Chapter Three:

Eliza felt as though she had stopped breathing and that everything else had stopped as well. She still stared at the petite woman before her. She felt her head spin and Kit quickly joined her side. He attempted to move her away but for some reason Eliza stayed where she was. She felt compelled to do or say something though her brain didn't allow it.

'Padawan, we must leave, now,' Kit said firmly.

He took hold of her arm gently and led her away from the woman who still held Eliza's hand. Once the contact was broken Eliza realised herself from Kit's grip. 'I ... I need to speak with her,' she said, rounding on him.

'No,' said Kit, his voice tight. 'The Council do not want this to happen. They told me to keep you away from your family. We must go now.'

'Why didn't you tell me?' asked Eliza, almost outraged. 'I already knew this was my home planet. Why let me even come back here?'

'Because Master Yoda thought it best,' explained Kit.

'Well, he made a mistake then, didn't he?' she retorted.

'Padawan!' said Kit moving closer to her. 'Stop this now. We are leaving.'

Eliza looked back to her mother and despite her better judgement; she walked away and followed her Master. She knew talking with her family was not allowed and it was frowned heavily upon by the Council. She knew family were not always forbidden to a Jedi but having any contact with them was greatly discouraged.

'Elysabeth,' the woman whispered again.

Eliza kept on walking away. She closed her eyes. Her chest felt tight but she pushed through her pain and continued on her path. They arrived at the Kordaye family home quickly and Eliza looked behind her but the woman she thought to be her mother was gone. Eliza turned back in time to see the door open.

A young looking Twi'lek opened the door she looked between Eliza and Kit in shock. 'M-may I help you?' she asked nervously.

'We are here to speak with the Kordaye family,' said Kit politely. 'We have been sent by the Jedi Council.'

'Oh, very well, please come in,' she said stepping to the side. 'I will take you to them.'

They stepped inside the large house and were taken into a spacious kitchen. The family appeared to be sitting down to a meal. The young Twi'lek approached the older male in the house and bowed her head to him.

'Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt,' she started as the man turned to look at her. 'There are two Jedi here that wish to speak with you.'

The man stood up and looked behind his servant. 'Take them into the sitting room and inform them that I will join them shortly.'

She bowed again and turned back to Eliza and Kit. 'The Master would like you to wait for him in to the sitting room. Please, follow me.'

Kit nodded and they both followed down a large hallway until they reached the end and turned into the sitting room. Eliza moved away from Kit as she walked to the window and glanced outside. Kit looked at her and watched. He could sense her longing now. It had turned stronger.

The silence remained between them. Kit knew Eliza wasn't interested in talking, especially to him. He hadn't meant to be hard on her but he had to. Kit knew the Council probably was mistaken in allowing her to return here and maybe it would be painful but Kit held the hope that perhaps it would be better in the long run.

'Padawan,' said Kit quietly. 'Are you feeling alright?'

'Yes,' Eliza replied in a tight voice. It was clear she didn't want to talk.

They stayed in silence until the man of this household joined them. Kit waited but he did not speak. 'I would like the rest of your family here,' said Kit kindly.

'Why?' asked the man gruffly.

'Because it involves them as well,' Kit replied pleasantly.

The servant behind him understood the message and she retrieved the rest of the family. Once they were settled, Eliza moved and stood beside Kit. 'You are Adame Kordaye, I presume,' said Kit looking at the man still.

'Yes,' he said hoarsely. 'And this is my wife, Pavarti and my two children, Leonora and Jaxson.'

Eliza looked them over. Adame was a tall, and slender Zabrak though with a strong looking build. His long, black hair reached his waist and framed his face. The horns on his head were large and protruded far. Pavarti was a pretty woman. She was plump and short but had a kind and soft face. Her light brown hair was tied up and she pressed her hands together nervously as she looked at the Jedi.

Their two children sat down on one of the sofas and Eliza noticed Leonora staring at her. Eliza realised that she and Leonora were very close in age. She looked back at Leonora. She was pretty. The tattoos on her face were bright blue and they extended down to her neck. She also had very light brown hair and her brown eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked around.

Eliza quickly looked to the son next. He was younger than his sister. His hair was dark and his horns were still growing in. His tattoos resembled his father's. He didn't meet either Kit's or Eliza's eyes at any time. Eliza frowned at him but quickly turned her attention to Adame.

'Good to meet you,' said Kit politely. 'Ceza Michqa has informed my Padawan and I of your situation with the Jode family and we have been sent by the Jedi Council to settle this dispute peacefully.'

'And how to do plan on doing that?' asked Adame loudly. 'We have tried with that family and nothing good has come of it.'

'We have already spoken with the Jode family,' said Kit quickly. 'And they have said the only way to settle is to have the marriage go ahead.'

'NO WAY,' said Leonora, her voice bouncing off the walls. 'I am not marrying him!'

'Horus Jode claims that you love him,' said Eliza gently.

'That is beside the point,' said Leonora, her voice a little calmer. 'I don't want myself or my family to be joined with that family when they cannot even agree on simple things.'

'You left,' said Eliza quickly. 'Why not get married then? Why did you vanish and turn up a year later?'

Kit glanced at Eliza but said nothing. Leonora stood up and approached Eliza. She flinched slightly but did not move away. Leonora's eyes looked Eliza up and down and she sneered slightly.

'Being a Jedi, you could not possible understand,' she sneered. 'You don't know what love is, things here are more complicated than you realise.'

'Then why not explain and make them clear,' said Eliza softly.

Pavarti moved forwards and moved her daughter back. Leonora seemed to hiss and Pavarti quickly let go of her. She moved back to the couch and sat beside her brother again. Jaxson was looking down at the floor between his knees and still avoided everyone's eye.

The room turned silent. No one seemed to want to explain what was going on. 'So, why did you vanish on the day of your wedding?' asked Kit.

Leonora sighed heavily and she looked at Kit and kept eye contact as she spoke. 'I spoke with Horus the night before the wedding, it's forbidden, I know but I had to know that he loved me and would accept my family for who they were. But ... he didn't seem able to. He said once we were married, I would move with him and my family would have no more part of our lives. I didn't like that. We argued and I stormed out. I was surprised to hear he even showed up for the wedding.'

'And where did you go?' asked Kit next.

'I went and stayed with other family,' Leonora explained calmly. 'My aunt, my mother's sister, took me in. She asked no questions.'

'Why wasn't she at the wedding?' asked Eliza almost hesitantly.

Eliza watched Adame turn away but he said nothing. Leonora sighed again. 'Father does not get along with her, so she wasn't invited. She wasn't upset with me about it, just father. She told no one I was staying with her.'

'You do not want to marry him?' asked Kit, making sure he had it correct.

Leonora kept her eyes on Kit and she shrugged. 'I am not sure. I would still like to be with him as I still have feelings but I will not be kept from my family by anyone.'

'Then we shall tell him,' said Kit.

He gestured to his Padawan, they bowed to the family and left together. They made their way back to the Jode family with Aileen's help again. Kit thought it rude to dismiss her now. Eliza stood close to Kit as they walked. There were a few things she wanted to know.

'Master,' she started slowly. 'Isn't this sort of thing below a Jedi?'

'Nothing is below are Jedi,' said Kit. 'We help people and that is what we are doing.'

'But it's trivial,' stated Eliza. 'Why should we have to deal with this sort of thing?'

'This situation is already getting out of hand and that could lead to a war between two communities and it could possibly encourage others to join in and help one side. We cannot allow that to happen. We must settle this peacefully,' said Kit firmly.

Eliza took a deep breath but said nothing. As they made the rest of the way in silence, Eliza's thoughts turned back to her family. She felt torn, conflicted. Isn't there something I can do? She wondered why she couldn't meet them. Would it really be that bad?

They reached the Jode family home once again but things seemed different. Kit stopped and Eliza gradually stopped also. She looked to him, wondering what he felt.

'Something is wrong,' muttered Kit.

'I feel it too, Master,' said Eliza immediately.

They both took their lightsabers from their belts and ignited them. The front door of the Jode family home was wide open and the top hinge was broken. Eliza followed Kit into the house and they immediately searched the entire home. There was no one around.

'Master,' breathed Eliza heavily. 'What do you think happened?'

'I do not know,' he replied faintly. 'Split up and we'll each have another look around, alone.' He then looked to their guide, Aileen. 'Return to Ceza and inform him to send a warning to other communities. It may have already been too late to call us.'

Aileen nodded. Her face was full of panic and she quickly set off for the town centre. Kit looked back to Eliza. 'We should look around.'

Eliza nodded and started instantly. She looked for anything that could give them a clue as to what happened. Near the end of her search Eliza found herself at the back door. Why didn't we look out the back? She opened the back door and held her lightsaber in her hand firmly, keeping it in front of her. The grass was tall but Eliza could still see over it. She continued walking.

She moved cautiously past old children's toys and a small bicycle. Eliza soon stopped in her tracks, her sense of something being wrong felt stronger out here in the backyard. Eliza carefully looked around and noticed a smear of red across the white back wall of the house. Eliza walked over to it and looked closely. It was blood. She continued past the smear and noticed drops on the ground and her eyes followed the trail.

Her eyes widened as a body came to sight. She looked towards the back door. 'Master,' she called loudly.

Within seconds Kit joined her and he too saw the body. They approached together cautiously, knowing that the person who did this could be still here, watching them. Kit bent down to check the body on the ground. After a moment, Kit shook his head. He stood up and rolled the person over onto their back.

Eliza let out a small gasp. It was Ardree Jode. Kit gave her a grim look. 'He's dead,' he whispered. 'And he's body is still warm so I'm guessing this only happen very recently.' Eliza looked away from the body. He was much too young. Kit approached Eliza and looked down at her.

'Do not let this anger you,' he whispered quietly. 'You could not have known that this would happen, no one could have.'

Eliza nodded. She knew that but somehow it didn't help. She wanted to know who was responsible and right now, she had a pretty good idea of who it was. 'What do we do now?' asked Eliza, trying to get her mind onto something, anything else.

'I will return to the central office and speak with Ceza and I want you to return to the ship and send a message to the council,' he ordered sternly. 'Tell them to send back-up immediately if possible.'

'Yes, Master,' said Eliza, without argument. She nodded her head once to him and left quickly. Kit watched her for a moment before leaving also.

Eliza reached the ship quickly and she opened up the communications. She sent a signal to the Jedi and it was picked up almost instantly. She faced Yoda, Mace and a few others of the Council. She bowed to them but they spoke first.

'Padawan Linth,' said Mace quickly. 'Where is Master Fisto?'

'Masters, Master Fisto has gone to speak with the leader of all tribes once again and he wanted me to send a message to the Council,' she replied politely. 'He wanted to know if getting back-up here is possible at this moment.'

'Why, what has happened, young Padawan?' asked Eeth Koth, a small amount of alarm showing on his face.

'We spoke with both families and attempted to get a treaty in place, something they could both agree on so we could settle it peacefully but on the way back to the Jode family home we discovered it empty. They seemed to have left in a hurry and we don't quite know what happened and we found the youngest Jode child dead in the backyard. We do not know who killed him yet. Master believes the situation can no longer be contained and that back-up may be needed,' Eliza explained as quickly as possible.

The Jedi Masters momentarily looked at each. 'We shall send people immediately.'

Eliza bowed to them and once they disappeared she left the ship. On the way to the central office Eliza's thoughts began to stray to her family. She knew she shouldn't but she was curious all the same and the longer they were on this planet, the more Eliza felt as though something were going to go wrong. She didn't want to risk her family being hurt.

She knew her Master would disapprove but she turn off course and began walking to the community in which she saw her mother. Maybe she would show herself again, seeing that Eliza was alone. Once on the same street again she looked around and waited.

Eliza stayed longer but she could feel that no one was coming. Eliza licked her lips nervously and she continued to look around her. After at least an hour, Eliza closed her eyes, trying to feel for a connection and Eliza's eyes opened in surprise. She found one. She followed her sense and it took her to a small, run down shack. Eliza slowly walked to the front door and knocked.

It was opened quickly by the same woman she saw before. The woman gasped and her eyes widened. This time, Eliza managed to do something. She gave the woman a small smile.

'Are you really my mother?' she asked hesitantly, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

'Yes,' the woman replied kindly. 'I would remember your face anywhere. You got your tattoos before going with the Jedi, I insisted and they allow it. They haven't changed.' She paused. 'Oh Elysabeth, my beautiful girl ... a Jedi.'

She smiled proudly and allowed Eliza inside the shack. Eliza couldn't believe her family were living like this. They stood in the lounge room and the woman faced Eliza again. 'Do you remember much?'

'About the family?' asked Eliza. 'No, not really,' she said not waiting for an answer.

'My name's Mira,' said the woman kindly. 'And you have two sisters, Andromeda, she's six years older than you and you have a younger sister, Ophelia, she's only five.'

'To replace me?' asked Eliza with a slight frown on her face.

Mira looked around sheepishly. 'Well, when the Jedi came for you I knew I wouldn't see you again and I eventually accepted that and your father and I decided to have another child.'

'And where is father?'

Mira hesitated. 'Well, he's no longer here. He ... died a few months ago. Your father, Petre was shot by an enemy that he had a few. He hasn't been caught. But your father would've been so proud of you, as am I.'

Eliza smiled, mostly from embarrassment. Can you be proud of someone you hardly know? 'Does Andromeda remember me?' asked Eliza next.

'Yes,' replied Mira. 'For years, she asked why you didn't come home but eventually she understood about Jedi and their laws and things.'

'What about Ophelia?'

'She knows she has another sister but she doesn't know much about it. She doesn't quite understand about Jedi yet,' replied Mira.

Eliza heard a noise near the back and the sound grew. Two people came into the room, fighting with each other. Eliza frowned faintly.

'Get off me, you little runt!' shouted the older girl.

'I'm not the runt, you are!' the little girl retorted in anger.

'I cannot be a runt as I'm taller than y-'

She didn't finish her sentence as her eyes found another person here. Her eyes widened a little. She approached them and ignored the young girl still yapping at her legs. Eliza smiled at her politely.

'Hello, Andromeda,' said Eliza quietly.

'Elysabeth?' said Andromeda, unsurely.

Eliza just nodded. 'I thought I'd never see you again,' she whispered.

Eliza half shrugged. 'Well, I'm not actually supposed to be here and I cannot stay long. I-'

She was cut off by the little girl. 'Mum, who is this?'

'This is your other sister,' her mother replied quickly. 'Remember? I told you about her.'

Ophelia frowned heavily as she looked at Eliza, who knelt down to her. 'I would be confused too,' said Eliza gently. 'I didn't know I had another sister either.'

Ophelia smiled faintly and approached Eliza. She hugged her briefly before going to stand behind Andromeda's legs. Eliza stood up and faced her mother. She felt even more conflicted now that she knew them. She was a little upset about father not being here but that couldn't be help but she could help her family now.

'You all need to leave, now if possible,' said Eliza quickly.

'Why?' asked her mother, suddenly alarmed.

'Because I fear a war will break out between communities and this one will be in the firing line,' she said quickly. 'I am sure you know about the conflict between the Jode and Kordaye families. It hasn't seemed to end and not long ago we found the body of Ardree Jode.'

Mira gasped lightly and looked to her other two children and then back at Eliza before nodding her head rapidly. 'We shall leave then,' she decided instantly. 'There's a shelter not too far from here. Children, get some things you need. We have to leave.'

Andromeda grabbed Ophelia's hand and they both left the room quickly. Mira followed suit and Eliza waited. She walked to the window and looked out. She felt panic spread throughout her chest as she could see the signs of war already.

Mira was the first one back into the room and she placed her bag by the door. Within mere seconds, a loud explosion echoed outside and sounded dangerously close to the house. Eliza opened the front door and looked out. She could see members of the Zabrak military coming their way.

'We have to go now,' Eliza shouted so that her sisters could hear her.

They quickly emerged and they left the house together. Eliza ignited her blue lightsaber and her mother jumped from it. Eliza smiled faintly and they walked to the side, hoping not to be spotted but unknown to them, there were troops moving in all directions and not just to the Kordaye family home. Another explosion landed near them from a ship flying overhead.

'Come on,' she shouted to her family, wanting them to move faster.

Quickly, a guard blocked their view and went to speak on the radio. Eliza quickly jumped into action and sliced her lightsaber through him. He grunted in pain before quickly falling to the ground. Eliza began to run as did her family. Suddenly many more people emerged from their homes, panicking and crying, shouting for their loved ones. Eliza suddenly wondered how everything went so wrong, so quickly.

Eliza then jumped as more ships entered the atmosphere but they were republic ships and troops jumped from them landing on the ground and engaging the troops on the ground. The battle started and Eliza blocked all shots that came their way. Once they finally left the main scene they were on their way to a shelter but Eliza froze and turned as a shriek pierced her ears.

'OPHELIA! NO!'

Eliza watched in horror as her little sister ran from them, back towards the fighting. Eliza grabbed her mother, stopping her from going after her. 'No, I will go and find her. Go to the shelter, I will be there soon.'

Mira greatly hesitated before moving and Eliza once again urged them to leave. Once they began to run again Eliza turned back in search of her little sister but she didn't get far as she was grabbed not even half-way back to the shack.

'Padawan!' shouted Kit over the noise of the battle. 'Did you send the message to the Council?'

'Yes,' she replied loudly. 'How do you think the republic ships got here so quickly?' she asked in return. 'I haven't seen any other Jedi yet though.'

She made to run back to shack when Kit grabbed her again. 'Padawan, we must join and save more people from getting hurt.'

'I am trying!' she shouted to him. 'My little sister ran back here and I must find her.'

'You met them,' said Kit slowly, realising he should not have left her alone.

'I had too,' she shouted as an explosion went off near them.

'You know I told you not too and you eventually agreed it would be best.'

'Master, please,' said Eliza in desperation. 'I cannot argue about this now. My little sister is in there. She's just a child!'

Kit shook his head, knowing that what his Padawan was doing was wrong. 'Go and find her then, but do no linger, came back and find me when you're done.'

'I will,' shouted Eliza before running towards the shack.

She reached the shack quickly and frantically searched for Ophelia but she was nowhere to be seen. Eliza checked the backyard but there was also nothing and no one there. She returned to the front in time to see Ophelia running off again.

'Ophelia,' she shouted but she was not heard.

Eliza's panic grew as a few guards moved to intercept Ophelia, knowing that Eliza was after her. Eliza held her lightsaber at the ready and slowed down as Ophelia was scooped up by an officer. Eliza stood a few feet away from them and the guard holding her pointed his gun to Ophelia's neck. Eliza could see the fear within Ophelia's eyes.

'Let her go!' she shouted to the guard.

'And why would I do that, little Jedi?' he asked mockingly.

'Because you die if you don't,' threatened Eliza.

Kit looked over and noticed the situation his Padawan was in. Before long, other Jedi came to their aid and Kit was relieved they got here so quickly. He started to slowly make his way towards his Padawan, hoping she didn't do anything stupid until he got there.

Eliza's eyes narrowed as they continued to watch the guard holding her sister. She didn't waver in her emotion but she could feel her Master coming and this was something she didn't want him involved in. She could handle this herself. It was her responsibility.

'Put her down!' shouted Eliza.

'Oh, is that what you want me to do?' asked the guard mockingly. 'Oh, I hadn't realised. Well, maybe I should put her down....'

Eliza suddenly realised her choice of words but before she could say anymore, the guard pulled the trigger, shooting Ophelia in the neck. Eliza screamed but it changed nothing. Blood spurted in all directions, some of it splattering on Eliza's Jedi robes. Her eyes were wide as they watched Ophelia's now lifeless and bloody body fall to the ground as the guard realised his grip on her.

Anger flooded through Eliza's body and she rushed towards the three guards in front of her. She cut them down with her lightsaber in complete anger. All she wanted was revenge. Once they were dead she dropped her lightsaber and dropped to her knees. She lifted Ophelia's lifeless body held it to her own body. Ophelia was already starting to turn cold and her lips had turned deathly pale and her eyes remained opened. Eliza gently closed them.

She didn't seem to hear anything, including the battle going on around her and no one but Kit seemed to pay any attention to her. Eliza let her tears fall freely. She pressed her cheek to Ophelia's head.

By the time Kit was able to reach Eliza the Jedi had the battle under control and it was beginning to come to an end. The Zabrak military were seeing that they couldn't win against this. Kit looked down at his Padawan. He could still feel the anger within her. It was slowly turning into despair and grief, even though Eliza had just met her. He couldn't imagine that it would be easy to meet family and then have them murdered in front of you.

'We should leave,' said Kit quietly.

'No,' sobbed Eliza. 'I have to tell ... I have to tell ... them what ... happened,' she said, struggling.

Eliza stood and pick up Ophelia with her and held her firmly in her arms. Eliza could see other Jedi slowly circling around them, sensing her struggle and loss. Eliza walked away from all of them and eventually found the shelter her family were in. She called her mother's name and both she and her older sister came running into the small room Eliza was in.

She lay Ophelia down on a small bed and she walked away from Ophelia as her mother and sister entered the room. They both immediately looked the bed and Mira screamed and ran to Ophelia. She stroked her hair, her tears falling instantaneously.

'I'm sorry,' Eliza whispered, her voice closing from the effort of holding more of her own tears back.

Mira howled in agony as she held her young daughter. Eliza could no longer bear it and she looked to Andromeda who still stood in the doorway. She looked unable to move. Her face was lit up with shock and it remained there. Her tears came gradually as it set in. Andromeda walked over and looked down. She froze. Eliza watched them. It broke her heart.

She tore herself away and slipped out quietly. She wanted them to grieve in peace and without her around. Maybe if she hadn't shown up this wouldn't have happened. What had she done?

She returned to the central office where Kit and other Jedi were now and she stood beside him. He glanced at her but said nothing. Eliza kept her eyes and mind focused on Ceza Michqa as he was currently speaking.

'I am sorry to hear that it came to this,' he said sadly. 'I never meant for it to go this far but I am happy much of the community could be saved. What happened with the two families?' he asked slowly.

'We managed to find the Jode family. They were hiding with other family in another community. After speaking with them both families have decided to leave each other alone,' said Kit. 'If it stays that way, I do not know, but if anything arises then we ask that you contact us immediately.'

'And what about Ardree, he was killed, was he not?'

'Yes,' said Kit directly. 'We quickly learnt he had been killed by Jaxson Kordaye and he is currently being held by your policing force. What happens with him will be up to you.'

'How did Ardree die?' asked Ceza, greater sadness filling his face.

Kit paused before saying anything. 'By a knife,' he replied quietly. 'Jaxson stabbed him in the chest. It is likely that Ardree died instantly.'

The room turned silent and the meeting soon ended there. Eliza returned with Kit to the ship they arrived on and nothing was said between them and remained that way all the way back to Coruscant.