Chapter 4

A few days later, Shiro and the group hid in a corner of the town square. They watched the crowds gather for the Charity Parade of Ord Mantell.

Lately, the quality of this annual celebration had noticeably deteriorated. The streets were dirtier and there were fewer floats than there had once been. But not too many people complained. A good amount of people still showed up to wave at Senator Mox Hero as his float rode by. Senator Hero had tried hard to better the image of Ord Mantell, which was not an easy thing to do. For the longest time, Ord Mantell's major use in the galaxy was as a huge junkyard for all the military scrap left behind from cruisers and other implements of war. The skies were darkened from toxic smog and many of the buildings were put together from the large amount of scrap lying around. Because of this, few people came there, fearful of toxicity, unless they were trying to hide something. Despite the senator's best efforts, the planet was still a gathering place for crime and corruption. The senator had other things to worry about though. Because he had tried to block the amount of Imperial personnel on the planet and because of his refusal to pay a substantial tribute to the Empire in the last month, he was unknowingly scheduled to be assassinated at this parade. Shiro and his group were there to stop the assassination attempt and capture the assassin.

Shiro had little concern for the senator. He was more interested in simply confronting the assassin sent after him. It had been a long time since he had seen one of his fellow younglings. He remembered how Alexia had rushed at the Clone Troopers with fury. He realized they had anger in common. When the Troopers had fired at her, he had thought her dead. And now, to think of her made into a pawn for the Empire. He knew that was a horrible fate. He had to save her, if he could.

Shiro looked around at the buildings, adjusting his goggles to focus in. Then he realized there was only one way to tell where Alexia was. Shiro took off his goggles, closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force to find the presence of Alexia. He quickly found it about a block away. He wondered if she had sensed him too.

He spoke to Alanna and the group. "The parade float of Mox Hero will be drawing near soon. She is close. I sense that she is determined and well armed. She will not give up without a fight... like me."

Frell sniffed the air. "Oh, Force! We're in over our heads." Being a Mandalorian, he could tell when trouble was brewing. Unlike Amelie, however, Frell was more conservative and tried to avoid trouble if he could. But when he couldn't, it was best to stay out of his path.

Shiro nodded and then opened his eyes. He could hear the parade music starting and the parade approaching. "We haven't much time. There! Hurry!"

Shiro took off like a shot. Alanna and the group struggled to keep up with him. Alanna looked up at the building Shiro ran towards. She could faintly see a figure in the window, lining up the scope on her rifle. As she ran, Alanna quickly converted her blaster to rifle mode and attempted to aim at the building. She fired. The blast shook the building. The parade had already started, so no people noticed. They merely thought it was one of the intended cannon blasts that were being set off as part of the show. Alanna suddenly regretted her decision. Now Alexia was sure to know that they were coming. She reconverted her blaster back to normal.

Shiro entered the building and ran up the stairs, with Alanna and Amelie close behind. He kicked open a door and ran into a room. Alexia turned around to face him.

Shiro's eyes were maddened. "Alexia! The spark. Everybody tells go to hell. The wind talks when you're all alone."

Alexia moved back in fear. "Get away from me! I don't want to hurt you, Shiro."

Alanna arrived at the top of the staircase and aimed her blaster at Alexia.

Frell put a hand up. "Don't fire."

Alanna nodded.

Shiro kept his eyes focused on Alexia. This was what Mulann was afraid of. Shiro was having one of his mad fits and this was the worst time for him to freak out. It would cause more violence than was necessary.

Shiro moved slowly across the room. "Friends go squirming, and then lay still. It's not enough. You can't just watch, you have to see." He paused then ignited his lightsaber.

"Shiro!" Mulann called out. "Shiro, calm yourself! Don't give in to the madness! Don't listen to Crow! Remember, you came here to help Alexia!"

Shiro shook his head and looked back at Alexia. "Alexia, you've got to come with us. We'll break the hold. No more mind games, no more mind. Have to cut it out. I will not stop until."

Amelie nudged Alanna. "Things don't look good. Alexia is bound by her programming as well."

Alexia cringed and moved farther back. She was paralyzed with fear. She knew Shiro was far more powerful than her. And she knew he was unstable. "No! Shiro, what happened to you? Did the Jedi screw up your mind?"

Shiro frowned. He realized that, from a certain point of view, there was some truth in her words. "Yes," he answered. "But your friend, Palpatine, made things ten times worse. Too much deep inside me. A fun, funny game. They lie. They lie!" He looked uncertain. "Should I let go? Maybe show the dark? Time to go back?"

Alexia nodded. "Yes, Melkior's here to get you to do just that. Please, Shiro…"

Shiro continued towards Alexia, holding out his shaking hands. He was trying hard to keep cool. "Alexia, you're a drone. You need help. We can make it stop. I know how. Come with us or... or... Oh, frack!"

Shiro shook violently all over. Crow was screaming in his mind. "She has betrayed her honor! She's one of them! Make her suffer! Kill her! Show her the fate of those who serve your enemies!"

Shiro growled and tried in vain to fight. "No way out!"

Suddenly Shiro ran at Alexia. Alexia ignited her blade and struck at Shiro. Shiro countered violently and the two blades clashed together with fury. Soon, Alexia was no longer attacking but was struggling with all her might to defend herself. She had not expected so much fury from Shiro. Shiro bristled with hate. He was feeding off his hatred for himself, what the Empire had turned him into, and what they had done to Alexia. Fighting her was like fighting that other, darker part of himself.

Mulann tried to separate them, but Shiro pushed her back. He slammed his lightsaber up against Alexia's, pressing her against the wall.

"Stop being a puppet!" he yelled.

Alexia pleaded, "I can't!"

The two combatants were moving fast around the whole room. Alanna realized there was no chance of a clean shot and backed out of the way of the fight. Shiro pushed his blade up against Alexia's.

Alexia was about to give up hope. "Kill me!" she exclaimed. "You'd be doing me a favor. I hate serving Tarkin!"

Alanna yelled, "Shiro, we don't have time for this right now!" She looked at the others. "Ame, Frell, come on! Help me restrain them!" She moved toward the duelists.

Alexia was losing the fight. Suddenly her blade went out. Shiro had deactivated it with the Force. Shiro lunged to a kill stance and was about to slice Alexia. Alexia closed her eyes and winced.

"Shiro, no!" Mulann called out.

Shiro stopped mid-strike, wavering. He looked down at Alexia and saw his old friend. The scared girl in the temple. The bold girl who had lunged at the Clone Troopers. Shiro couldn't move. Alanna jumped and knocked him down, to make sure. Shiro rolled on the ground and deactivated his lightsaber and holstered it to his belt. Everyone let out a deep sigh of relief.

Shiro looked at Alexia. He spread his hand in her direction. She was knocked over by the Force.

Shiro stood up. He had recovered from the spell. He spoke to the others, "Grab her." They ran over and shackled Alexia with cortosis cuffs. "Stun her. We'll take her to the ship."

Alanna held Alexia down. She struggled and cried out, "No! No! Let me go!"Alanna grabbed her blaster to stun Alexia, but she saw it needed recharging.

Shiro came up to Alexia and passed his hand over her face. "No more mind." Alexia fell unconscious.

Amelie helped Alanna pick up Alexia. "Alanna, this is one of Governor Tarkin's right hands."

Alanna nodded. "A good catch."

Shiro cocked his head to the side. "She is like me. What I might become." He looked over at Alanna. "Call the ship."

The group hustled through the crowded streets, carrying Alexia. They moved through the back alleys, looking every way.

"The ship will be here soon!" Alanna said.

Not soon enough. The sound of a rocket pack was heard and Drakk Menace descended to ground in front of them. He took out his double-blade vibro-sword and held it extended towards the group.

Menace grinned and said, "Going somewhere, Ame?"

Amelie gritted her teeth. "You!"

Shiro stopped and looked at Menace. "Bad daddy! Needs a caning!"

Menace looked over at Shiro and nodded. "Shiro, care to make this easy on yourself?"

Amelie fired her blaster. "When will you just die?"

Menace blocked the blaster bolt with ease. "You first!" He lunged towards Amelie with his double-blade. Amelie ducked out of the way of the slashing move. Menace sliced Amelie's blaster in half.

Shiro began to shake. "No! No! Not again! Stop! Get out of my brain!"

Alanna looked around and saw a crowd gathering around them. "Shiro," she said, "Keep it together."

Shiro ignited his saber. He twirled it in the air around him. He looked at Menace madly. "Wanna have a go?"

The crowd ran in fear of the fight. People were stepping over each other.

For a second, Menace actually looked scared. Then he looked over at Alanna and said, "Hey, bounty hunter. You care about profit, like me. Turn Shiro over to the Black Sun. You know they'll make it worth your while. This boy will only bring you trouble. He'll get you killed sooner or later. Make the smart decision."

Amelie looked over at Alanna. "Alanna, don't listen to him."

Alanna glanced around at the crowd running. She knew Stormtroopers would probably be there soon. Alanna looked at Shiro and Amelie uncertainly. For a moment, her resolve wavered.

Menace grinned. "Better hurry up and decide. We don't have much time."

Alanna looked back at Menace with a determined gaze. "I won't betray my employer. I've made my choice. You're not getting Shiro."

Menace frowned, "Wrong answer."

Amelie and Alanna smiled at each other. Amelie pulled out a curved vibro-knife and jumped on Menace. Menace yelled, reached up and clawed at Amelie's face, cutting her cheek. Amelie screamed and Menace threw Amelie off his back to the ground. Shiro ran up and engaged Menace with his lightsaber. Alanna gave Alexia to Frell and Mulann, pulled out her own knife and ran at Menace. Menace detached his vibroblades from each other and fought all three of Alanna, Amelie, and Shiro at the same time.

Menace kicked both Shiro and Amelie to the ground. He crossed his blades and pointed them at Alanna, scissor style. "Give me the boy!" he hissed.

"Never!" Alanna said.

Amelie rose up from the ground, pulled out an extra blaster and she and Frell fired at Menace's hands, disarming him. Menace fell to his knees. Amelie went up to Menace, held her blaster to his head, and said, "Time to finish the job. Any last words, Menace?"

Menace looked up at the group defiantly, "You fools! This aint over! The Black Sun doesn't give up! Neither does the Empire! You should know that by now, Amelie!" Menace swiped them out of the way and grabbed his vibro-blades. The jets on Menace's rocket pack flared. "I'll be back," he said and he rocketed into the sky.

Amelie made a futile attempt at a parting shot.

Alanna sighed, "Well, he got away… again."

Frell heard a noise and turned around. He saw a large group of Stormtroopers running toward them.

"Stop them!" a trooper yelled.

"Uh, guys!" Frell yelled at the group. "I think we should be going!"

Alanna and the group looked at the approaching troopers and gasped in fear.

Mulann heard a loud humming and looked up at the sky. "Look!" she cried out.

The Levana landed right beside the group. Alanna grabbed Alexia. Shiro, Mulann, and she ran in the ship while Amelie and Frell covered them and then ran in as well. The Levana took off as the troopers fired at it.

Alanna took Alexia toward her cell. This cell was the cell she had specifically designed for housing Jedi, with cortosis wall linings to isolate Force powers. She and Mulann cuffed Alexia, who was starting to awaken, down.

Frell came in and said, "Alanna, Shiro wishes to speak with you alone."

Alanna nodded. "Thanks."

"Hey, Amelie says that she and I better go back to our ship, the Star Searcher. Just drop us off at the landing site and we'll follow you to wherever you are going."

"Sounds good."

When the others had stepped out of the cell, she locked it. She went to the cockpit and set the auto-pilot on a course toward the location of the Star Searcher. Then she walked toward the game room. She found Shiro sitting akimbo and at a console.

"What are you doing?" Alanna asked.

Shiro responded without turning around, "I've just typed in the code to deprogram Alexia and I'm broadcasting the signal over the Imperial net. It should quickly deprogram Alexia's chip. She should be back to normal in thirty mynots."

Shiro spun his chair around to face Alanna. "Alanna, good work back there. Quick decision making. I'm impressed."

Alanna quirked her eyebrow. "Even though I had to knock you down?"

"I was out of my senses. You did the right thing for the moment. I might have hurt someone."

Alanna sighed deeply and took a seat. "It is nice to see that you have returned to your senses."

"In fact, I think I did almost hurt someone. How is Alexia?"

"She's still out, and in the Force containment cell. She should wake soon however."

"I want to explain something to you. When I nearly killed Alexia, that was Crow taking over. The program is a link to the dark side of the Force. Crow tells me to do things. Bad things."

Alanna took a deep breath and hissed air in through her teeth. "J'katha! Those Imperials don't mess around."

"I guess you have to keep an eye on me. I can fight it off most of the time but when I get upset or tense or enraged it can take over."

Alanna chuckled slightly. "Good thing I can set my blaster to stun then."

"Stun may not be enough sometimes."

Alanna paused for a moment thoughtfully. "Maybe you need to see Marik sooner rather than later."

"You're right. We need to get to Marik. I need training. I need help. Let us go to Wayland."

Alanna nodded. "I'll contact him and let him know we are heading that way." Shiro turned back toward the computer. While he continued using the main computer, Alanna moved to the communication unit and began to attempt to contact Marik.

Shiro looked over at Alanna and said, "Thanks for stopping me, Alanna. With your help maybe I can beat this."

Alanna and Shiro both smiled at each other. Later, the Levana and the Star Searcher were on their way through hyperspace, headed for both Wayland and Shiro's "brother," Marik.