=Streets of Theed=

"What'd they say?" Vin asked as Nelson switched off his comlink. Over the noise of their speeder, he hadn't overheard much.

"They found a couple of bodies," Nelson said darkly.

"What?"

"Lightsaber wounds to the chest. Looks like our Sith friend took out a few guards at the power station. We missed 'em."

"Anyone we know?"

"They didn't say."

They sat in silence for a moment as they patrolled through the city. From the street, Vin could see partiers getting some air out on their balconies. A few were calling their friends out to look up at the sky at the glowing purple shield that arched over the city like a big dome. The shields were certainly a sight to see; they'd been installed ten years ago after the last Sith incident. How fitting that this was the first time they were actually used, Vin thought wryly.

He turned his eyes back to the road. It may have been the night before the festival, but aside from a few partiers, most people were inside their own homes, and the streets were, for the most part, empty.

"This is really serious, huh?" Vin asked.

Nelson nodded. His excitement seemed to have been extinguished now. Maybe he was told who'd been killed, and he was just keeping it from Vin for the moment. "Do your best to find this guy, kid."

"Any news from Panaka?"

"Yeah," said Nelson. "The blinkin' generator is stuck on."

"What do you mean?"

"Sabotaged, by the looks of it. We can't turn it off until we get a repair team in here."

"Great," said Vin.

"Yeah. Well, our Sith acolyte got himself stuck in here, too, at least."

"Then I guess we're bound to find him soon."

"Unless he tries to leave on foot. Then he'll be fine, of course."

"Well, if he keeps making mistakes, we'll catch him."

"Let's hope so," said Nelson as he guided the speeder up a road that brought them closer to the university.

"Who else have they got out looking for him?" asked Vin.

"They've gotta have a couple'a squads out by now. Haven't heard much."

"Nobody's directed us to a specific place to search?"

"Nope."

Vin huffed. No wonder they hadn't found this guy yet. Everything was so disorganized. "They're so worried about not alarming the public and the media, they're gonna let this guy slip right through our fingers."

"Hey, take it up with Hogan," said Nelson. "I ain't touchin' that one."

Well, big search squads would certainly attract attention. Maybe Vin could yet catch the Sith acolyte off his guard, and perhaps more efficiently if he and Nelson worked alone. Now… if he was an outlaw, where would he hide…?

"Nels, I've got an idea."

"What's that?"

"Let's take a look at the civilian spaceport."

"Yeah? You think our guy's gonna be hanging out there?"

"Maybe," said Vin.

"How come?" Nelson asked as he turned down a road in the direction of the civilian spaceport.

"We're looking for someone who's out of place here. Someone who doesn't look like a local. But he knows we're looking for someone weird. Everyone's out of place at a spaceport. If I were a fugitive, I'd hide there among other outsiders, in plain sight."

Nelson chuckled, finally seeming to lighten. "You and your criminal little mind, kid. You know everything's shut down, so it's probably going to be pretty quiet, but we can check it out."

Vin thought it was more likely to be on the contrary, but when they approached the spaceport and parked in an open front speeder lot, he saw that Nelson was right. Most of the main lights had been shut down. Vin wondered how clogged up the orbital station was right now, since it looked like no recent flights had been allowed in.

Nearby hotels appeared to be walls of light from all the lit rooms. Spacers must've had a tough time adjusting to Naboo's day-night rhythm. Vin had a gut feeling he was in the right place. Here he was, once again among off-worlders like himself. People could disappear in a place like this. But not to Vin.

He and Nelson stepped out of the speeder. Now, where to look first?

"I'll check inside and talk to security," said Nelson. "You do a sweep outside, and meet me in the main lobby. Send me a com if you find anything, all right?"

"Sure thing," said Vin. Sometimes, he felt uneasy splitting up, but he knew that the two of them walking together might draw attention.

Nelson split off to walk up to the main doors of the spaceport. It was a gigantic facility, set with dozens of hangars surrounding the main terminal. Vin, of course, couldn't check the entire grounds without the help of the spaceport's individual security force, but he knew Nelson had told him to take a look around because if there was any trouble or anything out of place, Vin would spot it.

He decided to look in areas where there might be a lot of people. The speeder parking lot was probably a good place to survey, but it looked rather empty. There was a Rodian couple making out on a nearby bench. Vin wrinkled his nose. Get a room, you two, he thought, though maybe there weren't many to spare with all the cancelled departures. Maybe if there was a hoverbus station… Vin snapped his fingers. Right, it was a bit beyond the lot near the secondary entrance. He made his way over, but not before the swish of a black cloak around a corner caught his eye.

Vin, intrigued, paused close by to adjust his sock within his boot, stealing a glance out of the corner of his eye. He saw a hooded figure striding down a deserted pathway in the direction of the rental speeder return. After waiting a few moments and standing slowly, Vin followed.

A streetlight flickered and went out nearby, leaving the remaining lights to cast long shadows across Vin's path. He found himself between two hangars, and their tall walls blocked out any moonlight.

There was a sudden fluttering of fabric and a light clump, and Vin turned. Behind him was his quarry, who straightened and removed his hood. He had a strong chin and an angular face, and his expression was unsettling enough, but the most unusual thing was his eyes, which were a vivid yellow. Vin knew who he'd found instantly, and raised his blaster.

"You're quite subtle." The voice that spoke was a relaxed one: low, fluid, confident, and mockingly cordial. "I wouldn't have noticed you following me if the Force didn't tell me."

"You're him." Vin narrowed his eyes. Could he reach his comlink to call Nelson without dropping his aim? "You're that Sith everyone's looking for, aren't you?"

The stranger crossed his arms smugly. "I'm sure I've garnered quite a bounty by now."

"Wouldn't know," Vin retorted. "You're a Sith. I think they just want you gone."

"Hm…" the Sith pursed his lips in mock sympathy, putting his hands on his hips. "There's nothing in it for you to catch me and turn me in?"

"Might be something for your head." Vin shrugged his shoulder.

"What if I present to you a more profitable option?"

Vin said nothing, keeping his blaster levelly pointed at his target.

Smoothly, the Sith pressed him: "I know you need the money for your… sister, Vin Rajik."

Vin's breath caught sharply, but his expression betrayed no surprise. How could he have known? Right… well, this was definitely the Sith they were looking for. "I'm listening," he said cautiously.

"From what I understand your time on Naboo is about to run out."

"I'm sorry?"

"It is the will of the Force. In a few hours' time you will be out of a job."

That was unlikely. Vin's eyebrows knotted, but he didn't say anything.

"Consider this: my… employer has an opening on Coruscant. Would you be willing to relocate?"

"…Possibly. What's the job?"

"One could consider it to be investigative journalism."

"Investigating what?"

"An organization that I think would be of certain interest to you."

"Yeah?"

"The Jedi Order."

"And why would I care about them?"

"It's obvious to me that you possess a degree of Force-sensitivity. And yet, the Jedi seem to have overlooked you. Aren't you curious about why that is?"

"Not really. Maybe I can sense stuff, but I can't control it. Not exactly Jedi material."

"And you don't wonder why they didn't consider you worth teaching?"

Vin didn't reply. It was something that Nelson said all the time, that Jedi ought to be by for him any day, even though Vin was well past the age youngsters were usually taken away to their secluded temple. Jedi training was a mystery to outsiders, and few were allowed in the temple aside from invited dignitaries and those who were employed there.

Almost as if he were reading Vin's thoughts, the Sith acolyte added, "This could be quite an opportunity for you. Get into their temple, and they might notice you. It could be a better life for you. It's a win-win situation. For a time you will provide me with information I need, while you earn your credits and exposure to several new opportunities."

Vin ran his tongue along his teeth as he thought for a moment. "You're a Sith. Why would you send me into the arms of the Jedi?" They were sworn mortal enemies, weren't they?

"Do you really care as long as you get paid?"

Vin considered. No, a paycheck was more important to him than a complete answer. And to be honest, he really didn't care about becoming a Jedi, either. What mattered to him was his older sister Vaneera and her infant daughter, who'd remain stranded on Garel without his help. "Okay, then, how much are we talking, here?"

"A matter we can discuss later. For now I could provide a down payment significant enough to cover your travel and lodging expenses."

Vin frowned. This certainly sounded shady. But his gut told him that the offer was genuine, and that the Sith had so far told no lies. "Could I get that in writing?"

The Sith acolyte returned his unease with a thin-lipped smile. "Unfortunately, my employer prefers me to keep transactions out of any record. This is an offer of utmost importance and discretion. I can arrange for the transfer of 4,000 credits" – Vin's eyebrow cocked imperceptibly- "to your account by tomorrow morning, and I'll throw in an extra thousand for your silence on the matter. You will leave for Coruscant in three days. Do we have a deal?"

Slowly, Vin lowered his blaster. "All right. I'll take the job."

"You've made a smart decision," said the Sith acolyte. "Now, you understand, that for your new employment to begin… I'll need passage off this planet without incident."

Vin frowned. "You mean you want me to let you off scot-free and lie to the Guard about seeing you."

"I wouldn't look at it like that," the acolyte said evenly. "Consider it a test run for your new job, which will require you to be a bit… shall we say, illusory, to get the information you'll be reporting on."

"If I let you go, how do I know you aren't going to hurt anyone?"

"I assure you, the only thing I'm interested in is leaving this system."

"You've already killed eight guards," Vin said accusingly, and fought the urge to point his blaster back at his foe… or, ally, perhaps. His breath came shallowly. What was he getting himself into now? All for enough credits to get his sister- no, he couldn't think about her; she had already become a bargaining chip against him for this Sith to use.

"An unfortunate loss, to be sure," admitted the Sith acolyte. "They stood in my way. I can see that you're smart enough to consider differently," he added darkly.

Was that a threat? Vin changed the topic. "You got a name?"

"Of course I do." The Sith acolyte crossed his arms arrogantly.

Vin sighed in exasperation. "Well, are you gonna tell me? How are you gonna find me on Coruscant and how am I gonna know it's you?"

"Please unload your blaster and put it in its holster."

Scathingly, Vin complied.

"Thank you. Now, you'll have all the answers you need once you arrive on Coruscant. You'll receive a message from one of my contacts there. My contact will find you when you arrive. You will have nothing to worry about."

"Sure," said Vin dryly.

"So, we are in agreement, then?" He held out his hand.

Vin eyed him uneasily. He knew he shouldn't trust a Sith, but… he stepped forward, reaching out his right hand with as much confidence he could muster. He gripped the Sith's hand. It was strangely warm, and human, and he realized he'd been expecting it to feel cold and clammy or something. Perhaps a Sith wasn't so much of a scary supernatural being, merely a person after all…

He relaxed his grip to withdraw from the handshake, but the Sith held tightly, dropping his voice low. "I expect to hear of your arrival on Coruscant in three days. If not, you can rest assured that you'll no longer have any need to take care of your sister."

Vin gulped. He fought the impulse to scream at him to leave his sister out of this, but he was afraid of attracting attention. And betraying Nelson and the guard… suddenly he began to regret his decision, but before he could open his mouth to speak, the Sith sprang backward, over the rooftop of the hangar behind them, and was gone.

Vin took a deep breath. What had he done? He'd let the Sith get away with no concrete bribe or reward in his hands. He'd betrayed the Naboo Royal Guard! And, worse, he hadn't even gotten anything to show for it! What if he'd just been tricked and he'd doomed the whole city?

He grunted in frustration, running his hands anxiously through his smooth black curls of hair. He reached for his comlink and held it up to his lips, ready to report a sighting of their target. You stupid kid, he told himself. Vaneera wouldn't have wanted this, but…

She'd made so many sacrifices for him when they were young. She'd had to take on less than savory jobs to make money for him after their parents had died. Maybe it wasn't a glamorous deal, but… it was something. He had to make enough money to get her and her kid away from that creep…

Vin lowered his comlink and swore. Besides, if they caught the guy now, who was to say that he wouldn't've said Vin had let him go in the first place? No, it was better to hope that he just got away so Vin could be off the hook, too. Then, he would just say he was bored Naboo and he'd go to Coruscant before anyone could ask any questions.

And really, the Sith didn't seem so bad. Maybe he killed a few guys, but he seemed intelligent and logical enough. Maybe there were forces at play here that Vin didn't understand. Like… the Force itself. Would the Jedi be able to sense his contract with the Sith? And how would he even get in there, anyway? What a mess it was that he'd gotten into this time…

He shook his head, swore again, and headed up to the main lobby to meet Nelson.

The main entry doors slid open with a whoosh when he approached them, and a small ways back, leaning against a kiosk idly, was Nelson.

"Did you find anythin'?" Nelson asked breathlessly when he saw Vin.

Vin set his face in steely neutrality. He took a deep breath. "Nothing, Nels," he said on the exhale.

Nelson sniffed. "Me neither. Security said they found nothing out of the ordinary."

Vin jammed his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "Maybe we should get back to the speeder, then." He strode quickly ahead of Nelson back to the front of the spaceport.

He opened the doors and there it was. But it wasn't empty- in the driver's seat sat the very Sith acolyte with whom he'd just been conversing.

"That's him!" Nelson cried, tearing across the lot to the speeder. He drew his blaster as he ran. "Hold it right there!"

"Blast!" That son of a bitch- Vin charged forward, likewise drawing his blaster, praying the Sith wouldn't give their agreement away, wouldn't betray him…

With a cheeky salute directed right at Vin, the Sith acolyte rose into the sky and tore off into the night. Vin stopped running, staring after him open mouthed.

"Hey!" Nelson screamed, running right past Vin. "Come back here, you-!"

But the Sith was long gone, hopefully taking with him any evidence of Vin's betrayal.

What a jerk, thought Vin, as Nelson slowed to a halt. Nelson had been set up, and Vin had played right into it. To carelessly allow his speeder to get stolen was negligent, and Nelson might certainly get martialed for that.

Nelson stood staring at the point in the sky that was his speeder with the heels of his hands pressed hard against his temples. "A Sith just stole my speeder," he said. "A Sith… just stole my speeder."

"Call it in, quick," said Vin weakly, hoping Nelson would remain frozen long enough to let him get away.

"Right, right," said Nelson absently, fumbling for his comlink. "Sergeant Nelson to dispatch. Uh, we've found the Sith acolyte, repeat, found the Sith acolyte…"