Karma

"Why me? Why now?" were Myriam's only thoughts as her little body was slammed into the metal table.

"I hear it's your ninth birthday, but I swear you look at least 14," Neco hissed in her ear and ran his hand all over her.

"Get off of me, Sleemo!" she cried in protest as she felt a surge of power welling within her body. She nearly pushed herself up from the table with Neco's full weight against her when he pulled her head back by her hair, then slammed her face into the table. She felt the blood trickling from her nose and spat up two of her teeth.

"Go ahead and fight it. Hurts you more than way. Suits me just fine," Neco's laugh horrified the young girl.

Myriam knew that this happened to the older girls regularly. Evelyn, Myriam's best friend had always been Neco's favorite, but Myriam felt him watching her for several weeks. She thanked the Maker every day that she managed to stay safe. She knew how much Evelyn and the others suffered, but she could only be thankful for her own safety. However, as she heard the sound of the back of her dress tearing, she knew that very soon she would have nothing else to be thankful for.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Myriam jerked awake with a stifled scream in the co-pilot's chair. "Bad dream you had?" Yoda asked from the seat next to her.

"Yes, Master," she responded, resting her elbows on the consul and her face in her hands.

"The future you saw," Yoda muttered more in a statement than a question.

Myriam rubbed her eyes and turned back to face her Master, but Iesha was now in his seat, "No, I saw the past."

Iesha responded with Yoda's voice, "Sometimes meet the past and future do."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Myriam awoke with a start. Slightly dazed, she checked her surroundings. She was in her bed in her quarters. She remembered going to sleep. This was no dream. Getting out of bed, she turned on the light and sat in the floor in a meditative position. If her vision was a warning, then she knew she needed to prepare herself. A fear that she had not felt in over a decade crept up her spine. She knew that Master Yoda sensed it too and that he had attempted to reach out to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now she heard Granger's advice as though he were sitting in the room with her, "Journey inward."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Most droids' programing do not allow them to get nervous, but if it were possible, then B217 would be as nervous as anyone could ever get. It was unlike Mistress Myriam to be late for a mission briefing. The only thing that computed, was that something was terribly wrong. The servant droid cautiously tapped on Myriam's door. "Mistress? Master Granger and the others are expecting you….." She knocked again. "Mistress?" Nothing. With no other options, B2 tapped in the security override code. The door slid open and to the droid's relief, Myriam was sitting in the floor with her legs crossed. "Mistress?" No response. B2 did not need to scan the Jedi for vitals. She was obviously breathing. Cautiously she extended her hand to shake Myriam's shoulder.

Myriam's hand shot up to grab the droid's wrist. "What is it B2?"

"Mistress, you are late for your briefing with Master Granger and that others."

Myriam's eyes popped open. She glanced at the clock and could not believe how long she had been sitting there. She jumped to the chair at the communication consul and typed in her code. The holographic images of Granger, Numa, and Iesha popped up. "Myriam, so glad you could join us," Granger appeared to be in the middle of his brief.

"My apologies Master," was all that Myriam offered.

"So," Granger continued, "The Aton Network is a continuation of an old organization of slavers in one of the Zygerrian remnant colonies."

Myriam could not believe her ears. It made perfect sense that Aton would have been the one to take over after the death of Neco and the others. She just did not understand how she had not been able to find them years ago.

"We are going after the old Zygerrian Network?" Myriam did not actually mean to ask aloud.

Granger inhaled, "Numa can fill you in on its history after the brief….."

"I'm familiar with them already. I've… encountered them before." Even across the distance of space, the other Jedi could sense the emotion issuing from Myriam's words. Emotion was a rarity for Myriam, particularly feelings this strong.

"I'm sure any information you can provide will be most useful," Numa added.

Granger continued, "This is the only known picture of Aton." A blurry image of a woman appeared alongside the others. "I'm afraid there's just not much that we do know."

Myriam could not make out the face, but she knew one thing, "That's not Aton." The other Jedi gave her their attention. "Aton is a man and Zygerrian. This appears to be a human woman."

"Well," Granger offered, "Our best intel suggests that this is the person in charge of the Network and whoever she is, she calls herself Aton."

"Very well, Master," Myriam conceded.

"The three of you should rendezvous on the fourth moon of Nilious within a day's time. Numa and Iesha, you are dismissed. Myriam give me just a few more minutes," Granger ended the official portion of the meeting.

"Numa out."

"Iesha out."

Before Granger could chide her, Myriam spoke up, "Master I am deeply sorry for being late. It will never happen again….."

Granger interrupted, "It has never happened before, I know it won't again. I'm concerned about you. Are you alright?"

Myriam did not quite know how to answer the question, "Master….." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I request to sit this one out."

Granger could not believe his ears, this was not the Myriam that he had come to know who was speaking, "I would need to know why to even consider such a request."

Reluctantly, Myriam managed, "I may be a little too close to this mission….. personally… I wouldn't want to compromise it."

"I know I don't need to tell you this," Granger began, "But you have a duty as a Jedi to perform each task assigned. And an even greater mission to remove yourself from personal attachment."

"I know, Master, but my encounters with the Zygerrians were….. before I was recruited into the Jedi Order."

The weight of Myriam's words sank in. He knew full well that she would never ask to be excused from a mission without a very good reason. It also dawned on him just how little he knew of Myriam's past, "Very well, I will inform Numa that you are to be used strictly as backup, I have the utmost confidence in Iesha, but you must go with them."

"Very well Master. Thank you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"And now ladies and gentlemen, a big round of applause for the star of our show, the Miraculous Myriam!" Pardo seemed to yell his usual introduction even louder tonight. To the audience, Myriam floated down from the rafters. Pardo passed a board over her head to demonstrate there were no wires. The skimpy outfit she wore demonstrated that she could not possibly be using magnetics or anti-grav equipment either. Pardo dismissed himself so the twelve-year-old sorceress could begin her show.

"May I borrow your hat, sir?" she asked a man seated in the third row. She pointed at him and his hat flew directly to her head. "Thank you." The audience burst into laughter and applause.

The night's act went on as normal, but all through the performance, Myriam felt as if she were being watched. Of course, the entire audience was watching her, but someone in it was particularly interested. A dread crept up her spine that unnerved her so much she sloshed some water out of the glass in her "floating cup" trick. Who was out there? It had been nearly a year since she escaped from the Network. Had they found her? She knew it was a mistake to perform under her real name, but Pardo loved the way "Miraculous Myriam" rolled off the tongue.

She skipped a couple of tricks and took deep breath to clear her mind as volunteers from various sections of the audience approached the stage for the finale. They floated a few feet off the platform, then she flew them around the auditorium and set each of them gently back in their respective seats. The curtain closed and separated Myriam from the thunderous applause. She stormed back stage to her dressing room. "Whiskey," she muttered to her assistant as she passed and sealed the door.

She hurriedly stripped off the outfit and washed the layers of make-up off of her face. She paused to stare into the reflection of her own eyes. Myriam heard the door behind her opening. She hurriedly gabbed a robe and threw it on. Pardo always came back to congratulate her, but never this early. He said she was like a daughter to him, but shew knew and hated the look in his eyes. Occasionally, he would get handsy, but he only made the mistake of trying more than that once. He normally waited for her to down a couple of shots before entering.

Tonight Pardo was not alone. There was a man in a brown robe behind him. Somehow Myriam knew this was the pair of eyes she had felt. "There's someone here to see you," was all that Pardo offered. No accolades on the show and he sounded strange, then he turned and promptly left her alone with the stranger.

"It's called a Jedi Mind Trick," the stranger answered her unasked question. "And if you want, I can teach you to use it."

"I know enough tricks," Myriam muttered. "What do you want?"

The stranger smiled, "My name is Voudon. I am a Jedi Master." He seemed to poke his chest out and stand a little straighter with those last words. Voudon noticed Myriam's blank stare and after a few awkward seconds continued, "The Jedi is an order that is trained to use the Force. If you come with me, I will teach you the ways of it."

Although that name, "The Force", struck a chord within her, Myriam knew what it meant when a strange man offered to teach her something new. "No thanks, sleemo." Her door slid open. She thrust out her hand expecting Voudon to go flying through it. Instead, his shoulder twitched just slightly and a smile spread across his face.

"What you're trying to do is called a Force Push. I can show you how to perfect it and how to resist it."

Myriam was impressed, "What is the Force?"

Voudon knelt to eye level and for the first time in years, Myriam felt like a young girl, "It is the power you feel within you. It is the guiding energy telling you that you should come with me and learn to be a Jedi."

"What's a Jedi?" Myriam's voice trembled.

Voudon's smile grew even bigger," the Jedi use the Force to protect those who are unable to protect themselves. We right wrongs. Fight for justice throughout the galaxy."

"Unable to protect themselves," Myriam whispered. She thought of Evelyn. "Ok. Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Myriam, Myriam," first it was Master Yoda's voice, then it slowly changed into Iesha's. Myriam's eyes opened and she refocused on the cargo hold of the ship. How long had she been sitting there?

"We're about to orbit the planet," Iesha offered. "You should probably eat something…."

"I'm not hungry," Myriam started to rise from her position, but her legs buckled and she found herself a little wobbly."

"You've been meditating for three straight days," Iesha commented boosting Myriam to her feet. "Like I said, you should probably eat."

"Fair enough," Myriam added still a little woozy.

Numa joined her teammates around the table after landing the ship. Although she was starving, Myriam barely nibbled at her food. Numa and Iesha exchanged glances not exactly sure how to proceed. Myriam finally noticed their concern and asked, "So what can you tell us about the mission, Numa."

Not wanting to avoid her concern for her teammate, but desperately wanting to break the silence, Numa began, "Well, the Aton Network has operated for years in this system. They are known for being rather ruthless with their competition. Rumor has it that Zorbra the Hutt has interests in this system now. To avoid needless bloodshed and since the Republic's interests….. intersect….. with the Hutts in other systems…..we are to eliminate the Aton's leadership and bring the captives back to Coruscant for assistance."

"Captives?" Myriam interjected, "You mean slaves! Since when does Republic business intersect with slavers?"

"Slavery is illegal within the boundaries of the Republic and it would never do anything to encourage it outside of its boundaries…" Numa retorted.

"Then why is it trading one set of slavers for the other?" Myriam demanded.

Numa answered, "The Aton Network is known exclusively for slaving. The Hutts have a variety of….businesses…. none of which include the blatant trade of slaves"

"Zorbra is the biggest pimp in the galaxy, Numa. What do you think the sex-trade is? Slavery! In its worst form."

"We have no idea what Zorbra will do with his new territory. I only know that there is a group of slavers out there that is far overdue in being brought to an end," Numa summed up her position as best she could. "You said that you've encountered them before. Anything you can tell us will be helpful."

Myriam took a deep breath, "I grew up in the old Zygerrian Network. Aton was only on the rise at that time, but I guess he took over after the older leadership was….they died."

Numa and Iesha eyed each other again. Finally Iesha asked, "You grew up in the Network? You were a slave?"

Myriam dropped her head, "Yes."

"The Maker," Numa mumbled. "I had no idea. That's horrible."

"Indeed you have no idea. No one does," Myriam explained. "The old Network wasn't really into the sex-trade, but they sold to some private owners who were. We were mostly cheap labor in their factories, but the overseers, the bosses… they would… especially with the girls…"

"Myriam," Iesha was nearly in tears. "I'm so sorry….."

"It is past. Nothing can be done about it," Myriam closed her eyes.

"But we can prevent it from continuing into the future," Numa charged. "We start early in the morning. Iesha and I will locate their headquarters. Myriam you will monitor for outgoing transmissions and come running if we need backup."

'Excellent," Iesha sounded excited for the challenge. She dismissed herself to her quarters leaving Myriam and Numa alone.

"Numa," Myriam began. "I asked to be excused from this mission. I can't seem to get out of my head, but I've been trying to focus."

"I see that," Numa grinned. "Why don't you go out for a bit and try your…other meditative form?"

"You might be right," Myriam smiled for the first time in days.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Myriam spun the last of the newly finished spears in her hand and tossed it on the pile. She turned to Tyrik, her overseer, "Two Hundred authentic spears of Xim the Despot as ordered." She pulled the bandana from her head and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"I think you set a new assembly record. I'll be sure to inform Neco. Take the rest of the day off." Tyrik watched her closely as she passed. He was tempted to give her a smack on the bottom, but stopped just short. "Neco's girl," he reminded himself. But he knew that soon the boss would move on to another. Then it would be open season.

Myriam decided to cut through the courtyard to her quarters. It was not much of a short-cut, but she knew Evelyn would be there, if she was off, if she was still alive. Evelyn did not make it home last night and the sickness in Myriam's gut told her exactly why. Myriam's fears were soon alleviated when she saw Evelyn sitting by the pool, watching the fountains.

"Hey," Myriam muttered seeing Evelyn's black eye and other fresh bruises.

"Hi," Evelyn gave a sincere smile. It had been a little over a month since Neco first "visited" Myriam. This meant that Evelyn was no longer under his "protection" and as long as she was able to work the next day, the other men could do anything they wanted to any girl they wanted. The younger girls were usually safe, but once they began to mature or if an overseer had too much to drink, all bets were off. For early bloomers like Myriam and Evelyn, Hell came early and it came often. All the girls knew what went on at night because each girl had been through it and were still going through it. Their only real hope was that they would be sold on the private market to work for some family, but usually even a private owner was a pimp in the sex trade or a man looking for a personal "pleasure" slave, or something even worse.

"Whatcha doin'?" Myriam sat next to her best friend.

"Praying," Evelyn ungripped the medallion around her neck. She stared into the skies and closed her eyes.

"That's good," Myriam offered. "I probably should too….."

"Do you ever think of your family?" Evelyn inquired.

Myriam shivered. She had a few vague images of her home and some people that she assumed were family, but she actually had no idea, "No, the Network is all I've ever really known."

Evelyn visibly shook. She pulled a chain from her pocket. "I've been saving. I bought this for you yesterday." Evelyn handed the chain to Myriam, then took the medallion from around her own neck. "My great-grandmother gave this to me the day my parents…..the day they…..the day they sent me away." Evelyn slid the medallion off of her chain. It easily snapped in half and she put one half on Myriam's chain. Evelyn closed Myriam's hand around her gift. "You are my sister. I want you to have this."

Tears formed in Myriam's eyes as she examined it. "What is this symbol?"

Evelyn held the two pieces together. "My grandmother told me it was the symbol of the Maker…..that he would always be watching over me." She returned her chain around her neck and placed Myriam's around hers. "And I will always look out for you."

"And I you," Myriam smiled through her tears.

Evelyn stared into her new sister's eyes, then dropped her head into her hands, sobbing, "How could they do this to us? Our own families?"

It was an unspoken rule that the girls never talked about what happened to them. Myriam hesitated, but then threw and arm around Evelyn. "I'm your family now. I will always be her for you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Myriam threw herself onto the stool at the bar. If there were slavers on this moon, someone here would know. "Whiskey," she hissed at the bartender. She quickly downed her first shot. "Keep 'em comin'," Myriam muttered slamming her glass down.

After several shots and exchanging a few jokes with the bartender, Myriam finally asked, "Where does one find slavers on this rock?"

The bartender eyed Myriam carefully, "What's a Jedi want with slavers?"

"What do you think?" Myriam grinned.

The bartender pointed with his chin at a group of women sitting at a corner table. Myriam turned to face them. She felt sick. "They belong to Aton?"

"They work for Aton," the bartender corrected.

"Impossible," Myriam thought. A woman going by the name of Aton and female overseers? Maybe this was not the same Network that she used to know. Maybe this was something else entirely, but she had to know for herself.

Myriam tossed some credits to the bartender and stood. Her legs were still a little wobbly, more from the lack of food than the alcohol. She closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. She would need her focus for what was about to happen.

Myriam approached the table with the slaver women. "Greetings," she pulled back her robe to reveal her lightsaber. "I would like to speak with the one who calls herself Aton."

"No one speaks to Aton," one of the girls spoke up. "Especially no Jedi."

"I understand," Myriam replied. "But I only want to speak. There are others on their way who will not be as diplomatic."

The ladies around the table looked at each other. "Who should I say is seeking her?"

"Jedi Myriam," she stated coldly.

The ladies glance at each other again. One of them rose. "Have a drink with the girls. I'll be back."

"Thank you," Myriam smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Before she could finish her drink, Myriam was summoned to an office a few blocks from the bar. Considering it was a slaver boss's office it looked very professional and well kept. Myriam studied the room and tried to learn anything she could, but it offered few clues about this newer Network. After several minutes, a door from behind the desk slid open and a woman stepped through.

"I hear you are looking for me," the shadow figure hesitated, but then stepped into the light.

Joy, confusion, and dread all exploded within Myriam as she recognized her oldest and dearest friend, "Evelyn!"

"Myriam," Evelyn responded coldly. "When they said your name, I couldn't believe it. Back after all these years and a Jedi."

The old friends stared at each other in silence. Part of them leaped for joy, but they also did not quite recognize the other.

So many question were bursting within Myriam's head. She did not know where to begin. "Evelyn…..you're Aton? You're a slaver? How could you?"

"Don't you dare judge me?" Evelyn hissed. "You have no idea how bad things got after you left. Aton took over. He was killed a few years later and that idiot Tyrik became the boss. The only good decision he made was to keep Aton's name and try to hold on to some of his reputation. When I and the girls had finally had enough, we took over ourselves."

"I don't understand," Myriam started. She clutched the half medallion around her neck. "Not a day goes by that I haven't thought of you, dreamed of finding you." She let go of the medallion and let it hang loosely. "And you've become the very thing we once hated….."

Evelyn eyed the half medallion of her great-grandmother, "I lost mine years ago. I lost so many things…..that's why we had to take over. At least we offer our girls some degree of protection."

"Protection? You're a slaver! If you rebelled why didn't you just run?"

"You mean like you? Evelyn retorted.

"I had no choice," Myriam dropped her head, "after….after….."

"After you murdered Neco and the others….. and Marta?" Evelyn finished.

Myriam shut her eyes, "No, it as an accident….."

"Accident….." Evelyn repeated and eyed Myriam's lightsaber. "And you're a Jedi. It all makes sense now. You had the power all along. The power to save all of us, but you only used it to save yourself."

"No," tears began to stream from Myriam's eyes, "I had no idea what was within me until that night. I didn't even know what to call it until the Jedi found me. And it took years to learn how to control it properly."

"And now you're back," Evelyn stated. "Back to destroy the rest of us."

"No Evelyn! Come back with me. Turn yourself in. The Republic wants to help the slaves. I can get them to help you too, "Myriam pleaded.

"Help me? No one ever helps us. You know that. We had to learn to help ourselves just as you did," Evelyn tapped a button on her wrist. "The Republic doesn't care about slaves, Jedi."

The main door to the office slid open behind Myriam. Two guards entered with energy rods. They jabbed, Myriam in the back. Myriam resisted as long as she could, but soon she was unconscious and tumbling to the floor. "Take the Jedi downstairs. She is our property and must be broken. Prepare the arc."

Next: Part 2