Jessica Darken sat in her ready room reviewing the sensor data from the previous day's skirmish with Michael Darkrider. She then tossed the pad down on the table, and looked up with slightly wide eyes at Jeff Darkrider. "Your brother managed to take out three of my turbolasers and an ion cannon. How the hell did he do that?"
Jeff smiled tightly. "He's a smuggler. Flying like that is something he's always done."
"Well, I'm impressed. I just wish I didn't have to watch my back every time I walk down the halls or wonder if the ship will self-destruct anytime soon." Jessica sighed, and yet, her curiosity was fuming.
"Then why didn't you keep him in the brig?" Jeff asked, and was hoping she'd put Michael there.
"Because I seek to earn his trust." Her answer was so simple, but truthful.
For a moment, they locked eyes. Jessica could see the lies that were between Jeff and Michael, and Jeff could see the girlish curiosity in Jessica that he had so fallen in love with. Yet, neither said anything. After that moment, though, they both went back to their own little worlds.
"If you'll excuse me, Jeff, there is something I need to do." And with that, Jessica stood, smiling politely, and the vanished out into the corridor.
Rallen Electra looked around his room, and paced nervously once more. Since yesterday, he had been confined to his quarters for firing upon the Corellian Light Stock Freighter that had so invaded the fleet's territory. Too bad it didn't kill the pilot, he thought.
He continued to pace. Soon, very soon, a cloaked shuttle carrying ysalamari would be arriving. Then it would wait for the okay signal from Electra, and he would off load the ysalamari onto the Dark Force. But, that would be hard since he was confined to his quarters.
Yet, it was just one more obstacle in his path to complete control.
Despite Jessica Darken's promise to him as being a guest on her ship, Michael found himself locked in the quarters she had given him. He sighed, and found it useless to look for a way out.
The door opened suddenly, and Jessica stepped in. Michael resisted the urge to attack her so he could escape. Instead, he just glared at her.
"There's no need for hate. Besides, is that anyway to treat an old friend?" Jessica asked, confusing Michael even more.
"Old friend? Just who the hell are you?" he shouted. Yet, he froze. The brown hair, the eyes, everything about her screamed at him.
"Katia Joablis?" he said almost softly.
A smile pierced Jessica's lips. "Yeah, I was Katia."
"What is going on?" This time, Michael fell down to the couch, lightheaded. Katia was supposed to be dead. And yet, here she was, alive and well. Well, actually, she was Jessica Darken. And he was totally confused.
Jessica moved and sat across from him in a cushioned chair. "I know this is very confusing for you. The truth is, though, that Katia was only my alias. You see, I was a Jedi, and was hunted by the Empire-"
Michael cut her off abruptly. "Jedi? Empire? Ha! Look at you! You are the Empire!"
Jessica ignored his comment and went on. "When you asked me to help find the Imperial spy on Garos IV, I agreed because I wanted to get rid of the Empire. I went along with the plan, but oddly, the spy released me. If I promised to never come to Garos IV again, she promised that she would not reveal me to the Empire."
Michael snorted softly. "Well, looks like she did."
Annoyed by his interruptions, Jessica rolled her eyes, a gesture she had done so many times when she was younger. "Actually, I was captured at Cloud City. A very long story in itself. And now, I assume you're dying to know why I'm with the Empire."
"Well, now that you mention it . . ."
Jessica sighed, took a deep breath. "After being captured at Cloud City, and ultimately being forced to the Dark Side, I was taken back to Coruscant. There, I was placed in command of this fleet and sent here to help Thrawn."
Michael studied her face carefully. "Who gave you the fleet? Palpatine?"
"My . . . grandfather gave me the fleet."
He arched an eyebrow, and had a deep feeling that he didn't want to know who her grandfather was.
Another deep breath, and Jessica finally said it. "Yes, Palpatine is my grandfather. I figured for there to be any sort of trust between us that you should know."
Michael's eyes widened and he swallowed. "Him? Your grandfather?" His voice was small, like that of a scared child, yet only because he realized his situation. Here he was, in the same room with Palpatine's granddaughter, the heir to the empire, but yet, she seemed to be the epitome of innocence. She was Jessica Darken, not Katia Joablis. He knew she lied to him once, and she could do it again.
Jessica sat silently through Michael's own silent expulsion of emotion. He looked up at her. Hundreds of questions raced through his mind. Was she like Palpatine? Did she want to rule the entire galaxy? Was she a Dark Jedi? And most of all, would she kill him? But, if she wanted to, she would have already. Perhaps she wasn't evil. In fact, she had assured him that she wasn't. Palpatine's granddaughter be . . . nice? Well, it could happen. Actually, it did. He remembered Luke Skywalker and his sister Leia Organa Solo. Darth Vader's children. Both were good. Light Jedi, and Leia was even in charge of the New Republic. Even in the end, Admiral Pellaeon turned out to be good too. Just maybe he was wrong about her.
"I know what you're thinking," Jessica said softly. She glanced at Michael, who was in turn staring straight at her. "You think I'm evil, just like my grandfather. But, I'm not. Just because of my political affiliation does not mean I'm evil."
Michael sighed. She had a very good point. Very good indeed. He knew he should give her a chance, and would give it. It was not like he had much of a choice anyway.
