So it's been a very long time since I actually wrote this, but I found it on a back-up disc, read it and tweaked it a little, and here it is for your reading pleasure.

You may have to revisit previous chapters. I certainly couldn't remember what was going on!

I actually have an end planned for this, so it might not be another two and a half years before you get the next chapter. No promises though :)

XXX

The Ebon Hawk settled lightly in its allotted hangar and the roar of her engines whirred and died.

'A perfect landing, even though I say so myself,' said Dustil, sitting back in the pilot's seat and resting his hands behind his head, a satisfied grin on his face. Even after several days, Lera had still not quite got used to seeing him in his father's seat, wearing a familiar expression, with a familiar tone in his voice. It… burned, somehow. It was not a pleasant feeling.

'We're here. What now?' asked Shelya.

'We need to look for information,' said Lera. 'But we need to be careful not to give ourselves away.'

'Being captured would be one way to find out where they're being held,' said Dustil flippantly.

Shelya ignored him. She let her frustration ring out in her tone. 'So what do we do? We can't just wander up to the nearest officer and ask him if he knows where seven thousand Republic soldiers are being held!'

'I've found most information can be found in local cantinas,' said Lera. 'Get a few drinks down a disgruntled soldier and he'll tell you his life story.'

Shelya frowned at her. Ever since their hurried departure something had been troubling her about the older woman. She seemed to know things, to have seen and done things that she shouldn't have. Shelya couldn't explain exactly why, but she was starting to think that perhaps Lera hadn't been a nurse all her life.

XXX

The three humans sat around a table, looking for likely prey. Anybody with rank insignia was dismissed immediately as likely to catch them out. Perhaps if more tentative enquiries didn't reveal anything they could risk approaching an officer. But until then they would play it safe.

But this bar was remarkably free of anyone in any uniform. Lera had been skimming the surface thoughts of the drinkers, but without success.

'It's almost time to call it a night,' she said reluctantly.

'Why? We can stay in bed late tomorrow,' said Shelya. 'It's not like we have anything else to do.'

A bell rang by the bar.

'Last orders,' muttered Dustil. 'I guess that solves that one.'

They walked out into the chilly night air. 'We'll try somewhere else tomorrow,' reassured Lera, sensing the despair in her companions. They didn't yet know just how much rubbish you had to listen to before you got a nugget of useful information. But if we stay here much longer, they'll learn she thought wryly.

The spaceport was only dimly lit. Very few people were around, and those they passed hurried on with their heads down, avoiding eye contact. All legitimate business seemed to have ceased for the night. The walkway to their hangar was completely deserted. Rodent-like vermin scuttled in the shadows.

As they neared their doorway, Dustil grabbed Lera's arm. 'There's someone in there,' he said.

Lera reached out with the Force. 'I don't sense anyone. Are you sure?'

'Positive. The door just closed.'

Lera reached for the vibroblade at her hip. 'Stay behind me, but be ready.'

'Won't we hit you, if we shoot and you're in the way?' asked Shelya tentatively.

Lera smiled in the darkness. The half-light made her face feral and wild, warpaint made of shadows in the hollows of her face. 'Oh, you won't.' She hit the door release and waited a few seconds out of the way, half expecting a hail of blaster fire. None came.

She put her head through cautiously. 'Are you sure it wasn't a droid? There's nobody here.'

Dustil lowered his blaster pistol. 'It could have been, I suppose.'

'Wait!' hissed Shelya. 'By the ramp! Something… shimmered.'

Lera stepped through the gap into the bay lights, revealing herself to any intruder in the bay. 'We know you're there. Show yourself.' She might have looked defenceless, but she gathered her strength in the Force, ready to move on a nanosecond's notice.

On the docking ramp the air crackled blue and a robed figure appeared.

'A Jedi?' whispered Shelya to Dustil.

'Juhani!' cried Lera, running forward. She threw her arms around the Cathar woman and they hugged.

'Lera! I am surprised to see you here, to say the least,' Juhani let go of her hold on her old friend reluctantly. 'I recognised the ship, but I thought perhaps you had sold or loaned her. I wasn't expecting you to come yourself.'

Lera frowned. 'Come inside. You can explain.' This was not a coincidence. There were no coincidences where the Force was involved.

XXX

They sat around the table, cradling mugs of caffa.

'I have come from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant,' said the Cathar stiffly. 'I had a vision. In it, I saw the Fleet captured, and I came to see what I could do.'

'You came alone? With no assistance?' asked Shelya.

'As did you, I noticed,' the Jedi replied dryly.

'We're not here in an official capacity,' explained Dustil.

'Neither am I,' said Juhani sadly. 'I asked for assistance from the Council, but they counselled caution. I felt that it could not wait.'

'Sounds familiar,' murmured Lera.

'I am surprised to find you here. In my vision you remained on Narula.' There was a question in Juhani's eyes, but whatever it was, it remained unvoiced.

Lera shrugged. 'I had a… change of heart. I'm glad you're here. We can pool our resources. Have you discovered where they are being held?'

'No. My vision showed that the majority of them are alive. But then, I saw that you remained behind, so I no longer trust its accuracy.' Again Lera saw questions unasked, but Juhani seemed reluctant to ask them in company.

'You can help us search tomorrow. I bet with two Jedi we'll find them in no time.' Dustil yawned suddenly. 'G'night, all.'

Shelya ran off after him. Out of sight of the older women she caught his arm and hissed 'Two Jedi?'

'Lera was… is a Jedi. Come in. I'll tell you the story.' Most of the story, he silently corrected. It was up to Lera to tell her the whole truth.

XXX

Juhani watched them go. 'I understand how Jolee always felt now. The young, always rushing around…'

Lera scowled. 'We're not old.'

'I feel it, sometimes. But I suppose staying in one place too long will do that to you.' Juhani leaned back in her chair, stretching her spine out, then relaxed.

Lera turned away. This was cutting too close to the bone. 'It's been a long time, Juhani.'

The Cathar winced. The last time they had seen each other had been on Coruscant, shortly after the battle on the Star Forge. Despite promises to visit, they had drifted out of touch. This was not solely because of the distance, but also the awkwardness that had grown between them after Carth had blurted out his feelings for Lera before all their companions only an hour or so after Lera had rejected Juhani's shy advance.

'I do not bear a grudge,' said the Cathar, seeming to read Lera's thoughts. Her voice held the serene tone only a Jedi could master. 'I understand that there were too many negative emotions for us both to bear. In retrospect, things have turned out for the best.'

Lera shook her head. 'Forgive me if I do not agree right now.'

'The only way you will ever be content is to let go of your emotions,' said Juhani.

'I need my emotions and my instincts. These days, they know better than I what I have to do,' said Lera flatly.

Juhani recoiled. 'You do not mean that. You cannot have changed so much.'

Lera smiled humourlessly, staring off into the shadows. 'Juhani, Juhani. I seem to have spent my life always changing in some way. Sometimes it was for the best. Sometimes it wasn't. As always, I'm going to make the best of the hand I have been dealt.' She met Juhani's shocked stare for the first time during her speech. Her eyes seemed to glow above the darkness that ringed them. 'Whatever that takes.'

Juhani steepled her fingers before her lips. Lera could see the emotions warring to be heard behind the Jedi woman's calm façade, but the Cathar hardened her heart to them. 'You have strayed a long way from the path of the Jedi, it's true. But it's never too late to come back. You can always be redeemed. A wise woman taught me that.' She put on a warmer tone at this last statement, obviously hoping this small reminder of their shared past would bring Lera out of her malaise.

'I have done nothing wrong. I have no need for redemption.'

'Not yet,' said Juhani quietly. 'But there is still time. There's always time. The only constant in the universe is change. Hmm. Perhaps this will help.' She reached into the folds of her robe and took out a silver cylinder. She placed it on the table before Lera.

'My lightsaber.' Lera reached out, but took her hand away before she could close her fingers around the familiar hilt. 'I thought you weren't expecting me.'

'I carry it with me always,' replied Juhani. 'It helps me stay focussed. Perhaps it will do the same for you.'

XXX

Juhani sprawled against the bar beside two mercenary soldiers. She had changed her robes for civilian clothing so that she would blend in. She had also taken her braids out of their usual tight ponytail, softening her face and making her appear less threatening. Lera had tried to persuade her to use the Force on her marks, but so far Juhani had resisted. The Jedi was not comfortable with Lera's seemingly carefree attitude to manipulating others with the Force, although she had mastered a look of wide-eyed innocence.

The two soldiers were verbally sparring with each other for Juhani's attention.

'Maybe, but that time on training in the mountains I bagged four droids. How many did you get? That's right. One.' Farrar sat back, proud of himself.

His friend Lorr grinned. 'Yeah, but who was it got a commendation for taking down those Republic bastards? While, as I recall, you got stuck on babysitting duty while they were all unconscious. Obviously the Benaari military know a good soldier when they see one.'

Farrar scowled. 'Don't even mention that. I had to haul hundreds of them on loaders from the transport down into those caves. My back was killing me.' Suddenly aware that he was losing in the macho stakes, he cleared his throat and changed tack. 'Of course, I was ready for them to wake up. Could have taken twelve of them, by myself.'

Juhani shuddered attractively. 'I do not like caves. They are dark and cold.'

'Not these caves,' said Farrar. 'Used to be a big military place, until the General took over. He sent all the troops to space to man the ships.'

'But what if they escape?' asked Juhani, faking fear admirably. 'There are so many - they could kill us all!'

'Don't worry about that, my pretty,' said Lorr, feeling that Farrar was gaining the upper hand. 'There's plenty of guards and droids. They're not going anywhere. Even if they did get out of the base, there's at least a hundred miles of jungle between them and us.'

Juhani beamed. 'That's a relief. I feel much safer now.'

XXX

Lera watched from a discreet distance. She nursed a drink almost an hour old.

'Benaari ale tastes worse when it gets warm,' said the bartender. 'Want a cold one?'

Lera wordlessly handed the warm glass back, and took the colder one.

'Thank you.'

'Just doing my job.' The bartender was about to turn back to his duties, but there was something reassuring about this quiet woman. She seemed like someone a man could talk to about his troubles. He should talk to her. He would feel better.

'You look like an offworlder,' he said, leaning against the bar. Let the boys take care of the orders for a minute. He'd earned himself a little break.

'You're right.' She was looking up at him. He had her full attention.

'Not many offworlders around at the moment. They upped and left when the General took power. We depended on trade from the Republic, and it's all dried up now.' He waved a hand at the half-empty shelves behind the bar. 'The local brew is good, but it gets tired after a while.'

'There's always someone willing to make a delivery for you.'

'Time was, if you tried that, you got away with a small fine. Now, if you disobey the General's orders, you disappear.' The bartender shook his head. Everybody knew someone who had disappeared. 'In the beginning, there were rallies. Protests at the General's methods. But the ringleaders were rounded up. Soon, most of the people who were there had received visits from the military. Some of us got away with just this.' He raised his sleeve, showing her the long laser burn on the soft skin of his forearm. 'I'd like to think some of the others have made it out of the system, but part of me knows that's not true.'

The woman looked sad. 'I'm sorry. You must have had close friends among them.'

'My daughter.' The barkeeper looked away. Though he felt he could trust this woman, he did not want to talk about this to anyone. 'Now, if you'll excuse me…'

Lera watched him go sadly. The Republic newscasts would be talking about falling revenues and loss of trade disrupting economies if they mentioned this incident at all. Nobody out there wanted to hear about someone else's personal tragedies. And because of that, nobody would ever care that lives were being ruined here. It made her sad, but more than that, it made her angry.

XXX

Juhani smiled, though after an hour of listening to the two mercenaries boast it was more than a little forced. 'Excuse me, I will be back in a moment.'

She walked around the bar to where the ladies' room was. Lera intercepted her and they headed out of the door.

Juhani rubbed at her arms as if brushing dirt off. 'Next time, you can fish for information.'

'But you were doing such a good job of it! Did you find anything out?'

'Do we have maps of the area on the Hawk?'

'We have the sensor scans from when we landed. Will they do?'

'Probably.'

XXX

Juhani marked off the landmarks the soldiers had mentioned on the holodisplay. Lera watched, staying quiet and trying not to distract her.

'There are two possibilities. One is here, the other here.' Juhani tapped two areas. They were each a hundred miles from the city, in opposite directions. Lera groaned. 'I think this is the most likely of the two. We know they are in a military base. There is a small village nearby, whereas the other is fully in the wilderness. I think the village might be a supply station. We'll buy a speeder from somewhere and set out tomorrow. We could be there in two hours, three at most.'

Lera shook her head. 'I think stealth is our best option. We'll never get a speeder through that terrain. We'd have to fly above the treetops. And even they somehow didn't see us or hear us coming, their sensors will detect the engine signature.'

'So we walk?' Juhani sounded dismayed. 'It will take at least four days in that terrain. And if we have chosen the wrong location, we will be delayed even longer.'

'Better to be delayed than never arrive at all.'

'I do not think Shelya will be pleased with that.'

'With what?' asked Shelya. She and Dustil appeared in the doorway. They both looked more than a little annoyed.

'She's never pleased with anything. She should be used to it by now,' said Dustil.

'Don't take that tone with me,' snapped Shelya. 'You're the one who insisted on going into that stupid club. It was so loud I couldn't hear myself think!'

'That was good music! I got some of it on a pad to take home with us. Those guys are going to be big!'

'That was music? That officer could have been offering to take me right to the soldiers and I wouldn't have known.'

'Believe me, he wasn't about to take you there.'

'Well, you had to step in. Now we'll never know.'

Juhani held up her hands for calm. This argument was getting a little too heated for someone used to the company of calm Jedi. 'No matter. We think we know where the base is. We will buy supplies and leave tomorrow.'