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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS

Episode VII

SPARKS OF WAR

Much has changed following the decades after the fall of the Galactic Empire. After the dreadful invasion of the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong, an alliance with remnants of the Empire has reformed the New Republic into the Galactic Alliance. Remnants of the Empire remain, yet under the rule of Jagged Fel, the Imperial Remant retains a fragile peace with the Galactic Alliance.

Though Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has passed away, his new order of Jedi Knights have made themselves the new guardians of the galaxy. Leaving their Jedi Praxeum on Yavin IV and have spread out the galaxy, the Jedi have reclaimed their ancient homes on Galactic Alliance capital world of Coruscant and the Jedi world of Ossus.

However, it seems the peace is the galaxy has become more fragile as tensions between the nobles of the Hapan Consortium and the Galactic Alliance. There had been an attempt on the Hapan Queen Mother, the former Jedi Knight Tenel Ka, and she has required the help of the Jedi to find out about her assassins...

Tap, tap, tap.

Jedi Master Leia Organa-Solo did her best not to sigh as she waited in the hangar bay. She stood in tall, yet leaned against her walking cane to keep her old legs up. Her index finger repeatedly tapped on the cane's curved grip, a habit she seemed to have collected as she got older.

Patience had on been one of the many things Leia had learned early on in her life, even before her training as a Jedi. Even as she became older, Leia rarely showed any sign of impatience in the presence of her fellow Jedi. Now was an exception and with good reason.

Tap, tap, tap.

Leia could feel her brown robes slightly billow from the wind of starships arriving and leaving the Jedi Academy on Ossus. Her lightsaber dangled a bit as well, but returned back to it normal position on her belt and rested against her thigh.

As one hand rested on the cane, another went up to pass along gray lines in her once-dark brown hair. It had been several decades since the destruction of the Second Death Star at the Battle of Endor and Leia was not the young woman of the Rebel Alliance as she used to be. The wrinkles on her face and her gray hair were proof of that.

Tap, tap, tap.

Leia's eyes darted from one end of the hangar to the next with one question: Where was Kyp? Leia could only wonder about her fellow Jedi Master and member of the Jedi Council. Kyp was supposed to have been in the hangar as soon as he arrived, just as he and Leia agreed. Unfortunately, there was no sight of him and it unnerved Leia.

Tap, tap–the finger halted in mid-air before it hit the cane again and Leia felt relief washing over her face at the sight of Kyp.

Jedi Master Kyp Durron strode in, his dark robes flowing in the air as he approached Leia. His lightsaber hung from his hip, wearing it like a trophy and a symbol of his years of experience as it jostled against his thigh. Kyp had his own fair share of grays in his long black hair yet it was not as much as Leia's. A decade younger, Kyp managed keeping his physique far better than Leia could, but there were signs of his age catching up to him.

Both of Leia's hands rested on her cane and she smiled. "Kyp, it's good to see you," she greeted him, the old croaking leaving her throat.

Meeting Leia, Kyp first bowed to her, a motion done out of respect. "Grandmaster," he returned, his own deep voice starting to give way.

The word made Leia feel an odd sensation inside of her. Grandmaster. That title once belonged to her brother at one time, but Luke had passed onto the Force, leaving Leia in charge of the Jedi Order. If there had been other Masters who wished for the position, the opposition was washed away by Leia's demonstration of leadership, a skill she carried on from her time as the New Republic's Chief of State.

Leia gestured to the nearby entrance of the hangar. "Come, lets talk."

The cane hit against the floor as Leia slowly took her steps and Kyp walked up beside the older Jedi Master. The pair left the hangar and found themselves striding through the halls of the Jedi Academy. They were given glances from students and knights passing by them, but neither paid attention as they more pressing concerns on their minds.

"I see you've returned from the Hapes," Leia finally spoke up. "Did the talks go well?"

Kyp was silent for a moment before he replied, "Things started out well enough." His answer was ominous, a feeling that Leia did not like.

The grandmaster's lips turned into a frown as she stopped to look at Kyp. "I heard about the assassination attempt on the Queen Mother," Leia mentioned. "Is she..."

He answered before Leia could finish the question. "She's fine. Tenel Ka is being escorted back to Hapes as we speak. However, there's still the matter of the assassins."

A soft sigh of relief left Leia. Before she became Queen Mother of Hapes, Tenel Ka came to the Jedi Praxuem on Yavin IV one of Luke's many pupils... and a dear friend to Leia's son, Jacen. More than a dear friend, really. Jacen and Tenel Ka trained with each other and they eventually fell in love. That was before the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong, before Tenel Ka became queen upon the death of her mother, before Jacen...

Leia pushed the memories away. Now's not the time to think about the past, she told herself. Best to focus on the present. "Yes, you're right about that. Whoever wanted Tenel Ka dead went through great lengths," Leia agreed as she resumed walking. "Has the Galactic Alliance send anyone to investigate it?"

"No," Kyp answered, keeping up with her. "They and the Hapan Consortium already have enough bad blood as it is. The Hapan nobles don't want the Alliance to send their and the Senate won't agree to Consortium looking into it."

Just great, Leia thought bitterly. Neither side were willing to let one investigate the matter because of their own stubbornness. If the incident was left unchecked, then no doubt the tensions between the Galactic Alliance and Hapan Consortium would continue to boil. The assassins would left to roam free and perhaps, even try to kill Tenel Ka once more while the bickering continued.

A small thought popped into Leia's head. "What about a Jedi?" she suggested. "We've managed to stay fairly neutral in politics these days. I'm sure the Queen Mother and Galactic Alliance won't object if we send a Jedi to investigate."

"I thought the same thing," Kyp agreed, but rather hesitantly. "But the Hapans aren't fond of Jedi. It's the reason why the talk was needed in the first place."

A part of Leia wished Kyp never had brought that up. The Hapan nobles were well-known for their anti-Jedi sentiments, so much so that they insulted the passing of Luke Skywalker during a Senate meeting. That same moment was what led to the talk between Kyp and Tenel Ka. The assassins were something that no had expected, however.

"I know," Leia said, stifling a sigh, "but there aren't other options available to us at the moment. We need to find these assassins and quickly."

Kyp was silent for a moment to gather his thoughts. Finally, he said, "I'll call the council for a meeting. Maybe we can discuss about what happened and see if we can send a Jedi to look into."

The older Jedi Master assured him, "That won't be necessary."

The statement made Kyp raise a curious eyebrow. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"I do," Leia answered. "Knight Rilana and her student. They should be in the Jedi Archives, last time I checked."

The grandmaster said no more as she carried on through the halls of the academy and towards her new destination with Kyp walking beside her.

AN: Alright that's it. I hope you liked it. Please leave your comments and thoughts in the reviews and please give constructive criticism. Also, this it up for adoption. If anyone wants it, please send me a PM or let me know in the reviews. Thank you.

Raika out!