Master Jedi - Imperial Assassin
The battle stations alarm blazed through the halls of the star destroyer accented by the flashing red glow of the alarm lights. The Riodus, commanded by Admiral Allenn, was under attack three days journey out of the Kuat system. Alone in space the Riodus drifted helplessly after losing her ability to navigate, and with no ships nearby it was clear that the surprise attack was coming from within. Most of the high ranking officers on the ship were dead, including the entire helm crew. The Admiral was still alive and running for his life - trying to find a place to hide from the unstoppable force that was dropping his men with impunity. The overweight commander of the ship was sweating profusely as he fumbled down the corridors desperately trying to make it out alive. He was scared out of his duty and no longer cared for his men. He just wanted to survive the terror that had overwhelmed his ship, and would now do anything to preserve himself for another day. Stumbling frantically through the final doorway into the escape pod's room he ran up to the closest one and mashed the start sequence button, but nothing happened. Desperately Allenn hit buttons and flipped levers, but nothing would start the escape pods which had been cut off from their power source. Screaming, the Admiral began smashing anything that looked like a control panel until he fell to his knees in defeat and began crying. "You call yourself an Admiral?" A disgusted female voice spoke out from behind, "How pitiful." Allenn flopped over and began begging for his life, and shook his head trying to ward off his impeding doom as he looked on the masked female that stood before him with a glowing blue lightsaber at the ready. She was wearing a dirty, white outfit composed of white pants and a white jacket with a large, diagonal button flap on the front that was slightly open. Her mask was a simple white rag that was tied around her face above the nose, but it served its purpose and kept her identity hidden. "Please don't kill me!" Allenn pleaded as the hot lightsaber plunged into his heart leaving him dead with a shocked expression on his paralyzed face.
On board an Imperial shuttle the assassin made her escape from the Riodus. She entered the coordinates for light speed then engaged the sequence as she sat back and removed her mask. Leia revealed her tired and weary face, and sighed relieved that her week-long mission had finally come to an end. She moved to the back of the ship where she layed down and tried to get some rest, but closing her eyes immediately brought forth images of the horrified Admiral Allen staring up at her as she ran him through. I'm doing this for Han, Leia told herself trying to visualize a light at the end of the dark tunnel she had fallen into. Leia had subdued her fits of rage leaving cold indifference to now take precedence, and though she liked having control she was now more afraid of what she was capable of than ever.
Arriving at the Eviscerator Leia reported to Admiral Dorem immediately. He was in his private quarters planning strategy when she walked in. "The job is done. Admiral Allen is dead... including the high ranking officers," Liea said hoping to avoid a conversation.
"Referring to that man as an Admiral is insulting... as is your lack of greeting," Dorem spoke with his attention on his work. Leia turned to leave, but was stopped as Dorem continued, "Did you encounter any difficulties?"
Leia stopped facing the door, but didn't turn around, "There was nothing I couldn't handle."
"Forego the details, but I want to know how Allen died", Dorem finally turned in his chair to face Leia.
"So is that your twisted little secret? I knew there had to be something."
"I just want to know if he was the man I thought him to be."
Leia nodded, "Yes. He died like a coward. He abandoned his crew and begged for his life at the end."
Leia didn't wait to see if the conversation would continue. She picked up her hanging head and abruptly left. Dorem frowned and stared at the ceiling as he mulled over the things Leia had told him. He looked around for a bit then sighed deeply as he turned around and continued his work. Leia wearily made her way to her quarters making sure to keep to herself and avoid being friendly. She constantly reminded herself that the Empire was still the enemy and to be on guard at all times, but Dorem's charm wasn't easy to overcome.
Down the corridor Leia could see the tattooed man that had surprised her with what looked like a lightsaber waiting outside her door. He stood there stone faced like a statue at attention and only moved when Leia arrived, "Greetings. The Admiral has acquired some things for you and wanted me to show them to you personally. I already placed them in your room."
"How kind of the Admiral," Leia walked into her quarters angry at the reminder that on Dorem's ship there was no privacy. Littered across her room were boxes of clothes, accessories and exotic foods. On her bed lay a dark red outfit not unlike her own with a matching red robe that caught her interest. "Nice outfit," Leia said.
"I chose it myself, though the color was Dorem's decision. The things in here are yours to do with as you please, compliments of the Admiral. I am also to remind you that you are free to come and go as you please while you are the Admiral's guest. If there is anything you need do not hesitate to ask."
The tattooed man turned around to leave when Leia stoped him, "What's your name?"
"My name is Menn-al," The man turned around again.
Leia looked down at his belt, "I need to ask you about that weapon you had when we first met."
Menn-al reached behind his back, under his cape and produced what looked like a lightsaber, "Do you mean this?"
"Yes," Leia's interest grew as she reached out to touch it, "May I see it?"
Menn-al hesitantly placed the item in Leia's hand and stepped back. Leia Looked over the silver tube and concluded that it was indeed a lightsaber. She activated it to Menn-al's disapproval and continued studying it under its yellow glow. After a good perusal she finally gave the weapon back and chuckled, "You shouldn't give away your weapon so easily."
Menn-al began to laugh as he pulled a second lightsaber from behind his back, "I would not be so foolish as to give you my only weapon."
Leia stopped smiling as she realized this man was an alert warrior, ready for anything. She continued, "Where did you get such a weapon? Are you a user of the Force?" Leia asked wondering why she couldn't feel much Force energy emanating from him.
"These weapons were made by myself according to the written direction of an ancient warrior who visited our village many years ago. I do not know of this Force you speak of unless it is the ancient magic our village rejected from the same warrior. You see my village is a simple yet very superstitious people who were visited by two warriors many years ago. These warriors crashed near our village as they fled a great evil, but were unable to leave. They decided to stay and teach us their ways which included the use of these weapons and a powerful magic they used to move things. Many of my people rejected the teachings of these warriors, but some of us chose to risk the skills they had to teach."
Leia sat down on her bed, "Are these warriors still alive?"
"I do not know. About five years ago a group of travelers landed near us and the warriors left. The travelers continued to visit us and one day I also decided to leave. I moved from planet to planet learning about technology and working for those who needed protection until I found the Admiral who I now work for."
Leia showed her lightsaber to Menn-al then began twirling it in the air with the Force, "I'm not sure who these warriors were, but I'm betting they taught you the same things I know."
"The magic!" Menn-al shouted as he began touching and rubbing his tattoos in ritualistic patterns.
Leia laughed loudly, "So your people really are superstitious! The Force is nothing to be afraid of unless you're on the receiving end."
"Forgive my abruptness, but I am not prepared to deal with such things right now," Menn-al turned and quickly ran out of Leia's room still performing his protection rituals.
Leia shook her head and laughed for a good ten minutes after Menn-al left wondering how such a superstitious person could learn how to use a lightsaber or use a lightsaber effectively without the help of the Force. Her encounter with Menn-al was enough to help her relax and forget about Admiral Allen for the rest of the day. She used her brief moment of peace to look over the gifts from Dorem and try on her new outfit.
To be continued...
