The Rebel Faction

Dolash detected no deception, except for a little uneasiness about Makis. After a moment to think about it, he nodded, and said "If you know the attempted assassin, I suggest that you come with us to the temple immeadietly where it will be safer - the risk of the sniper trying to attack again is too great out here. It would be better to keep everyone in one place. If you can provide any information on this 'Friend' of yours, the local law enforcement will surely need it, but afterwards cover is generally the best protection from a sniper."

Katria and Ian approached Dolash, and he nodded to them "I suggest that you two go back to the temple for now, make sure everyone knows what happens and that the temple's security is on alert. I'll be along shortly." He paused, and added "It would also be best for someone to tell our visitor Trazu about this, lest he worry - undoubtedly, he will have sensed such an attempt on friends, but is unlikely to know what happened. Tell him it wouldn't be a good idea to go out, though, in case the sniper is also seeking him."

He turned back to the two Trandoshans as a police agent approached and guided them to an area of shelter between two parked speeders. "Now." he said "Is there anything else you can tell us about this wookie you suspect?"

Elsewhere, Ian helped Katria back to the temple, where she was quickly lead away to the hospital wing to have her wound addressed by Order healers. Fwar and Shillia approached Ian, wondering about what had gone on.

"There's been an attempted assassination." he said, sighing "A sniper tried to take out a white Trandoshan, hit Katria instead. Dolash asked us to make sure the security's tight around here in case he comes this way - better tell Trazu too, so he doesn't worry."

"Katria got hit by a slugthrower?" said Shillia, with a mild grin "Must have been off her game. What were you two doing to distract her so?"

Ian gave her a rueful look, but the comment passed way over the head of Fwar "It is possible that the Force directed her to take the hit instead of the intended target, in the knowledge that she as a Jedi would survive wheras the target would not."

"Let's not think about that for now, okay?" said Ian "Let's just make sure this place is locked down tighter then a Hutt's safe on payday."

He found the temple was impressive, now that he took the time to seriously look at his surroundings, and well equipped to train Jedi. Trazu held little doubt that some way, some how, he would regain his ability to control the Force and learn to how to use it to both protect himself and his family. Silonik was showing him one of the training rooms now, explaining what each piece of equipment or toy was used for, though some of the things Silonik wasn’t sure about as he hadn’t reached that stage of his training yet.

“So what do ear muffs do to help you train in the Force?” Trazu asked him, holding up a pair of said object.

“Oh, that helps you learn to use the Force to sense your surroundings when your senses are…uh…” Silonik couldn’t seem to think of the word he was searching for.

“Impeded?” Trazu offered.

“Yeah! That’s it.” Silonik said with a smile. “Especially when you’re blind folded too. That was how I developed the mist vision.”

“Mist vision?” Why did that sound familiar to him?

“That’s how I see the Force.” Silonik explained. “Like a cloud of mist that’s thicker where objects are and darker and lighter depending on the badness or goodness of person.”

“Ah….son…that’s how I see it too….when I still could that is.”

The young Trandoshan looked confused. “Why can’t you see it anymore?”

“When the spirit was banished it took a lot of my control over the Force with it, if not all.” Trazu said with a sigh. “I’m basically an untrained padawan again.”

“Oh…I can help you get it back.”

“I think you should focus on your own training son.” Trazu said with a smile. “There are plenty here that can help me if I need it, but I appreciate your offer.” He felt a faint rumbling in his stomach and released he hadn’t really eaten anything since he arrived here. “I think now would be a good time to show me where you get food in this place.”

Silonik giggled and lead the way. Partway there, they met up with a Jedi who had some news for him. It wasn’t pleasant news: someone tried to kill Asri, but the slug had hit a Jedi instead. Trazu was aware Lavality had problems with Bounty hunters, but didn’t know Asri was on someone’s hit list as well: well, that is if you didn’t include every Trandoshan that thought ‘Akisi’ should be killed on sight. Then another worry came to him: there was no mention of Varcanna having been at the scene.

Though he had sent her with Asri to shop for clothes, he wouldn’t put it past her to try to ditch the white female as quickly as possible. But would she actually try to kill her? He doubted it, since Asri was under his father’s protection and Varcanna didn’t use slugthrowers either.

“Do you know if my sister was in the market place at the time?” Trazu asked. “I had sent her with Lady Asri to fetch a few things for me. I don’t consider her a suspect, but considering how she feels about Asri I wouldn’t put it past her to try to ditch her to avoid being in her presence. I am just worried for her safety.”

***

Varcanna by that time had reached the spaceport and was boarding her ship. She quickly entered the cockpit and keyed in a few commands on the console. A few seconds later the holographic image of her Uncle appeared from the comm. device.

~Varcanna.~ The image said. ~I hope things are going well and I know this is rather abrupt, but your mother may be needing the service of your ship and your piloting skills soon. I won’t go into details on this unsecured channel, but it looks like we have the opportunity to join something much bigger. Talks have already started, so it may be best if you returned as soon as possible. Please let me know if you will be available.~ The message ended there and Varcanna sat back in her chair deep in thought.

Last time mother needed her to fly her for ambassadorial reasons, which the message highly suggested it was, they nearly got shot down in the crossfire between their own flight and the Wookiee fleet. The one time after that weren’t exactly pleasant either: the crash landing during the space battle over Trandosha was still fresh in her mind. However, there was alliance between the two races now, so such mishaps weren’t likely to happen this time.

Her decision came easily, she sent a quick message home explaining that Trazu would be remaining on Naboo for a time, that she wasn’t needed there anymore and that she would explain everything when she got home. A quick pre-flight examination and calling for clearance a few minutes later she had Hunter’s Way gracefully lifting out of the dock.

Hmm…am I missing something? Varcanna thought as she rose into the planets atmosphere. Oh…right…I forgot the Akisi. She snorted and laughed. She’s not important anyway….

***

“The only thing I can add is that he was with us when we arrived on planet.” Asri said. “Talk about your alternative motives. Why he would try to kill me is one thing I would like to know. So much for only making sure a fellow T’Doshok isn’t trying to stab me in the back.”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a ship leaving the spaceport. Normally that wouldn’t catch her attention, but this one was a Lambda class shuttle: there was only one Lambda in the spaceport that she knew of. Immediately her blood began to boil.

“That skragging, bishwag nerf herder!” She growled, then cut loose a few other ‘choice’ words in her native Dosh, ones that made Maskis wince. “She up and ferfeking stranded me here!” Maskis looked to try to correct her but she cut him off. “Do you really think some one like me could just casually step off a spaceport on Trandosha? I’d get shot on the spot!”

Maskis waited a little more. "Asri, calm down ok? Busting out like that won't help matters.. although I'm sure it feels good," he looked away then thought about it, "It's possible the reason there after you is because of what you are, despit you being a trandoshan" he nodded and then looked toward the sky

He then folded his arms. "Lets head to the temple, at least with a high guard around Ruse will find it much harder to get to anyone... but I'm worried..." he looked at Dolash then back at the sky. Whats his game plan... first Asri... then who? Trazu? Lavality? No.... someone's missing from this mix....

Ian felt a little embarassed, he really hadn't expected them to ask - they had their own hides to worry about if a sniper was after Trazu's friends and family - but at the same time it came as somewhat of a relief to hear a note of concern raised, and he nodded. "She'll be okay, the bullet only hit her shoulder. Fwar even thinks it might have been the will of the Force for her to step in suddenly to take the shot, when it knew the shot would have killed Asri but would only would Katria. Already back on her feet, really." he paused, and said "You best call your father then, and see if there's anything more to this situation - we don't need any more surprises if some crazed gunman is on the loose. I've got to go now and give my report to the Jedi Council, good to meet you though, Trazu."

With that, he gave a polite nod, and excused himself to speak to the Order.

In the market, Dolash was getting worried. "This situation is tangled, to say the least. Once again, I reccomend that we relocate immediately to the temple where it will be safer." He didn't like being out and about like this, the sniper could still have his rifle and be relocating as they spoke - and if he was a wookie, it wouldn't be easy to just stop him. "We can have someone intercept Varcanna if necessary, but if Silonik is indeed on his list of targets, then the academy will need to be especially secure. After you?" He gestured to a law-enforcement speeder parked nearby - properly armored for the purpose of moving people who might be potential targets.

Dolash also remembered to talk to Trazu the instant they got back - there might be more to this story then he'd heard so far, especially if there are assassins about.

“It was a pleasure meeting you as well Master Ian.” Trazu said with a polite bow of his head.

“Food now?” Silonik piped up as they watched the Jedi walk away.

Trazu thought a moment: he was hungry and he was sure Silonik was too, but it was important to get a message to his father as soon as possible. “Not yet.” He said with a shake of his head. “I need to send a message home first. Do you know where the communications center is in here?”

“Ahh….” Silonik tapped a claw on his chin as he searched his memory. “Yep! This way!”

A short while later they was in front of the communication office door. Trazu looked down at his son and said. “I shouldn’t be long, but if you want you can go on ahead to the cafeteria and wait for me there.”

“Ok.” Silonik was about to run off, but then stopped and asked. “Do you know where it is?”

“Um…”

Silonik giggled. “That’s right….I haven’t shown it to you yet. It’s easy to find though, remember where my room is?” It had been one of the first places the young Trandoshan had shown him and with a bit of backtracking in his head Trazu recalled how to get there, his Ranger training helped a lot there, and nodded. “Ok, when you are facing the door, turn right and go straight. Just follow the hallway and you can’t miss it.”

“Easy enough.” Trazu said with smile. “I’ll see you there then.”

Silonik ran off and Trazu entered the communications office. After a brief explanation, the attendant gave him permission to use the equipment. It took a couple of minutes to figure it out, but finally he was ready and started recording.

“Father.” He said to the device: he admittedly hated talking to a machine like this, but knew he had to deal with it. “Things have gone better then expected, the Jedi have offered to allow me to stay here for awhile and study and like the other kids, Silonik’s growing like a weed.” He chuckled. “Beyond that, the reason for this message is one of concern. Varcanna seems to have left suddenly with no explanation or even saying goodbye, stranding Lady Asri here in the process. If you have insight on this, please let me know. I hope things are continue to be well for you and mother and I will speak to you again soon.”

He ended the message there and informed the attendant that any response could be delivered to his room. After that he made his way to the cafeteria where Silonik was waiting for him. At least….he was supposed to be waiting for him there. He frowned: Silonik was a very obedient child and it was not like him to disobey like this. A couple of inquires to other padawan’s in the cafeteria revealed that Silonik never arrived there, so the doubled back to his son’s room, where his son’s younger friend Mortor asked the door.

“No I haven’t seen him recently.” Mortor replied when Trazu asked about his son’s whereabouts. “But…it is raining outside.”

Trazu gave Mortor a puzzled look: he had noticed it was raining when he passed a window earlier, but failed to know the meaning of it. “What does rain have to do with my son?” He asked.

Mortor snorted. “He loves the rain.” He said. “He runs out and plays in it whenever he has a chance. He’s likely in the courtyard pouncing puddles right now.”

If it had been any other day Trazu would have been amused, but with a sniper on the loose who had who knows how many other targets and the likely hood this was the same individual that he got the ‘danger’ feeling from earlier, he feared for his sons safety. In fact, he felt that feeling now. With a short curse Trazu ran off, hoping to get to his son before it was too late.

***

Asri literally froze when the rain started, the falling water alien to her senses. It felt good on her skin and smelled pleasant, but made her sense of smell and hearing virtually useless when it came to detecting danger. It probably would have played murder on her nightvision as well if it had been night time.

She wanted to stay out here a while and enjoy this new experience, but someone calling her name brought her back to reality and reminded her what was more important. With a sigh she boarded the vehicle, vowing next time to enjoy this rain next time.