Chapter 5: The Ship

Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor watching Admiral Piett make preparations for his absence. It was rather funny, Piett didn't quite know if Anakin was just testing him for an odd reason or if he was actually serious about leaving him in command for who knew how long. He checked all repair logs and maintenance files on the ships, the comm system, reactor core, how much ammo they had left for the turbo laser batteries. Anakin shook his head and smiled, though nobody noticed. Everyone was either hard at work of busy in conversation. Finally Piett straightened his red cap, smoothed out his red Republic uniform and approached Anakin.

"Everything was done as you commanded milord." Piett said, a bead of sweat trickled down his cheek.

"Excellent Admiral Piett, you made sure the halls were sterile too I presume."

"Yes milord, everything is in top shape."

"Good. Return to your normal duties."

"Yes milord."

Piett turned on his heels and began to walk away when the officer of the radar shouted.

"Lord Skywalker, there is an incoming armed transport!"

"Shields up." Vader stated. "At the first sign of hostility blast them out of space, when they come out of hyperspace open up of comm frequency with them."

Everyone looked at Anakin.

"NOW!"

Then all heads snapped towards their control panels and officers began pressing buttons furiously. Piett walked up beside Anakin and stared out the view port. There was a glint of plasteel and a very ancient looking ship shot out of hyperspace. Anakin recognized the type, the rebels had used models similar to transport cargo but this one looked far older. It flew towards the Executor slowly. The comm officer opened up a channel and Anakin jumped back as well as Piett when a hologram of a cloaked figure appeared. It spoke in the voice of an old, old woman.

"Republic ship, this is Kreia of the transport you see on your screens. I was captain of this ship, we were attacked by Imperial forces and brought aboard a star destroyer, we escaped and took off from it. I have only one crew member left and we are both in need of assistance."

"Captain Kreia," Anakin said in his commander like tone. "Open up your starboard docking hatch and attach to our ship. Are you or your crew member in need of medical attention?"

"None."

"Good, you will be brought to the bridge once you are on the ship."

"This is understood. Kreia out."

The hologram flickered away and disappeared with an electronic hiss. Anakin turned to Piett.

"Get a boarding party down there and bring this Kreia and her crew member to me."

"Yes milord, it will be done."

XxX

Anakin turned from looking out of the view port just in time to see Admiral Piett leading two cloaked people into the bridge. Anakin felt something strange about the one he had spoken to when she entered. Kreia was her name and she was Force sensitive. Her powers had manifested long ago and it seemed she could control them.

From her crew member he sensed nothing, just blackness without emotion or feelings, neither evil nor good, nothing. Both had their faces hidden deeply in their cloaks. Kreia wore a brown Jedi cloak and a green robe under it. Two strands of her hair were tied at either side by golden holders. The other wore dark almost Sith like robes they were patchy and looked old. Kreia walked up and bowed to him.

She seemed so familiar, she looked exactly like that Darth Traya in his premonition but Darth Traya had worn Sith robes and had black eyes, this woman's eyes were milky white. Little did Anakin know her image was just a trick of the Force.

"Greetings." She said.

"Greetings, my name is Anakin Skywalker, Lord Skywalker. What is it that you and your crew member will need?"

"A ship to get us down to Coruscant. We are parting ways."

"Tell me Kreia, are you interested in becoming a Jedi?"

"I was interested forty five years ago when the Jedi took me and trained me. I was a master and I escaped the Emperor's purge."

This was exactly what Anakin was hoping for. An old Jedi Master, someone to train Mara.

"Master Kreia, would you be interested in joining the new Jedi order and taking on an apprentice named Mara Jade? She was a former hand of the Emperor and helped us defeat him, she is trained enough in the force to know how to use it but she still has a lot to learn."

"This does interest me, I will help you if your masters agree to it. Tell me, who survived of the old Jedi order? I have been in hiding ever since my clone troopers turned on me. I have come back now because word reached my ears the Empire was overthrown."

"Well I survived, Anakin Skywalker."

"Yes we established that, you were the chosen one and you killed the Sith Lord, correct?"

"You could say that."

"Very well, who else?"

"Master Qui-gon Jinn, and Master Yoda."

"As is to be expected. Very well bring me before them once more and get my apprentice safe passage to the planet Kessel."

"Kessel?"

"He has credits he wishes to invest in an operation there, do not waste my time please."

"Alright, follow me."

Next Chapter: Kreia and Mara