Title: The Jedi's Bounty
Author: Rainbowstitches

Author's note: Chapter 2 I feel like too much happens here but meh. A lot of big things happen here so I guess it has to drag on a bit. Back onto Bade's adventure.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my Oc and any other Oc's I introduce in the future. I won't and never will profit from this. All rights are reserved to Lucas Films/Books/Arts and Disney.

Chapter 2: That's no longer my care

The sun was hanging lowly in the sky and in the distance you could see the temple. Bade was lounging in a crop top and leggings the scar tissue on her stomach glistening in the light. The heavy gear having been removed allowed every muscle time to relax from the strain of having to carry round the gear. Sliding her fingers over a thick silver bite mark on her stomach; her eyes moved instinctively at the temple as she traced each silver path with care. Slowly she collapsed her walls taking in everything at the temple but not staying long as though not to risk being noticed. Pulling up her walls she fell back on the sofa legs up.

Her whole life was tragedy and yet she was happy to go around with this life and as she watched how the war was progressing and flicked through the endless amount of acquisitions all Bade could notice is how everything that was once peaceful disappeared once Qui-gon died and she was kidnapped.

She was alone in the apartment as the two males went drinking early. Fastening on her belt and clipping her lightwhip and lightsaber before shouldering on her coat. The long length wrapping round her legs as she left the large apartment building; the streets were desolate up here as everyone else found it better to zip around above. The heel of her boots clicked against the pavement as she watched every person move past her, none too hard to read and none too suspicious in character. She scanned through the list of targets on her phone and their photos as she watched people pass looking for an easy target to snatch and gain a bounty.

Life had lost its meaning as time went by now, if you were on the list and enough credits were on you that person was nothing more than prey. Everyone had a clock and Bade's job was to stop that clock short because running forever was a chore. Bade passed figure after figure expecting to find nothing interesting. Things went fast as day became night and the planet surface was lighted with lamps and string lights. Bade made her way down to the third level when a notice came up on the watch comm, a notice about the perfect Satine Kryze; a woman Bade had stuck her nose up to more than once. Death Watch were an argued matter within the guild and with this request of tracking the movements of the Duchess of Mandolore a further controversial matter.

She had arrived here early today maybe that's why she couldn't sense him. Walking into a store and purchasing a bottle of some green glowing alcohol that was packaged in a clear bottle. Sliding it onto the surface of the counter she was quick to buy and leave with it in hand. Climbing back to the apartment she began the quick gulps of the green stuff allowing it to burn her throat as it made its way down to her stomach and then to her blood. In her mind she thought she should head back to the apartment but instead she pressed down on the elevator.

As she submerged lower and lower into the planet she couldn't help but enjoy the bright lights and the way everyone moved in their own beat as she downed whatever they served at the bar before going back into the crowd. Now something had triggered this in the sensible Bade was it the thought of him and his feature and the way they had grown close within the confines of the temple. How no one knew for she had always been in Katarn clan and he was in Bergruufta clan as initiates. They had always been forced apart from day one to this very moment in time.

Another shot was thrown back down her throat as she bit back the pain. How did everyone get past this pain of being submerged day after day with sadness? She was never meant to feel grief it went against the code and she had stuck to that rule no matter what it kept her distant and unfeeling for her prey.

Bade felt very much exhausted and longed to return to the apartment; standing to leave the club she exited and hailed a taxi. Sliding into the back seat she called for her level and address lying back against the seat as she watched the stars above. Somewhere out there, there was someone fighting a lifelong battle against the evil. Sighing she watched as the world zoomed past, it wasn't long till, from a fair distance away, she saw a speeder holding Lar and Cade zip past them. Sighing deeply at what followed close behind them she threw credits forward into the front next to the driver enough to cover and then some before jumping out and force jumping over the traffic. 'It was easier to be able to have this much power and not show it to others and then use it when you look like you're at the edge of defeat' Bade thought to herself as she ran forward.

Leaping onto the front of the speeder Cade was in, she pulled her hood up and took out the lightwhip igniting it and moving to the back of the speeder with ease. Steadying and easing into a stance before quickly whipping at the following speeder. Cracking the glass and cutting the driver in one fair curve, the driver quickly abandoned dealing with her and instead deployed a droid to deal with the annoyance.

Clinging to the droid as it knocked her off the speeder she used the force to clip her lightwhip back to her side before forcing the metal on the droid away. Scratching into the droid quickly and as it moved further and further away from the layers of traffic and over more desolate areas in restricted space. Gripping tightly with sharp nails she pulled the last wire away as it threw her off. Falling through the air made her lungs drag in air and try to release with no effort as she fell onto the first balcony of some building.

The last thing that came to mind for Bade was a memory and a fond memory at that.

Her eyes opened to blinding white light. She blinked as it began to burn before hissing in pain and gently closing them. 'I thought you were dead you're so stupid' a broken voice called out as she reopened her eyes to see the familiar face of her friend

'When have I ever died' she called gently reaching out a hand to him

'You're to reckless Eska Ask'ii even Master Windu thought it was your end'

'Nice to know my Master believes in me and you too Obi-wan'

'Give over Eska I was worried sick' Obi-wan whimpered closing his hand round her's he was on the brink of tears again

'Jedi don't cry Obi' she soothed

'I'm not a Jedi yet and wouldn't have ever been if you died'

'And I would hate you if you did that, Obi-wan I want you to promise me you'll never do that no matter what' she scolded as she looked up at the ceiling

'I promise as long as you promise always to be strong and heal quickly'

'I promise' both preteens said in sync

The world was a constant hum. It was nothing but a fuzzy thing as the soft hum smoothed itself against her ear in a type of unfriendly bug from a swamp planet. A firm growl as her mouth began to move but no sound as it felt harsh and unfriendly from lack of liquid. She moved only to hiss in pain her eyes trying to open but they wouldn't budge. 'Slowly' she thought but a headache made it near impossible to attempt; slowly she peeled them open only to see the dark and have her eyes burn from the very sensation of the bright white light. She reached out naturally into the force trying to find her brother to nudge to ask for the light to be turned off immediately. As she wound herself round the halls detached from the body that lay in bed she could not find the dim lights of Lar and Cade but found a spectrum of light and colour just as bright as the room she lay in. Fleeting back, she woke with a start and she feared where she was. Feeling sensation rush through her body she took the tablets and gulping down the water she slipped her boots back on and felt for her weapons.

She wasn't going to leave them no matter where she was; following the force trail, from the crystals, from the vents she found it leaded to what she remembered to be the council room. There he was sat perfect next to Kit Fisto. Eyes still the colour of a stormy sea and hair redder as she suspected when they first met; he was sat straight and stern eyes trained on the face of a younger knight and Padawan. She turned her head slightly to see her old master sat neatly next to master Yoda face grim and stern; she had hated being his apprentice for the first year but slowly she began to understand him and his ways. Master Windu was a man of mystery and very reserved around others but he was not stone.

In the young Knights hands were her two hilts neither identical in fashion but stood out to those who knew them well. Her actual light sword hilt was a metal hilt with areas made of the strong force strengthened wood; her lightwhip hilt was soft leather wrapped around the same metal but with silver markings here and there. Bade held her breath as she felt the crystals call for her, no doubt the Jedi could feel their vibrations too in the force.

"Eska's they are know them I would" Master Yoda hummed and nodded his head as he was passed both hilts. His fingers stroking each with grief and distance

"They are Ask'ii's Blade and whip for sure as no other had such hilts..." Master Windu froze in mid sentence as he was passed the Lightsaber hilt. He had just had a cut reopened by the newly discovered blade

"But she was pronounced dead" Obi-wan moved his hand to cover his mouth and Bade clenched her fists. He had always hidden his fear with the hand as he felt the grief creep up on him.

"We never found a body" Master Fisto piped in leaning forward almost sure that there could be some proof that she was alive

"Eska Ask'ii was kidnapped and lost far too long to be discovered. And we know she had many a relative" Master Windu sternly argued as he sat further back into the chair. The council was hushed over as each member sat or stood simply thinking.

It was then that a rather flustered healer forced herself into the circle. Her face was familiar to the bounty hunter, who lay watching from above, but it had been too long to recall a name. Every head seemed to snap over to the intruder like some snare out in the wild; everyone was a little tense and this disturbance seemed to only enhance the tension level in the room.

"Masters I apologize for the interruption but I thought I would aware you that the patient has escaped the healing quarters and is loose in the temple" the heal bowed after this

"Thank you Healer Sai" Shaak Ti spoke dismissing the healer with a wave of her hand

"Katarn members were always known for their skills of sneaking around the temple" Plo Koon mused as the doors swooshed shut

The hilts had been placed on a platform just in front of Bade's look out spot and already she saw the council turn their attention away from the hilts and back to the discussion about which they belonged to. Slowly easing the vent door open surprised she still fit in the old vent shafts she reached down but her hand barely graced either of the hilts and using the force would alert them to her presence. Exhaling slightly she slid back into the shaft and waited for the right moment; using the force like a serpent she sensed the Jedi and waited for a moment to strike. She had practically sat in a meditative state in the cramped vent as she awaited the Masters to turn a blind eye to the hilts. But always someone was watching the site where the hilts hummed. Bade sighed internally and reached down to the soft energy hilts and slowly tugged them upwards with the force.

They hovered in place over the platform she had to do this skilfully. Pulling them tensely upwards to her form, she paused every second to check if someone was looking at the hovering hilts. It was then she felt Obi-wan pull them down, firmly gripping them with the force she tugged them away with firm hand. Obi-wan must have hinted to the knight at some point as she was tugged forward from the sitting position closer to the vent.

"Masters" The knight interrupted their discussion as he tried to hold onto Bade

"Yes Skywalker" Master Windu replied wakening from his distant dream

"I think I've found our missing patient" This Skywalker character said

"I found don't you mean Anakin" Kenobi replied

"Sorry master we found and Ahsoka if you could help she's surprisingly strong" Skywalker replied smugly as he pulled at Bade one more time.

Bade had neatly dropped the hilts rather enjoying the idea of saving her skin. She began physically clawing at the wall and pushing herself backward, it was harder against the three rather than just Obi-wan. Bade was also out of practice compared to the three and doing so much was breaking her concentration. She gave up resistance and allowed her hand to slip from its place on a gap above; slipping out the vent and landing cat like below. Her hair had easily covered her face and eyes as it fell around her face; she could feel eyes on her form as she snapped up in front of them.

Pulling her hair away from the smooth face it hid, eyes closed. She heard the room shift. Eyelids snapped open revealing the deep purple pools underneath. Faces reformed at her figure and face, the face was more mature compared to that of her 17 year old self. Age and endurance had seemed to stain smooth angelic features. Her hair fell past her breasts and her figure was skinnier than the plump form it took when she was still under the influence of the temple. Obi-wan sat almost stunned before ungracefully tripping on his robes as he tried to walk towards her. It was Windu who stood and walked several paces before his mouth formed the word 'Eska'.

Bade wanted to run her feet twitched but the battle between heart and head made her freeze in place; she looked to Kenobi and Windu and how their eyes seemed to tear her apart. Flight or fight? That was every natural question and right now her answer would be I don't know. Bade seemed to sink back unmoving.

"We thought you were dead, after that..." Obi-wan began wavering a bit

"Well I didn't, I never planned on" Bade replied bluntly looking at the man who had advanced in the temple so quickly with some sadness

"Eska, how did you..." Kenobi was the only question giver as he slowly stood from his place on the ground

"It's not Eska anymore just Bade" she replied slightly distant

"What do you mean Essie" Obi-wan looked like a child as he looked into her cold eyes

"I was reborn as a Bounty Hunter I feel nothing towards the name" this was what surprised everyone the words were so different from the words spoken by the soft compassionate Padawan they had all known.

"What happened in those 11 years?" Master Tiin slurred out as Bade repositions herself in front of Ahsoka and Anakin

"A lot more than you could think of" she replied resigned and just as cold

The day of the kidnapping was a day unexpected Obi-wan was helping Master Windu and Padawan Ask'ii on a mission as he was yet to go through one of the trials. They were on their way back to the temple and the two were sat somewhere near the airlock as they talked furiously about everything and everyone. It had been so long since they had just talked like this and they both needed it. Ask'ii had stretched allowing her shoulder to crack and work better without strain.

Soon after the ship rocked and swayed as another ship rammed into them disengaging the power all had been shocked and taken aback by this attack. Ask'ii had stood quickly as the door was dislodged and two hands reached out dragging her towards the person they belonged to. She had been struck unaware and as she clawed for Obi-wan even he had no time to react. With three quick hits she gave up from weakness and was trapped behind bodies only to glimpse at what was happening in front of her. She watched as Mace was quick to defend Obi-wan and try to fight through the thicker crowds only to be overwhelmed.

It only took five minutes after for the kidnappers to flee away with their prize. Leaving Mace Windu and Obi-wan Kenobi struck with grief and unknowing.

OOOOOHHHHH glimpses into her past and mentions of Bade's past. What's gonna happen? please R&R