Three

Seren pushed back her dark hood, her bright eyes surveying the desert horizon, and then she turned to Jennir. "I thought he said his ship was out here."

"It is." Jennir replied, watching Vos disappear behind a sand dune.

"Worried, Ren?"

"I never worry, Solan."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Dass Jennir retorted. "Now both of you quit your bickering."

Suddenly from behind the dune a ship appeared, Vos directing it toward the threesome and then hovering above them. A hatch on the side opened and a ladder was thrown down to them. "Ladies first." Solan bowed with a grin.

Just as Seren went to grab the ladder, Solan jumped in front and climbed up first, and then the girl turned to Jennir. With a sigh, Jennir shook his head. "Go on, child."

Biting her lip, Seren climbed up the rope ladder and followed her brother into the ship. Jennir was last to enter and the hatch closed behind him. Vos was at the controls. "All right, buckle up!" The gray-haired Kiffar ordered.

Everyone settled into their own seat and then the ship shot off into space. "I hope this thing has a cloaking device," Seren insisted, "it'd be our only defense against Darth Vader's senses."

Solan stretched as he began to relax. "At this speed nobody needs a cloaking device. Besides, they're illegal."

"And since when did you play by the rules?"

Quinlan Vos turned to Jennir, at the second-command chair, and grinned. "How do you put up with the pair of them?"

"I have an overabundant supply of patience." Jennir replied. "I was trained well."

Suddenly a figure appeared between the pilots and they both turned to see Solan standing there. "Nice ship, controls are a bit outdated, but in great shape."

Seren rolled her eyes as she watched her brother. "Solan, what would you know about ships?"

Ignoring his sister, Solan leaned forward. "Think I could give it a try?"

"How about you get back to your seat?" Vos retorted.

"Solan, we've no time for horseplay—"

The ship stalled, throwing everyone forward and Solan slammed up against the window. After a few moments everyone gained their senses and Solan scampered back to his seat. Seren's knuckles turned white as she gripped the armrests of her seat in terror. "What was that?"

"Nobody panic," Vos insisted, "we got a bit too close to a black hole."

In moments the ship was able to shoot out of the black hole's pull and they headed toward their destination once more. "Dathomir is not the kindest of places, Master Vos."

Quinlan turned to Dass. "I've got connections there."

"Yes, and I suppose where you have connections, you have enemies as well." Jennir glanced back, making sure the twins were preoccupied with bickering, and then leaned toward Vos. "They've lived their lives in a tree-covered paradise, they may be well-trained, but they are incredibly naïve and if you're leading us into something dangerous—"

"Would I lead you into something dangerous? Come on, Dass." Then Quinlan glanced back at the controls. "We're coming up on it fast. We'll have to be careful about the landing, the emperor watches this planet like a dragon watches his prey."

Dass sighed, exhausted with concern, and allowed Vos full control over the situation. There was little to do from here, Dass had been convinced to take the twins out of hiding already and going back to a peaceful life on a woodland planet would have been impossible. Now they were all going to have to live like most Jedi lived already; in terror.

The planet was a spec and it began to grow slightly larger. They would have to keep some distance until they scanned the area for any of the Sith's pawns. When the coast was clear, Vos went forward and into the murky clouds of the planet of Dathomir. In the back, the twins watched out the windows with interest. This planet looked very much like their own home, but everything seemed to be burdened with mist.

Vos found a clear spot to land and then ordered everyone to stay inside as he made sure no one was there to harm them. The hatch opened and Vos exited with Dass, the twins inside and watching with curiosity.

"Looks clear." Vos said, scanning every direction with a keen eye. "We need to find T'kallya, of the Singing Mountain Clan."

"What do you men know about T'kallya?"

Vos and Jennir turned around to see a tall, tanned woman with fellow warriors surrounding her. "She's a friend of mine, my name is Quinlan Vos, and this is my friend Dass Jennir." Vos replied. "We've come to speak with her."

"Well, that's impossible." The woman replied, her warriors preparing for a fight. "She's been killed. By men from the sky."

"What's going on, Seren? I can't see because of your big head!"

Grabbing his face, Seren pushed Solan away and brought out her lightsaber. "Come on, we've got trouble."