"Proceed with caution...she was a Jedi once," Vader warned.
A battalion of six storm troopers moved stealthily through the crowded market in pursuit of Olee Starstone. Weapons leveled on their shoulders, they scoped the crowds. She was there only a moment ago. But with so many civilians mulling about... it now seemed as though she had disappeared.
Vader would not be pleased.
Suddenly, one of the storm troopers pointed toward a small group. There were two Changrian men, one humanoid male, and Olee.
"There!" storm trooper 679 yelled.
The squad moved in.
Olee tossed her hair aside casually turning toward her friends with a smile on her face. "So, anyway, are we going or not? We can planet hop."
"Fuel prices are higher than ever. It would be a waste of credits," Kippy, the younger of the two Changrians said. "We can stay right here on Boz Pity and party until it's time to go back home.
Olee slipped behind the Changrian, her hands massaging his wimpy shoulders. She pouted. "Awww... what a party pooper you are..."
Suddenly, her old Jedi senses kicked in. She turned as the storm troopers approached, guns in hand. Kippy and the other Changrian, Li jumped behind her. The humanoid, Filli, Olee's boyfriend held tight to one of her hands.
"I told you..." he whispered. "to stay away from Vader. You never listen to me."
Filli and Olee were introduced by her third master, Shyrne. Filli was a part of Jule's smuggling crew. Jule was Shyrne's long lost mother.
For a while Olee resisted Filli's clumbersome flirtations, but after realizing that the Jedi Order was gone for good... at least never to be resurrected in her life time, she gave the young man a chance. And they've been together ever since.
"Is there a problem, officers?" Olee asked.
"You're under arrest," storm trooper 679 said.
"What for? Is having fun against the law these days?"
Filli nudged her. "Play nice, and they might let you go."
"I doubt it," Olee said. "This is Vader's doing."
"You're under arrest for indecency."
"Indecency?" Olee looked around. "Who's indecent? I havent' violated any law."
The storm trooper grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into their group. Twelve hands immediately seized her.
Filli tried to pull her back.
"What do you think you're doing?" He demanded.
Storm trooper 679 swung his rifle, and smacked him across the jaw.
Filli stumbled back, spitting blood from his mouth. He looked ready to pounce on the trooper, but a startled Olee stopped him.
"Don't--" she said. "I'll go..."
Filli looked around. "You can take them, what are you doing?"
Olee shook her head.
"I'm tired of running. If Vader wants me, then I suppose it's time to go."
Olee reached for Filli, their fingers touching. Her eyes softened. "I'll call as soon as I'm out."
Filli looked as though his world had collapsed around him. "If..." he said, then stopped himself from finishing. There was no "if" as far as he was concerned. He would find a way to set her free if the dictator tried to keep her fugitive.
Olee looked back at Filli, as the troopers escorted her back to Vader. She shook her head... "Don't do it," she whispered. I'll be fine."
Filli nodded, watching as she drew nearer to the blackhole in the middle of the market.
Vader sat patiently aboard his Imperial Star Destroyer, facing the holoscreen where Commander Yami fed him line after boring line of about squirmishes and protests that had been squashed by his unit. He was trying his best to impress the Sith Lord, but was failing miserably. Despite his accomplishments, Yami's droning voice nearly put Vader to sleep.
"Enough, Commander. Well done. We will talk of awards and promotions when I return to Base 9."
Yami dared a smile. "Yes, my lord. Any idea as to when I might expect you?"
"I will let you know at that time."
"Yes, my lord. Thank you..."
Vader severed the connection. Yami's chattiness could cost him more than he realized. And he didn't mean a promotion. Squirmish this, squirmish that... Vader had other things on his mind... like Olee Starstone, who had been stowed away in a one bed unit aboard the ship.
Vader composed his thoughts then left the control room for her cabin.
Olee sat on the cold steel floor in a corner of the room, her arms encircling her knees, face in her lap. The steel door slid open bringing a gust of wind inside, followed by a cold black shadow.
Vader stood akimbo, masked head tilted high. His breathing bounced and reverbed against the hollow walls of the room.
Olee's brought her head up to look at him. She stood, and sensed how unsettled he was. Funny she mused... it should be the other way around. His so called confidence is a farce. She hadn't dared to laugh in his face though.
Dusting her knees, she watched him turn his head, and sensed a surge of resentment flow through him.
She put her hands on her hips. "Well, Darth Vader... it seems you've had me arrested for indecency. I'd rather if you had arrested me for being a Jedi."
"Oh, but you are a Jedi no more," he proclaimed. "Is that not what you told me? Or have I reason to believe otherwise?"
He leaned close to her face, a gust of wind blowing her bangs away from her face. Olee crinkled her nose, but did not move. "Is that supposed to scare me? You can do better than that," she huffed.
"Besides..." she ran a hand along the blinking control panel he wore across his chest - and was met with a vice like grip on her arm. The mechanical fingers clamped down, nearly cutting her blood circulation.
Don't touched the panel... she thought. Got it.
He seemed to meet the playful gaze she gave him, the dark black orbs peering down into her face. She sensed, that somewhere inside, he was smiling. Maybe laughing at how easily he flustered her. There was something quite malevolent about it. Suddenly. Olee felt as though a heavy metal ball dropped into her gut. And she swallowed nervously. What was she doing?
"As to my arrest, there's no such indecency law. I am more than appropriately dressed."
"Dressed?" the masked attempted something that sounded like a laugh. "If that's what passes for clothes in the Outer Rim? Then, it is soon to change." And my how she had changed from the uptight librarian he met a year ago. He apprised her attire once more.
...then watched the cynical rise of Olee's brow. "So I'm under arrest for having aroused you, in some manner?"
"Aroused?" What was she talking about? "You are foolish, Padawan, if you think I am so easily tempted. I have little need of lust or desire."
"But is it not out of desire or lust of power that compels you to do what you do to the... Empire?"
He didn't feel like justifying himself to her. HE felt like snuffing the life from the little pixie, now. "I think we know that I refer to fleshly lust and you would be wise not to play mind games with me."
Olee sighed. "How can I be arrested for a law that doesn't exist?"
"It exists now," Vader replied.
He about faced, his cape whirling behind him as he walked toward the door. Olee reached out, grabbing him by the arm.
A touch... she touched him! Vader's breathing was suddenly erratic.
The grip on his arm slowly loosened. Vader turned and pulled her by the collar of her flimsy top and yanked her toward him, as though she were some punk kid who had stolen the caps off the legs of his speeder.Olee stood on her toes in an attempt to meet his height.
"You are playing a very dangerous game, Padawan."
The mask blew a long breath of warm air into her nostrils. Air that smelled of medicine or something like a med-center. Olee smiled.
"I'm not the one whose in danger," she drawled.
"Perhaps, your friend... Filli might disagree."
Vader opened the door, and strode out.