Chapter 1

Nirah crouched low in the tall grass like a Loth cat stalking its prey. She had been patient while Elrood's afternoon sun beat down on her back, grateful that her sister had not insisted she wear a dress. As it was, her tunic and trousers were already stained from the faintly moist dirt and grass around her. She hated wearing dresses and being told to "act like a lady" in them. She was a young lady. A young lady who was determined to succeed this time.

She had been careful to keep her breathing calm, her emotions under control, and her thoughts quietly focused. Her past failures had been assessed and she knew this time she would win.

A few feet away, her older sister, Xenna, sat in relatively peaceful meditation. It would have been more so had Nirah not been crawling through the grass for the past ten minutes, trying to sneak up on her.

"I know you're there, Nirah. What do you want this time?"

The young girl was not about to let this ruin her fun. With a gleeful cry, she pounced onto her sister's back in a tackling hug. Xenna turned easily, cushioning Nirah's head as she was flipped over onto her back. Xenna proceeded to tickle her sibling mercilessly, both girls giggling.

"I thought I told you not to try to sneak up on me while I'm meditating," Xenna scolded, still playfully torturing her sister's sensitive armpits.

"Stop!" Nirah laughed, not truly wanting it to end. "I give! I give!"

Xenna let the girl get up, still shaking with laughter. Nirah had been doing this on and off for so many years that it was no longer a surprise and more of a tradition.

"Now," Xenna said, taking on more of the commanding tone Nirah hated. "Are you going to let me meditate in peace?"

Nirah sat up in a huff, blowing a stray lock of her wildly curling blue hair out of her face. "But you're always meditating!" she whined.

"Nirah, we've been over this. We can't afford to let our guards down. I have to be aware in case the Empire finds us."

"But you're always saying how the Force is all round us. Won't you know even if you're not meditating?"

Xenna understood the frustration her master must have felt teaching her. Nirah was inquisitive, rambunctious, and wickedly smart. If Xenna had been even half as much of a handful as Nirah, it was a wonder she had not been reprimanded more often.

"Yes, but not as quickly. Until we have the parts to fix our ship, we are stuck here. If something should happen, we couldn't escape as quickly as usual."

The little girl tugged at a particularly stubborn curl, only half listening to the explanation she had heard many times before. She had thought that being a Jedi would be something really interesting, but Xenna made it all sound so boring. All she did was meditate and boss Nirah around.

"I thought you were going to fix your lightsaber before the ship," Nirah said, changing the subject and missing the point.

Xenna sighed. "Getting away is more valuable than trying to stay and fight. It's safer for us to just—"

"Run away?" Nirah interrupted.

Xenna tensed, knowing where this argument was going to go. Nirah was young and still full of the stories her parents had told her about how the Jedi were fierce warriors. Xenna, while trained to use the Force, was a long way from being a Jedi and even further away from wanting to fight off a ship full of Stormtroopers. She knew first-hand what they were capable of against a lone Jedi. She and Nirah would not stand a chance. Pointing this out to her sister, however, was a battle she could not win and did not feel like fighting at present.

Closing her eyes again, Xenna tried to regain some of the calm she had experienced before Nirah's little interruption. She did not need to look to know her sister rolled her eyes.

"Well, what do you sense?" Nirah asked, sitting next to her sister and mimicking her pose. Legs crossed, Nirah tried to achieve the stillness necessary to really take in her surroundings. She had never been very good at it. There was so much to be distracted by and just sitting still was not her favorite hobby.

Xenna hid a smile. The battle had been averted for now, just as she had hoped. "Everything. The wind, the sound of the grass swaying, the feeling of the ground under us and all of the life within it. I feel tendrils of the past in the Force. They are like fingerprints, marking everything."

"Whose fingerprints?"

"Animals, insects, even people."

"Are the people still here?" Nirah asked, casting a glance at the nearby barn they had been holed up in since their ship crashed. Truthfully, it had been a jury-rigged escape pod; not meant for repeated use or for much in the way of navigation. Neither of the girls particularly wanted to get into any kind of squabble with the locals of this planet. They were lucky enough to have found a merchant in a town a few miles away willing to sell parts for their ship in exchange for work in his shop. Xenna was good with her hands and Nirah was still small enough to weasel her way into tiny places to fix engines.

Xenna scrunched her eyes tighter, trying to focus on the echoes of the Force, but they eluded her. It was like trying to grab at smoke. She knew the proper way was to let go, but something kept tugging her back to the present.

"The trails are too faint to follow," she half-lied. "I think we should be fine." She felt her sister's concern and tried to alleviate it. She knew their life was not easy and never would be, but she tried to let Nirah have as much of a childhood as possible. Something Xenna never had.

"I'm sensing something else, though," Xenna went on. She heard Nirah puff out a breath of impatience but ignored it. Xenna imagined herself as a tree, just as her master had instructed so many years ago. She let the Force act as roots, reaching out into the space around her. She had to let them weave and grow on their own, reporting back what they found. A nervous system of life, binding everything together.

"Is it lunch? Because I'm getting kind of hungry," Nirah said, poking her stomach. She grew still when Xenna shushed her, though. This was serious, whatever it was.

Xenna let her roots reach out further, poking and prodding the unknown. It felt as though there was something they were supposed to be reaching for. When she was about to give up, something reached back. Like two fingers touching in the dark.

She nearly fell over in her shock, rushing back to the grassy hill with her sister.

"Xenna! What happened?" Nirah asked frantically, leaning over her sister.

"I…I don't know. It was like someone was looking for me. I felt…victory. They were trying to find me." Xenna held her head in her hand, shaking it to try to rid herself of the feelings that had come through the momentary connection.

"Do you think it was another Jedi?" Nirah could not help the hope in her voice. Ever since they had been forced to leave her home planet, and possibly since Xenna had come into her life, Nirah had wanted to find more of her sister's kind. She knew most all of the Jedi masters had been killed in the Purge, but she still held out hope for someone—anyone—to share her sister's gift.

Xenna shook her head, still somewhat stunned by what had happened. "No. This was not a Jedi. There was so much hate. It was like ash in my veins. It burned."

Nirah looked over her sister in deeper concern. She had never pushed to know more about the Dark Side of the Force, but she knew that it scared Xenna more than anything. It was more than a temptation; it was a poison.

The roar of a ship's engines rushed overhead, breaking the girls from their separate concerns and planting new ones in their place. Both girls were on their feet in an instant and headed toward their barn.

"Are they Imperial?" Nirah asked, practically flying through the grassy field towards their safe haven.

Xenna shot a glance over her shoulder and felt her stomach drop further at the sight of the Imperial logo. "Who else?" she shouted over the sounds of their running. She followed the vibrant blue of her sister's hair, wishing they could have stayed on this peaceful planet longer. The sunlight had made Nirah so happy after so many months in space.

Rushing into the barn, Nirah turned quickly to shut the door after her sister. Xenna helped by pushing some of the heavier, abandoned farming equipment in front of the exit. They took a quick moment to catch their breaths, but both knew they would not have long.

"They're probably landing right now," Nirah estimated. She had been in this situation too many times for one so young. "Where do we go from here?"

Xenna cast a searching look at their busted ship. It had not experienced the most pleasant of landings when they had arrived. Getting it to turn on at all would be a miracle, let alone getting it airborne. She tried to clear her mind to find another solution, but she kept coming up empty.

"Xenna?" Nirah asked, her voice growing panicked. "Xenna, what are we going to do?!"

"I don't know!" Xenna admitted. The words hurt her to say. She had let her guard down and grown too comfortable on this world. She was supposed to be protecting them and instead she had been focusing on trying to strengthen her connection to the Force. Finding trouble before it came was one thing, but getting out of its way was far more useful.

Nirah felt her hope crack a bit at her sister's outburst. Still, she knew there had to be another way out of this. "Can we make it to the town? See if there is a ship there that we can…borrow? Or maybe somewhere to hide?"

Xenna would have normally laughed at her sister's generous phrasing, but that was not a luxury they could currently afford. She nodded. "I think it's our only option right now."

"Great. How do we get there without being spotted?"

Looking at the small pack they carried their meagre possessions in, Xenna felt the pull to her lightsaber. It was not in the best shape, but it could work in a pinch—and they were certainly in a pinch now. Using the Force to pull the bag to her, she looped the strap over her shoulder. Pulling out her only weapon and the last evidence of her master, she flared the blade to life. Its blue glow illuminated the small space hidden at the back of the barn as Xenna cut into the metal of the building. She tried to make sure the hole would not be immediately visible from the inside of the barn in case troopers came looking.

Once back outside, Nirah wasted no time in taking her sister's hand and running like a mad scrap rat through the grass. As the ground sloped downwards, the grasses grew longer. It was not quite a field for agricultural uses, but the tall foliage gave them some cover. Nirah's copper skin and bright hair stood out amongst the grass, while Xenna's long brown braid and fairer skin blended in better.

They ran as quietly and efficiently as possible, both knowing the general direction of the town ahead. It felt like they were about to be in the clear when they heard troopers breaking into the barn behind them. It was far enough away that they felt secure, but not enough to alleviate all concern. Nirah shot her sister a fearful look, but Xenna kept on moving. The troopers must have seen them run for the barn, so there was no time to lose in worrying.

Coming to the edge of a clearing, they halted. They needed to get across to continue onward, but they both resisted on account of their being completely exposed.

"Can we go around?" Nirah asked, looking to her older sister for guidance.

Xenna scanned the shorn field. There would not be any more cover until they reached the other side a ridge several meters ahead. They would be in plain sight for longer than either girl wanted, but going around would take up too much time. When the troopers found the barn empty, they would search behind it, if there were not already some following their path.

"We have to run as fast as we can and try not to be spotted."

Nirah paled. "What if we are spotted?"

Xenna tried to block out one of the last memories she had of her master. "Run, and do not look back." Xenna had been only a few years older than Nirah when her master had said that. She had been so afraid, even though she trusted her master implicitly. The clones had turned on them, had killed their friends, and were after them. Now history was repeating itself, only this time it was Xenna who would have to try to protect her charge.

"Just keep running. When you get to the town, find a spot and stay there. I will come find you." They were hard words to say, especially in the face of her little sister, but there was nothing else she could do.

"But if they capture you—"

"Then they will have what they came for. Now go!"

Xenna gave her sister's hand one last squeeze before pushing them both out into the clearing and running as if a Gundark were after them.

Nirah tried not to think about her sister's chilling words and instead focused on getting over the ridge as quickly as possible. She could see it coming up and prepared to go over it when a blaster bolt hit the ground not a meter away from her. Screaming, she jumped away and fell, rolling over the ridge and down its other side. When she made it to the bottom, groaning but still full of adrenaline, she moved her arms and legs to make sure they were working. Everything checked out, but the sound of Xenna's lightsaber flaring to life at the top of the ridge drew her attention.

Like a hero from legend, Xenna stood at the edge of the ridge, her back to her sister, lightsaber angled to deflect any blaster fire that may come her way. The troopers kept appearing out of the grasses that the sisters had just used for cover. There were too many to fight alone, but she would not put her sister at risk.

A moment of stillness passed between her and the enemy forces. She had the higher ground, but they had more weapons and nothing to protect but themselves. From out of the grasses came a figure in all black, parting the troopers with nothing but their presence.

"You should not have gotten so comfortable here, Jedi," the figure said, her voice carrying across the clearing. "Of course, if I were you, I would have lived in the town. Surrounding yourself with bodies can be a useful way to stay alive…for a time."

If this woman knew about the town, then she may already have troopers there. Xenna had sent Nirah into a potential trap.

"I'll admit, you are a tough one to track down. Lugging that girl around with you does make it a little easier, though," the woman continued, taking measured steps closer to Xenna.

"What do you want?" Xenna asked, simultaneously reaching out with the Force to find Nirah and warn her. Her heart sank when she felt her sister sitting still just a few meters below her at the base of the ridge.

"To finish what was started." At this, she pulled out a double-bladed lightsaber. It shone red like the blood used to forge it. The blood of Jedi who died under its power. "Never send a clone to do a Sith's job."

"Then I guess your friends are just for show," Xenna replied, trying to buy herself some time.

The woman seemed to laugh at this before crouching and springing into the air. At the same time, Xenna jumped backwards, falling to the base of the ridge. She landed not far from her sister, seeing the girl's terrified golden eyes.

"Come on!" Xenna shouted, using the Force to pull Nirah in, she helped the girl climb onto her back. They would be faster this way.

Xenna's legs were starting to tire from all of the running, but she did not dare stop. She now cursed the open plains of grass this planet had, how unsecure everything was, and how all hope seemed to be lost. Even if they made it to the town, there was no guarantee of safety. Whoever that Sith woman was, she had enough troopers to make hiding impossible. Surviving was even less likely. They were out of options. Any hope of sending Nirah ahead to safety was lost. They knew who she was and would likely kill her. They clearly knew who Xenna was and had tracked her just to further exterminate any remnants of the Jedi Order.

"Nirah," Xenna gasped, slowing her pace. "I'm so sorry. All of this is my fault. If I had never come to your family, you would still have a home. I'm so sorry."

Nirah clung onto her sister tighter. If Xenna was giving up, then they were truly at the end of their rope. She felt angry tears sting her eyes. To make her sister give up meant that the world as Nirah knew it was ending.

"I love you, Xenna. You're the best sister in the galaxy," Nirah wept.

Xenna turned around to once again face their enemy. She would not go down without a fight. She knew she could not win, but one fewer Stormtrooper in the world was better than complete surrender.

The troopers took aim on the ridge while the Sith jumped to land gracefully at its base. Her sleek helmet hid her eyes, but Xenna knew from stories told at the Temple that they were orange like the fires of hatred that had burned their souls.

Xenna took up her stance, knowing her damaged saber might not be able to withstand a battle without failing completely. She would do whatever she could to make this fight worthwhile, though. She was no one's easy prey.

Before either woman could move, however, another ship flew overhead. It made a tight turn that would have any Imperial pilot jealous, and settled just a few meters away. It was not Imperial and its unusual structure gave everyone present some pause. Between its sudden appearance and the figure who leapt out of its already opened hatch, it was clear that the game had changed.

All Xenna needed to see to restore hope in herself was the orange blaze of a double lightsaber as the man in front of her took on a fighting stance. From out of nowhere, help had arrived.

Xenna did not hesitate to take this unexpected advantage. Setting Nirah down, she ushered the girl towards the ship that had deposited their new ally. Already coming out of the ship was a woman firing a blaster at the troopers and taking out a handful, giving Xenna and Nirah cover for their escape. The younger girl did not need to be told to know that this new ship was their closest thing to salvation. She ran, as Xenna had instructed, without looking back. Upon boarding the ship, barely touching one foot on the ramp as she threw herself in side, however, she turned to confirm her sister's presence. Xenna was not there.

Nirah instantly panicked and hurried back to the doorway, ignoring the woman beside her who ordered her to back up. She quickly spotted Xenna, hardly moved from their earlier position. Her lightsaber was still drawn and she now stood back to back with the other Jedi. Nirah did not have to count the troopers surrounding the two to know that their odds were not good.

Out on the field, Xenna took a breath to assess the situation. They were surrounded by about twenty troopers, plus the Sith woman. The man at her back seemed to radiate calm, but it only made it to help her contain her excitement at finding another Jedi who had not gone over to the side of the Empire. Being so openly in opposition of the new ruling government showed this man at her back had guts. It gave her hope.

"You take the troopers and I'll take Ms. Angry over here, sound fair?" the man behind her asked. She did not look back, but she swore she could hear a smirk in his voice.

Xenna did not, in fact, think that fair, but the battle began before she could protest. At least she still had some backup from the ship. She could sense her sister's concern from there, but shut it out to focus on the task at hand.

Two troopers rushed her and she jumped over them, slicing their backs before deflecting a couple shots from others. She heard the tell-tale clash of ligthsabers behind her and hoped that her friend was skilled enough to survive. She deflected two more blasts, this time back at their shooters and was able to dodge some of the clumsier attacks coming from her front. Delivering a few swift kicks allowed those two to run into friendly fire.

Sensing rising tension behind her, she used the Force to pulled a trooper away from her new friend and into the business end of her saber. She turned back round to slice a blaster in half before doing the same to a neck. She flipped her grip on her saber and stabbed behind her before jumping over her now fallen opponent, yanking her saber free, and bringing it straight through the middle of another. Watching the two halves of their ally fall to the ground in a charred mess made a couple of the troopers think twice about rushing in. Xenna felt confident for the first time that day. Only ten left, plus the Sith, provided her friend needed the help. He seemed to be holding his own, but Xenna was not about to assume that would last forever.

Deflecting a blaster bolt back at a trooper, she decided to take the more offensive approach with the final nine. She rushed in, flowering her saber to block their fire, slid, took out two pairs of legs and made a wide swoop to slash through the chest of one trooper. Another, who had jumped out of the way, pulled out a riot baton and came in for an overhead attack. Xenna blocked this—noting how her saber seemed to protest the clash—and decided to end it quick by lunging forward as she swept her saber in a circle, disarming and beheading the trooper. She had no time to waste on stronger weapons. The remaining five decided to come in as one, two foolishly firing at the same time. Xenna once again jumped out of the way, allowing the troopers to shoot each other across their self-made circle. Another decapitation later and the final two troopers were quaking in their boots. Throwing her lightsaber out, she cut one just as he was turning to run away. The other she pushed into the path of the Sith who was gaining the upper hand. She cut through him as though he was nothing, being too focused on the young man.

Lightsaber returning, Xenna hurried forward to block a strike from the Sith that would have potentially ended the Jedi. Over the sound of the clashing sabers, Xenna heard the engines of the ship roaring to hover over their heads.

Noting Xenna's reinforcements above, the Sith hissed. "You Jedi scum are all the same. Running away from a fight. I'll bet that's how you are alive, little padawan."

Xenna felt the pull to her memories of the Purge, but instead took the opportunity to use the Force to push her opponent away. Taking the hand of her ally, she hauled him to his feet as they ran for the ridge. It was too steep to climb fully, but they used it to jump off the side onto the waiting door. Xenna hit the edge, knocking the wind out of her, but Nirah was already there, helping with the Jedi to pull Xenna into safety.

"Greez, go!" he shouted as soon as Xenna was inside and the door closed.

Xenna worked to catch her breath as she felt the ship burst out of the atmosphere and jump almost instantly into hyperspace. She blacked out the moment she saw Nirah and the Jedi loom over her with concern written on their faces.