Chapter Two

The stars appeared again before Ayani as her ship dropped out of hyperspace. She checked the coordinates on her nav computer and smiled. Right on target. The bare planet of Tatooine loomed before her. Three days had passed since she had received her orders from the Emperor. She had checked the planet that the Emperor had told her about but found that the knight she was after had moved to Tatooine.

Ayani guided her ship down into the Mos Eisley spaceport. She pulled her deep green cloak about her and stepped out of her ship. Her feet sunk into the deep sand as her eyes scanned her surroundings. Beings from all over the galaxy swarmed around the spaceport, some throwing curious glances in her direction, and others completely ignoring her.

She moved quickly through the jumbles of beings, her ears picking up all the different languages, understanding each one. She stretched out with her senses and quickly located the one she was looking for. Ayani smiled to herself and set off at a quick pace.

Ayani waited outside of the small cantina, blocked to the Force, until her prey emerged. She followed a ways behind her as her target climbed into a speeder and sped off into the night. Ayani climbed into her swoop bike and followed.

Barriss Offee sped out into the desert, heading towards the small hut she had found to stay in. Her speeder jerked as a blaster bolt hit the engine, and she jumped out of it, rolling across the sand as the speeder exploded. The Jedi jumped to her feet as a swoop bike stopped in front of her and a cloaked figure stepped off. Barriss felt the surge of darkness that surrounded her.

Ayani drew her black-bladed lightsaber and charged. Barriss drew her weapon, it's blue blade shimmering to life as she blocked the furry of blows that her enemy sent at her. Ayani's hand raised, and Barriss went flying backwards. She hit the ground, her lightsaber rolling away from her. Ayani grinned and stepped forward, hovering over the young woman.

"You Jedi are so foolish. Why do you run when you know what the outcome will be?" Ayani said, her voice full of amusement. Her blade twirled over her head, and Ayani brought it down, driving it through Barriss chest.

* * * * *

As Obi-Wan was readying Nova’s mushy breakfast, he dropped the jar he’d been holding and barely noticed when it shattered on the floor. Nova shrieked at the sudden noise and started crying again, harder this time. Obi-Wan’s hand went to his chest, and he seemed unable to gain his breath for a moment. It felt like the air was soup and time had stopped.

Jade felt as though a boulder rested on her chest where she laid in bed, but pushed this aside at the sound of shattering glass and Nova’s distress. She ran into the kitchen and swept Nova into her arms as she rushed toward her husband.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, speaking loudly to be heard above Nova’s wails.

“I don’t know,” he huffed. “I need to sit down.”

“Are you hurt?” she asked, helping him into a chair. “You’re not having a heart attack, are you? Oh Force…”

“No,” he assured her, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “Nothing like that…” He looked up at her wearily. “That tremor from yesterday… I just felt another, much stronger one… Closer.”

Jade nodded and rubbed at her chest absentmindedly. She, too, had felt it, but her concern for her child and husband’s safety had taken precedence above all else. She’d never imagined herself to be that strong, but she reasoned that love could make you do things you’d thought yourself incapable of.

“How close do you think?” she asked, rocking and quieting Nova.

“On the same planet, at least,” he said, having gained his bearings. “With the power of that spell I just had, maybe only a short distance away.”

“Do you think you could follow your Force senses to the exact spot?”

“It’s a possibility,” he said, nodding. “Should I power up the droid?” He gestured at Nova as he offered this.

“No,” she said. “If something’s up, I’m not leaving her in this hut alone with a droid. She’s coming with us.”

In a flurry of grabbed items and last minute tasks, they headed out the door and toward the meager speeder. It was an outdated model, but it got them across the sand, which is what truly mattered. Nova was cheering gleefully for a “ride”, and Obi-Wan took the driver’s seat, giving Nova just what she asked for.

After a shockingly short trip, they came across a billowing tower of smoke that originated from the site of a crashed speeder. Beside it was a fallen form.

“Stay here,” Obi-Wan told both his wife and daughter as he hopped out of the parked speeder.

He edged toward the body, then dropped to his knees, placing his fingers over the form’s face. It was slightly obscured by a hood, but he was not concerned with this just yet. He was feeling for any signs of a lifeforce, but there were none to be found. He hung his head with regret that they had arrived so late, then pushed the hood aside. His heart leapt, then broke at the exotically beautiful face that gazed up at him glassily.

“Who is it?” Jade demanded from where she sat, watching Obi-Wan swipe a hand from his forehead down to his chin.

“Whozit?” Nova repeated, sounding eerily like a miniature version of her mother for a moment.

“Barriss Offee,” Obi-Wan called back softly. “Luminara’s apprentice.”

“Oh no…” Jade’s hand immediately went to her chest, where she rubbed her sternum nervously. “What happened? Was it a wreck?”

“I don’t think so,” he said, looking downward at the charred, circular wound in Barriss’ midsection.

“Maybe a hunter shot at her speeder,” Jade said, sounding bewildered. She looked around at the tracks surrounding the speeder. “There was certainly a lot of movement, though. Both from Barriss and her attacker. Almost as if they were dueling.”

Obi-Wan looked back at her. “She was stabbed, Jade. With a lightsaber.”

Jade swallowed. “You’re sure?”

“No other weapon could have made a wound like this,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ve seen it before. On Qui-Gon.”

Jade slipped her hand from her chest to her temple and massaged it. “And who do you think the attacker was? No bounty hunter that’s for…”

“Actually, it’s not ‘for sure’,” Obi-Wan put in when she hesitated. “But there’s nothing here to indicate more than what we both deduced from the beginning: a Jedi hunter.”

Jade nodded curtly. “Let’s go home. We’ve seen all we can here. I want to get Nova back to the hut.”

Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet and climbed into the speeder, sending them roaring back the way they’d come.

“You’re awfully quiet, Nova,” he said, trying his best to keep his mind clear of the scene behind them.

“Daddy,” Nova replied simply, laying her hand on his hip.

* * * * *

Ayani walked into her ship, tossing her cloak to the side as her communications console went off. She clicked on it, and an image of the Emperor appeared before her. She bowed.

"Was your mission successful?"

"Yes, my lord, the Jedi Barriss Offee is dead."

"Very well done." He paused for a moment then went on, "Ayani, I want you to stay on the planet for a little longer. I want to know what the Hutts are up to. Place yourself in a position to hear things, but not inside the Hutts fortress."

Ayani nodded. "Yes, Emperor."

His image crackled out, and Ayani went to her room aboard the ship. She searched through her clothing and found a beautiful dancing girl’s outfit. She changed and pulled her cloak about her, heading back out into the streets, looking for a job at a cantina.

* * * * *

When Jade and Obi-Wan pulled up to the front of their hut, the unfamiliar speeder instantly caught their attention. Jade’s eyes darted about, as though looking for some niche an enemy would pop out of, while Obi-Wan situated himself in front of Nova to shield her. He stared at their front door for a long moment, then nodded to himself.

“Watch Nova,” Obi-Wan instructed Jade as he moved to exit the speeder.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Jade growled. “If I have to stay behind, you’re staying here with me.”

“One of us has to go in to investigate,” Obi-Wan insisted. “And the other has to stay with Nova.”

“Then watch her,” Jade said. “You went last time. It’s my turn.”

“I won’t risk you!” he barked.

“And I won’t risk you, nerfhead!” she shouted back.

Nova whimpered and buried herself in her mother’s side.

“You’re upsetting her,” Obi-Wan said calmly.

“I am?” Jade retorted. “You shouted first.”

“Listen to me,” he said, his patience waning a second time. “Nova needs you more than she needs me. If something happened to me—”

“That’s not true!” Jade said, feeling her eyelids fill.

“Are you two going to sit in your speeder and argue all day?”

Jade and Obi-Wan both snapped their attention toward the hut, Obi-Wan having reached for the blaster hidden under the seat. When he whipped the pistol toward the voice, he was millimeters away from pulling the trigger. It was Jade who grabbed his arm and swung it away.

Seven’s once nonchalant stance was now rigid, his hands held in front of him as though he were surrendering. “Some warm welcome,” he snorted nervously.

“For Force sakes, Seven!” she yelled. “We could have shot you!”

“Correction, I could have,” Obi-Wan said, his cheeks pale.

“Yeah, I kind of gathered that,” he said, lowering his hands slowly. “Why so trigger happy?”

“You won’t believe the kind of day we’ve had,” Jade said. Looking irritated, she pulled a noisily whimpering Nova into her arms. The youngling didn’t understand why her parents were yelling and why they were so scared. All she could do was watch and feel. Jade felt a swell of pity for her daughter in that moment and held her heartbreakingly close as she climbed out of the speeder.

“Well, explain it to me then,” Seven offered.

“We felt a tremor this morning,” Obi-Wan said. “And what we found rather close to our home after said tremor is… not good news, to say the least.”

“What did you find?” Seven asked, moving for Jade to enter the hut with Nova.

“Do you remember Barriss Offee?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Yeah, she was an apprentice, wasn’t she?” Seven asked. “I remember that she and her master looked kind of alike. Quite a beautiful duo.” He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows.

“She’s dead,” Obi-Wan said, hating how that sounded after Seven’s comments.

“Oh,” Seven said, crossing his arms self-consciously. “Any ideas on how or who?”

“The ‘how’ is easy,” Obi-Wan said, hauling himself out of the speeder and striding toward Seven. “She was impaled with a lightsaber. It’s the ‘who’ we aren’t certain about. Though it is obvious this is someone trained to hunt and kill the very gifted and skilled.”

“I’m sorry, Obi-Wan,” Seven said, feeling the name stick in his throat. It was incredible to call this man, a Jedi Master and General, by his first name. Yet his titles had no meaning now, so there was nothing else to call him.

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, I am. For overreacting. We are happy to see you, Seven, as you must know. It’s only the circumstances…”

“I understand,” Seven said, waving a hand at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan gestured toward the hut. “Feel free to go in and get out of this wretched heat.”

“Yeah, I sorta already did that,” Seven said, giving a laugh. “Didn’t mean to barge in, but on a planet like this, you get your shade when and where you can.”

“You’re always welcome in our home,” Obi-Wan said, ushering Seven in and following after. “Whether we’re here to tell you so or not.”

“Yeah, just don’t scare the living Force out of us next time,” Jade quipped from the kitchen. She moved back into the main living area with cold drinks for the two men.

As Obi-Wan graciously took his, he asked, “where’s Nova?”

“In the bedroom,” Jade said. “Playing quietly. I think she’s unnerved.”

“Aren’t we all,” Obi-Wan sighed. “I’ve brought Seven up to speed.”

“Thanks, General,” Jade said, still sounding irritable. “I do hope you both realize we are defenseless. With Nova to protect and our position so vulnerable, if someone decided to come after us—”

“You honestly can’t worry about that until it happens,” Seven said. “And until then, I’m here.”

Jade shook her head. “We couldn’t ask you to protect us. It’s not your job. It never was, really. You took that task upon yourself.”

“It gives me something to do,” he said, grinning lopsidedly. “Wandering from planet to planet and living out of your ship gets old after a while. Besides… I miss that cutie-pie in there.” He gestured toward their bedroom.

“And she misses you,” Jade said, smiling softly. “You’re her favorite uncle.”

Seven chuckled and seemed to blush a bit at this. “Well, she’s a great kid. Growing up faster than I can fathom. And I was in an accelerated growth program, so what does that say about me?”

“It says that miracles of nature are not lost even upon someone like you,” Obi-Wan said, sounding so casual that Seven couldn’t tell if he was teasing him or not.

“At any rate,” Jade said, now calmer than before. “We’re glad to have you here. Especially now.”

“I can tell you’re anxious,” Seven said. “Just keep in mind that nothing can beat the three of us together. And I’m saying that from experience, remember?”

“We do,” Obi-Wan said. “My only request is that while watching out for us, you watch out for yourself as well. Hunters are not respecters of persons. Nor clones, either.”

Seven nodded but was assaulted by a toddling child before he could respond. “Whoa, looks like she found her way to her so-called favorite uncle!”

Nova giggled, a noise that was oddly mischievous in its tone, and Seven bent down to lift her up. She squealed with delight when he swung her around.

“This baby is ready to play, aren’t you?” Seven asked, smiling at her slightly toothy grin. He smoothed his hand over her hair, then looked to Jade and Obi-Wan. “Listen, I think you two are highly wound up. Maybe you just need to relax. Go out for a while and take a break.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Jade asked.

“Not yet,” he said. “I can watch Nova. She’s an angel anyway, so it’ll be a cinch. And the two of you can do whatever there is to do on Tatooine. Go get a couple drinks or something. Just enjoy each others company for a bit.”

“But Nova…” Jade said softly. She’d not been away from the child for more than a few minutes since she was born and was only now realizing it.

“Anyone with any funny ideas would have to get through me,” he said, giving her a steady look. “And that’s not happening.”

“We trust you,” Obi-Wan said. “But I must admit it simply isn’t feasible.”

“You need to release that negative energy,” Seven said. “The only way to do that is to stop worrying and relax. When was the last time either of you went on anything that could be considered a date?”

Jade and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. “Well…” Jade said slowly.

“That settles it,” He said. “Get out of here. Nova and I have some serious playing to do.”

Bouncing with a cackling youngling, Seven disappeared into their bedroom. Jade shook her head at the doorway, then looked at Obi-Wan.

“He can’t be serious,” she said, then paused. “Should we?”

“If it was a Jedi hunter, they have already disposed of their target,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m beginning to wonder if we are actually in any danger.”

Jade nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe an evening to ourselves wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

* * * * *

"Are you ready in there yet?" a voice growled just as Ayani was finishing her makeup.

"Yeah, yeah," she replied, standing with her long, blue dancing gown swirling around her.

The door opened, and a short, man with greasy hair and a messy beard stood in front of her.

"You're on in three minutes, girl, get in place," he said, shoving her forward.

Ayani had found a job as a dancing girl at a popular cantina. She figured it was the best place to gather information on the Hutts.

Ayani moved smoothly out onto the stage as her music started up, her face veiled and hair braided up.

She danced to the music, her body moving with the sounds of the instruments. Ayani hesitated as her senses brushed something she had not felt for four years. A sense she had dreamed about. She quickly shut her senses to the Force off as two figures entered the cantina.

Jade wrinkled her nose at her surroundings. She’d been in seedier places, and this one had promised to be at least somewhat upper class. Yet the array of dancing girls proved otherwise. And there was a dark wave, one which came and went as one of the dancers hurried away. Jade peered through the crowd, trying to find a trace of her but seeing none.

“Who was that?” Jade asked.

“What?” Obi-Wan asked in return.

“I thought I saw someone… A dancer who ran away when we came in. As though she were avoiding us.”

“You’re becoming paranoid,” he said.

“And you’re sure about this place?” Jade asked.

“No,” he said. “And I’ll admit, it’s not exactly well-lit and sociable. But we can at least get a drink.”

Jade took his arm. “And maybe I can get some exercise.”

Obi-Wan smirked with a confused look. “I’m not sure I follow you.”

“If any of those wiggling hussies even thinks of shimmying your way, I’ll tear them apart.” Her pleasant smile through all of this was disturbing, but in a humorous way that made Obi-Wan unable to contain his laughter.

“If our hunter were a beautiful woman pent on having her way with me, I’d never have to worry about either of us getting captured,” he said, chuckling as he led her to the bar. “Besides which, the only woman with that on her mind is you, my dear.”

Ayani peered out from behind the stage curtains, her blue eyes following Jade and Obi-Wan as they moved toward the bar and ordered a drink.

"On Tatooine the entire time... Clever, very clever," she whispered.

She pulled all her black hair up in a wrap, making sure none of it was visible, and covered her small scar on her cheek with makeup. She moved out into the crowds at the cantina to keep a close watch on the couple. She stationed herself a few tables down to see if she could hear anything.

Jade took her drink from the bartender, sipping at the concoction. It tasted of apples, and she suddenly had a very vivid memory come back to her. It was of the first night she’d ever truly gone out. Obi-Wan’s sister, Ouillot, had escorted her to show her the nightlife of Coruscant, and she had gotten very drunk on apple-flavored mixed drinks. She didn’t realize she was laughing until Obi-Wan affectionately touched her cheek and gave her a questioning look.

“Nothing,” she said without even needing to hear him ask. “I just thought of something funny.”

“Let’s find a table,” he said, leading to a more secluded spot.

Ayani watched as Jade and Obi-Wan moved again, and she slowly followed, acting as though she was just moving from table to table, flirting with the men.

The spot they’d found was darker than the rest of the cantina, but it made Jade more comfortable to be away from the other beings when she felt so on edge. Obi-Wan downed half of his drink, then grinned at her.

“I don’t know when it happened,” Jade commented, “but somewhere along the line, you became a heavier drinker than me.”

“You were never a heavy drinker,” he said, laughing.

“You seem to have forgotten a couple of… interesting nights we shared.” She winked and gulped her drink after having said this.

Obi-Wan shook his head. “On the contrary, I remember all of our ‘interesting nights’. The ones involving alcohol are fuzzy… but there.”

Jade busted out laughing, then covered her mouth. “We were so stupid, you know that?”

“We were young,” he said, smiling. “Stupid is a given in youth.”

“I don’t know how we made it this far,” she said. “And I don’t just mean without getting our fool selves killed. I mean, as an item. You and me.”

“Do you mean to tell me that you ever doubted?” He attempted looking wounded but only managed to look ridiculous, his bottom lip poking out comically.

“No,” she said. “But there was a lot working against us. The Code, for instance? Hell, I remember when Cher-Ryll had me convinced I was giving myself to you only to have you throw me away like a used tissue.”

“She thought that?” he asked, sounding shocked.

“It’s hard to explain why, but she did. She loved you, Obi. She just didn’t trust any young man with her padawan. And she had her reasons.”

“You don’t mean to tell me that Master Sejam…”

“Like I said, she had her reasons,” Jade laughed. “Force, I can’t believe I never told you that.” She reached out and stroked his bearded cheek lovingly. “I’m so busy worrying about losing you that I don’t take advantage of every moment I have with you. I feel like I’m losing opportunities every second.”

“You won’t lose me,” he said. He dipped his face into her palm and kissed it, making his next words muffled. “I love you too much to let that happen.”

Jade was moved by his words, but responded saucily with, “prove it.”

“Fine, I will,” he said, leaning toward her. “Would you do me the honor of going out with me a second time?”

“When?” she asked.

“Tomorrow night,” he said, his eyes locked with hers.

“And what will we do tonight?”

“We’ll go home, and I’ll do excruciatingly wonderful things to you.”

“With Seven in the house?”

“He can sleep in the living room.”

“And I remembered a time when you said you had too many scruples to do such a thing with a guest in the next room.”

“You said ‘prove it’. I am.”

Jade snickered and rubbed his chin with her thumb. “You’re on.”

Tomorrow night. Ayani grinned to herself as Jade and Obi-Wan climbed out of their seats and headed for the door.

Ayani slowly crept out of the back of the cantina and hopped on her swoop bike. She flew slowly around to the front just as Obi-Wan was piloting their speeder out into the streets. Ayani waited for a few moments, and then followed. They were in the middle of the desert before Ayani could see lights flickering in the window of a hut not far off. She pulled her bike to a stop and watched as Jade and Obi-Wan pulled up to it and entered.

Ayani grinned wickedly as she turned her speeder around.

"Let the games begin," she muttered to herself.

Chapter Three

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