ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪᴠᴇ

ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ

《☆》

Her breaths echoed around her as tears streamed down her warm cheeks. Her hands shook violently, failing to do even the simplest of tasks. "Ugh, come on!" Kitra muttered to herself, as she buried her face in her knees, dampening the material of her trousers. The war was over, but her suffering still continued; the weight of his death still loomed over her after each day.

She tried to breathe, but her lungs were filled, blocked from the many inhales she failed to take.

"Lieutenant? Are you in there?" A feeble voice knocked from the other side of the door. Kitra's face emerged from between her knees, looking back at the plain silver door. The woman closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath as she balled her hand into a fist, "I'll be out in second." She called back, using all of her strength to not let her voice break.

After receiving no reply, Kitra relaxed. Letting out a breath, she slumped back into her position on the floor, leaning against the legs of her bed. Bringing her hand up to the chain around her neck, she pulled out the ring that was hidden beneath her shirt. Kitra observed the Kenari inscriptions that were carved into the side of the ring. Letting out a deep breath, she held onto it.

The door swept open as Kitra walked into the briefing room, her arrival prompting various officers to stand straighter as they approached the table. "Lieutenant Kenobi, as I was saying, we had intercepted a smuggling port in the mid rim. One of our agents managed to conjure some information from a smuggler.." An officer explained, as the table projected a map of the space port which orbited around Malastare.

"What did you find?" She questioned, with an interested gaze, eyeing the agent. The agent sighed and placed an object on top of the table, which Kitra quickly picked up. "They say it was for a child." The Agent revealed, before expanding the map and relocating its picture and showing the planet, Bracca.

Kitra frowned, "They sent a fob after a child?" She questioned with curiosity. They nodded in response. The Jedi observed the hologram image of Bracca, narrowing her eyes as she felt the air around her thin as a faint melody drifted within her ears. The girl hummed in response. "I'll check it out. But I'm going alone." Kitra spoke, before sending the agent a nod out of respect, before she turned around and left the room.

She sat in the cockpit, playing with her fingers while various star systems blasted past her. The stars cast a serene energy over her tense body, allowing her to take in a deep inhale. She helped destroy the second Death Star, the Empire is mostly wiped out with its sympathizers serving time; why does she feel incomplete? When can Kitra finally rest?

The stars crawled backwards as the ship shot into the Bracca system. Kitra flicked a few switches and regained control over the X-Wing. She steered towards the red planet, feeling a blinding light at she pierced through its dusty atmosphere.

Flying above endless miles of gorges and desert, her eyes landed on a distant village settlement. As she looked, the wind rattled against the windshield, as streams of dust flew past her. Kitra gazed down to the bounty hunter's tracking fob, noticing how its beeping tempo had quickened.

Letting out a sigh, she steered the X-Wing towards the small village. The fighter shook as she gently landed the fighter a few steps from the edge of the settlement, where she had caught the attention of some moisture farmers, who inspected her fighter with an interested gaze. 

The woman opened the hatch to the fighter and jumped down, landing on the tough sand with her thick leather boots. The farmers observed the outsider with curiosity, noticing the small badges which had been sown onto the side of her leather jacket; instantly making it known that she was of a certain status within the New Republic and was there to help bring down the Empire. Though Kitra could tell that they were more interested by the two weapons which hung by her belt.

The woman sent a small glance to the astromech which guarded the X-Wing, before she stepped through the sand and towards the village. Stopping by a street corner, the woman unhooked the binoculars which she had in her satchel bag. She raised them to her eyes and searched through the town, inspecting the bustling markets; before she raised her scope to the rooftops, where she spotted a reptilian creature with goggles and a blaster rifle. "Gotcha.." she muttered before placing the binoculars back in her satchel. 

"Now I need to find the one I'm looking for." She murmured. Kitra stepped back into the open street and looked ahead at the busy marketplace, filled with angry shop-keepers and mischievous children. She slipped into the crowds, eyeing the rooftops before diverting her gaze back to the thick crowds. "Hey miss! You wanna try some space-leech?" One tender yelled, which Kitra ignored as she continued to walk. 

The woman stopped in her tracks, feeling the faintest tremmor in the force. Sucking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and felt her own presence on the force plane, sensing the other presences around her dissipate and leaving her alone. 

That was until she heard a group of approaching children laughing while they ran

Found him.

Kitra opened her eyes as a small group of children rushed through the crowds, swiping objects from pockets and stands, "Oi! You gotta pay for that boy!" An angry tender yelled, as the small group of children laughed. Two kids crashed into Kitra's legs, making the woman take a few steps forward while a young boy and girl toppled over each other onto the sand. 

The Jedi gazed down to them, while they looked up with their large, but scared eyes. She inspected the dirtied rags which were aging with them, and their sticks for arms. Kitra did not need to think that hard to reason why they stole. 

She slowly knelt down to their level, making them both flinch in fright. "I'm not going to hurt you." She promised, holding both of her hands up in defense, showing that she was not holding any weapons. The boy was the first one to stand up of the pair, he had dark brown hair which reached his jaw, curled into a matted mess, his bright green eyes showed that despite his age he knew his way around; while the small blonde girl wore a more innocent look with her deep brown eyes. The boy had taken the girl under his wing in order to survive together. 

Kitra smiled warmly, recalling the time that she was forced to be in their position. She knew what it was like, to do things that she knew were wrong in order to survive. Taking a beating from adults on the daily as a result of her struggle. Which was why the woman slowly reached into her pocket and brought out a small pouch, the woman opened the deal and took out some credits before holding it out for the young girl. "Here." She offered.

The young girl gazed up at her male friend, who eyed Kitra with suspicion. The girl saw that the boy did not move, so took a feeble step forward and took the credits before jumping back. Neither child said a word as the boy ushered them to leave, turning their backs in an instant. Kitra slowly raised to her feet and watched them, feeling the wind drift past her.

Kitra felt the force's presence move past her, flowing through her veins. The all-too-familiar whistle in the wind caught her attention as she kept her eyes on the young boy. The same one who dragged the blonde girl through the thick crowds. Kitra watched with an interested gaze as the boy stopped in his tracks, turning around slowly to gaze back at the mysterious woman. 

The boy could not understand why he suddenly felt drawn to the woman; but Kitra knew all too well.

The pair disappeared into the tall crowds, out of her sight. Releasing a breath, she raised her sight back up to the roof-tops where she spotted the same hunter as before, jumping from roof to roof. Kitra slipped into a side alley and lowered her hands to her belt, only to find one hilt. Kitra frowned as she patted her belt before looking down to find one was missing. The woman let out a frustrated groan as she leaned her head back, "Damn kids..."

The boy and girl rounded a corner, panting. "Look!" The small girl beamed before unravelling an object from beneath her shirt, revealing a long metallic object. The boy's eyes widened as he inspected the cylinder-shaped item. "What is this?" The girl asked as she ran her hands up and down the leather bottom. The boy looked down at it, while his veins rushed for reasons unknown to him. His heart began to beat faster as his stomach rattled. "I don't know..." He responded, feeling the button on the side of it. 

Something about the object had caught his interest, he felt drawn to it in the same way he felt drawn to that woman. He blinked away his curiosity and looked back at his friend with eager eyes, "..I think we could get a lot of money from this." 

Before they could get too excited, they heard footsteps thump from behind them. Both kids jumped in fright and backed away from the Reptilian man who was covered in different weapons. Neither kid let go of the object, as they backed further into the alley with frightened expressions. "There you are, punk.." The man hissed as he raised a blaster to aim at the boy.

The young boy paled before he ripped the object from the girl's grip. He felt a surge of energy rush through him, filling him with confidence as he stepped forward to guard his younger friend. The Trandoshan hummed in interest as he watched the young boy hold the weapon in his small hands, tightening his grip around his blaster as he prepped for a fight. 

Lunging forward, the young boy hauled the metallic object forward; throwing it at the hunter and hitting them in the face. 

The boy's chest heaved with adrenaline as he watched the Trandoshan rub his head where the hilt had hit him. "Ow.." He grunted before eyeing the object which rolled in the sand. The hunter bent over and picked it up from the ground, turning the hilt in his hand as he inspected the weapon which he had never seen up close.

Dread suddenly filled the hunter. It was clear to him that it did not belong to the boy, so who did it belong to? And where were they now? The reptile paled to the thought.

"How interesting..." He expressed, eyeing the two kids who stood ready. His reptilian claws found the red activation button which was discreetly hidden on the side of the hilt; suggesting it was designed for quick use, maybe even stealth. Without any hesitation, the Trandoshan pressed the button, making a purple blade surge out the end of the hilt; illuminating the alley and the children's scared faces. Realisation had suddenly hit them both as they now knew the weapon that they had practically given to the dangerous man.

"Now who does this belong to..?" He questioned, swaying the blade from side to side, getting used to its power and feeling. The girl cowered behind the boy, gripping onto him while he watched the lightsaber with dread. Before he could plan their escape, he watched as the lightsaber was ripped out from the Trandoshan's hand; hauled through the air and past the young duo, into a palm behind them.

All heads turned to the unexpected guest, as the activated lightsaber smacked into the extended hand. The hand lowered revealing a young woman, draped in a leather jacket which held the familiar Star-Bird emblem. Her eyes quickly diverted down to the young kids, who looked back at her in shock. The young boy's eyes held stars within his irises, as he watched her twist her wrist and hold the lightsaber in a backwards grip. 

The woman's soft eyes hardened once her gaze fell on the Trandoshan. From the darkness of the alley, another blade ignited from her other hand, pointing towards the hunter. "..They belong to me." Kitra stated, putting herself in a fighting stance. In an instant, the boy pulled the girl to the side, as they hid beside a column, out of harm's way.

His eyes blinked into thin slits before he raised his blaster and released a round onto the Jedi. Kitra, twirled her blades around her body, stepping forward as she blocked the blasts. The gunfire ricocheted back towards the attacker, hitting the reptile in the shoulder and abdomen. The Trandoshan's eyes widened as he watched the Jedi leap towards him with both blades pointed backwards. 

He was suddenly slammed into the wall, elevated from the ground. The man gasped as he looked down at the Jedi who held one arm forwards, holding a deactivated hilt in her palm, while the other blade hummed from beside her. "I'm not going to hurt you, not in front of them..." She spoke, nodding her head towards the hidden children. With a small finger movement, his tracking fob was ripped from his belt. Once it was in front of her she cut her blade through it, shutting it off. 

The woman pointed her blade towards his neck, looking up at the hunter with angry eyes. "...But this is the only warning that I'll give." She threatened, as he looked down at her with panicked eyes. The blade which she held reflected into her hollow eyes, giving the impression that they were glowing. 

"Retire." She stated simply. "That is an order." The Trandoshan did not utter a word, he could barely conjure up a sentence. From behind the column, the two children gazed upon the scene which was unfolding from beside them. The boy's eyes widened as he saw the way the mysterious woman used the force on the hunter, "I wish I could do that.." He exclaimed quietly.

Kitra glared at the man, "The Galaxy is not big enough for you to hide from me." She finished before releasing her grip on the man. He slumped down onto the sand-filled ground and struggled back up onto his feet. He spared her one glance, as he looked into her dark eyes before he scurried away. 

Once the hunter was gone, Kitra deactivated her other lightsaber and attached both to her belt. She looked down to the ground, observing the smashed tracking fob. The Jedi sensed eyes on her, but could only hear silence. "You can come out." she beckoned before looking down the alley. 

Kitra watched as two heads poked out from the darkness before two small figures shuffled through the darkness towards the light where she stood. The girl twisted her fingers together, standing sheepishly as she looked up to the Jedi, "Sorry for taking your lightsaber.." She muttered in shame, as the young girl diverted her gaze back down to her sandy shoes. The young boy stood in front of his companion with more confidence in his eyes, "..We didn't know what it was." He reasoned.

"I know." She answered, removing her hilt from her belt and moving it above her palm, turning it in the air, making the kid's eyes widen in fascination. "Must be the first time I've seen someone throw a lightsaber as a form of self-defense." She expressed, showing little-to-no emotion; Kitra dropped the lightsaber and caught it in her palm before she gazed down to meet the boy's gaze. "I have to admit, I'm impressed." She mused.

The young boy let out a deflated sigh from his past stupidity. The Jedi crouched down to his level and gave him a smile, "I'm impressed that you stood up to that guy, defending the ones you love despite having nothing to fight with. Your bravery is valuable." Kitra acknowledged, the young boy's eyes lit up as he looked back at the Jedi. 

From behind Kitra, a group of kids their age rushed past. The young girl's attention was quickly diverted, prompting the blonde to rush past the Jedi and join the group, leaving the boy with the Jedi. While Kitra observed the boy, she could sense his growing determination. The woman hummed to herself, "What's your name, kid?" She questioned, looking him up and down. "Zeke." He answered.

She nodded in response, "Nice to meet you, Zeke. I'm Kitra." She introduced, before patting him on the shoulder as she stood up. Zeke stared up at her, "Come with me, I've got something to show you." She beckoned with a faint glimmer of a smile. Zeke could not pinpoint why, but he trusted Kitra completely; so he followed after her.

《☆》

Zeke sucked in a deep breath, observing the forest around him as he held a small lightsaber in front of him. The training blade hummed, as he gripped it with his clammy hands. Letting out a battle cry, the boy sprinted towards his opponent and brought his blade down onto theirs. The Twi'lek boy let out a yelp and pushed his blade off, before pushing him back. Zeke tripped and fell onto his back, forcing a breath from his lungs. 

In an instant, Zeke was back on his feet and ran towards his opponent once again, twisting his small blade around as he fought the other young boy. The two boys let out a variety of breaths and grunts as they battled their hardest, both stubborn to win.

Kitra stood a couple of meters away, observing their training fight as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Zeke's drive allowed him to apply more pressure to his attacks, causing the Twi'lek to fall back. The young boy gave him no time and pointed his training blade to the Twi'lek's neck, completing the fight. 

The Jedi nodded her head in approval as Zeke helped the other boy to his feet, before both students turned their attention towards her with eager eyes. "You've both improved. Well done." She smiled, before turning her attention to the Twi'lek boy. "Vix, you mixed different tactics together to weaken your opponent. Very good, that would come in useful when in real battle, but fight with more confidence. You are very talented, there's no need to doubt yourself." She reasoned, making the young boy smile before nodding to himself.

She turned her attention to Zeke, who looked up at her with starry eyes. "Zeke, you can handle a lightsaber well; considering how little time you've had to learn. You will become a great fighter, but do not forget that the force does not just involve your ability as a swordsman. Learn from Vix here, think of different strategies to surprise your attacker. You may find yourself without a weapon, you must learn to fight without it." She commented, earning a nod from the young boy.

Both students bowed down to Kitra, which she returned with a gentle nod. They both beamed up at her before muttering together and breaking off into a sprint towards the sleeping huts. Kitra sighed to herself, listening to their distant giggles as they traveled further and further away. The Jedi turned around and stepped deeper into the forest, through the gorges and across boulders. 

Kitra stopped on top of one large rock and quietly sat down, cross-legged while she listened to the trees around her. The deep smell of pine filled her senses as the fresh air filled her heavy lungs. The leaves whistled from above her, scraping together with gentle touches. Kitra sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling her heart beat slow. 

Her surroundings blurred, leaving her alone as she centered herself. Her newfound purpose filled Kitra with more confidence, removing her previous doubt from her body as she was now more certain of her objective. 

The Jedi sensed a light object drift in front of her face, making her open her eyes and gaze down to her hands as two intertwined leaves fell down into her palms. They had broken from the branch and fell down, not getting go as they were truly stuck together. Kitra observed the differing in patterns between the two leaves, refusing to touch either of them and risk disrupting their connection.

Kitra released a heavy breath and raised her gaze to the sky which peaked through the opening in the forest. It had