~ Jedi Bri Meets Sith Xara ~
by AJ Marks
Disclaimers: The two main characters look a lot like the ones we are used to, Xena and Gabrielle, and no I don't own them, wish I did. This story takes place in the Star Wars universe that I don't own either, that's owned by George Lucas, along with Yoda who I borrowed for this story.
Subtext: Yes this involves love between two women, nothing graphic however.
This started as a result of a discussion board in which a comment was made of how well Renee O'Conner would portray a Jedi Knight.
Send comments to AJMarks01@aol.com
Jedi Bri Meets Sith Xara
by
AJ Marks
Part 2
Xara had spent quiet a lot of time studying her target. There was something that was lacking this time, the thrill of the pursuit that usually excited her. Usually she would have just gone in and killed the stupid guy. This time however she did not want to do that unless it was a last resort.
The usual threats so far had not proved useful, as her target just seemed to ignore them. Xara so far had tracked the man to and from his home and office gathering a schedule of the man. The one thing that worried her was the fact he seemed to not worry about any threat, and that made him dangerous.
Her Lord was getting impatient with her, but after explaining the situation and her gut feeling, her thought about it and realized that she was probably right. Her new priority was to find out what they had against them.
For that task, Xara had resigned herself to the dreary task of following her target and any leads that could come from it.
Bri walked into the presence of the Jedi Council awaiting her next mission. Master Aqat was sitting there and she could feel him studying her as she walked into the room.
Aqat looked at the young Jedi, and noticed that something was different about her. He tried to figure out what it was, but it eluded him for the most part, almost as if she was not all there.
"Are you alright?" He asked her testing her response.
"Yes master." Bri replied with a bow to the council. "I had a good time on my vacation, Pristine Lake is a wonderful relaxing place."
"Yes it is." Aqat replied knowing the place first hand. "The council has a job for you. You are probably not away of this, but the heads of several large companies had turned up dead lately, cut in half."
"Only a lightsaber could do such a thing." Bri said her thoughts going out to a certain bounty hunter she had met on Naboo.
"That is the primary weapon that we believe to have killed them, yes." Aqat replied giving Bri another hard glance before continuing. "The head of Galactic Communications Inc is believed to be the next victim, you are to identify the killer, and his motives."
"Yes Master Aqat." Bri said bowing once more then leaving the room where she ran into Master Yoda.
"Vacation, good was it?" Yoda asked as she looked down to him.
"Yes it was Master Yoda." Bri replied.
Yoda looked at his former student and noticed that there was something different about her. He looked closer at her as he thought he saw something but he easily dismissed it.
"I gained a friend." She replied before Yoda could say anything else.
"Friends, good to have they are." Yoda replied a bit happier that she had made some friends. Even here at the temple she had few acquaintances who really knew her. She had still refused to take on a padawan and Yoda was a bit concerned for her.
"I have a new mission, have you heard or know anything about the corporate deaths Master Yoda?" Bri asked knowing that she probably did not, but that it never hurt to ask.
"Hmm, heard of the deaths, I have." Yoda replied as his head bowed in thought. "Something evil is behind it, that is all I've felt, be careful young Bri."
"I will master." Bri said then left for headquarters of the Galactic Communications Inc.
It took while to get over there, as there was a traffic jam, but she made it and was escorted right into the building.
"Master Jedi, I'm so glad that you could make it." An older gentleman sitting behind the large disk said as Bri was escorted inside the room. "My name is Otto Julies."
"Thank you sir, I'm Bri Lighter." Bri said as she took in the surroundings listening to the Force to see if anything was wrong. Otto Julies stood an average height, but he looked to be a few pounds overweight caused by sitting at a desk too long. His hair had already turned white and a few wrinkles lined his face and a gentle twinkling of his eyes that give him the effect of a grandfather type of look. "Can you tell me anything about this attacker and what they want?"
"I'm afraid that I know very little, only that this group showed up, demanding that we start contributing to their organization or else." The man replied. "They said that others who failed to do what they said ended up dead."
"Have you noticed anyone following you around, or any taps on your communications?" She asked intelligently sticking to business.
"Nothing we can detect." The man replied, he was obviously scared of whatever it was that was after him.
"I'll try and get to the bottom of this quickly." Bri said and the man was thankful of her appearance.
Xara watched and was not amused with what she saw. A Jedi Knight had gone into the building, and that could only mean one thing. Things were just about to get more complex for everyone involved. She would have to contact her Lord about this.
She pulled out her communicator and within seconds had her Lord on the line.
"Report!" The man said.
"They have involved the Jedi, My Lord." Xara said wondering what they would decide to do.
"If the Jedi interfere in any way, kill them." Came the cold reply.
"As you wish." Xara replied signing off realizing that the mission had just become much more dangerous than she had first realized. She pulled her robe across her shoulders and headed out the door to see if she could find out anything about the Jedi who had just arrived, and the exact reason why.
She walked out of the room as dusk was beginning to fall, her favorite time of the day. The shadows would be beginning to emerge, just like she would emerge from her hiding spot. Whoever this Jedi was, they would be insignificant in stopping her from her job.
Bri put her hood up as the group stepped outside. The wind had picked up and a cold blast of air was whipping down the street. The sun had started to set and she extended her senses in case there was any trouble like her master had taught her. She was to escort the head of the company to a dinner engagement with the chancellor, she only had to get him there and back to his house. During the dinner she could enjoy a meal of her own, without having to worry about the formalities of eating with the chancellor.
Her senses told her that they were being watched, that was fine by her, as long as they only watched. For the moment she registered no threat coming from whoever was watching. Whoever was watching was probably trying to gain some sort of advantage. She would have to talk with Otto about adjusting his schedule so that it was not easy figure out. And different routes to and from his home and work so that there was no real possibility of ambush.
With all these things going on in her head she allowed the conversation that the men were involved in pass over her. Otto had noticed the look of concentration, but said nothing about it as he knew that she was doing her job, therefore did not try and force a conversation with the stunning looking woman. He made a mental note to talk with his staff about the Jedi, to make sure that no one tried anything that would get them hurt.
Bri felt the presence of her watcher and causally glanced up into the shadows. She knew that whoever it was would know that she also knew that they were there. That might allow her a little bit of time to find some clues, and if she knew Master Yoda, he was looking in the archives for anything that she would be able to use.
The watcher was leaving and she felt that they would be safe for the night, but she only relaxed a little. The only thing that was odd she thought was that if the watcher was the one, she did not feel in danger by whoever it was. She made a mental note to have a long talk with her master about it, perhaps he knew something that she did not.
Her thoughts of having a quiet dinner evaporated quickly when Chancellor Jaffen was told of who was escorting Otto. The man had personally invited her to join them. Bri knew that there was no polite way of backing out of the invitation, so she accepted with a smile and sat down at the table after removing her robe.
The chancellor had wanted to know better what had happened on the moon of Oxites and the worker rebellion that had been going on there. She had quieted the rebellion in a couple of days in what his advisors could not do in over eight months. He had thought that military involvement might have been necessary. Master Yoda had suggested her personally and his choice proved to be right.
Bri only said that she listened to both sides and worked out an agreement that was equal, and that his advisors almost had it right. The only sticking point was payment, which the workers wanted more of, and the companies did not want. She had gotten the companies to agree to more with a concession in another area that the workers accepted.
Bri breathed a sigh of relief when the dinner was over and Otto was ready to head back home. She had learned that Otto's company was in the process of negotiating a contract for being the only communication company for the government. This was a clue to Bri, and she would have to check the other companies to see if they had any government contracts as well. If it was, then someone was trying to infiltrate the government in all levels and areas.
"I wish to thank you Master Bri for your willingness to help." Otto said quite truthfully as he arrived home.
"I'm glad that I could help, I did have one question that perhaps you can answer." Bri said and the man patiently waited for her question. "The other companies that have had suspicious deaths, were they either working for the government or discussing a contract with them?"
"Hmm, that I don't know." Otto said scratching his beard thinking about the question. "I can make a few calls and find out if you like?" He said willing to do just about anything to find out who was behind everything.
"If you would, I'm going to look into it as well." Bri said. "We'll see if our results match." Bri said with a bow then left to head to the Jedi Archives for some late night studying.
Xara sat in her chair, puzzling over what to do next. She had to get to this man with the Jedi near. Whoever the Jedi was had found her hiding spot quite quickly after they existed the building earlier in the evening. The Jedi had purposely looked up right where she was hiding and made no attempt to hide that they knew she was there. The only question was how much did the Jedi know, had the person felt her, or felt her watching the group.
She could always attack the man at his house, even though it was guarded like the chancellor was. This mission was getting dangerous. She would have to observe the man some more and see what developed. The Dark Side would lead her to the right time and place to strike, that much she was sure about.
Bri brought up a list of the companies who leaders had been killed recently, and realized that there were more than she realized. Finding out whether or not they had government contracts was actually easier. Every company either had a contract, or was working on one. It brought a chill up and down her spine. Several of the companies also had job contracts with the Jedi as well. This was something that the council needed to hear about right away.
Bri made her way to the council room, glad that they were still in session.
"Master Bri, what brings you here this late at night?" Master Aqat asked as he watched her walk into the room.
"Pardon me, but I have something that I feel that the council should know about." Bri said and several members shifted in their chairs knowing what mission she had been on.
"Is it about your mission?" Aqat asked.
"Yes, I have found that each company targeted has had a government contract, or is working for one." Bri said seeing the alarm go up in the others eyes.
"Are you sure?" An aquatic looking Jedi Master asked, knowing that what she was saying had great importance.
"Yes, I have the data right here." She said handing the data to Aqat who took and quietly read it over while the others waited.
"This is serious." He said gravely to the rest of the council. "Bri is correct, there is a group that wants to take control over several aspects of the government, and we must be cautious and devote all resources to finding out who or what is behind it."
"I will let all available Jedi know about this." The aquatic Jedi said getting up and leaving the room to talk with others who were outside the door.
"Bri, be careful, they may know that you are on to them and even Jedi protection might not prevent an attack on Otto Julies now." Aqat said and Bri knew that he was speaking the truth. "This group has obviously made careful plans so they can also be dangerous."
"I understand." Bri said bowing then leaving the room to get some sleep, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Xara found herself in a fitful sleep, but not like her dreams usually were. This one was different as she dreamed of green eyes looking at her in horror. It was a look that Xara could not bare to endure. Bri had walked in while Karen was killing someone with her lightsaber, then Xara turned on the young woman.
Xara sat up in her bed disturbed by what she had just seen in her mind. This was not influenced by the Force that much she was sure about. Karen had several Force induced visions before and she could feel everyone's feelings.
Xara walked over to her sink and splashed water on her face to wake her up some more. Today was the day that she would make her presence known to the Otto Julies with or without a Jedi present.
She chose her dark clothes and robe to allow her to have a more sinister appearance, not that she really needed it sometime. A smile came to her face at the look of the man when she finally got to him, it would be worth all of her work. She had decided to confront the man just as he was walking out of his house. If she got to him today then they would not have had time to vary his schedule like she knew they would start doing.
She made her way to his house with no trouble in finding it. It was a large house, with lots of security that usually took no notice of anyone who was just walking by. But if you looked at the house they watched you carefully she had learned. Two of her spies had been caught and she had been forced to execute them. She noticed that the guards did not have their weapons out, and a confrontation here would allow her plenty of areas to escape by.
She quietly made her way to the bushes around the house. Something that was quite stupid, as the bushes did not have any thorns or even anything dangerous to prevent a burglar from trying to hide near the house. Xara made her way to the front to await the door opening and then she would strike. She made no notice of a tingling in her senses.
Bri was pleasantly tired as she knocked on the door of Otto's house. The security had been all right she thought. It could have been tighter and she made a note to talk to the head of security about it when she had the chance. Last night had been quite productive and she had learned quite a bit. Someone, or some group was going around to companies employed by the government and trying to coerce them into doing what they said. So far whoever was calling the shots was hiding very well and was probably using bounty hunters.
A brief thought of Karen entered her mind again, and Bri wondered if she would encounter the woman soon. Otto Julies walked into the room where Bri was waiting for him. The man looked to be a bit tired, but that was to be expected.
"Good morning Master Jedi." Otto said greeting her warmly. "I talked with a couple of friends that I have in other companies, and I don't like what I heard."
"Oh?" Bri said her curiosity peeked a bit by the man's comment.
"It seems that they all have contracts with the government, and that lately things have changed a bit." Otto said a concerned with what he had heard. "It seems that the head of Inteci had some sort of threat and a death in the family. Ever since the company has changed. My friend used to have access to most areas, and lately he has found his access so limited that he can't even do his job right and has to fill out forms to get any information. That and the factories that produce the good for the government have become off limits to all but essential personal."
"That is strange, I'll let the council know and they can send someone inside." Bri said. "I talked with the Jedi Council last night and they agree that someone or some group is trying to, at the least, infiltrate the government."
"I can't let this influence me, so let's get to the office." Otto said.
"Then I need to talk to you about your schedules, and not be so regular. That will make you a easier target, if we vary it, at least it will make it harder for whoever is after you." Bri said looking at everyone in the room as she pulled her hood up over her head. There was an unfamiliar tingle in her senses and she quickly headed towards the door.
The group walked to the door and watched as it slide open to reveal a dark clothed figure standing in the doorway. Bri heard the familiar click-hiss of a lightsaber igniting as her own hand reached for her own saber. The black figure charged in swiping the red lightsaber at Bri who was able to block it with her own green lightsaber.
The combatants parried a few times before Bri's hood fell away revealing her strawberry-blond hair that had been bulled back into a ponytail. The attacker suddenly stopped confusing Bri for a second. The attacker's mask obscured the face of the tall attacker but the black figure suddenly backed out of the house after turning off the lightsaber. Then the attacker took off leaving Bri with the others stunned at the events.
Taking a few calming breaths Bri replaced her lightsaber at her waist, but the confrontation had left her shaken for some reason. She quickly composed herself and cautiously walked out the door and looked around. Several of the guard had come running up.
"Where did he go?" Bri asked quickly to one of the men.
"He ran off that way quicker than anyone of us could run." One of the guards said.
"He must be a Force user." Bri said thinking that she did feel a bit of the Force in the person. This was a complication that the Council needed to know about.
"Thank you Master Bri." Otto said with a shaken voice, but relieved that no one had gotten hurt. "Perhaps we should hurry to the office?" He asked glancing around.
"Yes, we should get going. I don't know if he'll be back or not, but you might think about staying somewhere else tonight." Bri said offering some advice watching as the man pondered the idea, there was plenty of time to make a decision as they got in the waiting speeder and headed towards the office.
Xara made her way back to her room shaken by her recent ordeal. She knew that a Jedi had been present in the house, and almost made it to Otto Julies. She had been positioning herself to where she was within striking distance of the man when the Jedi's hood had flown back revealing the face. It was not one she had expected to see and it rocked her to her core.
The gentle green eyes that she had been used to looking into had a different look on them against her. They held such determination and strength that Xara could not believe that it was Bri. The name rolled around her mind as the young woman's face danced across her vision.
The woman lied to you! A voice in her mind said wanting her to take her lightsaber and cut the Jedi down next time they met.
I lied to her as well. Xara's voice of reason replied back.
She is nothing. The voice said again in argument.
She looks so innocent. Xara could hear herself say.
She will make you weak! The voice said stronger this time.
But I can't! Xara weakly protested and the voiced sensed a victory.
She is a liar, a Jedi, and defiantly not weak! The voice said with a note of finality in it.
I'll just have to try it another way. Xara said to herself. She knew that perhaps she had shaken the man, and perhaps it was enough, perhaps she should try talking this time. She would wait a bit until her next move.
Bri walked into what was becoming a familiar sight to her. She used to only come into the council room to give reports of a mission done, or receive missions, this was the first time that she had been the council room so often.
"Bri, we were not expecting to see you so soon." Master Aqat said as Bri walked into the room ad he wondered what new developments had occurred. "What news do you have for us?"
"Master Aqat." Bri replied with a bow. "I have talked with Otto Julies and we have reason to believe that there is more going on than we know about." Bri said watching as the old Jedi Master leaned back into his chair intently listening to what she had to say. "He talked with one of his friends who works with Inteci and they have changed many things, I think that we should have someone look into it."
"We might be able to spare a Jedi to that task." Aqat said. "Thank you Bri." He said in a dismissive tone only to stop short when she did not start to leave. "There is more?" He questioned.
"Yes Master." Bri said. "When leaving Mr. Julies house we were attacked by someone wielding a lightsaber, and he looked to have been trained in the use of the Force." Bri said wondering how this news would be received.
"It is common for many Force sensitive individuals to go into bounty hunting, but they usually do not use a lightsaber. This person might be the one who is behind the attacks." Aqat said wondering about what was not been said. "Find out the identity of your attacker, and then we will be closer to whoever is behind this plot."
"Yes master." Bri said and left the room. Her mind was in a bit of turmoil. She hoped that it was not who she thought it was. She knew that Karen sometimes used a lightsaber in her work. After all she told her herself that she did as well.
Bri went to the archive to see if she could see a pattern of companies that have been threatened, and might help in uncovering some others that might be in danger. That was they could keep an eye on them. There were several Jedi still in the archives doing their own research as well. It was the one place in the temple that was never closed or empty, you could always find people in here.
Bri began the long task of her research, keeping an eye on the time, she had to be back at Galactic Communications before the end of the day. The attempt on Otto Julies had disturbed Bri a bit, it meant that whoever was behind it was becoming impatient. That could lead to mistakes that she might be able to take advantage of, or a slip that could uncover everything.
Otto Julies sat at his desk working on a new communications device that would allow an even better holographic image than the one that was currently in use. This new one would allow for a smaller device and one that could be stored in many areas, and not just used in large communication rooms and companies. It could also lead to inventions in other areas, such as entertainment and security. He was pondering over the report when a call came in.
"Hello, Otto Julies here." He answered as he always did wondering what problem someone had now.
"This morning was just a warning to let you know that I can get to you at anytime I wish." The cold voice said making Otto's head snap up.
"What do you want?" He asked, hoping to get to the bottom of the mystery.
"I ask the questions not you. First get rid of the Jedi, then I'll call you. Don't be foolish, I'll know if you don't." The voice said as the caller hung up leaving Otto a bit shaken.
It was true that an attacker had gotten through this morning, but if it was not for the Jedi, he would have been dead already. He wondered if what this person said was true, that even a Jedi would not be able to protect him. He replayed the morning's events in his mind again for about the thousandth time, something was not right. Bri and the attacker had fought with lightsabers and without warning the attacker just took off, but why. Did this attacker really just want to scare him, or was the person really trying.
There was no way to tell what was the real truth and what was meant to intimidate him. He decided to talk to Bri about everything and see what she said. Perhaps they could use their connection with the Force to determine what he should do.
He turned his attention back to his report, then noticed how easy it would be to install a small listening device in the initial manufacturing process and then be able to listen to every all and transmission made by the government. The information alone could be worth hundreds of billions of credits, of even trillions depending on the buyer. It could also be used to blackmail the officials into doing what this group wanted. If they also controlled several other companies that worked for the government then they could control what products they used and the quality of the products. This was becoming far deeper than he imaged.
"Report my friend." A dark figure said to a kneeling man.
"My Lord, the Jedi have become aware of the meddling that we have been doing." The bowing man said. "One of my best student encountered a Jedi Knight in her mission."
"This is unexpected, we can't let them know about the Sith. We are not quite ready." The Master said sitting back thinking about what needed to be done. "Our clients are already impatient, and we can use the money." He had hoped that the Jedi would not find out until it was too late, and by then they would have so many contacts in the government that they would be easily able to hide and cover their tracks.
"What do I tell her my master?" The man asked.
"We will back off." He told his student. "Tell her to stay low where she is, I might have an assignment for her in case our clients get to demanding on us"
"As you with my master." He said getting up and walking out of the room. His clients had come to him asking him and his organization to put pressure on certain companies so they could move in. The client was going to take control of the government and economy from the shadows where no one could see them. The only problem was the Sith were not mercenaries for hire, he would have used this set up by the client and after it was all set up, take it over. By then the money coming in would allow them to grow, to the point where they would at last have their revenge on the cursed Jedi.
Bri walked out of the library with her thoughts on what she had read. What she had been able to see was that there was no connection to anything, just a bunch of companies that did different things in the government. Some companies were more in dangerous than others, like the one that made the computers for the government, to some that seemed to have no purpose at all, like writing instrument. Bri was puzzled by everything and to top it off she was still puzzled about the encounter she had this morning.
"Your research, how is it coming?" The voice of Yoda asked as Bri turned a corner.
"Feels like a dead end master." Bri said to the small Jedi who was on his hover pad. It allowed him to keep up with others easier than if he was walking. "I thought that I might find a link in the type of companies that had been threatened, but no such luck." Bri replied sounding a bit defeated after all of her work.
"Rest, look at it tomorrow. Different it will appear." He said with wisdom.
"I suppose you're right master. Its just I feel something on this mission." Bri said not sure to continue.
"Feel nothing do I." Yoda said having meditated on the subject earlier in the day. "There is evil behind it, nothing more."
"That's just it master, it's not from the Force that I feel this, it seems deeper to me." Bri said not really sure how to explain it.
"Clear your mind little one, only then will the Force flow through you." Yoda said wondering exactly what was disturbing his former student.
Bri thought about that for a second knowing that he was right. His wisdom was years ahead of most others, and she had been blessed to have such a powerful teacher. She knew that one day he would be on the Jedi Council, it was only a matter of time before they came to him. Bri also wondered if she should tell him about her experience on her vacation and if that had anything to do with her current state. She glanced at a clock and realized that she needed to leave to get to Otto's office in time.
"I need to get going, but I do need to talk to you soon master." Bri said. Yoda just nodded his head in understanding and watched as Bri left the temple.
"Any news?" Master Aqat said as he approached Yoda.
"Disturbing, I'm afraid." Yoda replied not looking at the Jedi Master. "The mission is like a fine edge." Yoda said finally looking up at the older Jedi.
"Hmm, should we take her off the mission?" He asked. Yoda was known to have the best perception of any Jedi and his words were carefully listened to. The council had talked about making him a member when the next space was available at the end of the month because of his abilities.
"No, even more dangerous that would be." Yoda said. "Talk to you I will after she has talked with me."
"Will she, she barely talks to anyone except when its part of her mission." Aqat said thinking about the young Jedi. She rarely spoke to others in normal conversation, had few real friends, and yet everyone loved her, it was so strange.
"Mysterious she is." Yoda said confirming what Aqat was thinking.
"Listening to my thoughts again?" Aqat said with a quiet laugh.
"Hard not to with you right here." Yoda replied with a smile of his own.
"Keep us informed Master Yoda." Aqat said before leaving into the archives.
"I will." Yoda said heading off in search of his padawan.
Bri walked into the Otto's office on time even though she thought that she was going to be late from traffic. Master Yoda's interruption had held her up a couple of minutes and she thought that she might miss the transport, but she got there just in time. As she walked in she could sense that something was wrong right away even before she looked at Otto.
"What happened?" Bri asked her mind racing with possibilities and not sure what was true.
"I received a call earlier in the day." Otto said making up his mind to tell her everything. "Whoever it was said that they could get to me regardless of Jedi protection." He admitted to her with concern in his voice. "I was told to get rid of my Jedi protector and that they will know if I don't."
Bri thought about what he had just said. It was actually a logical plan, get rid of anyone who could pose a threat and then you are free to do as you please. She wondered if the threat was really viable or not.
"Could the attacker have defeated you?" Otto asked with all seriousness in his voice.
"The person was Force knowledgeable, but I'm not sure. There was something about the fight that seemed strange to me." Bri said still thinking about the fight.
"I'd like for you to stay, I'm not running from this." He told her and she was relieved at that. Then he looked at her with a questioning glance before speaking. "I wanted to ask you, what happened during the fight. The attacker seemed to leave after your hood fell back?" He asked wondering if she had an answer to the question.
"That's right." Bri said thinking about that part of the fight. They had been fighting back and forth when her hood fell back, it was then that the attacker stopped, and then ran. An unpleasant thought went through her mind, what if it was Xara. She did not like that thought at all, and hoped that it was wrong, but it could provide a vital clue for her.
"Are you all right?" He asked never having seen so much emotion of a Jedi's face before and he was a bit curious about it.
"Everything's fine, in fact we might have stumbled upon a clue that's all." Bri said not elaborating on what she was thinking and ignored Otto's questioning look. "Come on, let's get going."
The ride back to Otto's house was uneventful and Bri had decided that she would stay at the house to provide additional protection. The only thing that she had to do was talk to Master Yoda. She left the house and went to the Jedi Temple and sought out her former teacher.
End Part 2
Continued in Part 3
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