From The Ashes of Empire

Chapter 3


Coruscant, Jedi Training Academy


Bastila dodged each carefully aimed thrust, parried each life threatening blow, the temptation to use the force was something she often found hard to resist, but Mission deserved at least a fair chance to try and land a successful blow, the damage suppression field would protect either of them from serious harm.


For an hour they had trained hard, harder than Mission had ever trained before, to the point where she thought Bastila had some hidden purpose behind the training, perhaps it was finally time for her to leave her apprenticeship behind her, although she doubted it, from her understanding it would perhaps take years to complete her training.


‘At least she had Bastila as her master; some of the old stuffy Jedi masters wouldn’t have suited her at all.’ She thought thankfully to herself, her concentration suddenly gone, and so was her lightsabre, knocked from her hand in a wicked flurry of blows she couldn’t have hoped to stop. She looked down to see Bastila’s lightsabre pointing at her chest.


“Excellent, Mission. But next time don’t lose your concentration.” Bastila said with a hint of satisfaction that her young pupil was perhaps one of the best and fastest rising apprentices the academy had ever seen.


“But you disarmed me.” Mission replied, the frustration and disappointment obvious from her expression.


“Now go and clean yourself up, it was your best training session to date, Mission. You should at least be a little pleased with yourself, just don’t become complacent.”


“Yes, Master Bastila. Are you coming to the cantina later?”


“You’re not supposed to be in there, Mission.”


“You’re kidding right. I’ve faced swoop gangs, bounty hunters, crazed Sith Lords, thousands of Sith soldiers and you’re worried …”


“I was joking, Mission. Don’t be so serious, I doubt I could keep you out of there even if I tried.”


“So are you coming then or not, just because you and Carth are arguing, it doesn’t mean you have to ignore the rest of us.”


“Alright, Mission, if it will keep you quiet.”


“And don’t bring Carth unless you two make up. I don’t want to have to listen to you two arguing all night.”


“Yes, Mission, anything else you’d like.”


“A backrub, perhaps. I’ve got a little kink in my shoulder; perhaps after I’ve got cleaned up you could …”


“Just go, Mission, don’t tempt me.”


“You’d only turn it into another training session, stuffy old …” Mission stopped and laughed at the thought of Bastila being a stuffy old Jedi master.


“Well thank you very much, Mission. I appreciate how you think of me.”


“That’s exactly what I mean, you’re so serious, I’ll see you later Bastila.”


“I’ll be along myself in a moment, I need to get cleaned up before I go and see the Jedi Council.”


“Well you scrub my back, Bastila, and I’ll scrub yours.”


“As appealing as that might sound, Mission, you’re just a kid, now go, before I find you some more training to do.”


“Story of my life, they drag me half way around the galaxy, put me in more danger than most adults will see in their entire life and still think of me as a kid. You’re just a kid Mission, it’s always the same.” Mission said mockingly, although she had only been joking.

“Mission.”


“I’m going, jeez, stop complaining, Bastila. It’s not like I suggested you perform for a Hutt or anything.”


“Mission.” Bastila shouted, shocked at what was coming out of the girl’s mouth.


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Coruscant, Padawan Shaleena’s quarters


Shaleena lay back, slightly shocked and more than a little surprised at what they had just done. Juhani laughed at her apprentices expression, but wasn’t about to let her go just yet. She had been waiting for this moment for the past six months since their training together had begun. Although she knew of the risk she was taking with the Jedi Order, if she couldn’t have Nevara then Shaleena was the next best thing.


Shaleena lay on her back, Juhani over her, her legs parted and Juhani seemed intent on repeating what they had been doing for the past hour. Shaleena thought back to her time on Taris and how she had never imagined a life for herself beyond the existence her people had fought to hang onto, she could never have imagined that a Jedi master would be her first lover.


The Cathar was intent on exerting her dominance, Shaleena was hers now, and as far as she was concerned the Council could go to hell, she wasn’t about to let anyone interfere. She realised how easy it would be for her to slip back into her old ways, but as far as she was concerned this was different, this wasn’t arrogance or seeking power this was simple lust for her student, and in that she could see little wrong.


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Tattooine, Streets of Anchorhead


Canderous tossed a thermal detonator into the middle of the exchange boss’s thugs, Selven from five hundred metres away had hit four of the gang before the grenade even landed, the scoped laser rifle a perfect instrument of death in the hands of such a deadly assassin. Canderous opened up with his repeating heavy blaster, quickly joined by Zaerdra, Sarna and Yun. The grenade landed devastating an area around the massed front ranks of the thugs.

Kell Soma turned and ran; the male Twi’Lek was a mid level fixer and gang boss for the exchange. His men lasted all of twenty seconds in the following fire fight. Kell had apparently upset quite a few high ranking Republic officials after one of their number was assassinated. It was time for payback, and Canderous and his group were only too happy to oblige.


They were of course acting as officially sanctioned bounty hunters for the Republic. The credits were great, the hours were short, and they got to pretty much go and do as they pleased. It suited Canderous and Selven the most, the others were along for the ride, but they had made a great team since fighting with Nevara on the Star Forge.


The shot was fired cleanly past her group, the back of Kell’s head blown off with one high powered shot. The Twi’Lek turned momentarily, the look of surprise and horror in his eyes as he slumped to the floor.


Several minutes later Selven wandered up to her companions, “That’s my, girl.” Canderous said as he lifted her off the floor, until her face was level with his.


“If you don’t put me down you Hutt loving Bantha fodder shoveler, I’ll make sure the next time I blow off your …”


“You say the sweetest things.” Canderous said as he pulled her in roughly, she struggled slightly but it was merely show for the others.


“Don’t you two ever leave each other alone?” Zaerdra asked, drawing a laugh from them both. ‘A merciless assassin and bloodthirsty Mandalorian warrior, what a combination’ the Twi’Lek thought to herself. Although she was starting to wonder if she was ever going to find anyone herself.


They salvaged what they could from the bodies, showed their official papers to the Anchorhead authorities and arranged for Kell Soma to be loaded onto their ship, the Republic liked to have proof their enemies were dead. The other dead were of no consequence, fodder for the desert crawlers.


An hour later Canderous sat back in the Anchorhead cantina, the dancing girls drawing his attention momentarily until Selven walked over sat on knee and pulled him violently towards her. “Touch them Canderous, and your dead.” She warned in her own particular humorous tone, it was actually quite light hearted for the assassin.


Sarna and Yun were much more subtle and obviously very much in love, the two former Sith officers had not a single regret about turning their back on their Sith masters, not after the bombing of Taris when they were left to die by their own side.


Zaerdra often regretted leaving Taris, she hoped the Beks and Outcasts eventually found their sanctuary among the ruins of the devastated planet, she could only hope. She would return one day, and she would help rebuild, it would likely take centuries, but the people of Taris were a hardy breed and would likely want to rebuild rather than abandon their homeworld. That was if anyone had survived the Sith bombardment.

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Coruscant, Jedi Training Academy


Mission stepped from the shower just as Bastila entered, walked over to the nearby benches and sat down, her towel draped around her. She could swear Bastila reddened slightly as Mission watched her shower. ‘Humans were so easy to embarrass’ Mission thought to herself, it wasn’t like they were much different, at least physically. Mission lay forward on the bench, stretching out, it wasn’t long before she felt sleepy.


Bastila stepped form the shower, and walked over to Mission. “Comfortable.”


“Yep. Why don’t you join me?”


“Do you still want that massage?”


“Why, are you offering, Bastila?”


“No, I thought I’d go and fetch some one. Of course I’m offering.”


“Do you know what you’re doing, I don’t what you …”


“Mission, do you want the massage or not?”


Mission looked up, sceptical she was being serious; it wasn’t like Bastila to be overly familiar, not at all like her. She simply nodded and then rested her head on the bench.


Bastila wrapped her own towel around herself and then sat over Mission trying not to put too much pressure on her back. Her hands massaging the girl’s skin, Mission was surprised, it actually felt good, relaxing, and in her opinion completely unlike her master.


She was wandering what was the sudden interest in getting close to her student; she didn’t think there was anything particularly strange about Bastila, other than she perhaps depended on Carth and before him, on Nevara a little too much since returning from the Star Forge. But she wasn’t going to hold that against her.


Mission closed her eyes and enjoyed the attention; it made a change for someone to be showing an interest in her for once. Bastila was perhaps unaware of how sensitive touching a Twi’Leks head tails could be, she found out quickly enough drawing a deep long sigh of satisfaction from the girl beneath her. “Don’t stop.” Mission insisted, as Bastila went to pull away.


“I’m sorry Mission; I guess we humans and Twi’Leks really do have our differences.”


“Well I know that, but don’t stop anyway. Do you realise what it means to touch a Twi’Lek like that.”


“No, but I’m certain, you’re going to tell me. Perhaps that’s enough for today, Mission.”


“Oh no you don’t, Bastila, you started this. You humans may be able to just leave off whenever you feel like it, but Twi’Leks get a little irritated with being teased.”


“Mission, I’m your Jedi master, and you’re far too young …”


“Maybe humans are too young, I’m as old as I feel and at this moment, I want you to carry on with what you were doing.”


Bastila thought about it for a moment, and then stood up, making the mistake of stroking Mission’s head tails one last time.


Mission gasped; she turned so she facing Bastila, “Please, Bastila.” Was all she said, as Bastila fought to free her wrists from Mission’s grasp.


Bastila had to wander at how she had allowed this to happen; the Jedi Council would not be impressed at all with taking advantage of a young student. She reached down, cupping Mission’s face in her hands, leaned over and kissed her lightly before pulling away. “I’m sorry, Mission, you know I can’t.”


“You can’t, what about me, why did you come over here. I thought you liked me. Why are humans so temperamental, can’t you ever make up your mind what you want.”


“I do, Mission, you’re one of my closest friends and my student, but I won’t take advantage of a vulnerable girl …”


“Vulnerable, are you kidding. I was dodging the advances of Black Vulkars long before the Order let you out of their sight. I’m the one who’s led the hard life Bastila not you; you’re far more vulnerable than I’ll ever be.”


Bastila couldn’t find anyway to argue with her and knew it must have been difficult for Mission alone on Taris especially at her age and with such filth in the undercity. In truth Bastila and many other Jedi lived a sheltered existence, although the past year had made up for all of that.


Bastila turned to walk away; there was no way she was going to win the argument, so she had no choice but to walk out. Mission stood, allowing her towel to fall away, Bastila watched, but as attractive as the girl was, this particular encounter had to end, quickly before she did something she would regret forever.


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