Galen's fighter swept down, racing towards the orb that he off and on through the years called home.
Corellia, beautiful, majestic, Corellia. The only play in the galaxy that he would have been happy to call home.
His fighter entered the atmosphere and sliced through it, like an arrow through a firestorm. His Droid tweedled nervously, beeping and screeching in slight alarm as the outer hull temperature rapidly built up on the outer hull.
He breached the lower atmosphere and adjusted his throttle down. Bringing his fighter swooping over the plains and the mountains of his home, slowly, taking in the breathtaking sights.
He was moving at a mere four hundred and twelve kilometers an hour, low to the surface. Just barely sweeping down over the mountains as he gazed down the peaks, valleys, and rivers.
Quickly he came upon the township that he was looking for, and he adjusted the flight of his fighter accordingly. Giving the proper identification to yet another control tower as he swooped in, lessening his altitude as much as he could.
Curious pedestrians looked up at his ship, most didn't, but some recognized the noise of a star fighter so they looked up wondering what could have been violating their serene and peaceful afternoon.
He swooped down low, and moved his fighter into a hover, bringing him into his own private docking bay. His only piece of property that still remained here through the years that he had initially left.
He landed his fighter gently on the floor, and then got out, climbing rapidly down the ladder.
He smiled and nodded at the attendant that was there, but he was too busy attending to Galen's fighter to return the gesture.
Galen shook his head gently and moved on out. The sun was blinding, land speeders moved here and there, and people were giving him looks of recognition, curiosity, or refusing to make the slightest bit of eye contact.
He walked slowly down the walkway, passing the hurrying crowd moving hither and thither in their daily lives. Now that he could move quickly, he did not find the need too, he was in no rush, and it felt good to be home. If only for a little while.
He gazed back and forth at the shops lining the street side, looking for the one he wanted. When he found it he ran on over, nimbly making his way through the crowd.
He entered and a blast of cool and refreshing air greeted his senses. Nearly knocking him back, and setting all of his senses on full alert, invigorating him grandly.
Behind the desk was a man, beard was unkempt, hair was a mess, and he had on a tan colored tunic. His eyes sparkled curiously at the entrance of his new customer.
"Greetings." He said, sounding over friendly.
"Greetings, I would like to rent a land speeder." Galen said to the shop owner neutrally.
"Well you have come to the right place, actually we got in the newer ones today, replacing some of the older models." The shop owner said smiling widely, moving out from behind the desk and gesturing for Galen to join him at the rear of the shop.
He did so reluctantly.
Along the wall and on the floor were about eighteen speeders, of various types, shapes, configurations, and purposes. Few of them were identical to the any other.
Galen wanted to see and analyze them, but the Keeper sent him right on over to a specific one.
"Just got this beauty in the other day, probably exactly what you are looking for, perfect for a day, a week, all terrain." He said regarding the machine.
"How much?" Galen asked.
"Four hundred ten credits. That is with all the standard warranties and paperwork, that is per day." He said smiling, recalling the information from memory.
He then went to give all the other information on the speeder, model, type, distance it could travel, fuel tank, special features.
Galen was impressed, and went on over to the front desk to fill out the paper work. He filled it out for a day.
"If you need it for any longer here is the terminal access card, you can access it from any terminal on Corellia, just credit it to the account." He said hopefully, handing him over the card.
"That should not be necessary, but incase it is." Zaun said taking the card, being a firm believer that anything bad could happen.
He signed all the paperwork, and then went on over to cockpit, got in, and tested it out. Not paying until he made sure he was not being scammed.
He turned it on and tested the system. Satisfied he handed over the credit slip, and the keeper swiped it on through, then he gave it back.
"Thank you Mister Zaun, it was a pleasure doing business with you."
"Yes, it was." Galen smiled generously as he opened the bay door and made the easy turn onto the street.
Nearly half an hour later he was traveling up the cool mountain passes, moving up the dirt paths and turning easily.
He looked up and took in the gorgeous scenery ever now and then before he had to turn again up yet another path, twisting and turning all the way to the top. It was a task that required huge amounts of concentration.
He finally made it to the top and leapt out of the speeder, his robes billowing around him and then settled down.
He marched on over to the house.
It was tall, majestic, peaking in a pyramid at the top of it, and a cube house, large, three or four stories tall. It was perfectly contrasted with the tall blue sky, and the tall mountains in the back ground.
Tall steps led up to it, white and polished, and on them was a tall woman.
His heart caught in his chest and he stopped up short. She was tall, athletic, shapely, had a perfectly erect frame and a great physical presence about her. Her eyes were brown and sparkling, sort of sad, taking in the scene before her. Her long black hair streamed down loosely down her back, some of it blew upwards at the slight breeze that was moving throughout the area.
She caught site of him, and grinned, showing her white and shining teeth, dazzling him. Then she put a finger on her lips and regarded him with a smirk, her eyes sparkling.
He ran up to meet her, jolting up the steps. She moved to meet him, giggling and running down the many steps as well.
Her name was Arkadi. She was the daughter of the current Governor of Corellia, he had to disown her over a political scandal and left this private residence to her as some sort of twisted gift.
She met Galen years before at an official dinner and the both of them became fast friends, and then they became more then that.
She leapt the last step at him, and he caught her, crushing her to him. He planted a swift kiss on her and knew that his bristling beard sent electricity and passion racing up and down her spine.
They released.
"Galen!" She yipped happily, sounding to him like an old song, that he loved dearly, but was slowly forgetting the sound of. She sounded brand new to him, and he melted all over again. She was his only weakness, and his only strength, making him act so out of the norm.
"Arkadi" He smiled at her sweetly, kissing her again and making her blush.
"So, what is new my beloved?" She asked him, craning her neck at him slightly.
"I got a new assignment." He grinned at her, her face took a retrospective look. "Not to worry though, pretty routine, just to investigate the attacks that have been happening there. I should be back at the end of two months." He said figuring that she was simply worried about his safety.
"Oh." She said brightening. Then she became animated, smiling mischievously as they moved up the steps. "My father just signed into law an appropriations bill that is trying to end the recession spreading across the Galaxy, and save his administration." She smiled sparkling, no real love there.
"I see." Galen said simply, preferring to stay as far away from normal politics as he could, those of the Jedi Order already gave him enough of a headache.
They reached the top of the steps and she turned and placed a hand on his chest stopping him. Her face darkened and then tensed, looking at him nervously.
Galen reached out with the force and decided she was debating telling him something, he waited for her patiently.
She sighed and then spoke out, "Galen, I-I…I'm pregnant." She said.
His eyes widened perceptibly. "Pregnant?"
She nodded.
"You mean…the last time….I was…whoa." He said. He could hardly believe this. He was not ready for it, was not ready for this, and he cursed himself for a weak fool. He still had responsibilities, a job, and this new mission. But yet, there was great joy, great determination, and great doubt were fighting a positive war in his nervous system.
In the end joy won.
"This is wonderful news!" He said.
She looked relieved, and then grinned up at him. But then she sighed again.
"But your job, your life, and your responsibilities as a Jedi?" She asked.
"We will just have to work around that." He said, wrapping her in his arm, and then leading her into the house.
They entered and he was greeted by the smells of hot and rich stew, he closed his eyes and luxuring in the sensations.
They ate lightly, discussing minor affairs of state, the conversation drifting into the recession that was gripping the Galaxy, and the fact that the largest shipping company in the galaxy just went out of business, displacing hundreds of workers.
They went to the bed chamber, and fell swiftly asleep, cuddling with each other and enjoying the warmth of their bodies.
The next day he swiftly went to the shop to turn in the speeder, beating the deadline just barely.
He ran to his fighter beating the rush traffic, blasting off into outer space.
He set a course for the Capital of the Republic, and onto more adventures.
