‘After I lost sciousness, my mind was ed by plete darkness. I didn’t know how much time went by since I was in this dition. However, it ged. I heard voices, and sometimes I saw pictures, only for a few seds, then darkness repced them again.’

  ‘This tinued for a while. Then it ged again. Now I could hear more of the sounds and voices, and I felt an unfamiliar presence pig up my body, taking me somewhere. Whoever it was, he or she clearly tried to be careful, but was overly clumsy in the process of taking care of someone injured. Soon after this realization, darkness cimed me once again.’

  ‘I had no idea how much time passed since I lost sciousness on the venator.’

  ‘Wheually woke up in an unfamiliar bed inside a shady room. I slowly opened my eyes, and looked up to the ceiling, which was filled with spiderwebs covered in dust, and if I am n, there were more than a few bster burn marks visible on the dark grey metal that created the frame of the small room.’

  ‘The room itself was very badly maintaihere were trash everywhere ay beer and witles covered with years of dust and dirt.’

  ‘Alrighty~! What the hell could have happeo me while I was out cold?’

  ‘I slowly sat up on the bed. My body still felt unnaturally heavy, but I was clearly much better than I would be without that dark side siphon. The one I leached onto that crazy bitch... I could sehat she was not close anymore, and the leach spell was also broken by now. No matter, it did its job... a me alive.’

  ‘I checked my battered body.’

  ‘I rovided with some basic first aid, and my heavy armor was removed, which left me with the standard jedi padawan clothes u. That meant gray long sleeves and simple brown pants with socks.’

  ‘I felt that my torso was bandaged, along with my left shoulder, right leg and my lekks and head… Lets just say, I ractically a roll of bandages and be doh it.’

  ‘Whoever did this, even if he or she was a bit sloppy, I will holy thank them sihey tried to help me as best as they could. I felt gehankful towards my saviors. It was clear that in one way or another, I mao escape a doom sario.’

  ‘I don’t know who the heck that woman was, but she was clearly a sith assassin, since I couldn’t feel her preseil the very st moment.’

  ‘It is true that I was seriously injured... but my force awareness is something I am very proud of. I believe that I could still sense a powerful, hostile presence when I am on the brink of death. The only exception is if she was superbly trained in hiding her force presend iions.’

  ‘The other proof was the fact that she wasn’t really trained in the force... The sith never gives away more knowledge than it is absolutely necessary. They rained someohey clearly thought of as a simple pawn in their hands to use the for any refined way.’

  ‘That woman, she owerful in the force, it’s true. But she clearly cked knowledge, didn’t even realize my force siphon, couldn’t reay lightning attack, atempts at using the force were butchered, and crude beyond measure. They were good enough, against normal padawans, even against weaker knights. Yet, they would crumble against anyone who had a good foundation and stable knowledge of the force.’

  ‘Her wielding two lightsabers means that she is well trained i of lightsaber bat, siny type of Jar’Kai was a sign of a fool or an above average duellist.’

  ‘All of this informatioo the clusion that she was a sith assassin.’

  ‘I guess, breaking the barrier around the Jedi Order painted another, much more deadly target on my back... I kind of expected this, to be ho, but this rea time was off.’

  ‘How would the sith lord learn who exactly caused the destru of its barrier so soon... Did I fail to hide myself from it previously? No, if he had indeed sensed my presence, I would feel his or hers, too! I am a great sensor after all, and I didn’t succeed in this. Than that means it must have spies in the Jedi Order, or some kind of way to get information directly from them. That was the more likely possibility, and one I already eained in my thoughts.’

  ‘My musing was disrupted, as the door to my room opened, and a widely smiling weequay with a long red rain coat walked inside. I looked at him, giving him a weak but thankful smile, as it was clear to me that this man helped me out in a great deal. His presence felt strangely familiar. Was he the one whht me here?’

  ‘I was sitting in bed but still bowed my head towards him, giving my most respectful thanks.’

  “I thank you from the depths of my hearth. I am not sure why, but I sehat you saved my life from a great deal of suffering… I am holy grateful for that.”

  ‘There was an awkward silence following my words.’

  ‘The man seemed to be taken aback by this sario, and he was looking at me with slightly bulged eyes that were partly hidden by the pilot gsses that he was wearing over them.’

  ‘There were a few smirks and weak ughter ing from behind him. I just realized that there were awo people standing in the door. One of them was a weequay woman, while the other one was a weequay man.’

  ‘Now that I thought about it, they looked very… etric…’

  ‘The raincoat wearing one, pced his hands on his hips, and began to ugh out load without any reservation. Jolti of my thoughts.’

  ‘The others followed suit, as if they were already waiting for this to happen. Then he suddenly halted his ughter and stepped forward into the weak light that rovided by a repetitively blinking light-bulb that was long due for a ge of power cell.’

  ‘The man fluidly reciprocated my bow towards me in an awkwardly ceremonious way while saying this.’

  “Hondo Ohnaka, at your service, little Miss.” — ‘Then, after his bow, he immediately dropped this courtly ad fell into a just as natural, overly rexed one. Yet, I could see in his eyes that he was everything but rexed at the moment.’

  ‘He was watg my slightest moves, and even face mimics. This man was an experienced, battle-hardened veteran, and that was clear to me, and my respely grew. Uhe mountain of that carefully created facade, he was unmistakingly a trained warrior.’

  ‘The type of man which saw opportunities where others saw only danger. Even if this man turns out to be my enemy, or especially in that case… He should not be taken lightly, I noted for myself sensing his sharp awareness.’

  ‘He was looking at me with a raised brow. Oh, I guess I should give him my oo!’

  “My name is Nizzal Grey. Greetings to you, sir.”

  ‘There was a whistle ing from the corridor.’

  “Bah!” — ‘He shouted, suddenly turning around and forcefully shutting the door iher man’s face.’

  ‘Before the door closed from the momentum, I heard a shout of surprise and most likely pain notig the loud bang following afterwards. I winced, realizing that the poor fool was likely spped by the violently closing doorframe. The muffled shouts ing from the other side of the door seemed to verify that suspi.’

  ‘o myself, don’t irritate him too much... Maybe just to see where his breaking point is... I shook my head. That be arraer. I should pay attention for now.’

  ‘He turned back towards me with a natural smile, as if nothing unusual had happened.’

  “Now that the nuisance is taken care of, tell me, little girl, how much credit your parents pay for your safe return?”

  ‘I blinked... then blinked again. Wait, what? That wasly the question what I was expeg, to be ho...’

  “What do y-you mean?”

  “Well, you see, irates, in case you didn’t notice. There was a great space battle between a few separatists and republic ships in our current lootiory. We were searg for something useful in the left-behind wreckage when we found an escape with two unscious females in it.”

  ‘Oh, the other one must be that assassin. It’s good to see that my force siphon got to her. Or was it something else? She shouldn’t have fallen unscious so soon…’

  “Then, after we, as good and ho pirates used to do, helped you from the pure goodness of our hearts.” — ‘While he was tellihis fantastic story, the door opened slightly and the other two pirates began snickering, while looking at his clearly exaggerated facade. Suddenly, he looked back with narrowed eyes. The door shut itself, this time on its own.’

  “Sorry about that.” — ‘He said, not even sparing a shrug, then tinued with the same zeal.’

  “But, then, our holy g nature aid back with sorrow. As the older woman woke up, and horribly killed some of my closest friends. pletely unprovoked!” — He stated with a righteous fury. Then tinued slowly, giving himself over to his emotions.

  “They were like brothers to me... I even know a few of their names!”

  ‘Wait… what?’

  “The worst of all, that damn bitch just ran away, not even givihe courtesy of skinning her alive… And this is where we are, sweetheart… So tell me, who will pay remuion for our loss? There is my question to you, ssie: how much money could your parents pay?”

  ‘I looked at the floor, feeling unfortable. That damn droid stole my mohe Jedi didn’t pay me at all. They instead simply provided what I needed, and that didn’t include money... At least not yet, and I could not lead them back to one of our bases, to take out some mohat would be too stupid, and it would risk actual exile from my order... The fact is, that I am broke, and have nothing on me currently... I kind of felt bad for myself...’

  ‘There was an awkward sileretg over the room. I finally decided to answer and be ho.’

  “I... don’t have parents. I never khem... I was left behind and lived oreets of Ryloth, until someoook me in...”

  ‘The man blihen added with fake sympathy.’

  “How terrible… some parents are, but maybe this particur someone who took you in could instead pay for your freedom?”

  “He died a few weeks ago...” — ‘I said, and was genuinely saddened having to remember to that terrible moment.’

  ‘There was another heavy silen the room. The other pirates who sihen once again began to spy on the versation looked unusually solemn...’

  “… I am sorry, but I don’t have money. It was already stolen from me... with my ship... That woman you mentioned earlier actually tried to kidnap me... She was a well-trained sith assassin and caught me off guard.”

  ‘Hondo looked at me with thoughtful eyes...’

  “Sith assassin? Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes.” — I answered solemnly.

  “How could you be so sure of this? It’s not like sith were something you run into every day.”

  “I fought with her and lost because of my previously accumuted injuries. I ’t really describe why I know this to be true, but I am certain that she is a sith assassin.”

  “Hmmm... Are you one of those Jedi padawans, then?”

  “ly. I am from a third, much smaller sect, actually, but I worked with them... I had no choice.”

  ‘He raised his other eyebrow o the already raised one.’

  “How e?”

  “Well, one of them attacked me, and I... Well, I guess I almost killed him... and theold me, that I have to work in the army for five years, or work in a mine for twenty years, if I remember correctly...”

  ‘There was another wave of surprise, but this time it was clearly caused by shock.’

  ‘The man called Hondo slowly shook his head in denial while saying with as much disappoi one could gather.’

  “How far... The mighty Jedi have fallen.” — ‘Said Hondo, with a distant look in his eyes as if he was staring into a faraway horizon.’

  “I am a pirate captain, but even I am not heartless enough to send a young baby girl like you into the cruel gactic war.” — He quickly added in a barely perceptible whisper. — “Well, at least not against her will.” — Then tinued in his normal tone of voice. — “Do you want to go back to them? Maybe they pay a ransom for you.” — ‘He asked, and that really surprised me.’

  “Well, I have made a friend, but I don’t really want to go back right now… Do I suspect rightly that you would allow me to stay awhile?”

  “Feel free, but until you decide to go back or not go back, you will have to work with us as an honourable member of our crew...”

  “And if you chose to stay, you will have to pay back the price of your life, and my lost men’s life i to us.”

  “I already think of a few ways to use your force abilities, maybe it is time to visit those hutts os... Hehehe... Now rest girl, these two will help you out if you need something...”

  “The girl is called Cire, while the nosy one is Jack. I love them as my own! They might actually be… Now that I think about it…”

  “Anyway, stay as long as you like! Hah! I am such a good Samaritan, I sometimes even surprise myself with myself. Well, that sounded better in my mind, actually...” — ‘He kicked open the rusty door, then walked out of it, leaving behind me and the two guys who fell on their assess because they were surprised by him st out without any warning.’

  Hondo barked at them while walking away.

  “Take care of our new guest! She is clearly a respectable child, so treat her in the same manner!”

  “Yes, boss...” — Said the other two with varied enthusiasm.

  ‘I was sitting on the bed, blinking profoundly... I looked up at Cire, who ushed into the room by Jack, who closed the door behind her...’

  ‘The woman cursed silently, staring daggers into the doorframe, then slowly walked closer to me.’

  ‘I looked up at her. She couldn’t be much older than me. I was not profit iimating weequays’ age, however, so I could be pletely wrong.’

  ‘Now, as she was standing much closer, I could take a better guess... Maybe she was about sixteen or seve best. She looked embarrassed and kind of excited at the same time, while being wary of me. She couldn’t help herself and finally asked.’

  “Does the force really exist and you use it?” — She asked this with an embarrassed, childlike curiosity glinting in her eyes.

  ‘It was not that rare of a rea, really, except for Corust. There were not many worlds who had a stant presence of retively rge numbers of force users.’

  ‘To most people, Jedi were like some mysterious radical sect. For others, they were noble warriors, but in most cases, people didn’t really see a Jedi in real life, ever, only through the media outlets, news portals or in holo videos.’

  ‘With today’s teology, you make anything look like reality in a video. Therefore, the general public, although, aowledged the Jedi because of their very real aing political influence. Most of them held a certaiicism against their mysterious powers and fht. The force was a truly enigmatic thing, that was a stant sourystery, even for its wielders. I couldn’t really fathom what normal people could think of it.’

  ‘I smiled at the young woman.’

  “It definitely exists. That much I tell you, or show you if you allow me.”

  ‘She nodded without hesitation. I closed my eyes aly reached out with the force. There were many things in the room lying about, but I chose the empty bottles to py a harmless tri her. I raised up about fifty of those bottles around us in the air, slowly cirg above us.’

  ‘Soon, I heard a sharp intake of breath. I cracked my eyes open and looked at the girl, who was also raised up in the air with the bottles. She was looking in barely tained shock.’

  ‘The door suddenly opened, as Hondo walked in with great momentum.’

  “Oh, and I fot to mention that... SWEET MAMMA! Cire, you are flying, my girl!” — Theurowards Jack who was standing by his side with a simirly awed expression, and asked in a demanding tone. While raising his fist in the air. — “Jack, you damn bastard, what did you mix in my drink this time?”

  “It wasn’t me boss, not this time at least. I see her floating too.”

  ‘Hondo suddenly kicked out Jack’s legs from under him, who fell on his ass geing a loud noise.’

  “So you were the bastard whed me with some crazy shit st time! I would beat you bd blue, but I was the one who taught you. However, I am at least gonna kick your arse since you didn’t even steal my money... Are y to make me look stupid in front of our Jedi guest? Get out of here! WAAH!”

  ‘Mind you… all this happened casually while Cire, alongside of a hundred empty gss of beer, was currently imitating swimming right above their heads about half meter.’

  ‘The sario filled me with strange familiarity and ess. I wasirely sure why until extremely ridiculous images started to fsh in front of my mental eyes. Showing me simirly wild sarios in frightening abundance.’

  ‘I had a terrible feeling that the Grey Order, the mysterious sect I was taught to adore and respect from a young age, had an unknown, less respectable side to it.’

  ‘Anyway, after Jack ran out of the room, as if his pants were on fire. Hondo turned bae, then said.’

  “Put down those empty bottles, and the ss, girly. We are not running some wild circus show here, and I want to ge the bottles back for extra credits ime I visit Tatooine!”

  ‘Based on my first impression about them, I wasirely sure sidering the circus part…’

  ‘I o him, and pced dowtles in an orderly manner, while I also put down Cire. She seemed really happy at this moment.’

  “So the stories about the existence of the force were true.” — Said Hondo, thoughtfully. — “Who would have thought that those unbelievable things seen on holo videos could be real, refleg back bster shots, and so on? I would have been more surprised if a half crazed bitch hadn’t run over my ship half a day ago doily that. I guess Cire was sad that she missed out on the experience.”

  ‘I smiled at him warily. Not sure how to react to that.’

  “Well, most of them, I guess. The force itself is believed to have a limitless potential, but what we harness of it is very much limited by our body and mind. Along with such things as one's race, age and overall skill, experiend knowledge… All of which are factors that at for one’s ability to wield the for the end.”

  ‘Hondo’s eyes sparkled at the mention of limitless potential, but that same glint slowly dimmed with every one of my following words.’

  “What about you, Nizzal, was it? You don’t look anything impressive to me.”

  “Well…” — ‘I ’t really bme him for thinking like that. I definitely didn’t feel too impressive ed in bandages like a mummy.’

  “But seeing how well you do with your injuries and all… I might have another proposition for you, so listen well.”

  “If you help me to solve a certain problem of mine, I might eain the idea of taking you into our little pirate gang as a full-fledged member? I will tell you a few tact locations, and we will hide you wherever you need a safe pce. You will also have a share of this job’s profit, and any future jobs that we may do together. Don’t get me wrong, but you are clearly in the need of some quick cash, and this way, we rid the world from some annoying bastards, while also making good money. Who knows, if we do good, I am even be willing tet about your debt.”

  ‘I thought about that.’

  “Well, but I don’t want to kill i people, nor rob them...”

  “Such a sweet little ahere is o worry. The ones I have in mind are definitely not i. I myself have a debt to pay off to them, and I think you would also be ied in this endeavor.”

  “Let’s hear it then.”

  “I khat I had a good feeling about you. So everything will work out like this...”