Author's Note: I have a feeling that this will be my worst chapter as of yet. The reasoning behind this is because of the massive attack of Writer's Block that occurred this week…

Chapter VII: Back To Life (17 BBY)

The small campfire illuminated the fifteen year old Jorec as he carefully packed the brown bag near his feet. What little survival gear he had managed to steal from campers in Selvernos' wilderness had been put to good use in the two years he had been out here.

Two years, Jorec thought. Has it really been that long? Have I really been out here on my own for that long?

Two years without human contact, it was enough to drive many people out of their minds, but Jorec had barely been able to keep his sanity. Although, there was that voice that appeared every now and then. The voice had appeared sporadically throughout the two years, and despite it sounding vaguely familiar Jorec could never pinpoint exactly whom it was that was speaking.

Yeah, that voice. Remind me to see a psychologist if I ever get out of here. And the frequent nightmares can't be healthy either. Speaking of getting out of here, I really do need to find someway to reintegrate myself back into society.

Jorec pulled his lightsaber from its hiding place and placed it in the bag, for the last two years the lightsaber had served as his sole means of gaining meat as well as protection from more of the feline creatures that seemed to prowl the area.

Satisfied that his survival pack was packed adequately, Jorec quickly doused the fire and headed away from his camp, headed towards what he thought was civilization.

Mount Sentiss rose quietly on the horizon as Jorec followed the trail near his campsite. According to the information he had remembered two years ago, there was supposed to be a small settlement near the base of the small mountain based around a major tourist industry. In Jorec's mind, that settlement would be a good place to blend in and make a new life for himself. If he could be able to find suitable employment with his age and find somewhere safe to live that wasn't a campsite in the forest.

A mile from the settlement, Jorec could see the slightly familiar sight of several aircars as they moved about from one place to the other. He rummaged through his bag and grabbed a handful of berries and ate them.

As he walked towards the settlement, Jorec could barely see the sun reflecting off of several large buildings that were coming in to view through the forest. And soon a large grassy field replaced the monotony of the forest.

Once inside the city, Jorec was a little shocked at the site of the multitudes of people making their way down the outdoor market. It had been years since he had seen so many people, and the paranoia of being spotted and recognized filled Jorec with the urge to bolt out of the city and back to his hiding place in the forest. Common sense quickly caught up with him as he began to realize that just entering a city and then quickly running out of it would only make him appear more suspicious.

A large complex near the edge of town was his destination. He had heard from several campers and hikers he had spied on about this place. It was a place where his new found talents could be put to good use. He had seen some of the employees roaming through the forest with their charges, hunting several of the creatures that he himself was hunting at the time.

Jorec saw the "Now Hiring" sign hanging from the main entrance and smiled. This was the chance to rejoin society he was waiting for, yet it provided a small amount of anonymity that he required. He walked through the main door and walked up to the main desk.

A nervous voice echoed from Jorec's throat as he introduced himself to the receptionist.

"I'm Jorec, I saw from the sign that you're accepting applications. For what position in the company are you hiring?"

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen…"

"Well, we are always accepting applications for apprentice hunters, but you have to be 16 to apply for that job. We do have some small jobs around the place that are hiring, however."

"What are they?"

"Food service, mainly. Although there are some slots available in Guest Services at the hotel… Basically, you can apply to be a waiter, or apply to carry suitcases."

"I'll apply for both. Give me the forms…"

The receptionist quickly handed Jorec a datapad and directed him to a row of seats a few meters away. Jorec walked over to the chairs and began filling out the information required by the application. Only one thing worried him, the thumbprint identification required to verify his identity. Surely this could lead to a possible discovery!

It may not lead to anything. Besides, you can't live your entire life like a hermit anymore. Didn't The Voice say to go here anyway? Are you actually considering trusting and listening to a figment of your imagination? Well, you are arguing to yourself…

Jorec sighed and slowly pressed his right thumb onto the screen. The screen confirmed his identity and in a second it was finished. No red sirens, no blinking lights, and no sign that any alarm was raised over his name. Maybe The Voice was right after all.

After he handed the finished the application, Jorec nervously approached the front desk and handed the datapad to the receptionist. The receptionist took the datapad and sent the information away to some far away office.

"I sent your applications to Personnel. Wait here a few minutes, and they will be with you shortly."

Jorec nodded and headed towards the row of chairs once again. He drew several nervous breaths as he sat down on the soft red chair. The minutes he sat waiting for the results to come in seemingly stretched into hours as all of the thoughts about what could go wrong ran through his head. To his right the sliding door of the main entrance opened, Jorec quickly turned his head towards the sound and reached towards his survival bag, waiting for the troops to enter the building. Instead, his eyes saw a simple tourist entering the building. A sigh of relief escaped Jorec's throat as his paranoid fantasy was shattered by the normality of everyday commerce.

"Mr. Merridon, please enter my office."

Jorec jumped in fright as from behind him and to his right came a voice.

"Didn't mean to frighten you. Are you prepared for an interview?"

Jorec took a deep breath and stood up, facing the man.

"Yeah, it's fine. I'm just a little jumpy today."

"Perfectly fine, follow me."

Jorec followed the man into his office, stopping to look at the many holos hanging from the walls and sitting on desks.

"Now, before we begin. You may have to explain something to me."

Oh great, ambushed in an office…

"Explain what?"

The words barely came from Jorec's mouth, the paranoia crept in again.

"We put your application through the main database, and what we found was pretty surprising. According to the records, you've been dead for two years…"