"Master, we are picking up on a distress signal," Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Apprentice, called out to his Jedi Master and companion, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Qui-Gon stepped into the cockpit and looked over his young apprentices’ shoulder. "Can you locate the origin of it?" He asked.

"Just ahead Master," Obi-Wan replied, again checking the readouts. "I came out of hyperspace, and there it was."

One standard hour later, they had a visual of the vessel. It was a Star-Class Freighter, that appeared to have been involved in battle. The two Jedi could easily make out the carbon scoring on its hull.

"Try to make contact," Qui-Gon suggested.

"Star-Class Freighter, this is shuttle Daktarian. We have picked up your distress call. How can we assist?" Obi-Wan called out through the communications comlink. There was no response. After a moment, he repeated his message. Again, there was no response.

"Should we board, Master?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Qui-Gon.

"Yes. We should at least have a look and check for any survivors," Qui-Gon answered.

Obi-Wan located a docking bay that looked to be relatively intact and flew in to land their shuttle. Once he determined that the shuttle was safely docked, he turned to his master and prepared to disembark. They stepped down onto the deck and immediately scanned their surroundings, using the Force in an effort to detect life forms, survivors or threats.

"Something very bad happened here," Obi-Wan mused aloud.

"Yes, young Padawan. I too detect an unusual disturbance."

"But why would someone attack a small freighter in such a manner?" Obi-Wan continued, still musing aloud.

"That I cannot answer," Qui-Gon replied. He motioned to the open blast doors. "Perhaps we will find some answers on the database in the communication’s bridge."

They continued through the ship’s passageways, alert and sensitive to their surroundings. At times they stumbled upon the lifeless forms of crew members, their bodies scorched by blaster fire. As they approached the bridge, Obi-Wan halted, having sensed something new.

"Master…"

"I know. I feel it too," Qui-Gon interceded.

They turned and looked down the corridor they had just passed through. Ten feet away, pointing a blaster at them, stood a young woman. Dressed in a dark blue coverall, she was of average height, had long black hair tangled about her shoulders and a face streaked with grime. She stood, defiant, her feet spaced apart and her arms in front of her, holding the blaster unwaveringly. She looked calm and determined, but the Jedi could sense her fear.

Qui-Gon raised his hand slowly, in a placating gesture. "We came in response to your distress call."

Obi-Wan cast a quick sidelong glance at his master and then turned his eyes back to the woman confronting them.

"Are you the only survivor?" he asked.

She continued to stare at them, her mouth set in a determined line. Qui-Gon tried again.

"What happened here?" Another tense moment passed before she spoke.

"Who are you?" she asked, a slight waver in her voice.

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Knight. This is Obi-Wan Kenobi, my apprentice," he replied with a slight nod in Obi-Wan’s direction. "We have come to help, in any way that we can."

After another moment’s hesitation, she lowered her weapon. Her composure slipped, and she collapsed to the floor. Obi-Wan ran to her and because of his force speed, caught her before she could hit the hard deck. He held her in his arms and quickly checked her over for injuries.

"She’s not badly hurt, just exhausted," he said, looking up at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan sat at the communications console reading the ship’s data log. Obi-Wan would occasionally cast backward glances at the young woman lying unconscious on a bench by the wall. He found himself continuously distracted by her presence. He had gotten a closer look at her when he carried her to the bridge, and he realized that he held a very beautiful woman when he could see beyond the tangled hair and dirt that obscured her face.

He turned back to Qui-Gon and asked, "Master, do you think she’ll be alright?"

Without looking up from the readouts, Qui-Gon said, "Yes, Obi-Wan. She will. In fact, I do believe she is now waking up."

Obi-Wan spun around again and saw that she was indeed beginning to stir. He got up from his seat and crossed over to her side. He knelt down next to the bench and looked down to see her soft brown eyes as they attempted to focus on him.

"Welcome back," he said, a small smile creasing his handsome face.

"Where are we?" she asked groggily.

"We are still aboard your ship," Obi-Wan answered. "What is your name?" he asked, reaching out to help her sit up.

"What…oh…um, I am Na-Mia Krill," she answered, shaking her head gently from side to side.

"I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi," he gestured behind himself, "and he is Qui-Gon Jinn."

Na-Mia nodded abstractly and attempted to stand. Obi-Wan grabbed her arm to steady her as she began to fall back onto the bench. "Whoa, you should sit still a moment longer, until your head clears," he told her. "What happened here?"

Na-Mia looked at him and sighed heavily. "We were transporting medical supplies to Krimea. Three days ago, we met up with a Republic Class Destroyer. With no provocation whatsoever, they attacked us. A Republic Destroyer with an alien crew."

Startled, Obi-Wan looked over to his master to see a similar incredulous expression upon his face. He turned to Na-Mia as she continued her tale.

"They boarded us, searching for…I don’t know what. They stormed through the ship, killing everyone who got in their way. We were outnumbered and completely unprepared for an attack of that magnitude. I managed to pull a couple of the wounded crew with me down a loading chute. We hid under the loading deck."

"Are they with you?" Qui-Gon asked.

Na-Mia looked down at her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. When she looked up again, Obi-Wan saw the tears that pooled in her beautiful eyes. His heart went out to her. She quickly blinked them back. "No. I lost them last night. I tried, but their wounds were severe. The escape pods had been jettisoned by our attackers, and I couldn’t get them to safety," she finished, her voice cracking with anguish.

Obi-Wan could feel her pain and frustration. The urge to gather her into his arms became strong within him, but Qui-Gon’s voice came from behind, drawing his attention away.

"I can find nothing more in these communiques," he stated. "Nothing beyond what you have told us," he directed to Na-Mia. "We should go now. You can come with us to Coruscant. We’ll send a transmission ahead and have a salvage crew come out to tow your ship and crew into port. That way, they can begin an investigation."

Obi-Wan took Na-Mia’s arm and guided her to their shuttle. He helped her to get settled upon a cot in the hold. "Are you comfortable enough?" he asked.

She smiled wanly up at him and answered, "Yes, I’ll be alright here."

Obi-Wan smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder gently. He stood to leave for the cockpit. As he turned to go, he felt a light grip on his wrist. He turned and looked down to see Na-Mia holding onto his arm. He looked at her.

"Thank you," she said, a note of tiredness in her voice. Obi-Wan smiled at her again and told her to get some rest.

"We’ll be on Coruscant soon," he told her, gently removing her hand from his wrist and placing it upon her stomach. He moved his hand to her shoulder again and focused on relaxing her enough to allow her to sleep. He watched as her eyes drifted closed, and then he headed to the cockpit.

Qui-Gon had the pre-flight check completed when Obi-Wan stepped in behind him and slid into the pilot’s seat.

"How is she?" Qui-Gon asked from his seat in the co-pilot’s chair.

Obi-Wan looked at his master. "She is sleeping now. She’s been through a lot these past few days, Master, but I feel that she is very strong."

Qui-Gon detected a tenderness in his Padawan’s tone. He looked over at Obi-Wan and saw the same tenderness reflected on his face. "She’ll be alright," he replied comfortingly, having realized the burgeoning feelings of his young apprentice.

They reached Coruscant as dusk was falling over the planet. After disembarking, Na-Mia was removed to the nearest medical facility, still sleeping, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left for the Jedi Council Chambers in the Temple. Qui-Gon could sense his companion’s apprehension, and he sought to ease his mind.

"They’ll take good care of her," he told Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan turned to his friend, "Am I that obvious, Master?"

"To me? Yes," Qui-Gon responded, bestowing a fatherly smile on his apprentice. "I’m sure they’ll let you visit her soon, but now we must bring this matter before the Council and find out what their take is on the situation. I feel that the matter should be investigated."

Obi-Wan agreed whole-heartedly with his master. Under normal circumstances, an attack of that nature would warrant his sense of justice, but with Na-Mia involved, he began to feel an added personal interest. They reached the Council Chambers and waited to be called in. When the doors opened, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan entered and prepared to report their recent experiences.

A short time later, they left the Council chambers with their purpose mapped out for them. They were successful in convincing the Council that the matter should be investigated thoroughly, and they had been granted the task of doing so.

"They should have the freighter docked by now," Qui-Gon said as he and Obi-Wan moved down the corridor, away from the Council chambers. "We should go down and begin our investigation there."

Obi-Wan looked over at his companion and opened his mouth to speak. Qui-Gon raised his hand and halted the words.

"Of course, we could save time by splitting up our efforts. I’ll go down to assist in the search of the ship. You, my young Padawan, can go and question our only witness."

Obi-Wan cast a small smile at his friend and took his leave to head over to the medical facility. Qui-Gon watched his friend’s departure, a mixture of understanding and trepidation upon his face. He could understand his young Padawan’s infatuation with this beautiful young woman, but he wasn’t sure that he was entirely right to encourage it.

Commander Kryleck stepped in front of the holovid communicator and looked with trepidation at the dark-robed figure before him. His normally salmon pink skin flushed red as his fear built within him, and his black bulbous eyes began to twitch.

"You did not get her," the dark figure stated coldly, sending shivers down Kryleck’s scaled back.

"No, my Lord," he began, his voice stammering. "We searched the ship, but found no female crew aboard. She was not there," he finished, speaking quietly.

"She was there, Commander," the dark one replied. "I felt her presence. You and your crew did not search hard enough."

"We failed you this time, my Lord. It won’t happen again," Kryleck responded quickly.

"Yes, Commander. You will find her, and you will do it soon," he said, his voice hard and gravelly with anger. "I will not tolerate another failure."

"She will be yours soon," Kryleck answered, trying to sound confident.

"She had better be," the dark one responded as his figure disappeared from sight.

Commander Kryleck turned to his crew and began to give out new orders. They had to find that ship, and they had to find it soon. The girl had to be wherever the ship was taken.

Na-mia looked up as the door to her medical suite slid open. She saw Obi-Wan step into the room, and a smile lit her features.

"You look improved," he said to her, also smiling as he approached her bedside.

"I’m feeling much stronger," she replied as she patted the bedcovers beside her, in invitation to him to have a seat. Obi-Wan sat where she directed, and he felt his heart begin to race at their close proximity to one another. He gingerly touched her hand as it rested on the covers by his leg and looked at her.

"The Council has granted us permission to conduct an investigation into who attacked you and your crew." At the mention of her crew, he saw the tears begin to well up in her eyes, and he tightened his grip on her hand.

"I don’t understand why they killed everyone," she said, her voice husky with emotion. "They didn’t even take anything."

Na-Mia leaned into him, her tears flowing freely. He reached around her and pulled her to him. He simply held her as she released the emotions she had kept inside while she fought for the lives of her crew and herself. She cried in his arms for about five minutes before he heard her sobs turn into deep intakes of breath. He loosened his hold on her and released her as she proceeded to sit up again. He looked at her face as she wiped her eyes, swiping away the last tears that fell from her eyes.

"I’m sorry," she began, looking up at him.

Obi-Wan continued to stare at her for a moment, completely mesmerized by her beauty and vulnerability. Her hair was now clean and brushed, and it hung like a dark silky curtain about her shoulders. Her now clean skin glowed pale and flawless in the harsh light of the medical suite, and her large brown eyes stared up at him, still wet with unshed tears.

"I’ve been holding that in too long," she finished, her voice taking on an apologetic tone.

Obi-Wan shook himself from his reverie and concentrated on what Na-Mia was saying. "No need to apologize," he replied gently, again touching her hand lightly. "You’ve been through a lot these past few days."

Na-Mia nodded slightly as she looked at him again and asked, "Did you have luck getting my ship back here?"

Obi-Wan nodded and replied, "Yes, it’s here now. Master Qui-Gon is searching it now, even as we speak. Is it okay if I ask you more questions?"

"I’ll answer what I can," Na-Mia nodded.

Obi-Wan gave her hand another comforting squeeze and proceeded to ask Na-Mia his questions.

It was very late when Obi-Wan returned to the Temple. He was completely lost in thought as he walked to his rooms. Nothing that Na-Mia had told him made any sense. She had relayed every detail she could remember of the attack, but none of it made sense or fit together in any way. She told him that they had spotted the Republic Destroyer as they dropped out of hyperspace three days ago. It was just sitting there before them, almost as if it had been waiting for them. As they approached its trajectory, the ship opened fire on them, totally without provocation or communication. The freighter’s shields and weapons were no match for a destroyer, and their ship was quickly disabled. Na-Mia and her crew quickly grabbed their weapons and stationed themselves in preparation for being boarded.

Na-Mia told him that the attackers appeared to be Curcasians, by the appearance of their pink scaly skin and bulbous black eyes. Obi-Wan knew that Curcasians were not friendly to the Republic, so he surmised that the ship they were on had to have been stolen. He made a note to himself to check into stolen Republic ships in the morning.

Na-Mia then told him that the enemy crews had blasted their way onto her ship and had proceeded to shoot everyone in their path. While the battle waged, she and two of her crew fled to the communications bridge to put out a distress call. When they returned to the fray, the passageways were full of smoke and confusion. Her companions were both hit, and she decided to retreat when she realized that almost everyone around her was dead. She had half-supported, half-dragged her companions to the loading chute and pushed them both through. She then followed them, and they proceeded to hide under the deck flooring, inside the old smuggler’s compartments she had discovered the previous year when she had purchased her ship. Again tears had leaked slowly from her eyes as she told him of her three day battle to save her friends, only to lose them before help could arrive.

The only thing she didn’t, and couldn’t, tell him was why they were attacked. Na-Mia and her crew were on a simple mission to transport medical supplies to the outer reaches of Krimea. She was just doing a job that she had been hired to do. She had looked at him and asked, "Why would anyone want to kill me?"

The Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, sat in his chair and looked out at the stars from the height of his terrace. His anger at Commander Kryleck still seethed within him. He had failed to capture the girl, and now he had been informed that she was under the protection of the Jedi on Coruscant. That information complicated matters greatly. He had just notified Kryleck of the girl’s whereabouts. If they failed again, then he would have to take a more direct hand in the matter. He sat back in his chair and concentrated his energy upon her presence and told himself that she would be with him soon.

Na-Mia woke, a silent scream stuck in the back of her throat and her body covered in a cold sweat. In her dream, she had been back on her ship, surrounded by her dead crew. She had stood, transfixed, unable to move her limbs or to open her mouth to scream. Before her, the smoke had cleared and the space revealed had been filled by a dark-robed figure. He had moved toward her and had reached his claw-like hands towards her throat. She had opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out as her throat began to close. Before she had awakened, Na-Mia had heard a voice in her head whisper evilly, "You will join me, or you will die."

Obi-Wan, lost in his thoughts, sat alone in his rooms. He snapped out of his reverie when the knock sounded upon his door, and he felt the presence of his master on the other side. Come in, he called silently with his mind. The door slid open quietly, and Qui-Gon stepped into the room.

"You are very troubled," Qui-Gon stated simply as he came to sit by his apprentice and friend.

Obi-Wan looked up at his master and nodded. He then began to relay Na-Mia’s story in detail as Qui-Gon listened patiently. "It makes no sense, Master," he said at the end of his narrative.

"You are right, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon agreed. "We found nothing on her ship to give us any indication as to who attacked or for what reason."

"What do we do now?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon sighed heavily. "We shall have to remain alert and patient. I feel that we may encounter the attackers in the near future. They were looking for something very important to themselves or to someone else. I believe that they will most likely try again."

Obi-Wan looked at his master, concern etched upon his face. "Then Na-Mia is still in danger."

Na-Mia was dressed and awaiting escort from the medical facility on the following afternoon. Apprehension was warring with patience as she waited for someone to come and get her. She was at the point of taking matters into her own hands, when the door to her suite opened and her escort entered the room. Inexplicable emotions flooded her as she turned and saw Obi-Wan.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers across the room.

It was a moment before she could respond. "Oh, physically I feel fine," she replied, meeting his gaze. "I just want to get out of here. This place depresses me."

Obi-Wan cast a quick glance around the sterile white surroundings and nodded in agreement. He then returned his gaze to Na-Mia. "Qui-Gon has arranged a suite for you. We feel that you will be safer here on Coruscant until we have uncovered the identity of your attackers. Is there anyone you need to notify back on your homeworld, friends or family who may worry?"

Na-Mia gathered her things and walked over to Obi-Wan. "No, not really. I have no family. I want to stay here and help with the investigation."

Obi-Wan began to shake his head in a negative gesture, and seeing this, Na-Mia’s chin jutted out stubbornly.

"Don’t you dare tell me no, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she declared, her voice taking on the hard edge of someone used to giving orders. "That was my loyal and trusted crew who was murdered, and I will not sit idly by waiting for justice to be served. I intend to fight for it with everything I have inside me."

Obi-Wan was momentarily stunned by the hardness he saw in her eyes and heard in her voice. She was suddenly a very different woman from the one they had found yesterday, frightened and alone, crying in his arms. He was intrigued.

"We’ll meet with Qui-Gon later today to discuss the next steps. In the meantime, I’ll take you to get settled in your new quarters," he told her.

"I won’t back down on this," she declared stubbornly, brushing past him and walking out the door.

A week had passed, and they were no further along in their investigation. Frustration levels were high and Na-Mia’s temper proved to be quite formidable. She had blown up at Obi-Wan on many occasions, especially when he had attempted to shield her from the investigation. They had just had such an argument when Obi-Wan stormed into Qui-Gon’s quarters, anger and frustration warring inside him.

"I don’t understand her at all, Master!" he shouted as he paced in front of his mentor.

"What has happened?" Qui-Gon asked, sighing in resignation. He too was frustrated by the slow turn of the investigation, but he was becoming increasingly frustrated by the growing animosity between his Padawan and young Na-Mia.

"I told her about the lead we had on the stolen Republic ship and how you and I were leaving tomorrow morning to check it out. She told me that she was coming with us," he said, turning to look at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon nodded for him to go on.

"I told her that we would prefer she stay here, for her own safety. She just blew up at me! She told me that we couldn’t prevent her from being involved. She turned into a hoyden, right before my eyes, calling me names I’ve never heard before. I don’t understand why she’s so angry. It’s just gotten worse every day that I’m with her," Obi-Wan finished, throwing himself into a chair across from Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon looked at his young friend, knowing the real reason behind their growing problems. He had felt the growing attraction between them, every time he was with them. They were two very strong-willed individuals, both set on their own respective paths. Na-Mia wanted justice for her slain crew, and she wanted to be the one to bring it about. Obi-Wan also wanted to bring the killers to justice, but he wanted to be the one to do it for her.

"You cannot tell her how to work through her fear and anger, Obi-Wan. You can only be there for her if she seeks you out," he began, looking over at his sulking Padawan. "I know you want her to be safe, as do I, but we cannot force her to bend to our will. She will only resent you for it."

Obi-Wan looked up at his master. "I just don’t want her to be hurt."

"We can protect her, but we cannot tell her how to live her life. She has her own path to follow," Qui-Gon responded wisely.

"Commander Kryleck, the probe droid has located her exact whereabouts," Lieutenant Sira called out across the bridge. Kryleck turned to the Lieutenant and gestured for him to proceed.

"She is staying in a suite of rooms at this location," he continued, pointing to a spot on the holomap.

"Send a small squad to retrieve her," Kryleck commanded as he again turned to the view of Coruscant in the Bridge’s viewport.

Obi-Wan stood outside her door and hesitated before he knocked. A moment passed before the door was opened.

"What do you want now?" Na-Mia asked belligerently, looking up at him with anger still in her eyes.

"I came to apologize," Obi-Wan replied. "I was wrong in trying to stop you from helping with the investigation."

"You got that right, buddy," Na-Mia retorted.

A flicker of anger flashed momentarily in Obi-Wan’s eyes as he met her challenging stare. "Can we stop arguing for one moment here?" he asked, exasperation creeping into his voice.

Na-Mia backed down a bit and opened the door wider to let him in. Obi-Wan stepped into her rooms and turned to again face her. "I came to tell you that I was sorry for trying to keep you out of the investigation. I realized that I was being selfish, ignoring your feelings on the matter."

Na-Mia took a deep breath and released it with a heavy sigh. "I just felt like I was butting my head against a wall. It’s not yours or Qui-Gon’s place to shelter me. I appreciate all that you’ve done, all that you’re doing, but I will not be kept in the dark."

"I just want you safe," Obi-Wan responded, placing his hands on her upper arms, gripping her tightly. "The enemy is still out there somewhere, and until we find them, we can't be sure that you’ll be safe."

Na-Mia looked down at his hands on her arms, and her heartbeat raced at his touch. She had done nothing but think about him since he had stormed out earlier that afternoon. Her growing feelings for him had constantly warred with her anger at him all week. She remembered what it had felt like to be held in his arms, and she found herself wanting to experience that feeling once again. Without another thought, Na-Mia raised her arms and pulled him to her. She noted his look of surprise in the brief moment before she kissed him.

Obi-Wan was shocked and caught completely off guard when Na-Mia pulled him to her. When she pressed her lips to his, he felt like his brain had short-circuited. Her hand came up and gently caressed his cheek as she began to trace his lips with the tip of her tongue. He parted his lips beneath hers, and he felt her tongue slip into his mouth and begin to caress his. In response, he moved his arms around her body and pulled her tightly against his body, deepening the kiss. Every emotion he had been feeling since meeting her suddenly slammed into him and set his mind reeling.

Moments passed before they came apart. Na-Mia looked up at him and smiled. "I like you quiet," she said teasingly. "I don’t want to fight anymore."

"But…"

"Trust me," she said, cutting him off. "I’ve been taking care of myself for a very long time, and I’ll continue to do so for the rest of my life. Please stop worrying about me."

"I can’t help the way I feel," Obi-Wan responded, his voice almost a whisper.

"How do you feel?" Na-Mia asked, rubbing her hands lightly over his chest, playing with the folds of his tunic.

"Like I love you," he replied, again in a whisper.

Na-Mia’s head snapped up to look at his face again, her own showing her surprise.

"You do?" she asked.

She began to shake as her heart began to race. She had never heard those words spoken to her in all her twenty years. Her mother had perhaps said them to her when she was a baby, but she couldn’t remember the time before her mother had died.

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in surprise after he uttered the words to her. He knew that what he was feeling was true, but he hadn’t intended to tell her, at least not at that time. He looked back down at Na-Mia, and saw the play of emotions on her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Na-Mia turned away from him as she felt the tears well up. "Yes, I’ll be fine," she said, her voice quavering.

"What’s wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, hearing the tears in her voice. He came up to her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

Na-Mia shrugged him off and walked over to the sofa. She sat down, her knees suddenly too weak to support her weight.

"I’m sorry," she said, trying to pull herself together. "I’ve just never had anyone tell me that before."

Surprise sprang to his eyes as he crossed to the sofa to sit down next to her. "What about your mother and father?" he asked, his question following her previous thoughts.

Na-Mia took a deep breath and released it as a sigh. "My mother died when I was a baby. I never knew her. I don’t know who my father was," she said softly.

Obi-Wan felt sympathy as he remembered her telling him that she had no family. He looked at her and took her hand as she continued to speak.

"I grew up in an orphanage on Aura-10 until I was sixteen. When it came time for me to leave, I found work with a man named Orin Kerr. He had a very profitable shipping business on Aura-10, and I was hired on as part of his crew. It was hard work, but I loved space travel. In time, Orin discovered that I had a talent for piloting, and I was promoted to Pilot by the time I turned eighteen. He was a very hard man most of the time, very demanding of his employees, but I always felt he had a fondness for me.

"A few months after my promotion, I found out through an old friend of Orin’s that he had lost his wife and daughter years ago. His daughter would have been my age had she lived. It was then that I began to understand Orin better. He was still the same hardened man, but I had a better understanding of why he was so hard on me. He was probably the closest thing to a family I ever had. He died last year, and he left me enough credits to start my own small shipping line. In a short letter he left for me, he explained that he wanted to be sure that I was taken care of, because he didn’t know if his partners would sell the business after he passed.

"I suppose that was the closest anyone had ever come to telling me that they loved me," she finished, looking at Obi-Wan.

"Until now," she added, gazing into his eyes and reaching up to caress his face. Obi-Wan smiled tenderly and leaned in to kiss her.

It was fast approaching midnight when Obi-Wan left Na-Mia. He felt buoyant with the knowledge of their feelings for one another finally being out in the open. They had talked for hours, about her life and his. He left her building and turned his transport toward the Temple. His mind was distracted, and he failed to see the small group of Curcasians as they entered the building behind him.

Na-Mia went to the door when she heard the knock. Obi-Wan, she thought as she opened the door.

She realized her error too late when she saw the four Curcasians standing on the other side. They immediately stormed into the room, weapons drawn. Na-Mia turned and ran to the wall compartment where her own weapons were stored. With a surprised look, she saw the compartment open as she approached. How did that happen? she thought as she grabbed up her own blaster and turned to face her attackers. They stood before her, but didn’t fire their weapons. What are they waiting for? Na-Mia thought.

"You will come with us now," stated Lieutenant Kaselt, their squad leader.

"What do you want with me?" Na-Mia asked.

"Our Lord wishes to meet with you. So you will come with us now," Lieutenant Kaselt repeated.

Na-Mia quickly realized that they weren’t there to kill her or they would have done so by now. She saw her chance when she felt their fear. They were afraid of this lord they had mentioned. They would not kill her. Without a further thought as to how she could know this, Na-Mia turned and ran to the balcony. The Curcasians followed, but they couldn’t reach her before she threw herself over the railing, using an ascension attachment on her blaster to lower herself safely to a ledge below. Na-Mia looked up as her feet touched down, and she saw the Curcasians as they looked down at her from the balcony. She pointed her blaster at the window before her and fired. With a leap, she jumped through the broken window, her mind telling her that she must get to Obi-Wan.

"Our squad has located the girl," Commander Kryleck told the Dark Lord, who was on the holovid before him. "We shall have her soon."

Darth Maul left the communications room and went to his master to relay the message. He knew that his master didn’t want to reveal their existence to the Jedi at this time, but it really angered him to see the Curcasians bungling up mission after mission. He would have had the girl by now.

"They have located her," he told his Dark Master as he entered the chambers.

"Very good," Sidious replied quietly. "Soon I will have my daughter with me once again. She will stand by my side along with you, my loyal apprentice. Once she realizes her destiny, the three of us will be an unbeatable force.

Obi-Wan had just entered the Jedi Temple when he felt the vergeance. Na-Mia’s voice sounded in his head, screaming his name and full of fear. Without hesitation, he turned and ran back to his transport, fear and anger within him. As he turned the corner, he saw her as she ran out onto the landing platform outside her building. He flew in low and signaled her. She saw him and ran towards his ship, just as her attackers burst through the doors behind her. Obi-Wan lowered the ramp, and Na-Mia leapt up, barely catching hold. She finally found purchase and scrambled up the ramp and into the transport. Obi-Wan turned the ship and flew back to the Temple, leaving the attackers behind.

He landed on the platform outside the Temple and jumped from his pilot’s seat. He turned to see Na-Mia sitting on the floor looking back at him.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he went to her.

"I think so," Na-Mia answered, a quaver in her voice.

"You’re hurt," Obi-Wan exclaimed, when he saw the blood on her legs.

Na-Mia looked down at her lap and noticed the cuts on her legs for the first time. "I…I must have cut myself when I jumped through the window," she noted in a soft, distracted voice. "It’s not bad," she finished, looking back up at Obi-Wan.

He knelt down to her and gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly against him.

"How did you know?" he heard her ask.

He pulled away and looked at her. "I heard you," he replied, the realization hitting him suddenly. "I had just arrived back here when I heard your voice screaming inside my mind, screaming my name."

"They weren’t there to kill me," Na-Mia interrupted, side-stepping the issue. Obi-Wan looked at her, the question plain upon his face.

"They said that they were there to take me to some lord of theirs or something. They didn’t even fire at me when I ran. It was like they were afraid to hurt me."

"We have to find Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan stated as he reached down to help her to her feet.

Qui-Gon sensed them as they approached his door. He could feel their anger and fear. He was at the door before they could even knock. When he opened the door, he saw Obi-Wan with Na-Mia at his side. Na-Mia was battered and bloody. He quickly waved them into the room and shut the door behind them.

"Master, they tried again," Obi-Wan blurted out immediately as he led Na-Mia to a chair.

Qui-Gon came over to them and sat by Na-Mia’s side. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes. I will be," Na-Mia replied, looking at Obi-Wan as he began to gather medical supplies from a wall compartment. She turned back to Qui-Gon and began to tell him about the events. She paused briefly when Obi-Wan knelt before her. She stumbled over her recitation when he touched her bare legs, pushing up the hem of her tunic and cleaning the blood from the cuts. Qui-Gon noticed the moment and frowned inwardly. His Padawan and this girl were heading down a dangerous path. Na-Mia quickly recovered her composure and continued her tale.

When Na-Mia was safely tucked away in Obi-Wan’s rooms, Qui-Gon and his Padawan met to confer in private.

"We have to find out who this lord is," Obi-Wan stated heatedly. "He obviously wants Na-Mia alive."

They discussed a plan regarding the mysterious lord. Obi-Wan then brought the incident concerning Na-Mia’s call to him.

"Her voice was in my head, clear and loud," he told Qui-Gon. "I don’t feel that I was calling to her. She was the seeker." Qui-Gon appeared thoughtful on the matter.

"Master, do you think that she is force-sensitive?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon looked at his young apprentice. "I too have felt that she is special in some way. Perhaps she was born to a force-sensitive parent."

Obi-Wan sighed and told Qui-Gon about Na-Mia’s past, about how she never knew her parents. They talked a while longer before Qui-Gon told Obi-Wan that they should get some sleep. They would follow up on things in the morning.

"The fools!" Darth Sidious stormed into his chambers, cursing the Curcasians. "Darth Maul! I want you to personally see to her capture. I don’t need to remind you that I don’t want you to reveal yourself. However, I’m sure you will be successful in whatever way you decide to carry out my task."

Darth Maul nodded his acquiescence as Sidious again left the chamber.

Obi-Wan quietly came into his rooms. He crossed over to his sleeping chamber to check in on Na-Mia. Inside he knew that Qui-Gon would frown heavily upon his being there alone with her, but he had to reassure himself that she was safe. He stood in the doorway and watched her sleeping, her long dark hair spread over his pillow. He watched her, wondering at the feelings he had. No woman had ever touched him and made him feel the way that she did. He still couldn’t believe that he had told her how he felt. In fact, he wasn’t sure he had even known until the moment he kissed her. Well…she kissed him. She didn’t tell him that she loved him, but he could feel it, knowing that she was still afraid. With a small sigh, he turned to go.

"Don’t go," her voice said from behind him.

He turned and saw her sitting up in his bed, holding the bedclothes against her body, her hair tumbling about her shoulders.

"I just wanted to be sure you were alright," he began to explain.

Na-Mia continued to stare at him. Suddenly he ‘heard’ her reply in his mind. I would be much better than alright if you would stay here with me. Obi-Wan stepped into the room as Na-Mia dropped the bedcovers she was holding. He dropped to his knees by the bed and looked up at her. She leaned over and lightly kissed his mouth.

"We shouldn’t…" Obi-Wan began.

Na-Mia shushed him by deepening her next kiss. Obi-Wan rose from his knees, bringing her with him. Na-Mia slid into his arms and pressed her body against his, feeling his hands wrap around her. Their kisses became passionate and deep as they began to caress one another. Na-Mia pushed his robe away from his shoulders, and he let it drop to the floor. Obi-Wan pulled away and looked at her again.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I’ve never wanted anything as much as this," Na-Mia replied, reaching up to slide her hands into his tunic.

Her hands were cool against his flesh as they glided over his chest. He reached down to remove his belt, and she pushed his tunic down his body to join his robe on the floor. She leaned down and began to kiss his chest, running her tongue around his nipples. Obi-Wan threw his head back and released a sigh as he felt her teeth, lips and tongue on his skin.

Na-Mia pulled away from him and pulled her tunic over her head. Obi-Wan drew a sharp breath when he saw her before him, her pale nude body seeming to glow in the partial darkness. She reached up for the waist of his trousers, and he helped her to remove them along with his boots. They moved back together and kissed again, their flesh pressed together from head to toe. Obi-Wan could feel Na-Mia’s heartbeat as it pounded against his bare chest. Na-Mia could feel his arousal as it pressed against her stomach.

Obi-Wan moved them toward the bed until Na-Mia felt it behind her legs. She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked up at Obi-Wan, a smile on her face. He smiled down at her and leaned over to kiss her again. She then slid back and lay down across the covers. He crawled onto the bed and stretched out next to her. They turned to face one another and kissed again, their lips and tongues exploring one another deeply. As they kissed, Na-Mia felt Obi-Wan’s hand slip between her thighs to fondle her gently. She opened her legs slightly and whimpered when she felt his fingers slide into her. He began to move his hand gently, his fingers sliding in and out of her warmth, mimicking the movements of sex. His thumb began to tease the nub of her pleasure, and Na-Mia’s breathing became ragged with her building excitement.

Obi-Wan moved his head down to her chest and began to kiss her breast, his lips and tongue moving over her nipples insistently. Na-Mia could feel the tightness deep inside her abdomen as Obi-Wan continued his movements between her legs. Her pleasure suddenly exploded in a burst of heat and light, and Na-Mia arched upwards, crying out as the feelings washed over her, flooding her senses. She returned to herself as she slowly lowered her body back onto the bed. Looking down at her chest, she saw Obi-Wan’s eyes on her face, a mischievous smile spreading his lips as he peeked up at her. He moved up and lay atop her still quivering body, cradling himself between her thighs. He teased her with light playful kisses as he waited for her body to calm beneath him. Na-Mia felt his swollen sex as it nudged against her, and she began to squirm beneath him.

Obi-Wan knew instinctively what she wanted. He rose up over her and centered himself. As he leaned down to kiss her, he thrust himself into her waiting warmth, entering her with one smooth stroke. Both of them moaned into one another’s mouths at the sensation. Na-Mia could feel every inch of him as he filled and stretched her. Slowly Obi-Wan began to withdraw, and Na-Mia whimpered softly. With a small smile, he responded by thrusting himself hard and fast into her once again. Na-Mia raised her legs and wrapped them around his hips as he continued his movements above her. The only sounds in the silent chamber were their mingled moans and deeply drawn breaths and the sound of their flesh meeting in that most primitive way. Na-Mia felt the tightness again as it gathered within her, and Obi-Wan’s movements became fast and furious as he worked toward his own release. Their minds touched briefly as they both reached fulfillment together. Na-Mia arched into him, her head flailing from side to side upon the pillow. When Obi-Wan felt her inner flesh squeeze him, he threw back his head, the cords of his neck taut, as he groaned his own release.

He collapsed upon her, still buried within her warmth, and he littered her face with light kisses. Na-Mia held onto him tightly as she basked in his love. She never wanted this feeling to end. Obi-Wan stopped and moved to her side. He pulled her into his arms, and Na-Mia slid up a bit until she could cradle his head upon her breast. They fell into a deep sleep, Na-Mia rubbing his head as she pillowed him upon her soft chest.

Soft sunlight streamed through the small slit windows high on the wall. Na-Mia felt the warmth on her face and opened her eyes. She was lying on her side with Obi-Wan’s body wrapped around her from behind, his arm draped around her waist. She rolled over onto her back, slowly so as not to awaken him. The sunlight touched his face, gently illuminating it. In slumber her looked very young, his mouth curved, soft and sweet in the morning light. Na-Mia lay still, watching him sleep with her emotions swirling within her. He was a Jedi. She knew from being with him and Qui-Gon that theirs was a very difficult life, very structured and very dangerous. Deep inside she knew that she could never live that way, but she was also realizing that she could no longer imagine life without him.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes to see her looking at him, her soft brown eyes sleepy but luminous. Smiling softly, he rose up and kissed her gently. "We’d better get dressed," he said regretfully.

"Qui-Gon won’t approve of this," she said matter-of-factly.

Obi-Wan released a sigh and sat up. "There are no codes against our having a relationship," he said, looking at her intently. "True, he would prefer I stay completely focused on my training. And I will…" he interjected when he saw her start to speak.

"But I love you, and nothing is going to change that."

Na-Mia quickly kissed him and rose to go to the refresher. Obi-Wan watched her go, his thoughts flying through his mind. He knew, deep down, that she loved him too. He would just have to wait until she was ready to tell him.

Qui-Gon came into Obi-Wan’s quarters and found him sitting alone on the floor, meditating. He waited patiently for his apprentice to notice his presence. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked up at his master.

"Good morning, Master," he spoke as he stood to move over to a chair.

"Is Na-Mia alright?" Qui-Gon asked, his thoughts revealing to Obi-Wan that he knew what had passed.

"Yes. She’s fine," Obi-Wan replied. "She's getting dressed."

Qui-Gon’s expression told Obi-Wan that they would talk about what had occurred later. "We must go now. I spoke with Raaken this morning, and he is holding the documents on the stolen ship for us. Our transport is waiting."

Obi-Wan nodded to his master and rose. "Master, I still don’t like the idea of Na-Mia going with us. After last night’s attack, I would prefer that she stay here in the Temple for safety."

"You know she won’t agree to that," Qui-Gon replied.

"You’re right! She won’t," Na-Mia spoke from the doorway. Obi-Wan spun around and looked at her, his eyes pleading for understanding as she glared at him.

"Na-Mia, please. After last night, I just want you to be safe. I’m not trying to keep you out, but I don’t want you to be hurt or killed."

He continued with his reasoning, and Qui-Gon, seeing that Na-Mia was about to bend, joined him. "Na-Mia, we’ll only be gone for the day. We’ll collect the data and come back here. You can help us go through it when we return. But you would really be safer here at the Temple."

While they talked, Na-Mia began to remember her fear last night when the Curcasians stormed into her suite. Finally, she gave in. "Okay, I’ll stay here. I don’t want to worry you anymore than you already are," she responded, looking at Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon turned to go, but not before he saw the quick kiss his apprentice bestowed upon Na-Mia. We really must talk about this soon, he thought as he exited the room.

"We’ll be back soon," Obi-Wan told her. "I love you," he whispered as he turned to follow his master.

Na-Mia paced the floor, her impatience growing every hour. She still couldn’t believe that she had allowed them to talk her out of going with them, but she had become tired of fighting over the issue. She threw herself into a chair as her thoughts turned to the Jedi, especially Obi-Wan. Their night together had been the most wonderful experience of her life. That brave and incredible man loved her. As she remembered the night they had spent, her body began to shake, and she recalled the way his hands had felt on her flesh, the way his lips had felt on hers. With a deep longing, she realized that she never wanted to leave him, that she truly loved him.

"Master, do you feel that we will find anything this time?" Obi-Wan asked as he and Qui-Gon traveled to the military compound on Coruscant.

"I hope that we will," Qui-Gon replied. "What I cannot understand is why someone wants Na-Mia so badly."

"She is force sensitive, Master. Perhaps someone wants her for that reason."

"It makes no sense, Obi-Wan. Her force sensitivity would only be of real interest to the Jedi, and she is too old for training. It has to be something else, but I sense no duplicity in her. She honestly doesn’t know why someone would attack her."

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment. With a deep sigh, he turned to his master. "About last night…"

"I know, Obi-Wan."

"You don’t approve, Master," Obi-Wan stated bluntly

"It is not my place to approve or disapprove of your actions…" Obi-Wan looked up at him, surprise clearly etched upon his face.

Qui-Gon saw the look and smiled briefly. "Well, I suppose it is my place, but I can tell how you feel for her, and she for you. I can no more stop the natural course of your relationship than I can stop the course of life on this planet."

Na-Mia could no longer sit still locked up indoors. She figured that she could step outside the Temple for a brief moment, so long as she didn’t go too far from the entrance. Besides, no one would dare try anything in broad daylight just outside the Jedi Temple. And she would take her blaster. She stepped out into the late morning sunlight and looked around at her surroundings. The day was beautiful. She walked over to the railing of the walkway and looked out at the bustling traffic of the city.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon landed their transport at the military compound. They exited the ship and walked toward the entrance. Suddenly they found themselves surrounded by Curcasian forces. Na-Mia, Obi-Wan thought as he and Qui-Gon prepared for battle.

Na-Mia turned from the railing and looked out at the view behind her. Her eyes narrowed at what she saw. Two Curcasians were walking around the corner of the neighboring building. They could only be up to no good. Curcasians were not friendly to the Republic and would have no good reason to be on Coruscant. She had to know. Sorry Obi-Wan, she thought as she set off after them.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon entered into a fierce battle with the Curcasians. It quickly became evident that the aliens had somehow secured the compound, because no one was coming to their aid. Obi-Wan leapt at two of his opponents in front of him, knocking them down with a well-placed split kick. He looked up to see Qui-Gon cut down two others. The aliens were coming at the Jedi relentlessly, requiring the two to use all their skills to repel the attack. Obi-Wan thought to himself how glad he was that Na-Mia was safely at the Temple.

Na-Mia closed the distance between her and the Curcasians she followed. They turned down a walkway and headed toward a dark alleyway between two very tall buildings. Na-Mia pressed onward, afraid to lose them before she could find out their purpose. She rounded the corner of the building and moved into the alleyway. Suddenly, before her, a dark-robed figure loomed. My nightmare, she thought, remembering the dream in the medical facility.

Darth Maul raised his hand, and with his palm stretched out at Na-Mia, he rendered her unconscious. As she fell, he gathered her up and retreated to his ship, which was waiting at the opposite end of the alleyway. Too easy, he thought with a wicked gleam in his yellow eyes. The Master should have sent me in the first place.

Back at the military compound, the Curcasians and the Jedi continued to battle with one another. It was becoming apparent to Obi-Wan that this battle was more like a diversionary tactic. His mind returned to Na-Mia, just as the military forces burst from the compound, having subdued the Curcasians inside.

Obi-Wan turned to Qui-Gon. "Master, Na-Mia’s in danger!" he shouted. Qui-Gon nodded his agreement as they ran toward their waiting transport.

Na-Mia awakened to find another dark-robed figure standing before her. "Who are you?" she asked.

For a moment, no one spoke. Na-Mia repeated her question. Sidious moved over closer to where Na-Mia was seated. "I’ve been looking forward to our meeting," he said, his voice low and evil.

"Why have you been trying to kill me?" Na-Mia asked, fighting to keep the sound of her fear out of her voice.

Sidious could sense her fear of him. It excited him. "You are very important to my cause, my dear. I would never try to kill my own daughter."

"What?!" Na-Mia asked, her voice rising in alarm.

"You are my daughter," Sidious replied. "And you are here to join me and my apprentice in our campaign to bring the Sith back to power. You will stand at my side and serve as my hand," he finished with an evil grin.

Na-Mia cast back into her mind, but she could not remember her father. She could, however, remember reading about the history of the Sith. They were the Jedi who relied upon the dark side of the Force for their power. It practically shattered her mind to think that her father could be this evil man before her.

"I’ll leave you here to think about your future," Sidious told her as he moved to exit the chamber. "Search your feelings, my dear. You will see that what I tell you is the truth, and you will accept your destiny."

The Jedi arrived back at the Temple to find that Na-Mia was missing.

"It was a diversionary tactic," Obi-Wan declared as he and Qui-Gon searched for Na-Mia. No one had seen her all day, they found, as they asked after her. As the day ended, it became all too obvious that she was truly gone.

For two days, Na-Mia was kept locked in the darkened chamber. Her solitude was occasionally interrupted by Sidious’ presence, physically and in her head. She would not allow him to convince her that he was her father. In an attempt to block out his continued presence in her mind, Na-Mia tried to find a means of escape. She must warn the Jedi.

The door to her prison opened. Na-Mia squinted against the almost blinding light that poured into the blackness of her surroundings. When she was able to focus once again, she saw Darth Maul’s hideous visage before her. He frightened her much more than Sidious, because she could tell that Maul didn’t want her there. His jealousy was plain, even to her.

"My Master wants to see you," he said, gesturing for her to follow him.

Na-Mia rose to follow him, trying to shield her anticipation at getting out of the locked chamber. This could be my chance to escape, she thought as she followed.

Obi-Wan’s frustrations grew as he and Qui-Gon tried, in vain, to get any information out of the Curcasians being held at the military compound. He could feel the fear of their employer that kept them silent throughout the interrogations. Somehow they had to find out Na-Mia’s whereabouts. He couldn’t bear thinking about what was happening to her.

"You will tell me what I want to know!" he again shouted to the alien before him. It was so frustrating that Jedi mind control didn’t work on this species.

Na-Mia stood once again before her captor.

"Hello, my dear," Sidious said as he turned to face her. "Have you accepted your destiny?"

"Never!" Na-Mia spat at him, trying to keep her composure. "I will never accept that you are my father, nor will I ever consider joining you in your twisted plans."

At her insults to his master, Maul moved toward her, his hand upon his lightsaber.

"Maul!" Sidious shouted. "You will stand down."

Darth Maul retreated, his anger and jealousy plain in his posture. He wanted to rid them of this girl once and for all. She would never join them, and he knew that her knowing of their existence was very dangerous.

"Return her to her chamber," Sideous ordered, disgust plain in his voice. He turned to look at Na-Mia again. "You will join me. Or you will die." Na-Mia shivered at the sound of the familiar words.

The Jedi finally got a break. A scared young Curcasian lost his control and spilled the whereabouts of Na-Mia. He wouldn’t, however, tell them who held her. Obi-Wan didn’t care. He would worry about the "who" once Na-Mia was safe with him. He and Qui-Gon ran to their transport and raced to the location they had been given.

As Na-Mia followed Darth Maul back to her prison, she lost all control. Knowing it was now or never, she broke and ran. She knew that she didn’t have much of a chance, but she had to try and get away from her captors. She had realized that they were still on Coruscant the day before. If she could just get outside, into the daylight, perhaps she could find help somewhere. She ran back down the passageway toward a large window at its end. Maul quickly ran after her, igniting his saber, his every intention to kill her. Na-Mia reached the end of the corridor and threw a metal bust she had grabbed from a nearby pedestal through the glass. She then followed the statue through the broken window and found herself falling several stories to the walkway below. When she landed, she felt her leg snap as the bone shattered. She screamed in pain as she rolled onto her back to see Darth Maul land gracefully beside her. Obi-Wan, she screamed mentally, moments before Maul’s blade plunged into her chest.

On their transport, speeding to the previously undisclosed location, Obi-Wan’s head snapped up from the console. He had heard Na-Mia’s scream in his mind. It was a scream full of pain and despair.

"No," he whispered, his heart pounding in his chest.

"What is it?" Qui-Gon asked, concern entering his voice as he saw the pain on his Padawan’s face.

"It’s Na-Mia," Obi-Wan responded, fear mixing with his anguish.

Their transport lowered toward the landing platform outside the empty building near the ground level of the City. Very few people lived at this level any longer, and most of the buildings were long abandoned and derelict. As they passed over a walkway, the Jedi both saw the small form lying there. Obi-Wan jumped from his pilot’s seat and left Qui-Gon to land the vessel. He was half-way down the ramp before the ship completely touched down. At the end of the ramp, he jumped onto the walkway and ran to the inert form lying there, his heart pounding furiously within his chest.

"Noooooo!" he screamed as he realized that Na-Mia was lying dead before him. He skidded to a stop beside her and knelt to take her into his arms. When he rolled her over, he saw plainly the wound in her chest. The cauterized flesh had left little blood on her tunic.

"No," he repeated in a whisper as he cradled her against him, his tears falling on her cool skin.

Qui-Gon approached his Padawan and placed his strong hand upon Obi-Wan’s shoulder. He squeezed gently as Obi-Wan continued to weep over Na-Mia’s body. Dusk fell over them as the Jedi mourned her untimely end; the Master mourning the loss of a young life so full of potential and the Padawan mourning the loss of his love.

Three days later, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood before the Council. Their report was brief and still full of questions. After the funeral, military forces reported that there was nothing found in the building where Na-Mia was held. Whoever had been there was now gone.

"And the wound was unmistakably dealt by a lightsaber?" Mace Windu asked the Jedi before him.

"Yes," Qui-Gon answered, sparing a quick glance toward his still grieving Padawan.

Windu looked to the other members of the Council. "Could there be a rogue Jedi?" he mused aloud.

"Find this out, we must," Yoda replied, also looking at the Jedi before him. "Much danger, if unsolved this mystery remains."

Qui-Gon nodded his agreement to the Council and turned to see his Padawan already leaving the chamber, before being dismissed. Yoda followed Qui-Gon’s gaze.

"Much pain in him," he responded, looking back to Qui-Gon. "Work through this, he will."

Obi-Wan stepped to the railing outside the Temple and looked out at the gold-streaked violet sky as dusk fell over Coruscant. He closed his eyes and saw Na-Mia’s smiling face. With a sigh, he opened them again and looked out at the many lights of the city. I will somehow find out what happened to you, he thought as he turned to go to his rooms. A breeze blew past him as he approached the entrance to the Temple. He stopped and turned around once again. He had heard something in the breeze as it passed. It sounded like Na-Mia’s voice. He could have sworn it said, I love you.

DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of fiction written in appreciation of Star Wars; to promote the franchise and to keep it alive. All characters and settings are copyright to Lucasfilm, Ltd. The rest is copyright to the author.