Saga The Journal of Jax Pavan [DDC 2014] Complete!

Entry 35

They seem to have a very good doctor at the base. Glad to see that he even encouraged them to get some individual and family counseling for Norro. (Wow, they have that at the Rangers’ base? They take good care of their people, that’s for sure.) Great! It looks as though Norro will have a pretty good chance to get well once the space tapeworm is gone.

The crew would adopt the kid even if Jax wouldn’t – and his resistance is crumbling. It will be interesting to see how he and Sacha take to parenting. Even and especially with the rest of the group to help.

 

I think Magash knows Sacha is interested in Jax and decided to not pursue at this time. I think she enjoys seeing Sacha getting all flustered around the man.

Thanks! I figure this gang is growing close like a family. I think once Laranth opened up to Jax he is having trouble being a loner again. Once he knew what attachment felt like he will continue to want the feeling. He is just holding back because he is still mourning his loss.

Thanks! I am trying to think of a situation that will get Jax looking at Sacha. He sees how she is around Norro and he knows she would be a nurturing person. I think she will become more desirable to him as time goes by. He lost his first love and that has to hurt.

My thinking is the Rangers have been around for 600 years. They are not a ragtag bunch of rebels. They simply had to go into hiding once the Emperor decided he didn't like them around. Order 66 didn't say they should die. I assume that order came later. So the Rangers got a big heads up on what was going to happen. This very organized band of fighters up and moved and I assume a lot of them remained with the organization. A paramilitary group that has been around for 600 years probably has an organization similar to most armies. They would have fighters, cooks, mechanics, doctors, surgeons, psychologists and such. I really doubt the Rebels have this type of organization and structure. I think that is why Laranth wanted Jax to stay with the rangers and leave Whiplash. They were safer with them since they were better equipped and organized. The only thing I am not sure about is their financing. I assume the Jedi might have payrolled them in the past or the Senate. It is possible they are now entirely payrolled by governments not liking the new government. Did you see chapter 38?

Thanks everybody for reading.

 

Makes sense. They were in a good position to become an underground organization, probably unintentionally since they were (as far as we know) originally legit. And nope, I haven't seen the later chapters yet. I wasn't reading much on TFN for a month or so, so I'm not caught up on most of the stories I follow.

 

Thanks Kahara, Revanfan1, Nyota's Heart and earlybird-obi-wan for reading and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it! I am still struggling with writing. There always seems to be something else I have to do that has priority over fanfiction. This next post has references to Legends Canon characters. I don't know if anybody will recognize the names. I am just trying to touch on a few Jedi that were alive around this time frame.

Thanks again for reading!!

...............................................................


Entry 39

We were extremely careful in our approach to Dantooine. We didn’t want to run into the Imperial Force seen orbiting the planet less than a week earlier. I gave a deep sigh of relief when we exited hyperspace to a serene green-blue planet no longer under siege.

We moved carefully though. Dantooine has two moons and it is not uncommon for the enemy to leave a frigate behind just in case a rescue mission is launched…like we were doing now. We kept scanners operational and had programed an escape route into the navigation computer, just in case.

Den looked over the flight deck monitors and grimaced. He turned to me with his big, black eyes wide. “Jax our sensors are picking up a lot of destruction where the former Jedi Temple is located. I can’t be sure, but it looks like at least one nearby village was completely destroyed, possibly from orbital bombardment. We won’t know until we get down there.”

I turned to I-Five who was manning the navigation system. “Can we land safely within walking distance of the temple?”

The human replicate droid’s brow furrowed in concentration. I know I-Five had incorporated some of the original human gesture and facial expression programing from the HRD into his droid brain, but I wonder if he is purposely activating those subroutines or is he frowning reflexively? I-Five is sentient and has a conscious…does that mean he has a subconscious also? I should ask him on the return trip home.

I-Five turned to me. “There is a clearing approximately two hundred meters from the Temple. The destroyed village is approximately one kilometer from the Temple. I could find a place to put down there if you desire.”

I shook my head. “The Temple will be fine. I want to see if anything remains.”

He nodded and entered the coordinates. Magash and Sacha came up behind me to gaze out at the planet through the flight deck viewport.

Sacha put a hand on my shoulder as her eyes lingered on planet. “Any sign of the rebels?”

“There’s no distress signal, but that’s not odd. If they survived they’ll want to keep that fact from the Imperials. We’ll have to go down and do a visual assessment of the situation.” I turned to face the two women. “Let’s get into our crash webbing and ready for landing.”

~ ~ ~ ~

We successfully set down near the Temple despite low visibility. I thought it was fog at first, but I-Five said air samples confirm it was smoke from the smoldering village a kilometer away.

I-Five had switched from his HRD body to his police droid chassis. He is very protective of his HRD chassis. I don’t blame him. If he loses his head in a regular droid body, that can be repaired readily. Even when we had to scavenge parts from various droid models, nobody really gave him a second look when it came to his patchwork body. If he lost his HRD head though, it would be near impossible to return him to a condition where he could pass as human. He’d probably end up looking like one of those undead creatures found in horror holos where the mad scientist sews together body parts to create new life.

We all strapped on blasters. Sacha and I also had our lightsabers tucked away in interior pockets of our jackets. Walking around with a dangling lightsaber is no longer an option after Flame Night. We walked down the boarding ramp, blaster’s ready. Den had a handheld sensor that scanned for life forms. He turned to me and gave me thumbs up gesture indicating all was clear.

I could see the ruins of the temple through the smoky haze. I sniffed the air, noticing a peculiar smell. I turned to the others. “Do you smell somebody grilling?”

Sacha blanched and then dried gagged. “Jax, I hope that’s a naïve comment and that’s not an attempt at a horribly inappropriate joke.”

I looked at her confused. “What?”

Her irritated expression turned to one of sadness. She dropped her head, shaking it slowly. “I’ve smelled this before while working with the Rangers. It’s the odor of bodies burning.”

My stomach lurched at the thought. “Oh,” was all I managed to say. I know hundreds of Jedi burned on Coruscant when the temple was destroyed, but any smell of burning flesh was intermixed with the stench of scorching oil, insulation, wood, drywall and everything else burning within the structure along with the ever-present pollution on the City Planet. Here on pastoral Dantooine there wasn’t the oppressive smog of a million vehicles to mask the smell. I looked into the distance and saw smoke curling up from the location of the devastated village. Either it was still burning from the Imperial bombardment or somebody was alive and burning the bodies.

I gave a slight shudder before I squared my shoulders and marched forward toward the Temple. We didn’t have to walk too far before we saw bodies scattered around the area. There was nothing we could do for these men and women other than record their facial images and properly dispose of the bodies. As I came up to the first corpse I pulled out my handheld imager and snapped a photo of the young man’s face. I doubt anybody could identify the remains with the image. The body was bloated and a brownish fluid was leaking from around the eyes, nose and mouth. Maggots and flies crawled over the remains, making a horrible sight even worse. I brought my arm up and pressed my sleeve against my nose in an attempt to block out the stench. I turned when I heard the sound of someone running. It was Den moving away from the bodies before he came to a sudden stop, bent over and deposited the contents of his stomach on the ground. I don’t blame him. My gut was also protesting. Magash and Sacha skirted around the bodies, both looking ill.

I turned to I-Five and gave him an apologetic look. “Would you mind taking images of the remains?”

“I don’t mind.” He reached out a metal hand and took the imager from me. “My olfactory sensors detect the odor I realize most sentients find putrid. Fortunately, I lack a digestive system to be upset by the stench.”

I-Five went from body to body capturing an image of each corpse. I went upwind to where Den, Magash and Sacha were now standing. I-Five flipped over one body and stared at it for a long moment. He looked to me and motioned for me to join him. “Jax, this man is dressed differently.” He bent down and picked up a metallic cylinder. “And this was in his possession.”

As I neared I realized I-Five was holding a lightsaber. I grasped the weapon in my hand looking for some form of identification that could lead me to the identity of the deceased. I turned the weapon over analyzing the various designed engraved on the pommel; unfortunately it was not a design I recognized. I squatted down next to the decaying body and tried to visualize what the man might have looked like when alive. He was tall, about two meters in height, light skin, with brown hair and eyes. He wore a black tunic and trousers with a dark gray cloak over it. I rummaged through his pockets but found no form of identification.

“Do you recognize him?” I-Five asked as I stood and went back to examining the lightsaber.

“No, but he looks much older than me. He probably was knighted and out fighting in the Clone War while I was still a padawan. I let out a sorrowful breath. “That’s another Jedi killed by the Empire.” I activated the weapon and a blue blade sizzled into existence. “Blue. That’s the color of a Jedi Guardian.” I deactivated the blade and walked over to Magash, holding out the weapon for her. “Eventually I will teach you and Sacha to build your own weapons, but until then this one is for you.”

Magash took the weapon, cradling it in her hand. “I will use it to strike down our enemies.”

I barely heard her words. At that moment I felt the presence of others in the distance and my sense of danger flared. I grabbed my lightsaber and activated just as I heard the report of a long-range blaster firing. I ran until I stood between my friends and the enemy and began deflecting a barrage of blaster bolts aimed in our direction.

I could hear the sound of two lightsabers activating behind me. “Sacha, turn off your red blade. I don’t want to give these guys the impression that we’re Sith.”

“You got it.” I could hear her deactivate her weapon and then the sound of a blaster leaving a holster.

There was a pause in the firing and I could feel a jumble of emotions coming from our attackers. I had the distinct impression that they were firing on us because they thought we were imperials. Eventually I saw a head poke out from behind a rock outcrop on a nearby hill. “Who are you?”

I wasn’t sure what answer would be welcome. These people could be Imperials left behind to perform wipe-up operations. They could be rebels or villagers angry with the rebels for drawing Imperials to their planet. I realized there was no reason to lie since the lightsabers were a dead giveaway as to our identity. “We’re Jedi.”

The head disappeared behind the rocks for a moment but soon returned. “One of you had a red lightsaber. That’s Sith.”

I deactivated my weapon so to hear him better. Magash did the same. “It came from a dead Sith.”

The head disappeared. He was obviously discussing the situation with his sniper. The man stood again and this time walked out from his concealed position. “What do you want?”

I motioned to the dead bodies. “We heard about the attack and were looking for survivors.”

“There are no survivors!” the man said angrily.

I took a step towards the man. “Can you come down and talk to us, or can I come up there?”

He turned and talked to his comrade before shuffling down the hill toward us. As he neared I could see he was an old human male probably in his early seventies. He wore farmer’s clothing and had the hands of a farmer. I couldn’t see his companion but I doubt he is a farmhand. He shot with the proficiency of a soldier.

The elderly stranger looked at us warily. “Why are you really here?”

“I'm telling you the truth. We were hoping some to find survivors of the rebel group stationed here.”

He shook his head slowly. “The rebels are dead. They left the village and came here to draw the Imperials away, but it didn’t work. The Emperor's ships destroyed everything. I was away visiting my sick grandson in a village about fifty kilometers from here when it happened. I returned to find everyone dead.”

I motioned my head in the direction where the shots were fired. “If all of the villagers and rebels died, who was shooting at us?”

I felt a momentary spike of panic from the man and an identical surge of emotion from his concealed companion. I found that interesting because outwardly the man did not so much as flinch…so how did his friend know I said something to upset him? “He's a friend from the other village.” The man was clearly lying, but I didn’t pursue the subject. I think there was a very good chance that up on the hill was another Jedi or at least a Force user. I remembered how Obi-Wan Kenobi ran and hid. I assume I have another cowardly Jedi on the planet. I turned to the deceased Jedi on the ground behind me. “Do you know the identity of the Jedi Knight we found?”

He nodded slightly. “His name was Falon Grey. He came to our village a year ago. He worked as a farmer, hiding from the Empire. He's the reason the Imperials came here.”

I shiver ran down my spine. “They didn’t come for the rebels?”

The old man scoffed. “The Imperials didn’t know there was a Rebel contingent on the planet. They came for the Jedi and the Jedi alone.” He waved his hands about. “All of this is for one Jedi!”

I swallowed hard. “If you were away at the time, how do you know the Imperials came for the Jedi only?” I looked up in the direction of his hidden companion. Now I was beginning to wonder if a deserting Force sensitive Stormtrooper was sitting up on that hill. That would explain how this man knew the Imperials had no knowledge of the Rebels and their target was a Jedi.

He gritted his teeth and glowered at me. “If you excuse me, I have more bodies to burn in my village. I just finished cremating my wife and oldest son.” A tear fell from the corner of his eyes. “Go away before you draw the Imperials back to Dantooine. Don’t worry about these people. I’ll make sure they are properly disposed of.” He then turned and walked back up the hill to where his companion lurked.

I turned back to my friends. “The Imperials came all the way out to a rimworld planet with a fleet of ships to kill one Jedi Knight?” I felt my chest tighten as a feeling of panic enveloped me. How in the galaxy did the Imperials find one Jedi Knight working as a farmer on a backwards planet? I turned to my friends. “If the Imperials will do this much damage to kill one Jedi…what is going to happen when they find the three of us?”

Magash stepped forward, her newly acquired lightsaber in her hand. A look of determination crossed her face as she ignited the blade. “I will tell you what will happen when the Imperials find the three of us. The Imperials will die.”

 

It sure was horrible for them to find the destruction and the dead Jedi and why the imps came to Dantooine.

 

Bravo on the intensity Yikes, that is literally overkill isn't it? Definitely they three need to camouflage their true skills as a way to survive.

 

Ah, Falon Grey. Yes, I recognize the name–and thus, I probably know who the Jedi on the hill was. At least, I suspect I do...

Good entry! Now Magash has a lightsaber, too, which can only be a good thing!

 

I know. I am not killing people randomly. I am trying to stick with Legends Canon and this battle did take place. I don't know why I bother trying to adhere to canon...Disney doesn't seem to care. Thanks for reading.

Thanks! I would think this would make Jax hesitate at trying to restore the Jedi. A lot of people died on Dantooine in an effort to kill a Jedi. He would start worrying about how this Jedi was tracked and if he was putting the Rangers in danger just by his presence. He might not want to continue training Sacha and Magash if it meant it put a bigger target on their backs. I only have 4 more posts until the end of the year and I want to put in some romance and maybe another fight against Vader. I have a vague idea as to what to do. I may send the gang to Alderaan to meet up with a nascent Rebel Alliance.

Yeah, I needed to get another lightsaber, so I thought this was a good place to find one lying around. I researched what was happening in this time frame with the Jedi and discovered a Wookieepedia article about the battle on Dantooine. I don't play the video games, but I thought I would use these characters. In my mind it is X2 on that hill manning the sniper blaster.


Thanks guys for reading. I know it is hard to get into the lives of almost unknown canon characters. I just really liked the novels and now I don't think I will find out what happens to Jax and the gang. That doesn't seem right, but I guess that is what fanfiction is for.

 

Just keep Jax and the gang safe. They deserve a nice place to settle

 

Thanks earlybird-obi-wan, Revanfan1, and Nyota's Heart for reading and taking the time to review. I need to get on this and get Vader into the picture. I think I have a few ways that can be done. Thanks everybody for reading!!

~~~
Entry 40

On the return flight to Toprawa I found myself depressed and defeated. We not only didn’t find survivors from the Rebel group, we discovered the Imperials were willing to destroy and entire village just to kill one Jedi Knight. It makes me wonder if I am doing the right thing in training new Padawans, making them prime targets for the Empire and endangering everyone around them. Maybe Obi-Wan Kenobi knew this. Perhaps that’s why he decided it was best to hide and not call attention to himself.

Den and I-Five were currently on the flight deck leaving me alone in our cabin to sulk. I was sitting on my bunk with my back against the wall and my knees pulled up to my chest. After about an hour of quiet reflection there was a soft knock on the door. “Come in.”

Sacha entered the room closing the door behind her. “I may only be a beginner when it comes to the Force, but I can feel your emotions. What’s wrong? Are you upset that we didn’t find survivors or that the Temple was completely ransacked and devoid of anything useful?”

I sighed deeply. “That's it...mainly.”

“Mainly?” Sacha walked over and sat down on my bunk, shifting her weight until she was sitting next to me. I wanted to tell her to go away, that I wanted to be alone, but I didn’t have the energy. We sat there silently for a long moment before she reached over and patted my leg before giving it a squeeze. “What else is bothering you?”

I looked away becoming uncomfortable with the conversation. I didn’t want to tell her I may abandon her training for her own good. When I didn’t respond she sighed deeply before dropping her hand from my leg. “I thought I was your apprentice. You told me the Master-Padawan relationship is close, as close as family.” She waited for a response and I could sense her irritation when I didn’t give her an answer. “Jax Pavan, look at me.” She sounded so much like a mother scolding her son that I had to chuckle. Poor Norro better not give her any problems. “What’s so funny?”

I turned back to her. “You sound like you’re talking to Norro.”

She gave me a harsh glance. “Well, if you start acting like a Jedi Knight and not a despondent little boy, then I wouldn’t have to speak to you in that manner. Jax, just tell me what’s bothering you.”

I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment before deciding to let her know. “I’m now second guessing my decision to train Jedi. I could be endangering everybody if the Empire has discovered a way to detect Force sensitives. Dantooine is so far from the core that Jedi Grey should have been able to live out his life in anonymity. I think the Imperials have the ability to search and find Jedi Knights.”

“How would they do that?”

I thought about it for a while. “The Jedi Order would take a blood sample from Jedi candidates and test for something called midichlorians. The higher the midicholorian count the more Force ability the person would have.” I paused in thought. “If the Imperials found a way to check for the presence of midichlorians in the air…perhaps from sloughed off skin cells or other bodily fluids they could have sent out probes to various planets to sample the air and report its findings.”

Sacha gave a slight shrug. “Or they could have really good intelligence and Jedi Grey got sloppy. It’s also a possibility that a Inquisitor was passing by and simply sensed his presence in the Force.”

I groaned as I leaned my head back to rest against the bulkhead. “That's just as bad. If the Inquisitors are becoming stronger in the Force, soon they may be able to sense us on Toprawa. We might be leading the Imperials right to the Antarian Ranger’s main base.”

“So what do you suggest?”

I shook my head unsure of the answer. “Perhaps I can return Magash to Dathomir. The Empire is aware of the witches’ existence and hasn’t attempted to wipe them out. She should be safe.”

“And what of us?”

“Us?”

“Yes, us.” She rolled her eyes impatiently. “The other two Force sensitives in our group. If we’re putting the Rangers in danger we shouldn’t go back. We should leave and disappear. We can watch each other’s backs and go somewhere where innocent civilians won’t be in danger.”

She was making a lot of sense, but then I thought about Norro. I didn’t want to abandon the boy. If I am correct he's also a Force sensitive. He would have to leave with us. I exhaled loudly as I realized I-Five had promised my father that he would stay and protect me. He would never willingly leave my side. And then there's Den. He and I-Five are such close friends I couldn’t see those two separating. “Norro, Den and I-Five would insist on joining us.”

“Then let them. We can pick up Norro then take off for parts unknown.”

I rubbed the tense muscles in the back of my neck. “I need to talk to the Ranger leadership before I make a decision.”

“Fair enough.” She moved to the edge of the bed and then stood. “Worrying about this won’t make things better. In fact it might produce enough strong emotions that Vader or an Inquisitor might pick up your brooding.”

She cocked her head toward the door. “Come on out and eat. Magash is making a traditional Dathomiri recipe involving meat marinated in some sort of harsh alcohol mixture. I think it is whisky, grain alcohol and hot spices.”

“That sounds good.” I stood and followed her to the door. “You know what they say, ‘the way to a man’s heart…is by way of a bantha steak smothered with mind altering booze and hot sauce.’” I gave her a wink. “Or at least that’s how I think it goes.”

She gave me an obviously fake look of surprise. “Is that it? I thought it was through sex and tickets to the Smashball Holodome playoffs.”

“That’ll work also.” I grinned as I raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Do you have Smashball Holodome playoff tickets?”

She gave me a forced smile and dismissive wave of her hand. “I don’t know what to do with you.”

I followed her out the door still smiling. “So does that mean you’re not bringing me to the playoffs?”

I laughed when she playfully poked her elbow into my ribs. I have to admit, She always finds a way to cheer me up. I like our relaxed playful banter. It reminds me of the good times when Laranth and I would sit in our cabin and talk to each other for hours.

My smiled slipped slightly at the thought of my lost love, but my slide into depression didn’t last long. Just then Magash gave Sacha a taste of the marinade. Seeing Sacha turn bright red while running around the galley screaming for water and cursing the Dathomir Witch got me laughing again. I don’t think I could ever abandon this group of friends no matter how difficult the Emperor and Vader made my life.

We're a family and family sticks together.

 

The galaxy needs the Jedi–but Jax needs to think about himself and his friends, too. Hope he makes the right decision...

 

Love the teasing and the persistence and wise advice from Sacha. Sounds like Magash's dish was wayyyy too spicy.

 

good advice. stay safe with your friends

 

Thanks. I have been writing a lot lately. I should have more than two updates this month.

Sacha has it bad for Jax. And Jax is somewhat clueless.

Thanks! I wish Laranth had stayed safe in the profics. That was a disappointment to me. I really wanted those two together.

Thanks everybody for reading!

~
~
~
Entry 41


We arrived on Toprawa a couple days later. I didn’t get much time to ponder the pros and cons of discontinuing Jedi training before I was called in to see Antarian Ranger leaders Aren Folee and Degan Cor.

I entered a small briefing room where I found the two leaders sitting at a conference table. They waved for me to join them. I moved to the table and sat down across from them. I thought I was there for a debriefing, but they had more important things to discuss with me.

Aren gestured toward her datapad sitting on the desk in front of her. “We read your report, Jax. I’m sorry that you didn’t find survivors.” She gave me a sad smile. “I know you are disappointed.”

I simply nodded not knowing what else to say when Degan abruptly changed the subject. “Have you ever been to Alderaan?”

“No, why?” I asked warily.

A small smile flashed across Aren’s face. “We have heard rumors that a Rebel cell is forming on the planet. We aren’t connected to these insurgents, but we would like to start a conversation with them. If we can get these disjointed rebel cells to unite…to start an alliance, then there is a chance we can defeat the Emperor. We’d like you to go there and make contact with their leader.”

I couldn’t help but scoff. “You read my written report about Dantooine. You know what happened there. The Empire is actively hunting Jedi. I don’t know how they’re finding them, but they are locating them, and when they do, they kill the Knight and anybody he or she had contact with. I don’t think it is safe for me to be here and I definitely don’t want to bring the Empire down on a highly populated planet like Alderaan.”

Degan appeared unconcerned. “Jax you have been avoiding Inquisitors, the Emperor and Darth Vader for two years. If they couldn’t find you on Coruscant I highly doubt they will locate you on Alderaan.”

I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally. “I think you are wasting your time when it comes to Alderaan. As soon as Palpatine declared himself Emperor Alderaan’s Monarchy disbanded their military forces and now profess a philosophy of peace. The monarchy is vehemently opposed to armed resistance. That doesn’t sound like a planet planning to overthrow a superior Imperial force.”

Aren leaned forward in her chair looking eager. “That’s just it. We believe it is a cover to throw Palpatine off their tracks. Rumor has it many high-ranking royals are financing the local rebel cell. We don’t know which royals are involved, but it could go as high as Queen Breha Organa.” Both leaders appeared excited about the possibility. “Can you imagine how many weapons and supplies could be provided by such rich benefactors?”

I sat back in my chair and raised a doubting brow. “And what am I to do? Walk into the palace, introduce myself and ask for a donation?”

Aren frown at me briefly. “We simply want you to bring a message to their leaders asking them to contact us. We’ll do the negotiations.”

I ran a hand over my face in frustration. “Do you know which royals are involved?”

Degan blew out a breath. “No, but our spy network has reported that the Queen herself offered refuge to the Caamasi refugees after the Imperials nearly destroyed their world. That is a fairly bold move. Palpatine ordered the bombardment of their world. The Alderaan monarchy must realize harboring these people can only result in the Emperor's disapproval. The royals are practically taunting Palpatine. If the members of the lesser royal houses didn’t protest the Queen’s actions there is a very good chance that most of the high ranking leadership are anti-Imperial.”

I knew it was hopeless trying to argue with these two. They would work on me, appealing to my sense of honor and justice, until I agreed to whatever mission they asked. “What can I do?”

Aren activated her datapad and pushed it across the table so I could view the screen. “The Queen and Prince Organa are throwing a extravagant party for their adopted daughter’s second birthday. Royally from all over the galaxy will be there. There is a chance that the birthday party is being used by the rebel leadership as a way to contact other world leaders.”

“If that’s true, then the Queen must be involved.”

Degan shook his head. “We can’t assume that. She might not be part of the resistance, but other royals might use the celebration to make contacts and plan the overthrow of Palpatine and his brutal regime.”

“Might use the celebration? In other words you have no idea if any rebel leaders will be present.” I sighed and leaned forward in my seat. “Let’s say treasonous nobles are at the party, how do I fit into this scenario? I’m not a royal or representative from a world government. How do I get in?”

Aren leaned over and pushed a few buttons on her datapad. “We know an invitation was sent out to the leadership of Kwarron…a planet that has been in isolation for two centuries and it is doubtful they will come out of their isolationism during Palpatine’s reign. Our slicers can put together authentic looking documentation for the Duke and Dutchess Roskin of Portori, a province on Kwarron. We want you to portray Duke Roskin and Sacha the Dutchess.”

“What?”

“You are our best chance of pulling this off Jax.” Degan explained. “You are a Jedi and Sacha has been doing Force training with you. I know Jedi Knights were trained in proper etiquette at the Temple. I doubt any other Ranger could fool real royals.”

“Plus you can do one of those Jedi mind tricks if you get in a bind,” Aren swept her hand in front of her face. It was a motion I’ve only seen done by actors in Jedi action holos. Jedi don’t need to move their hands while using the Force to influence people and they definitely wouldn’t be foolish enough to telegraph their intentions.

“If an inquisitor is there undercover I may end up getting everyone killed.” It was a weak protest. I knew there was no way they would give up the chance to contact other rebel cells.

“We have faith in you Jax!” Aren said with a wide smile. “You are the last of the Jedi. If you can’t do it, nobody can.”

 

Sounds like this is going to be an intriguing mission.

 

Great mission - full of intrigue indeed and a celebration would be a good cover. Looking forward to Sacha and Jax in their 'noble' guises.

 

Interesting. Will he see Leia?

 

I read some of the comics and Leia was out there taunting Moff Tarkin as a Child and being a misfit. I often wondered how Vader missed figuring out Leia is his kid. They spent a lot of time together when she was being tortured by dear old dad. I guess if you are not an active Force user your Force signature might not be obvious.

Thanks. I want to show the infancy of the rebellion...and also get Sacha and Jax dancing together and having to pretend they are married.

I would assume the birthday girl would be at her own party.

But first they have to train for this charade.

Thanks everybody for reading. I went on a writing spree the other day. Now I just have to edit. I am going to put multiple short entries until the end of the year.

~
~
~


Entry 42

Sacha was very enthusiastic about our new mission and was ready for a crash course on behaving like a Royal. To assist her in this deception I-Five downloaded an etiquette study guide written for a highly respected finishing school on Corellia.

The Rangers also purchased clothing that would normally be worn by royalty. Currently I was wearing a simple black tuxedo while Sacha had on a floor length gown made out of dark green shimmersilk. It was strapless which made me wonder how she managed to keep that dress up while keeping her shapely bosom inside. I have to admit, she looked beautiful and regal. It wasn't until she put on the high heeled shoes that I realized we had a problem. To say she was shaky on her feet is an understatement. I think I could strap on meter tall stilts and move about more gracefully.

We were using our building’s dayroom as our practice area. Den and Norro sat in a small seating area while Magash and I leaned against a wall watching Sacha's progress. I-Five, in his HRD body, paced the room while observing Sacha's struggle to stay upright. Eventually he held out his hand in a halting gesture. “Sacha I have analyzed your gait, center of gravity and hip movement and I believe I discovered your problem. You are walking like you would in boots. You are putting your heel down first and then the toes. You need to glide your foot across the floor." I-Five then demonstrated this movement by doing the most hilariously feminine walk I have ever seen performed by a droid. He had one hand on his hip while he easily moved across the room. He stopped and turned on the balls of his feet and then gestured for Sacha to try. She made about two or three steps before she stumbled and had to be caught and set upright by Magash. “No,” I-Five said with a shake of his head. “You continue to perform the movement incorrectly.”

A scowl crossed her face as she reached down and pulled off the shoes. “It’s easy to demonstrate while you are wearing boots.” She tossed the shoes at the droid. “Try it in heels.”

“I really doubt those heels will fit I-Five,” Den commented.

I-Five retrieved the shoes and analyzed them. “I believe these will fit. Sacha has surprisingly big feet for a female of her species.”

Sacha’s scowl deepened as her jaw tightened. “Shut up and put them on.”

I-Five stared at her with a mirthful expression before he shrugged his shoulders. “Affirmative.” He sat down in one of the dayroom chairs and removed his shoes and socks and slipped into the heels. He then stood without any hesitation. “As you can see I am pointing the toe out before stepping down. According to the etiquette guide a woman does not swing her arms like a lumbering Wookiee while walking. All movements should be smooth and refined.” He then sauntered across the room like a holostar on her way to an awards ceremony. I-Five’s Human Replicant Droid body is a fairly masculine model, so seeing him strutting around in high heels was comical.

Sacha was grinning ear-to-ear. “I don’t think I quite got it. Can you show me again?”

I-Five complied either not realizing she was most likely requesting a second demonstration just for the laughs, or he didn’t care. I suppose droids don’t have to worry about people questioning their sexuality. When she asked for a third demo he gave her a smug grin as he removed the shoes and handed them back to her. “I’m not going to Alderaan disguised as Jax’s mate, you are.”

My jaw dropped at that comment. “Mate?” I mumbled under my breath. When Aren told me we would go as a Duchess and Duke—I was thinking siblings. It never occurred to me that we would were going undercover as a young, married couple.

I-Five’s precision hearing picked up my comment. He turned to me and smiled. “Yes, mates. Congratulations, you are now husband and wife.” He put his boots back on and watched Sacha as she slipped into her heels. “You both need instruction in formal dancing. Luckily for you, I have downloaded the dance steps to the most common Alderaanian ceremonial dances and I am ready to instruct.” He walked up to me and put his hands out in the way that suggested he expected me to dance with him.

“I’m not dancing with you,” I protested…especially when Den started laughing so hard his dewflaps turned a dark crimson.

I-Five dropped his hands and frowned. “Do you know the Alderaan Waltz?”

I shook my head.

“I didn’t think so.” He returned his hands into a dancing position. When I didn’t take his hand he simply smirked. “If you are hoping for a female instructor, might I point out, this is a paramilitary base full of fighter pilots and spies. It is doubtful anybody else is capable of teaching you the required moves.”

I could feel my face redden. “This is just so…awkward.”

I-Five rolled his eyes in an excellent human expression of exasperation. “Jax, I am going to teach you to dance, not fondle you on the dance floor. I do not understand your reluctance. Everybody here knows I am a droid. Nobody is going to give this a second look.”

“A man dancing with a HRD droid…yeah nothing unusual about that. Nothing to see here.” I groaned a protest, but I eventually took his hand in mine while placing my other hand on his waist while maintaining a respectable distance from my dance partner. I glared at I-Five for making me do this and I swear I could see amusement in his artificial eyes. I know that is not possible, but I’m positive he is enjoying this.

“I will lead at first and then I will give you the lead.”

That was the longest hour of my life. I-Five tried to convince me we only danced for twelve minutes and thirty-six seconds, but it felt a lot longer. It didn’t help that my so-called friends were making suggestive comments and laughing during the entire instruction. I also suspect they were taking images of me using their datapad imager application.

I have never been so embarrassed in my life, but I guess there is an upside. I was told they would continue to tease me about the domination mask until something more embarrassing came along. I think this is it.

I will write more about this fiasco later.

 

Hilarious fun with the heels and the dance

 

I could imagine all of that and it made me laugh!!! I have a feeling the Alderaanian events will be so terrific and go so splendidly Jax will be relieved he took those dance lessons.

 

Laughing...so...hard! I love I-Five!

 

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed that entry.

I hope so. I have a feeling things will go better than expected.

I think I-Five is having fun with Jax. That's what 'brothers' are for.

This is another short entry. I hope you enjoy it.
~
~
~


ENTRY 43

After my initial instruction I-Five took Sacha’s hand and guided her toward me. “Now it is time for you two to dance together.”

I remember getting a lump in my throat and my palms getting sweaty as she looked up at me smiling warmly. I took her hand in mine and tentatively moved into the proper dance position. I don’t know why dancing with Sacha made me jittery. We fought against Darth Vader together. I shouldn’t be worrying about stepping on her toes. I loosely draped by left hand around her waist while making sure I kept a respectful distance.

I-Five walked around us critiquing our form before he reached out and pushed Sacha and me together until our hips were touching. “You are supposed to be a married couple. You are going to have to show some familiarity between each other or else nobody is going to believe this rouse.” I felt my face warm in embarrassment by this intimate contact, but Sacha appeared unperturbed by our close proximity. “On three, start out with the basic steps I taught you,” I-Five instructed us. “One, two, three.”

I stepped off with my lead foot moving in deliberate if not hesitant steps. I-Five had to correct us a few times, but we seemed to get the hang of it fairly easily. After a while I found myself smiling and laughing at the ease of moment. Sacha smiled in delight as we swayed back and forth to I-Five’s step-count.

“Good, good,” I-Five called out. “You appear to have mastered that particular dance.”

I couldn’t help but grin. It felt good to dance. I remember dancing a few times at the temple when I was a child, but it was done to increase my dexterity and coordination, not to have fun.

“Make sure they know how to slow dance.” The words came from Magash who grinned mischievously at Sacha daring her to prove herself.

“I know how to slow dance,” Sacha shot back before she wrapped her arms around my neck, put her head on my shoulder and pressed the entire length of her body against mine. She then started to sway to imaginary music. As she moved back and forth her hips rubbed against mine provocatively.

“Put your hands around her waist,” I-Five critiqued. I realized I was standing there in total shock, my hands hanging to my side and with a panicked look on my face. I slowly moved my hands until they rested around her waist.

Sacha looked up at me and whispered, “Your hands are too high.” She reached behind her body and repositioned my hands so they rested just above her buttocks. We swayed back and forth a few minutes before I started to wonder why we are practicing this dance at all. We were simply leaning against each other and shuffling our feet.

“I think I got this,” I said as I tried to detangle myself from my dance partner.

“I don’t know, Jax,” Den said wryly. “It doesn’t look natural to me.” He turned to Magash. “How about you, does it look natural.”

Magash shook her head. “It looks very unnatural. You are supposed to be lovers, but your movements are awkward and stilted.”

Sacha nodded her head and leaned in closer to me while swaying in such a sensual manner that every nerve in my body was on high alert. “Is this better?”

“Much better,” Magash said with a smirk.

“Oh I agree that is much more believable, but Jax still looks nervous.” Den grinned obviously enjoying my discomfort. This much contact, even between platonic friends, was becoming far too much for me to handle. I had a very attractive young lady in my arms pressed firmly against me and I could feel my body responding. I needed to get out of there before I embarrassed myself.

I pulled away from Sacha. “I think I need a break.” I turned and quickly left the dayroom. I could hear all my friends call out for my return, but I had to get to my quarters and into a cold shower!

I hope Sacha didn't noticed why I had to leave suddenly...but I think she may have. I'm just having one hell of an embarrassing day.

 

SQUEE! Terrific ... progress; Sacha is very comfy with the whole couple-ruse thing, Jax uncomfortable but in a good way.

 

Love that. He is making progress and I hope he will return safe from the mission with her and settle in a nice and safe place

 

Poor Jax! This is probably how I'd react in the same situation!