Klip nearly swore when he saw Orion eject from her speeder. He followed her with his eyes. She had landed several platforms away from where he was, but within seconds he parked at the landing platform. Ze was close behind with lightsaber drawn though not on.
Drawing another saber from his belt Klip dashed after Orion. The Jedi Master was known for wielding two sabers at once though his other was lodged in the flaming speeder.
Ze followed close behind. Being the younger of the two, he had no problem in gaining speed. His long legs carried him right past his Master and closer to the bounty hunter. It amazed them both that she could run so fast with two kids nestled under her arm.
She looked over her shoulder to find that the Jedi had split up. One had disappeared into the crowd while the younger still kept on her tail.
Pushing his way past a rather noble looking alien, Ze couldn't run anymore. He sped up his pace and reached out. His fingers grazed the hem of Flay's powder pink skirt.
He almost lost his footing which caused him to slow down. The sweat was pouring down his face and his legs were going to buckle. He wanted to drop to the ground but he couldn't!
Making one last attempt, Ze called on more then himself. He grabbed hold of Flay's billowing skirt and pulled toward himself.
Orion flew backward from the sudden pull. Falling to the ground, she gazed around. People were backing away from the two but didn't leave. She jumped to her feet though she didn't run. A gun was pulled from her holster. "Move once, Jedi, and I will blow their heads right off!"
Flay ran to her brother's side and gripped him close. The tears began to flow down her cheeks but she did not sob. The girl was always there for her little brother. She was the big sister and would remain so. "Shh…" she whispered.
A figure leapt in front of the kids. Klip stood with is lightsaber drawn and glowing. He did not strike though with all his pent up anger, the Jedi felt as though he could cut down a thousand Wookies. "There will be none of that. Put down the blaster."
"Put down your weapon, Jedi, or I will turn the tables on him." Orion pulled out a second blaster and aimed for Ze. "Don't think you can pull mind tricks on me old fool. One move and his brain is as good as fried!"
Klip gazed to his padawan. The boy was able to fend for himself and these situations happened more then they liked. Master nodded to padawan as a signal. "Surly there is a better way."
The children had slunk back to the chrome wall. People and aliens alike stared from a close distance for no one liked to meddle in Jedi affairs.
"No other way but mine."
"Fine then!" He raised his lightsaber. "Ze now!"
Ze focused all his energy on Orion's left blaster, which was pointing towards Master Judgin. Her arm began to seize. With a face set to fury, the bounty hunter fired a shot with her left hand and blocked the Master's swing with the other.
"Penngroth… Penngroth are you there," Echoed her comlink. "Draw back."
The crowd let out gasps and screams as she neared the edge. Within seconds, Orion pressed a button on her belt and went soaring into the sky. Klip watched as she disappeared. He was not going to pursue her in the slightest. They had done their job for the moment. Bringing the kids back would be next.
Suddenly another set of screams filled the air.
Eyes grew to curious when he had caught sight of a group of people at arms length. Klip pushed his way through the mass to find his padawan lying on the ground. His stomach was crisp and burnt from the blaster fire.
"Ze!" The master dropped to his knees and cradled the teen in his arms. "Its ok, you're going to be alright."
Ze gazed up at Klip. He was still dazed from the occurrence but mostly in pain from being shot. "Master Judgin? I'm sorry I didn't move out of the way fast enough. It all happened so fast. I'm sorry!"
"No, it was my foolishness, my padawan! I should not have let you go off on your own. Are you alright?"
"Master…"
"Yes?"
"I didn't know a blaster wound would… hurt so… badly."
Klip set his voice to booming when he spoke into the comlink. He didn't even take notice of the children which huddled in the corner. "I need assistance. A Jedi has been wounded."
"Master…"
"Yes, Ze? What is it?"
"Dying doesn't seem… so bad anymore… not when… you have done your duty and…" He coughed as his pulse slowed. "Had a great mentor. A mentor who is… like a father…"
Klip knitted his brow; calm as ever. For a few moments he shook his head violently. "Ze, don't talk silly. You know how you exaggerate."
"Not… this time Master…"
Hearing the last breath his padawan would ever make, Klip gazed down at the face which he had seem for the past eight years. He wanted to cry, to scream, anything to show how awful he felt inside. Why was this happening? Was it all a dream? Dear God he hoped so! "Ze? Ze?"
No reply. For the second time in his life, Klip felt helpless. There was no remedy to fix what had happened… nothing…
With the sound of paramedics in the background, Master gripped tight to his padawan.
There upon the platform of the next building, Orion gazed on. She folded her arms across her chest and smiled. If anything she had just made her mark. A broken Jedi was better then two. She grasped her comlink. "Everything has been taken care of. Things should go easily now."
--
Yunda was nearly beside herself with confusion. She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown yet she knew that was not needed. Everything had been ripped from her this week. First her husband, then her comfort, now her children! She wanted to switch with them; take their fear.
There was a ringing at the door. Yunda nearly fell from her seat but instead, refrained herself. The now calmed Serafina answered the door only to have Azul and Flay burst into the room.
Dropping to her knees, Yunda embraced both of them with tears streaming down her cheeks. "My babies!"
Azul buried his face in his mothers shoulder. He was struck with fear and no doubt that Flay was as well. Her brown ringlets were out of sorts a fizzed. Still they were both troopers and glad to be with their mother.
Yunda lifted her eyes expecting to see Klip's but met a new set. It was another Jedi who was a stunning Calamarian. The shinning silver hair and matching eyes captivated the woman. "Where is…" she caught herself. "Where is Master Judgin?"
"My lady, during this time more had happened then wished. The situation has been upgraded. You and your family will be escorted to the Jedi temple where you will be kept safe for as long as needed."
Not liking what she was hearing, Yunda knitted her brow. She nodded her head. Serafina took the two battered children from the sitting room to be packed. "Please Master?"
"Eerin, Bant Eerin." The Jedi replied.
"Master Eerin, tell me what happened. I need to know." Her eyes were lowered then raised once more. "I am an old acquaintance of Jedi Master Judgin. I don't wish to be left on a lurch."
Bant folded her hands behind her back but there was no sign of meekness. She was breaking inside. The Jedi spend most of her time training with the younglings and Ze was one of them. Each one was special to her. "There were two rounds of blaster fire and one had hit Padawan Learner Ze Corail."
"Is he alright?"
Bant lowered her head. With that, Yunda felt as though she was going to burst out and cry hysterically. No wonder Klip didn't return. Well, there was the argument but this took the hyper drive. "I…"
"Please have everything ready in one hour. All that is needed is clothes. Tell no one."
Yunda watched as the Jedi Master left the room. She placed a hand over her heart. Even the steps to her room seemed to take forever. Life had been going great for the past forty years; why was it now that everything had to go wrong.
She sat on the floor while her hands reached under the bed. A small wooden box was placed in her lap. The cover was designed in the old Jedi language. There were just some things about her past she would not give up.
And as her fingers traced over the red beads, Yunda poured out her soul into the empty room.