The Rebel Faction

Jaina bolted after Mahk and Logan. She looked for Mahk, but he was already gone. As she and Joren neared the level the kids were on, resounded gunfire could be heard. Jai stiffened visibly, and Logan noticed, placeing a reassureing hand on her shoulder. It didn't stay there long, for as soon as the turbolift opened, Jai and Logan jumped out of it and ran down the hallway. The gunfire had stopped....good or bad sign? Jai didn't know yet.

When they got the kids room, Jai slapped the handpanel that opened the door. The sight she saw made her gasp...

There was Sirra on the foyer's floor, obviously she'd been stunned, not shot for she was still breathing. Blaster bolt burns pocked the walls, ceiling, and rug...Jai franticly ran to the children's sleeping area, but the beds were empty. She looked in thier playroom, but they were not at play. She came back out to Logan, who had been trying to revive Sirra.

"Joren....my children. They're gone!"

Well...that did it. They had attacked her ship, stunned her friend, stolen her children, and hurt Mahk...needless to say, Jai was now officially pissed. Her Solo blood was boiling and there was fire in her brandy brown eyes...there was hell to pay.

Jai rushed out as the MedCenter Crew rushed in. She took her father's old blaster off her hip, the one he had given her so long ago, and raised it...powered up and ready. She passed a group of crewmen and said bluntly, "Get your asses in gear, boys...we've got some pirates to catch." The men all looked at each other, most of them were twice Jaina's age and she had called them boys? They didn't know her well....but anyone could tell, just by looking at her, that this was no time to argue with Jaina Solo Darklighter.

As she and her little band stalked down the corridor, Jai kept track of where the pirates were in the ship...where were they going? Then it hit her..."Alright men, let's go to the hangar bay where those scum have thier ship." The men nodded and followed obediantly.

As Jai approached the two massive swinging doors that lead out to the bay and man suddenly fell and landed on his feet right in fornt of her, from the ceiling it seemed. She stopped short, for in his grasp was her young son...The man was a pirate, no doubt about that. They looked at each other for a moment.

"If you kill me, the child dies as well." The man looked terrified, and Jai just looked pissed.

"Is that so...?"

The man visibly seemed to gag, and Jai just narrowed her eyes. His hands went to his throat as he fought for air and he dropped Beau. As the man fell to his knees, the boy scrambled to his mother and clung to her leg...Only then did Jai stop. The pirate looked up at Jai and spoke, "You..you witch. They said you weren't a Jedi...how....did..."

"I'm a Jedi, you scum...you should have done your homework."

"Then surely you woke kill out of hate." He gave a greasy smile as he rose to his feet.

Jai used one hand to turn Beau's head, and the other, that held her blaster, suddenly raised..."I'm only a Jedi when I have to be."

Those were the last words the pirate heard before a blaster bolt went sizzling through his heart. Jai scoffed and motioned for the men that had followed her to the body, "Take him away and toss him to the mercy of space." She holsted her blaster and picked up Beau.

She then turned back to the hangar bay as she heard the whine of a ship's engine. "No...No!" She held her son tightly as she pushed open the hangar bay door...just in time to see the pirate's ship speed off.

A young ensign ran over, "Mrs. Darklighter! Oh thank the Force, you have your son...Jaina, they took the girl...they took Brenna. We tried to stop them...I'm sorry, Ma'am."

Jai paled visibly and slumped to the floor with Beau in her arms.

Jai rocked back and forth with Beau, biteing her lip softly. she looked up at Logan and tears fell from her eyes.

"Mama, where's Bren?"

Jai looked at her son, painfully sorrowful, "Beau, hon, I....I don't know."

Beau sniffled and then cried, "I want my sis!"

All Jai could do was hug him and look up at Logan pitifully.

Jai calmed down and relaxed her hand.

"Well...they better."

She had began to pace now, and as she paced near Logan she'd spit out a sentance...

"What now?....What about my daughter?....Brenna Marie's only five and a half.....Probably scared out of her wits.....Lonely....Afraid....What's to be done, Joren?.....What now?......She's been kidnapped by a gang of low down....no good....filthy....stealing...murdering....ruthless....heartless... <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> pirates<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->!!!"

When it came time for everyone to go to sleep and rest, Joren Logan retired to his room. He went through his usual routine---dressing down; hanging his uniform up neatly; turning down the bed; <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> and<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> checking his personal, portable com-unit and holo recorder.

The device was usually blank, yet tonight, the little light atop the device was blinking. Usually, nothing major was ever on it---a note from Mahk here, a tidbit of info from an officer there---so Logan was not concerned when he spotted the flashing light. He hit the 'play message(s)' button as he sat on the bed.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> You have one message. Message one from <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Saber's Claw<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

The name of the ship from which the message was transmitted caught Logan's attention. That was the name of the ship which had attacked earlier, the pirate's ship. Logan's attention was entangled even more when the smooth, seductive voice of a woman began to speak. And not only was this a com message, it was a holo messge as well. Therefore, a split second after her first syllabel was spoken an image appeared.

It was of a young woman, late twenties or early thirties. Her hair was a black as the night, and her eyes her a dark, rich brown. The lines of her face and the curves of her body seemed familiar to Logan. She was undisputibly a pirate, her attire was a dead giveaway to that. Her voice was almost as dark and rich as her eyes:

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Joren Logan, I must speak with you. Tell no one of this. Meet me on Coruscant. In the Lower Levels: Level 54, Sector Q. There you will find a bar, "The SunSet Inn"; meet me there. I'll be waiting.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->