Chapter 2

There was a moment of silence.

The Jedi stared with soft eyes and gave a kind smile. "It's nice to meet you, Kaissy. I do realize you are hesitant to answer my other question.

Kaissy gave him an embarrassed look and stayed silent. She hung her head down at the cold pavement to hide her expression then let her eyes trail back up to his.

"Well, my name is Rowe."

Kaissy picked her head back up. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Rowe."

They sat in another long moment of silence.

"Kaissy, where are your parents?"

"Why do you ask?" She questioned not wanting to admit the truth. She had always found it hard to accept.

"Well, don't you think your parents will be worried when they discover you are not with them?"

"No," she answered in a small voice.

"No?" He questioned. "Well why not?"

Kaissy looked back over toward the river for a moment then turned her attention back to Rowe. "It doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?" Rowe questioned in a confused tone. "Just why doesn't it matter?"

Kaissy turned her head away from the Jedi once more. "Be-because it doesn't. Ok?" Kaissy let a tear slip down her cheek.

Rowe looked at her with a fatherly gaze. "Let me help you. What happened?"

"Let's just say this is not exactly the best neighborhood to live in. You hear 'bout them all the time, but you never expect it to happen to you or those you love." Kaissy admitted. She turned her face to the Jedi, who face said he understood.

"Then who takes care of you, young one?" He got to his feet and offered her a helping hand.

She refused the hand and stood up herself. "No one, I look out for myself."

"Come with me then, Kaissy. I can help you."

She shook her head. "I need to go before that man comes back.. But thank you. For all that you've done, truly." She bowed to him in thanks.

Rowe was taken aback. "A-are you sure, young one?"

Kaissy nodded. "Yes, thank you, again."

She walked away from the seen. Passing under lights and back into the darkness the city lamps couldn't even illuminate, Kaissy let her mind wonder as she walked toward the spaceport. Numerous questions bounced about in her brain. Where did Rowe come from? What was a Jedi doing on Nar Shadda? Why did he take so much interest in me? Step after step, she wondered where the answers lie.

Kaissy turned the corner into the ally way across the spaceport. "Finally." She mumbled to herself. Kaissy lay on the ground in the front of the ally and closed her eyes. She listened to the night wind, the sound of the city, and the growling of her stomach.

Kaissy wondered what she would do about water and food tomorrow. Will I be forced to steal again? Or will I decide to go hungry tomorrow? She sighed and tried to push the noise away. Living not knowing if she would have to committee a crime to eat drove her crazy and she hated taking from others what was not rightfully hers. But to survive on the Hutt controlled Nar Shadda, she realized one must sometimes do what one doesn't want to.

She counted herself among the lucky of the unlucky. Those tangled with the Hutt gangs sometimes were forced to kill for the Hutt lords or be food for the pets. Kaissy pushed those thoughts aside and drifted off into sleep. Save tomorrow's problems for tomorrow.

Pondering over the day's events, Rowe strolled through the sleeping city. Questions surrounded his thoughts as he looked into the night sky, of which only a handful of stars appeared. A blast of cold wind blew through his neatly trimmed hair. He pushed the discomfort of the cold aside and continued on his walk.

He thought about friends he had gained and lost. Some he lost due to the war a few years back. Others he lost because they decided to go their different ways.

Rowe turned the corner into the square in front of the spaceport. He paused and faced a small breeze making its way through one of the allies. The peaceful man froze when a small curled figure in the dark caught his eye. He recognized this child.

"Kaissy?" He mumbled into the ally. It had to be her. It seemed where ever he went today, she was destined to save her, whether it be from a Sith or the night cold. "What are you doing sleeping in a place like this?" He whispered as he walked down to Kaissy's side. He reached out to Kaissy with his strong right hand and his left reached to take down the hood of his cloak. His hand froze in place when the girl's eyes fluttered open with fear.

Kaissy's survival instincts started to kick in. Who is wondering down this alley? She could feel the presence of a person. Her adrenalin started to course itself through her body. Her eyes fluttered open with fear. Her vision may have been cloudy from just waking, but she knew where the intruder was. Moving with lightning fast speed, she kicked him square in the chest and sent him to the ground. With what seemed like one motion, Kaissy stood and rushed out of the ally.

Rowe slowly sat back up. "Quite a kick," he grunted to Kaissy, but she was long gone before he had even gotten off his back. "Kaissy?" He called after her. "Kaissy?" He yelled louder once more.