Before "Blood is Thicker Than...." (Post- Ep. III/ Jedi Purge/ Noghri)

Disclaimer: The Noghri and their situation was created by Timothy Zahn, and that aspect of the story is owned by LFL. Senika Kyliba, Ichebar Kyliba, Malika, Janissa and Thel Hansen are the creative property of _Tenel_Ka_

Rating: PG

Summary: A human girl raised by Noghri embarks on a quest for knowledge, revenge, and eventually, self-discovery.

Blood is Thicker Than...

Chapter One: Mutiny

There comes a time in every civilization, when something extraordinary happens. Something that changes everything. And in the case of the planet Honoghr, that something was the Empire. Darth Vader and the Emperor were in the final stages of their plan, after developing the biotechnology agent that would wither planet life and enslave the Nogrhi to them forever.

At the same time, there was another change that was smaller, unexpected and perhaps insignificant. A mistake occurred aboard one of the Star Destroyer?s hanging in orbit above. A mutiny to be exact.

Janissa Hansen, a brilliant scientist and genetic manipulator, along with her husband Thel Hansen, were fed up with the Empire. Janissa had been hired for her skills in biotechnology. She hadn?t signed on for mass genocide and conspiracy.

?Is the escape pod equipped with enough for all three of us?? asked Janissa.

She was holding an 18-month old baby girl.

?Yes, and I?ve made sure they won?t detect us. I?ve given the computer a nasty virus, so the Empire will have more than us to worry about for the next little while,? said Thel, and paused, looking at the baby.

?Is Senika alright? I hate the fact we?re dragging her into this, but there isn?t any other way,? he said helplessly.

?She?ll be fine. It?ll be rough, but she?s strong and quick. Like her father,? Janissa assured with a smile, stroking the forehead of the sleeping girl.

?And smart and brave, like her mother,? Thel added, grinning as well.

?We?d better hurry, there?s only 45 seconds before the virus becomes active,? Thel urged.

Janissa started to nod, but as she glanced over Thel?s shoulder, her eyes went wide.

?Thel! Get down!? she screamed.

Thel wasn?t fast enough, but the bolt didn?t hit him. Instead, the killing shot intended for him missed and hit Janissa instead. Blood streaming from her forehead, she fell backwards into the open escape pod.

The ship?s security forces had arrived.

?You fool!? shouted the lead officer, ?You weren?t supposed to kill her!?

But it was too late. The soldiers grabbed Thel, who began to kick and fight desperately as they tried to drag him away.

?After you get him under control, bring me the baby,? said the head officer.

?NO!? Thel yelled and lunged toward the pod. He couldn?t get into it, but he punched the button to eject the pod, which shut and released with a mechanical hiss.

Whatever the Imperials had in store for him, whatever they had done to his wife, they would never get their hands on his daughter.

****

While Thel Hansen awaited who knows what kind of punishment, torture, or gruesome death, the escape pod carrying the dead Janissa Hansen and her pitifully crying baby spiraled closer to the planet of Honoghr. It passed through the upper atmosphere and went crashing through the forest of Omnipar, sole woods of the Clean Land. It finally came to a battered stop near a tiny village of Nogrhi.

The young warrior, Ichebar, was the first to approach it, drawn by the noises while hunting in the deep forests. Over the past year, his people had become accustomed to seeing starships, but never one so close.

It seems unthreatening? he thought, Most likely it is harmless?

He pushed the largest button.

At the touch of his fingers, the door hissed open. His keen ears were assaulted by the frantic wailing of a baby. A wave of sentimentality hit him as he investigated more closely and found that this being?s guardian was dead. He scooped up the child, intending to carry it back to his village. The little girl waves her scrawny arms and fingers and kicked weakly with her legs. A mop of light brown hair framed a round, red-cheeked face. Tears ran from crystal blue eyes, flowing down to a fragile neck.

She?s so frail, he thought, So delicate. Not fierce or dangerous at all.

He poked her nose curiously and was so startled when the tiny infant tried to bite him that he almost dropped her.

?Maybe not so frail,? he chuckled to himself, ?Perhaps we can make a warrior out of this one yet.?

And with that he continued in the direction of his sister?s house.

*Slaps forehead*

WRONG BOARD!

*dies from shame*

I'm movin, I'm movin....