Chapter Ten

Ayani slipped softly out of bed and wrapped a robe around herself. She looked back at Seven still sleeping, sprawled out across the bed. She left the room and walked into the cabin area of her ship. Nova had curled up on the couch, clutching the blanket Seven had given her late the night before. A soft beeping from the cockpit caught her attention, and she entered it.

The red light on her communication’s console was flashing, and she frowned. Pressing in a few commands, the image of the Emperor appeared before her. Ayani bowed her head slightly as she immediately put up her defense. Even far away the Emperor could read her mind.

"To what do I owe this call, my lord?" Ayani asked, bringing her head back up to look at the Emperor’s cloaked figure.

"You have not checked in for many days," he spoke, and Ayani nodded.

"I have been busy, my lord. The Jedi you sent me after is dead, but I found a few more bounties that I want to take care of."

"For the Empire, or for your own pocket?"

"For my own pocket. You know, Emperor, that when I took the job as the empire bounty hunter that I was still going to do solo hunts." She raised her eyebrow slightly as the Emperor nodded.

"I have another hunt for you, and it should be easy since you are already on Tatooine."

"Who is the bounty?"

"I am forwarding his information to you. He used to work for us as a technician on one of our Star Destroyers. He decided he wanted out and ran. I want you to show him what happens when someone tries to run from the Empire."

"Yes, my lord." Ayani bowed as the Emperor blinked out.

She tapped a button on her console, and an image of a man appeared before her. He was tall and thin with dark hair and light eyes. Information scrolled across her screen about him, giving her his height, weight, even his favorite drink.

Ayani left his picture up as she went back to her room and dressed. Seven was still asleep. She picked up her lightsaber and left the room again.

Moving out into the warming morning of Tatooine she glanced around, wondering exactly were this man would be hiding. Ayani stretched out her senses with the Force, searching for the man. She had met him once, only in passing, but it was long enough for her to recognize him if she got close enough. She paused outside of a very run down building, her eyes narrowing slightly. She opened the door and entered. The building had a covering of dust on the floor that looked as though it hadn't been used in years, at least to the untrained eye. There were sets of foot prints around the building.

Ayani grinned. "I know you're in here, Turner." She let the door close behind her. The only source of lighting the room was the small beams of sunlight coming through the window. Something moved to her right, and she turned in that direction. "Don't try to run; you know it won’t work."

Turner came out from behind a set of spiral stairs. He was wringing his hands and looking about.

"That’s it, come on." Ayani stood still and smiled at him. He stopped before her. "The Emperor sent me to find you, Turner. He doesn't like it much when his workers run away." Ayani's lightsaber came to her hands, and the man jumped then fell to his knees.

"Please, don't kill me! My wife was sick. I had to come back." He pleaded, his hands in the air as though to ward off a blow.

"Where is your wife now, Turner?"

"She died. before I could get back."

"Ahh, but if you wife was dead, why didn't you come back to the empire? The Emperor might have settled for torture instead of having me kill you."

"I....I..." The man began to shake uncontrollably; he kept glancing back towards the staircase.

"Stop trying to find a way out." Ayani's black blade came to life. "You do not run from the Empire, Turner. You should have known what would happen if you did. Now you will pay for it with your life."

Ayani lifted her blade to swing as tears began to fall down Turner’s face. There was the shuffle of feet nearby, and Ayani sensed someone running towards her. She spun, bringing her saber down to where the midsection of the person should be. Should be... Her blade sliced through the neck of a young girl, only about six years old. Her head rolled off her shoulders, and her body crumpled to the floor. Ayani stood, shocked to see the small girl in front of her.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Turner screamed, leaping up from were he sat and tackling Ayani. They both crumpled to the floor, and Ayani used the Force to fling Turner off of her. She threw her lightsaber at him, sending it straight through his stomach and then calling it back to her.

She turned slowly back to the girl’s body. The head was a few feet away from her, the girl’s innocent face forever set in pain stared back at her. Ayani had never killed a young girl in her life. Teenagers, yes, but innocent, small children she had always spared. But now, because of her stupid carelessness, this girl’s life had ended.

"You should have sensed that she was young, Ayani," she said to herself, her voice surprisingly shaky.

It doesn't feel good to take the life of someone so young, so innocent. Does it, Ayani?

"It was a mistake."

One that could have been avoided. You should have sensed how young she was. Your mistake took her life.

Ayani gritted her teeth and spun towards the door, the voice following after her.

How dare you just leave her laying there. You could at least give her the courtesy of a proper burial.

The door to the building flew off as Ayani reached it; people in the streets scattered as the steel flew like a bomb towards them.

Turn around, Ayani. Turn around and give her a burial.

Ayani stormed through a group of Jawas, sending many of them flying across the streets when they wouldn't get out of her way.

Show courtesy, Ayani. They didn't do this; you did it. You screwed up. You killed the girl, you left her, and you murdered hundreds of people. I am your demon, and you will deal with me.

The ramp to Ayani's ship lowered, admitting her and her terrifying anger into her ship. Seven was sitting on the couch with Nova in his lap when she came onboard. One look at her face, and he knew something was wrong. He sent Nova to the room in the back and looked at her.

"Ayani, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing," she hissed, turning from him.

Oh, so you can't tell him what you did? Afraid he may be ashamed of you? Or are you too ashamed of yourself? Too ashamed to admit you made a mistake. Too ashamed to admit that you, Ayani, one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, screwed up.

"Something is wrong, Ayani," Seven said, moving towards her.

She spun towards him. "Dammit, don't talk to me right now."

Push him away, push the one that loves you away. Something you've always been able to do so well.

The voice faded but Ayani's rigid stance didn't. Seven stood before her, his eyes slightly wide in shock. It had been so long since he had seen that kind of anger in Ayani.

“It must have been bad,” he said, moving back half a step, sensing she wanted space. “Where were you?”

"I told you not to talk to me." Ayani seethed, "it is none of your business where I was."

“It is,” he said. “You were fine until now, and what affects you affects me.”

"I... You don't have to know everything that I do in my life. This doesn't concern you." Ayani turned away from him.

Seven eyed her curiously a moment, then also turned away with a curt, “fine.” He then added, “tired of fighting with you. I’d thought we were past that.”

His eyes caught something on one of the ship’s screens, and he moved toward it. It was an image of a man along with every tidbit of information about him that was available. He spun back toward her.

“Another bounty, was that it?” he growled. “You did something bad, didn’t you? Something unintended? I mean, why else would you be this upset.” She didn’t answer, so he grabbed her arm roughly and spun her around. “What was it?”

"I killed a six-year-old girl! Are you happy? There, dammit, you know now." She glared at him, but there was pain behind the rage.

“You didn’t do it on purpose,” he said, shaking his head slowly. “I can tell. It’s… you feel remorse.”

"Remorse..." Ayani shook her head. "I am not supposed to feel remorse; I am not supposed to care. I never would have..." She paused. "But I've never killed an innocent child..."

“Yes, you have,” he said softly. “Not one with a face you can gaze into, no. But you have.”

Ayani frowned at Seven for a moment, slowly shaking her head before realization hit her. "By the gods..." she whispered. "The Kenobi's unborn kid."

Seven nodded, surprising himself with how emotional he felt. He was on the verge of tears. “Ayani, it was only a matter of time before this happened. I tried to tell you…”

You should have listened to him. The voice was back. It will destroy you now.

"I won’t let it destroy me. I can overcome this," she said, her voice shaky again.

“No, it won’t,” Seven said, confused by this outburst. “Not if you stop.”

You can't stop. You had the chance to stop, and you failed. You could have ended this long before now. Now it is you; you are attached to this destiny.

"I can't stop; it's who I am," she said, the words sounding ghostly, as though they weren't her own.

“No one is making you do this but yourself,” Seven insisted, holding her arms tightly in his hands.

You chose this destiny. You wanted this destiny. Now you will see it through. It is who you are.

"It's my destiny... It's who I am." Her eyes were unmoving as she stared at him. Seven knew she wasn't really seeing him. Her eyes had a glazed over look to them.

Seven set his jaw, then pulled his hand back and brought it hard across her face. He winced at his own strength when her head rocked back. Then he grasped her again, shaking her. “Wake up!”

Wake up from what? This nightmare is your life.

"This nightmare is my life," Ayani didn't seem affected by his slap at all, she just stared back at him.

“This is not life!” he shouted at her with utter desperation. “This is the death of your mind! I know you’re stronger than this, so fight it!”

Ayani's head turned slightly, as though he had heard him.

I can fight this. I can fight you, her mind screamed at the voice in her head.

You have never been strong. You've just been used. All your life you've been used by one person after another. You can't overcome me.

"I ca…" Ayani tired to shove the words out of her mouth.

You can't overcome me.

"I ca…"

YOU CAN'T BEAT ME!

"I CAN!" Ayani screamed, falling to her knees before Seven, her head down as she panted. The voice had left her mind... for now.

Seven crouched down beside her, lifting her face to him. “Love?” he questioned gently.

As his eyes met hers he couldn't believe how much turmoil he saw. Where once was strong resolve there was now uncertainty and fear. Ayani just shook her head slowly, rocking back and forth where she sat.

Seven pulled her into his arms, rocking with her and stroking her hair. “Me neither,” he said.

Ayani pulled slowly away from his embrace and stood up, walking like someone who was doomed towards her room.

* * * * *

The darkness of the Tatooine night was broken by the headlights on Ayani's speeder as she sped over the seas of sand. She glanced down at the bundle wrapped in blankets next to her and sighed before turning her head back in the direction she was going. The shadow of a hut stood out in the distance. She slowed her speeders approach and turned the lights off. The speeder halted before the hut, and Ayani climbed out, lifting the bundle into her arms and walking towards the door.

She knocked on the door and set the bundle down, the blankets falling off to revel Nova standing before the door. Ayani took several steps back, her eyes on the door.

Jade flung the door open, holding Obi-Wan’s lit lightsaber in her hand, her face nothing short of feral. Luckily, she had enough sense not to swing the instant she opened the door. Ayani stood before her, and she moved as though to confront her but was stopped by a soft word at her feet.

“Mama.”

Jade’s attention jerked downward, where Nova stood with her arms upraised.

“Mama,” Nova repeated, adding, “hug.”

Jade’s breath hitched in at once with a vulnerable gasp that caused her lungs to shudder when it was let in. Stooping down and using one arm, she scooped the child into her arms, clinging desperately. Even now, she could not feel the child’s life, but it was here, alive and cooing and grateful to be with its mother again. Distrustfully, her eyes cut to Ayani again. She hardly knew where to begin with her questions and her insults combined.

“You told me she was dead, and yet you bring her back to me? Why couldn’t I feel her? Why can’t I feel her now? What have you done!?”

Ayani looked at Jade for a moment before turning and walking away from her and climbing back into her speeder.

"ANSWER ME!" Jade cried after her but was drowned out by the speeders engines coming to life. There was a flash from the headlights, then Ayani disappeared in the distance.

Jade watched her go, tempted to take chase. But there was no way to do this now with Nova in her arms. Nova…

“Oh Force, sweetie,” Jade sobbed, burying her face in the child’s flaxen hair. “Has mommy finally lost her mind?”

“Mine,” Nova cooed, squeezing Jade tightly with her small arms.

Jade pulled her back to gaze at her daughter’s beautiful face. She appeared unharmed, well-nourished, and relieved to be home. There was no sign of extreme distress. Perhaps she had cried more than she was predisposed to when with her parents, but there was nothing to prove this. Only Jade’s suspicions.

“Nova,” she said gently. “Can you tell mama what happened? Where the dark lady took you?”

Nova blinked. “Ship with Unca Seven,” she said.

“Uncle Seven was there,” Jade said, shocked. “Did you see him?”

Nova nodded.

“And what about…” Should she even ask about Obi-Wan? “Did anything bad happen to you, baby?”

Nova’s lip quivered, and she pointed at her neck. “Gotta boo-boo.”

“Boo-boo?” Jade questioned. “What kind?”

Jade pushed the child’s hand gently away and noticed a bruise on her neck that contained a puncture mark at it’s center.

“She put something in you,” Jade mused aloud. “Do you remember what happened after the boo-boo?”

Nova’s big eyes squinted, the girl obviously trying to think of words to describe what she’d felt. “Lost…”

“Lost,” Jade repeated, cupping the child’s cheek. “Like… how?”

“Nobody’s there,” she said, sniffling after she said this.

“Oh, this just wasn’t fair, was it, darling?” Jade said, feeling her own tears start afresh. She pulled Nova into her arms. “That was a bad boo-boo.” She kissed the child’s bruise. “Mama make it better?”

Nova was quiet, and Jade wondered if anything could make this better. Force, I wish your daddy was here…

* * * * *

Ayani moved back into her ship and sat down on the couch. She sighed and put her face in her hands.

If you think returning the child back to her mother now is going to save you, you're wrong. You had a chance to turn, to change, and you didn't take it.

"Shut the hell up," Ayani hissed, laying down on the couch and covering her face with her hands.

Seven strode into the room, sleepily blinking at Ayani. His mouth stretched in a great yawn, during which he asked, “where’s Nova?” He smacked his mouth. “Playing by herself somewhere? I need to get her breakfast ready…”

"She's not here," Ayani said, her voice was muffled by her hands on her face.

Seven, who had been shuffling toward the kitchen, halted and turned to her slowly. “Then, where is she?”

Ayani just sighed and rolled onto her side, facing the back of the couch so Seven couldn't see her face, not answering him. Panic seized him, and he strode over to her, morning fatigue washing away. He grasped her by the shoulders and flung her up so she was facing him.

“I asked you where she is, Ayani,” he snarled. “If you’ve done something to her…”

Ayani looked at Seven and shook her head. "She's fine, Feroz… She's with her mother."

“Oh, Force, you killed Jade,” he said, breathless. “You killed them both. That’s your cute way of telling me.”

"No, I didn't kill either of them. I gave Nova back to her mother..." Ayani said sofly.

Seven was very still, soaking this in. “What would make you do that?” he asked. “Not that it’s a bad thing. Just… not your style.”

"I don't know why, Feroz." Ayani pulled away and stood up.

“So what now?” he asked. “I mean… wasn’t that a big part of your twisted plan?”

"What now? I leave in two days with first light and Kenobi with me. I'm taking him to the Emperor. You can either come or stay here. It's your choice."

“You’re still going through with that?” he asked. “You gave Nova back to Jade, but you’re not releasing Obi-Wan?”

"No, I won’t release him." Ayani turned back towards him. "I was going to keep Nova, train her like I was. Turn her into a... miniature version of me." She shook her head slowly, "But I won’t put another child through that."

“But you’ll torture her father and hand him over to the one person who could completely annihilate him and everything he stands for?” Seven asked. “That’s real sweet.”

"I never claimed to be sweet, Feroz. I am who I am," she snapped. "Just be lucky I didn't train Nova. I'd have had her kill her mother."

“That girl is one of a kind and just might have shocked you,” Seven said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ayani asked.

“She might have killed you instead,” Seven said. “She comes from righteous stock, and I don’t think anything could make her turn her back on that.”

"You've never been tempted by the Dark Side of the Force. You don't know what it can do to you." She turned from him and moved across the ship towards the cockpit. "You have two days, make up your mind."

Chapter Eleven

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