Chapter 6

Zafii watched over the droids in the medical bay as they tended to Kyn and Kyra. They were both in highly advanced beds with tubes and plugs running every which way. The young padawan was severely disappointed with Kyn, although she couldn't figure out exactly why. Kyra on the other hand, it broke her heart to see the nine year old girl being wiped of blood and her injuries tended to.

"I'm sorry, Kyra." Kyn muttered for the one thousandth time.

"No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have followed you. It wasn't my place," Kyra sobbed.

Their beds were just feet apart, parallel to each other. Zafii stood up and walked over to Kyra's right, so that she was as far away from Kyn as possible.

"It wasn't his place either," Zafii reminded, "although if it is anyone's fault it is mine."

"Huh?" Kyra questioned. "How do you figure?"

Zafii smiled and took a wet rag from the medical droid and dabbed Kyra's head.

"There is a rule; a rule that is rarely enforced aboard Republic ships and that is no gambling. I should have put an end to it as soon as we left Ennth." Zafii explained.

Kyn snorted, "If I remember right, you were laying in this very spot after we left Ennth. You couldn't have done anything."

Zafii did not respond to Kyn, instead she continued to tend to Kyra. The durasteel door flew open and Tyon, Rayna, and Cole ran into the medical bay.

"My little girl, my son!" Rayna yelled, as she ran to their bed side.

"What happened?" Tyon said, the more calm of the two but visibly shaken.

"Uh," Kyn muttered.

Zafii stepped forward and confronted their parents.

"Unfortunately not all of the refugee's aboard this transport are of the utmost character. Your son and daughter were mugged by several intoxicated gamblers." Zafii lied.

Rayna didn't seem to like this answer much, "That hardly explains what you two were doing out of bed by yourselves."

"I'm not a kid, Mom." Kyn sighed.

"BUT KYRA IS!" Rayna scolded. "And apparently you are not responsible enough yet to take care of her."

"I was hungry," Kyra said, trying to defend her big brother till the end.

"I want to press full charges," Tyon said, determined.

Zafii bit her lip; she knew she should not have lied for Kyn. She had told herself she was doing it for Kyra, but was that anymore truthful than the lies she was telling their parents?

"Unfortunately I was not able to apprehend the fugitives. It was all I could do to chase them off." Zafii explained.

It was then that Master Tine entered the room. Everyone watched as he gracefully strode over to his apprentice.

"Should have put a stop to those gamblers the first day," Tine muttered. "How are they?"

"The boy has a broken nose," Zafii noted. "Kyra here has a pretty nasty cut on her lip and his bruised all over. Besides that, they'll be fine."

A medical droid poked at Kyn's mid section as Zafii was talking.

"Possibly a few broken ribs as well," the droid spoke up.

They were only six hours from landing on Coruscant now, and Kyn had to be regretting every second of his little sabaac game at this point.

"Well, I'm staying here." Rayna announced. "Tyon, Cole, go on back to bed. I'll take it from here. As for you Master Jedi, thank you for your help."

Both Tine and Zafii gave slight bows as they left a mother to tend for her young.

The transports were only 25 percent capacity at this point as the fleet neared the atmosphere of the capital of the Republic, Corsucant. This time as the ship containing Zafii, did not experience any unnecessary turbulence as it began its descent.

Zafii lingered in her cabin for a few moments, knowing they would be touching down in a matter of minutes. She had packed up her few belongings hours ago. Mostly it consisted of a change of Jedi robes and a few unimpressive grooming devices. She triple checked everything, making sure she had not left anything behind. When she was sure she had everything in a small carrying bag, she exited her cabin with the intentions of meeting with Master Tine.

When she went by his cabin, it was completely cleaned out and he was nowhere to be found. She decided to go to walk towards the medical bay one more time on the large transport ship and check on Kyra. She knew, unless by chance, this would be the last time she ever saw Kyra. Zafii knew it would mean a lot to the young girl to say goodbye. Although Zafii did not want to admit it, it would also mean a great deal to her.

It was a feeling that she was not interested in inquiring about anymore than she had to. She felt protective of Kyra. She always felt protective of the innocent, which was the way of the Jedi after all. But never could she remember feeling such a bond with one single individual before.

Zafii came to the entrance of the medical bay and the doors shot open after she entered a code on the side panel near the door. The droids were in the process of transferring both Kyra and Kyn to mobile beds so they could be kept for more observation on Coruscant.

"How are they doing?" Zafii asked a droid as she entered the room.

"They seem to be doing much better, livelier since their mother has left to go gather their belongings." The droid answered. "They will be held overnight once we land."

"Do we know where we will be living yet?" Kyra asked innocently. "Maybe you could come visit after we move in, Zafii."

Zafii smiled and walked towards the girl's mobile bed, which Kyra was now lying on.

"Maybe, but I will probably not be on Coruscant for very long. I'm sure the Jedi Council will have another important mission for my Master and me." Zafii explained.

"Oh," Kyra hung her head. "I just don't have any friends here."

"You have us!" Kyn reminded her.

Kyra shot him a dirty look, "And because of you, I have this." She pointed to the cut on her lip.

Kyn did not even bother mentioning that if she had stayed in bed like she was supposed to, she would not have been hurt. He was not foolish enough to make this point in front of Zafii, he was already on her bad side.

"I actually came to say goodbye. This will most likely be our last visit together. You will start a new life at school here on Coruscant and make many new friends. As for me, a Jedi's life is very buys and very time constraining." Zafii said.

"Goodbye? But you will have to be here sometimes? This is where you live, isn't it?" Kyra asked, very worried she would never get to see her new Jedi friend again.

Zafii gave a grimacing smile, "I live in many places. I live where the Council tells me to live. Yes there are times a Jedi stays on Coruscant, but it is just a stopping ground of sorts. It's more of a centralized meeting place for us to gather once we have completed one mission and are ready to begin another."

"I see," Kyra said, a small tear began to trickle from her left eye.

Kyra tried her best to hide it, but it was no use. Zafii leaned over her and her soft index finger traced the young girl's face until his was under her chin. Zafii lightly raised her head so that their eyes can meet.

"Okay, if it means that much to you." Zafii smiled.

"You mean you'll come and visit us in our new home?" Kyra asked excitedly.

Another tear came out, but this one seemed very joyful.

"When I have the chance… yes." Zafii promised. "I can't say when that will be."

"Great!" Kyra exclaimed. "I will have to think of something fun for us to do!"

Kyn rolled his eyes, "I hope you like imaginary blue milk, Jedi Zafii."

Zafii raised her brow and looked in Kyn's general direction. "If that is what is on the menu."

Completely put off, Kyn turned his head away. Suddenly, Kyra's small arms were wrapped around Zafii's midsection.

"I think I have broken ribs now," Zafii joked.

"Zafii?" Kyra said, still holding on tight.

"Yes?" Zafii questioned, as she didn't know what else to do, so she wrapped her own arms around the girl.

"When you go off on your missions, will you be really careful?" Kyra asked innocently.

Zafii patted her on the back and pulled way so she could look Kyra in the eyes once more. "If I was not careful, I wouldn't be a very good Jedi… would I?"

Kyra smiled back at her, her young brown eyes beaming in admiration. The ship then jostled and it was apparent that they had just landed.

Kyra did not know when she would see her role model again, but she hoped every hour of every day that they were apart, that it would be soon.