IIThe bright jewel disappeared behind the buildings of Ord Mantell's capital city just moments before he stood up from his place by the window. His glass was empty. Did not feel like pouring again. He walked to the door with long, strong steps. He picked up his brown Jedi robe. He would wear it proudly. There was not anything else in the apartment that could identify him or be used against him. He was nobody. He had been a Jedi. Being nobody served him best, for the moment.
He was smiling that charming Nautolan smile.
He was resolute as most Jedi are.
He took his 434 Death Hammer blaster pistol from the table next to the door. He looked at it. "This was hers" he thought. The fearsome gun had served her well, but to no avail against the power that brought her down in shreds. His teeth clenched. He stepped outside, in to the shadows of Ord Mantell's night. As he did, he felt Alema's touch on his gleaming skin. He would never stop being Jedi.
"You should not be in the balcony Padawan Oreth, but doing the exercises I charged you with"- He turns around, he is still a student now. He does not need eyes anymore to know it is her. Her presence is... overwhelming; deep like the oceans of his home, cool and comforting like them too. "I'm sorry master, but it is all still so unexpected. and I've always liked Coruscant's sunsets." He responds. Now he goes back in to their quarters. He sees her there, barely visible among the plays of light and shadow dancing on her white skin and brown robe. Their apartment's main room is empty but for two meditation seats facing the west window. Sunset were their favorite hours to mediate. Both had come from planets with big oceans in which the falling sun in to the water was almost ritualistic; beautiful and sad. He thinks then that is a strong connection between the two; the salty essence of ocean's breeze still clinging to them and joining them. A salty embrace.
She was far older than him, by both race's standards, but still every lesson learned, every duel held and every talk had were to him like swimming in the deep end of the abysses of his home world; exciting yet deadly. He sits by her now. Crosses his legs in meditative stance and concentrates. Yes he can feel it now. This is when he begins receiving visions. "The future is always in motion". She says. "But what about the past, master, can we see visions of the past?" "It is very wise of you to ask Oreth; from the past you can plan a better future. So it ell you now: Run, and do not look for the dark figure in the only place where you know it is not going to be!". She opens her eyes and turns to him. Her scream pierces his ears "Run!"
He ran. Didn't even had enough time to close his apartment door. Three blaster bolts impacted the wall where his head was a second ago. He did not turn to see how the grey metal of the frame twisted and charred. If he hadn't started running, he would be very much dead. Jedi could be a blur of speed when need arises, he decided not to at that moment, he needed a glance of his pursuers. The corridor he was in had burgundy carpeting, grey walls and metal door frames on left and right, and it curved slightly so it formed a massive cylinder of a tower complex. The lighting glimmers and dims at some places. His pace began to slow down, he looked around and saw doors left and right. A fight in such a place would be dangerous to the residents. He saw several emergency supply closets; he hid behind one and waited just where the hallway curved so much that allowed a bit of view on his door.
There were three men there. One dressed as local security forces. The other two were definitely senate guards on civilian outfit. One can never stop looking at those fellows for what they are no matter what were they wearing. Their neat, close crew cuts; the almost unconsciousness of their clothes' blue colouring, almost uniform like. They were talking. He needed to hear. Concentrated. For the Force, there are no distances, no secrets, nothing out of reach... "-inform the Jedi. His pupil is no longer here." One of them said as the Force gave him the words. "She is not the one who should be informed. Chairman Amedda and the council sent another. I think they sent a master; she stayed back at Coruscant after our meeting with her." The three men exchanged puzzled looks. The local security uniform shrugged and stepped inside. "A Rogue Jedi is out of our concern, but it is still my duy to check the apartment for any thing that may pose a danger to the peaceful Ord MAntell society." He said already from inside the apartment. "Peaceful?, Ord Mantell is as peaceful as Mos Eisley on a bad day".
He no longer required the Force to carry their words to him. He had heard enough. His master was not here; so who had they sent? Why had Alema not come? He ran. Found a window some ten meters after the slight curvature made his apartment disappear from view entirely. the window overlooked the arched entrance to the building, some forty stories below. He touched the glass, it cracked, slowly. IT shattered then, silently, little pieces of glass softly placed on the burgundy carpet of the hallway. He liked the colour. He'll miss it. He climbed he window. Night air stroked his face, his long tassels. Closed his eyes, extended his arms. Jumped. He went in to himself, calling upon the force to focus on his inner eye.
They are stepping inside the star ship they were supposed to meet. It is dawn. She is still alive and will be for the next ten to twelve hours. Now they are talking with the crew of the ship. The Mortician's Wife, it's called. Flyboys seemed proud of it. Pretty interior, black with white neon lighting; the passenger's lounge has the familiar round shape one always links to the YT's, regardless of their model. They sit down. One of the crew is talking now. "I am captain Aeric Montaigne," the tallest human with the full brown beard says with a slightly sardonic nod. The man points at another young human male next to him and continues "-this dumb nerf is Esteeard, and you cannot see her, but on the cockpit is Shadiss... from Dathomir." Captain Aeric seems expectant, as if either he or Daneela should react to the statement of the pilot's origin. They talk the deal, the mission. "We are to take you to Tansarii Point as part of our crew, we are unloading some... goods for the Car'das that the republic seemed worried about being stolen. We do not owe allegiance to either you or anyone, Jedi, so let's get that clear up front. The deal starts with the credits transferred in to my account last night and it ends with you leaving my ship later on, understood?". He nods then, silently, but Daneela seems restless. Focus is important here. Why is she anxious? He notices every crevice in her face, it is almost purely smooth polished light blue, but there, on the corner of her red lips, a twitch; her eyes dart to the opening platform. She is afraid of being followed.
"I should not tarry anymore" he thought as he landed from his forty stories jump. The force was with him, fuelling his power with unleashed emotion. There is emotion, and it is good. "I'll follow my master's old advice. Did not know what it meant then. Do not look for the dark figure where you know it is not, so there is no point in going to the landing platform again. But she was nervous even when we were discussing the short trip to Tansarii point Station, safely on board the ship”. He ran.
He moved through the streets from one shadow to another. He knew how to mask his presence both in the force and to the senses. Around a corner. Down that ledge, through a balcony and in to a lower level platform. Under that walkway, the air was starting to pick up. He did not felt the chill. His inner heat would suffice. As he moved, thundering his way through streets and alleyways he foresaw what must be done. He tried to focus and concentrate on his movements
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