahead in the deal; he would have enough to replace what he was losing.
He handed the transmitter over to Sapharin, who took it and handed him, in exchange, a data-pad write up of the transaction, which he signed. Sapharin tossed him the money-bag which contained enough Empire coin to buy at most a droid, but not another Human slave.
"The deal is done," she said, "Now get out of here, and if I see you in here again, it'll be too soon."
Dorron's face turned dark momentarily.
Sapharin played her final card and hoped it would top anything Dorron was thinking of trying.
"There are many people who are well connected, shall we say, who frequent my fine cuisine here. Shall I have a chat with them in regard to our transaction?"
Dorron went nervous again.
"No..uh...no...ummm..no need.." he stammered, as he scooted out of the booth, "Ummmm...nice doin' business with you..." and he bolted for the door.
Sapharin visibly relaxed.
"Whew!" she thought to herself, "THAT was close!"
She turned to the young woman who was now her property.
"You have a name?" Sapharin asked.
"Ummm...Payton, Master. My name is Payton." came the nervous reply.
"Well Payton, come with me, " Sapharin ordered, sternly.
Payton quietly fell into line behind Sapharin, as she'd been trained to do by Dorron. She was still scared, but surely her her life had just taken an upswing?
Sapharin told Payton to wait outside the door of the closed private room. She stepped in the room alone; she was not surprised to find it empty. 'Uncle' had a small pile of coin on the table. Not Empire coin this time, but those she recognized as Jedi Credits. Sapharin smiled and pocketed the outlawed coin. Uncle would return from time to time as necessary. There would be many meals for him as desired. The Order wasn't entirely extinct.
Sapharin stepped out and told Payton to follow her through the kitchen. She instructed the Wait-Staff to continue to run the resturant, that she was leaving for the day. She gave a contact code in case she needed to be reached for any reason. She had the Head Chef pack a large amount of leftover food.
It was to be business as usual.
Sapharin signaled a private air-transport, and had both Payton and the food put on board.
The driver knew Sapharin as owner of a high-classed eatery.
"Where to, M'Lady?" he asked, depositing the transport fee into the old-fashioned coin slots.
Sapharin named a small medical center.
At the medical center, Sapharin told Payton that her internal transmitter was to be removed from her body. All she told Payton was that sometimes those devices had been known to explode even deactivated...but the real truth of the matter was, she didn't trust Dorron to have a second coded transmitter that he could set off at any time, as long as he was within a certain range.
Payton was stunned. Here was a new Master who had not hit her, or even raised her voice, and she was taking out her slave transmitter? But surely this was a dream, right?
If it was, she didn't want to wake up.
As Payton recovered from the minor surgery, the Medi-Bot gave Sapharin a run-down on Payton's health: Malnurished, many old broken bones from beatings, aniemic, but the main damage had been done mentally and emotionally. There would be Self-Esteem issues as well. All in all, it wasn't uncommon for mistreated slaves. There would be no record of the admission or the surgery or even the Medi-bots transcript of Payton's health. The hospital had no love for the Empire either and did the slave-transmitter removals for free. The vanishing records were to keep the Empire from nosing where they were not welcome.
Sapharin changed from her soiled gown, while at the medical center, into more casual traveling clothes of someone from Tattooine. Again she needed to fit in as she arrived at her home; she'd put Payton and the packed food on a repulsor-lift cot, floating it before her as she walked the half-mile to her hidden home. Fortunately, she got few glances as she walked along, and there were no questions.
Deactivating her security system, and the reactivating it once she and her cargo had entered, Sapharin made the groggy Payton comfortable in probably the nicest bed she'd been in, in some time. She threw the soiled gown into the Clothing Revitalizer for cleansing and repair... Brewing some herbal tea, she busied herself with food prep and storage, then sat down with a cup of the steaming liquid on the table before her.
She watched her new companion sleep. It was probably one of the few times the woman had actually had decent sleep.
Payton stirred.
"Where am I ?" she asked, foggily.
"You're at my house; you've had some minor surgery, but you'll be fine, " Sapharin assured her.
Some things were beginning to register again in Payton's slowly clearing mind.
"Oh...yeah...the transmitter..." she said, "Wait...why?"
"Why what?" Sapharin replied.
"Why alot of things?" Payton asked, as things began clicking again in her brain, "Why did you save me from Dorron; buy me from him and set me free ?"
"I have a great detestment of people like Dorron who enslave others," Sapharin said, with disgust in her voice.
"But why me?" Payton asked.
"Because you are a valued Human Being, " Sapharin answered.
"Dorron didn't think so, " Payton answered.
"Men like Dorron need a taste of their own medicine, " she answered, and then wording her statement carefully she said, "In the days of the Jedi, slavery wasn't tolerated."
"The Jedi, " Payton said, "I remember hearing stories of them. Fantastic stories about them."
Payton shifted on the comfortable bed and faced Sapharin.
"How do you know about the time of the Jedi?" she asked.
Sapharin took a deep breath, let it out slowly and answered.
"Because I am a Jedi."
Payton's mouth dropped open; her blue eyes were as big as the twin suns.
"Y-y-y-you're a Jedi?" she stammered, "But I thought they were..."
"No more?" Sapharin finished, and laughed without mirth; she struggled to shut out the scenes of the Temple devestation, the bodies of the children, she'd found...the young Padawan who died in her arms aboard ship...and the arrival of a Senator who was fired upon by the Clone Troopers, barely escaping with his life.
Sapharin pulled herself together, and said, "For all intent and purposes...the Jedi are no nore. That is why you are so important. You are a Force-Sensitive. With the right training, you would be a Jedi."
Payton shook her head.
"No, not me, " she replied, "I could never be a Jedi. Jedi are Gods. They do the impossible. The stories I heard traveling with Dorron...I can't begin to tell you how fabulous they were!"
"Gods? No... Far from it, " Sapharin said, softly,almost to herself, "The Chosen One...maybe came close...but..."
Sapharin didn't finish and say that it was The Chosen One's fall was what had brought about the current rule of the Emperor.
Silence hung in the air. Sapharin didn't want to distroy Payton's belief in the Jedi, with her own sorrow.
"Payton, you are free to go and live your life as you please," Sapharin said, "It isn't up to me to make choices for you in your life. I am a Jedi. I have lived all my life as a Jedi. I will always be a Jedi."
Payton laid back down on the cot.
"If you're a real Jedi, then where's your lightsabre?" Payton said, casually.
The smile was wiped from her face, as she heard the snap-hiss and saw a blazing blue blade, inches from her nose
Payton hit the floor groveling like she had with Dorron.
Sapharin dropped the blade, which shut off automatically, and comforted Payton, who was shaking in terror and screaming "Please don't kill me, Master!"
"Please don't kill me, Master!" rang in Sapharin's ears as Sapharin gathered up the shaking young woman in her arms and tried to assure her that wasn't going to happen.
"I-I-I-know what they can do, " Payton stammered, "One of Dorron's friends has one and she used to it to kill some poor creature. It was horrible. I can still remember the screams. Dorron said if I didn't obey him, he'd call his friend and she'd kill me slowly with it."
Sapharin's face hardened. Either a dark Jedi or a Sith.
"This 'friend' have a name?" Sapharin asked.
"Raefen" Payton answered, "She is the best, and no one is like her."
"Really, " Sapharin replied, in a hardened voice.
I wonder, she thought, sales pitch or was this Raefen what she claimed to be?
Checking on Payton the next morning still sleeping, Sapharin put Raefen to the back of her mind, and went about her duties of distilling water for shipment. She also gathered the mushrooms off of the Evaporators, and used them at the resturant in various dishes.
Payton woke to find herself alone, and wandered outside to find Sapharin gathering the abundant fungus.
"Here Master, let me do that, " she took the bowl, "After all, I have to earn my keep around here."
Sapharin smiled, "You have to do nothing of the sort, you are free to go to live your life as a free person."
"I owe you so much, Master; you've saved me from a life of misery and fear. You've treated me more like a Human Being in the last few days than anyone ever has, " Payton said, "I owe you my life."
"You owe me nothing, Payton, " Sapharin said, "I am just happy that you are free."
Evenings were spent in get-to-know-you sessions. Sapharin didn't realize that Payton had really become attached to her and had come to a very deep and personal decision.
"I've decided what I want to do with my life, Master," Payton announced, several months later, as both women ate in the cool of the Tattooine evening.
"And that is?" Sapharin asked, putting her spoon down from her leafy soup.
"I have decided to pledge my life to you until the day I die, " Payton stated, satisfaction in her voice.
Sapharin smiled.
"Payton, I didn't rescue you from Dorron for you to turn around and become my personal slave, " Sapharin replied, "Besides, Jedi aren't ones to enslave others. You have a whole new life to explore. Where do you want to go? I can secure transport to get you off this rock."
"And what about you, Master?" Payton asked, "Why don't you begin a new life?"
"I have, in a manner of speaking, Payton, " Sapharin said, "With the resturant and my other work."
Payton nodded.
"Then...train me, " Payton blurted out, "Please! I'll do anything to stay. Just don't send me away."
"I'm not sending you away, Payton," Sapharin explained, "I love having you here, but I also want you to go out and find your place in the Universe. You may find someone and wish to marry, have children, have a life. I won't deny you or any Being that right to choose."
Payton considered what Sapharin was saying. The Universe was hers now; any life she made for herself, would be by her own choices, not by someone who controlled her life. Sapharin was giving her the right to choose, and training to be a Jedi would be a lifetime commitment that in time she would come to regret had she not been given the chance to experience other things first.
Nodding slowly, Payton answered, "I understand, Master. But, if I choose to return, would you train me if I am ready to commit to the life of a Jedi?"
"If and when you feel you are ready to make that commitment, Payton," Sapharin answered, "I will train you."
Payton nodded. She would have alot of deep thinking to do before committing. Jedi were not allowed attachments to 'things'; they were supposed to be committed to the welfare of all Beings. Not many possession, save those to get by on and do their work with. Everything else was pretty much provided by the Force that they believed in. Sapharin had explained that the resturant and even her home on Tattooine was considered temporary...tools to do her work of undermining the Empire now in place with all its darkness.
The next morning, Payton was packed and ready to leave; little was said as they rode in Sapharin's landspeeder to pick up public transport.
"Thank you, Master...errr, Sapharin," for all your help", Payton said, formally. She had to teach herself not to call anyone 'Master' again, unless 'she' so chose to.
A bittersweet smile was on Sapharin's face. She sooo wanted Payton to stay, not only to pass on the knowledge of the Jedi, but as her friend.
"You are missed already, "Sapharin said, said, and then added to herself,"Now go before I change my mind."
A quick hug, and a wave from the transport window, and Payton was gone.
Sapharin's heart seemed to fall with a thud to her toes. Payton's departure was yet another reminder of all the friends she'd lost at the Temple.
Driving home, almost by instinct alone, Sapharin found her thoughts questioning her own committment to an Order that was considered dead. Within the walls of her hovel, she looked back over her life and the adventures as a Jedi Knight her life had brought her...
"Because you were not given a choice, you are doubting your place as a Jedi..." came a soft voice out of nowhere. A voice she recognized.
Sapharin whirled about to see a faint image of 'Uncle' standing before her.
"Uncle?" she asked, staring at the faint wavering image of an elder man, "What...?"
"Let's just say, I'm practicing, " the man replied, "Not very good at this yet, but I will be."
Sapharin shook her head to clear it. Maybe she needed to not work so hard...maybe the memories were starting to really affect her.
The figure of 'Uncle' laughted.
"No Sapharin, you're not losing it, " Uncle said, "I am doing my homework, just as you should be doing yours...Blast! I'll be back..."
Uncle disappeared.
"Doing my homework, "Sapharin repeated, "What did he mean?"
Uncle didn't return, but her mind was at work about what he said.
He was right, she'd not had a choice about becoming a Jedi; she'd been raised from infancy in the Temple, became a Padawan there, had been a Knight there...it was all she knew...all any Jedi knew...but what if she'd had a choice? Would she still have committed to the Jedi Order? Sadly, she realized, knowing what she knew now, she probably would have chosen not to.
Now, she had committments to the underground Alliance that depended on her and others like her to filter necessary information to them in the hopes of bringing down Palpatine's Empire.
Words from the ancient Archives of the Temple came to mind..."Do what you think you cannot do."
Sapharin sighed. "Keep on keeping on, " she told herself.
Time passed slowly for Sapharin, dark hair turned to grey and then silver white.
Sapharin mourned 'Uncle' when he passed to the Force; she felt him pass. But there was hope within the Force. It seemed to rest on one young man's shoulders... Could it be that the Empire's time was short?
No word from Payton as well; Sapharin could not track her via the Force without revealing herself, so she hoped that Payton had found her place in the Universe and was happy.
And Sapharin had found hers. She was a Jedi, committed to the Order that once was, and looked to be possible again.
The tides of the Force were shifting.