Star Wars Galaxy; Ebe's Diary

Moving On 10/30/XXXX

2006-11-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

I have no idea what’s happened to Lotuss. I’ve all but given up on him. I’ve exhausted every avenue trying to find him, but to no avail. I finally resigned myself to the fact that he’s truly gone.

I visited the office of Planetary Co-unions and filled out the necessary paper work required to officially disband our union to each other. When I got to the question asking for cause, I simply placed “KIA” (killed in action). No questions where asked to this reason. I suppose because of this war, it’s an appropriate response and others before me have had to write similar answers.

I miss him terribly…there is a place in my heart that continues to grow, a hole of sorts, for every love I’ve lost due to this karking war! I felt it had started to heal with Lotuss. I mean it was he who found me when I was lost and confused. It was Lotuss whom I adventured with, fell in love with… and eventually married. It was he that made the hole in my heart from the loss of Maxell Snow start to fade.

Mara Jade once told me, “You can never know how the future will unfold for you, sometimes you catch glimpse of it in dreams, sometimes feel it in your soul, but you can never predict how it will come, because the future is always in motion, ever changing, like the swirls found in a slow running river. Every heart beat you have, has the potential to change the future”.

I think about what she said, and I wonder if I had made a mistake following my vision to become a Jedi. Please don’t misunderstand me; I learned a lot from Mara in the ways of the force, but look at me now! A dancer! Irking out a living in some of the worse and most run down establishments in the galaxy.

Ah well, all I can say is I haven’t had much time since returning to dance to dwell much on my love or military problems. At the urge of some of the girls I dance with and musicians that play I have started auditioning at the theaters in Mos Eisly and Theed.
I have made the cut for the show a couple of times with mixed results, but I plan to continue to try out. I’ve been told if I make the big show I’ll receive a prize of some sort.

So until I get my prize, I will continue to help the people in need that come into these dark dank places called cantina and do my best to keep them all entertained.

Transition 10/20/xxxx

2006-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Blast this crummy war!
My world continues to turn inside out. I thought I was following the right path.
I had a vision, where Lotuss had told me to seek out Mara Jade and learn the ways of the force. I did this, only to complete my training and come home to…what…Nothing!
All I found was the ring I had given Lotuss upon our union. There was no note, no nothing. I have not heard a word from him, or of him since.

In hind sight, I should have known this was coming. Lotuss had been spending more and more time away. “The War” he would say, but even when he was home and not out fighting, he felt distant to me.

I am angry, hurt. I can’t help but think that it’s me. I must be some kind of monster to the men I marry, else why would they all leave me like this?
I have thought about my part in all of this and have concluded that it hasn’t been me alone. Warriors are not the kind to be caged in a relationship and when two warriors form a union one should expect disaster. For me, it’s best if I go back to what I started when I first arrived in this part of the galaxy.

The training I received from Mara will be indispensable in the coming months, but for now I need to back off from this Galactic Civil War and find some peace and tranquility.
When I first arrived on Tatooien I was without family, friends and funds. I worked odd jobs around Mos Eisly and earned enough credits to book passage on a tramp ship heading for Naboo.
I fell in love with the place. The greenery and beauty of Naboo reminded me so much of my birth planet.

I had found myself in the city of Theed. I found work fairly quickly, running odd errands for the locals and the occasional hunting job. The Theed cantina was one of the big social hangouts in the city and it was there one night while sipping on a drink I was approached by a fellow that promoted an entertainment troop. CoE was the name of his group if I remember right.

Anyways through small talk and his endless enthusiasm for entertainment he convinced me to try out as a dancer. He said I had the looks and stature to make a fine entertainer.
He had also mentioned that the money could be good if I gave the patrons what they needed along with a good show.

For several months I worked in the entertainment business before the call of the hunt grabbed me again.

Well here it is, a few years gone at the hands of the war and two husbands later, that I find myself again working in the entertainment profession. I’ve found that dancing and playing music has been just what I needed to take the tension of the war and thoughts of loves lost away from my mind.

I’ve been happy helping others in need and of the comradeship of the other entertainers I’ve met and associate with, but again I’m starting to feel the pull of the war on me.

I’ve had several contacts ask me for their help in the conflict. So far I’ve been able to say no, but with each attempt it gets harder and harder to stand my ground. I have to face the truth. I was raised as a hunter by my father. I was very good as a hunter and then as a soldier and officer in the Imperial Navy. Under the tutelage of Mara Jade, I’ve learned how to use the force in ways I would never have dreamed possible…But I’m torn...I’m being torn apart by my training and loyalty to the Empire and by the atrocities I’ve seen the same Empire bestow on innocent human and sentient species in the galaxy.

Yes…I feel the pull of the war again, and I know I can try to make a difference in the struggle. I just need to take a little more time…decide which side I want to be on and what I can do to make a difference. I think I’ll dance awhile longer and let the force guild me on this decision.

Two Years after Star Wars A New Hope

2006-07-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

It had been a long watch. Attention to duty dulled by the perpetual mist that hung over the city like a shroud and the complete lack of any activity near his assigned station can do that to a person. He only thought was that soon it would be over, an a nice warm bunk was waiting for him at the barracks. Maybe a quick snack and beverage from the cantina would be good before sleep.
He hated having to stand watch near the shuttle station in Moneia, nothing ever happened here. All the action of late was going on in Restuss on Rori. He so longed to join his comrades in the fight against the Empire.
Looking at his chrono, he only had another hour before being relieved. Sighing, he settled down to occupy his time watching the large swamp moths fight to see which could land on the high intensity light first.

The figure moved through the shadows of the Naboonian swamp trees as if a ghost. Not a sound came from the booted figure as it approached the lights of the city.
Twenty five meters from the lighted shuttle station, the cloaked figure crouched behind a small out cropping of ancient stone. Peering over the top, the figure measured with a practiced eye the angle and time needed to get to the unsuspecting guard standing watch.

Two of the moths had just been vaporized by the high intensity light to his amusement when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye back in the shadows out from the shuttle station. Squinting against the glare of the lights he tried to fathom the depths for what had caught his attention.
“Who goes there!” he barked, scanning the area from which he thought he had seen the movement.
Neither after waiting a few moments and no reply came nor any movement seen, did he start to believe that it was probably just his imagination playing tricks on him. A cough from behind startled him so much that he almost dropped his rifle. Spinning in the direction of the sound he found himself facing Sergeant Shrader.
“Everything Ok?” the sergeant asked.
“Yes sir” the corporal replied, as he worked to regain his composure.
“I heard you call out a bit ago and came over to investigate. It’s imperative that you remain alert, there’s been some trouble out near sectors 15 and 23 lately” the sergeant stated gruffly, “and we don’t want any trouble here if you get my meaning”
“Aye, sir, I do”
“Good” said the sergeant, “Now since I’m here, let’s have a report”.

The cloaked figure watched the two from the cover of the building shadow,
Though now a bit more complicated, taking care of two would be no more trouble then one.
Moneia has seen an increase to its rebel presence lately. With the conflict
between the Empire and the Alliance escalating, more and more rebel troops were being garrisoned here as a jump point to Rori where frequent skirmishes have exploded between the two in recent months.

Having recently completed some hit and run missions on outlying rebel outposts, the cloaked figure felt more then confident to perform the same operations here inside Moneia. Mara Jade had said this was to be the final test, getting in and out of the city while causing as much havoc as possible so as to affect moral and will. To make the rebels a less effective fighting force.
Taking a deep calming breath, the cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows and strode purposely towards the two enlisted men standing at the shuttle station. At about 12 meters the higher ranked man, who appeared to be listening to the other looked up from his note pad and noticed the approaching figure.

The blast from the force lightning sent the sergeant flying back and down. The corporal instinctually turned in the direction from which the bolt had come, his eyes wide, found himself looking into the darken hood of the cloaked figure. With a loud, scared yell, he raised his rifle towards the figure.
The figure had anticipated this move and stepped back into a defensive position, deftly thumbing on the light saber and bringing it into a shoulder high position in one fluid motion.
The corporal squeezed the trigger of his rifle and the laser bolt flashed towards its target.
Twisting the saber to chest high position the bolt was easily block and sent off in a different direction. The cloaked figure knew it could have been sent straight back to the person that fired it, but elected to glance it away instead.
Two quick steps forward, the light blade of the saber swung up and over in an arc slicing the barrel of the rifle clean off as if made of butter. The blade continued in a full circle was brought down and back to hip level and thrust forward.
Stunned, the corporals eyes even wider then before, stared down at his chest where the blade had entered almost to the hilt held in the figures hand. Strangly he felt no pain, but he knew the blade had pierced something vital to his existence as he could feel his energy ebbing, his legs growing weak and a darkness settling over his vision.

He looked into the darkness of his attackers hood, hoping to at least get a glimpse of the person that had done such a thing. The cloaked figure threw back its head as if to laugh, but instead made the hood fall back and revealed a female with red hair and smoldering green eyes. He looked deep within those eyes and with his silently asked the woman why?

Ebe watched as the light of life slowly faded from the soldier’s eyes. She could see the questioning in his eyes, the disbelief that this should happen. How was she supposed to answer? This was war, though maybe not officially declared, it was still war. She brought back the memory of how her family was killed by these people and how Mara had taught her to use this anger to draw on more power from the force. Yes in her eyes it was justified.

Sergeant Shrader, feeling like he had been struck by a load lifter, opened his eye in time to see his man slump to the ground, obviously dead. The cloaked figure that had blasted him unconscious stood over the man’s body. He was as surprised to see that the person under the cloak was a woman, and that this woman in fact carried a light saber.

Ebe looked over to where she had knocked the sergeant, and noticed movement; almost casually she started walking towards him.
Sergeant Shrader knew he didn’t have much time, as the woman started towards him. Reaching up to his collar, he clicked on his comm. and rasped “Help, I need backup!” at the same time he reached down to his holstered DL44 pistol and tried to get it out in time to matter.
Igniting her saber once more, and with a couple of quick slashes, the sergeant was dispatched.
Ebe knew that the sergeant had managed to get a call out to his comrades and it would only be a matter of minutes, if not seconds before that helped arrive.
Turning in the direction she felt the forces would be coming from, Ebe took another deep cleansing breath and waited for the real fun to start.

A Dream Part two

2006-07-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

We parried back and forth, alternating between the two of us, offensive and defensive moves.
Lotuss was fast! And by far the stronger one, but with my smaller size and quickness we were closely matched, and on several occasions I was able to get well within his inner defensive circle and let him know I was still there.
Lotuss backed out of range, thumbing off his saber, I followed suit with mine.
“Ebe, I’m really impressed, not only with you crafting your own light saber, but with your fighting style as well”, He said in a low tone of voice. “I’ve come to tell you something of great importance. You are to continue to train in the Jedi arts and become one of the Emperors most lethal weapons in the war against the Rebellion. This is where I have been my love, training, learning, becoming one with the force”.
“You will go to the Emperor’s retreat on Naboo. There you will seek out the Emperor’s Hand, Mara Jade. She will show you what you must learn”.
Lotus turned and strode quickly off, back into the mist from which he first emerged.
I ran after him calling to him to come back.
“Lotuss!! Please! I need you; you have to give me more!” I yelled,
but within moments I quickly lost site of him and found myself very alone in the jungle.
I awoke with a start, breathing hard. The covers to my bed a shambles, the pillows scattered across the floor. I was covered in sweat.
The dream had seemed so real, not like the surreal ones we all tend to have, but real. I felt like I had actually lived this dream.
I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the fresher. I stood over the wash basin splashing cool water over my face, thinking about the dream, or…maybe it was a vision? I had heard that sentient beings sensitive to the force have been known to have visions of their future or of future events.
Mara Jade is a name familiar to me. I had the chance to meet her once while doing missions for the Inquisitor whom is also based out of the Emperors Retreat. She came across to me as cold, hard, calculating and ruthless. She was also a very beautiful woman; one I could see the Emperor taking a fancy too.
“Ok” I thought to myself, “why not?” The city of Monia, though a rebel enclave might be trouble getting through, I don’t think I will have to much difficulty getting past. From there it’s not all that far to the Retreat.
I’ll find Mara and just explain what I saw in my dream and see where it leads. It’s not like I have any real pressing things I need to do, and maybe the trip will be well worth the time. Besides, I can always check in with the Inquisitor and see if there’s anything he needs done.
I’ll finish up on some odds and ends here and head out in the morning. I’ll send a comm. to Lotuss and hope he gets it. Yep, should be an interesting trip.

A Dream

2006-03-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

The satchel lay in the corner of my room where I had tossed it after making my way back to my house in Eden’s Grief on Naboo. Inside the pack were items the army deemed necessary for me to perform my new assignment. I knew what the satchel held, but I hadn’t felt compelled to open it and play with the contents. My only thought after leaving the base was to get home. I needed time to think, and to rest.
I had, had a very strange dream. A dream powerful enough to give me pauses to not only opening the satchel, but to the direction of my life.
In this dream a cloaked figure knelt in the jungle clearing, surrounded by mist. I couldn’t see the cloaked figures face, but there was something familiar about this person. The figure was fiddling with a small cylindrical device about ten to twelve inches in length. The figured turned it over a couple of times as if inspecting it. Though I couldn’t see who this person was, I felt a sense of satisfaction come over the figure.
The person stood and held the cylinder with both hands to the front, with a “Snap! Hiss!” a crimson shaft of high intensity light about a meter in length thrust out of the end of the device. I knew at once what I was seeing at that moment. This cloaked figure was a Jedi, and what it held was a light saber!
The Jedi removed the cloak and I could see that the cloaked figure was a woman, her back to me. She moved the saber through a complex series of moves, like a dance, a blur in motion, the figure twisted and flowed from one move to another. The blade of the saber, at times coming within a hairs breath of the wielder as each offensive then defensive maneuver was carried out, always with a high degree of precision.
The exercise went on for what seemed like hours. Finally the woman Jedi stopped. Breathing hard, sweat dripping off her hair, her saber blade in a guard position, she slowly turned towards me. In the crimson light of the blade I finally saw who the Jedi was…Me!!
The scene shifted, I was now in my dream body. I was looking past the clearing in which I stood; off in the distance I could see what appeared to be a large temple on an Island in the middle of a lake. Standing sentry to the temple was a very large statue of a cloaked figure.
For whatever reason this image seemed to fill me with dread, fear, as if the statue of the figure was far more evil then anything I had ever encountered.
A noise from behind! I pirouetted around and ignited the light saber instinctively. Feet set wide and the blade held in a defensive position, senses keen to possible danger.
Another cloaked figure stood a short distance away at the edge of the clearing in which I stood.
“You have done well Ebe, crafting a light saber is no easy task”
Immediately I recognized the voice of the figure, it was the voice of my husband Lotuss!
I was so relieved to see his face I thumbed off my saber and started to run to him, but the sight of what he held in his right hand caused me to stop in mid-stride.
The “Snap, Hiss” of his own light saber echoed across the clearing.
“ It takes more then just being able to assemble a saber and dance around without cutting your own arm off to be a true Sith of the Empire sweetheart,” he said. “Lets see just how much you do know” he grinned.
When he had first lit his saber I had felt fearful of him. I’m not sure why. It may have been the way he had suddenly appeared where I was, or I was still feeling the effects of the temple that lay off in the distance, but when he grinned at me, the playful look in his eyes, told me that I had nothing to fear of him. This was the Zebrak I had cherished and loved.
I gave him a very coy smile in return and with a “Snap, Hiss” I ignited my own saber.

To be continued…

New Duty?

2006-03-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

It’s been so long since I have written in this diary. I feel guilty for not having put my thoughts down in here, but so much has happened in the last few months that I honestly haven’t had the time to relax and write.
Last I wrote my commander had called me in from the field where I was informed that I would no longer be a Ranger. I was to be trained in covert operations and essentially become a spy for the Imperial Army.
I had left his office with my mind reeling and a chit in hand for new equipment. All my trusty old supplies were left on his office carpet for someone else to dispose of.
I recalled that I very much wanted to talk to my husband Lotuss about what had just happened, but he was out of comm. range and couldn’t be reached. I was for the moment on my own.
Riding down several turbo lifts and walking through numerous corridors, I had a chance to reflect on my new situation. So I was no longer a Ranger, but a Spy. All my adult life I had been a hunter. Sure I had taken on and been assigned missions by the Empire that utilized my tracking, trapping, and concealment skills, but to be reassigned full time to covert operations just didn’t sit well with me.
Ever since regaining my memory after my accident on Dathomire, (with the help of Lotuss, Highway, and this journal) I had been thinking about my role as a hunter and soldier in the Imperial army. I wasn’t sure if this was the direction I wanted to go with my life.
I am still sensitive to people’s moods and feelings, having almost a clairvoyant perception of what they are thinking, which has helped me in my fighting skills. From what I have read and learned through conversations with others, this is what is called being force sensitive. Jedi I’m told have this ability one hundred fold. It’s this force sensitivity that makes them such formidable warriors.
I had thought that I would pursue this sensitivity of mine more in-depth at a later time, but if this new assignment doesn’t work out I may start sooner.
I finally made it to the supply department of the Imperial complex. Walking through the door I entered a barren, harshly lit room with a heavily secured door, a small open window and a push button between the two at the far end. Above the button, a small sign announced “Press button for service”.
Not seeing anyone, I pushed the button. Immediately a head poked itself out of the window. Startled, I backed up a few steps. “Yes?” the head, which belonged to a Lance Corporal, asked. Gathering up my composure, I thrust the chit I had been given in his direction.
He took the chit, looked it over and disappeared.
A short time later, I heard servomotors whining and latches opening on the heavy steel door. A small panel slid up into the door and a satchel slid out of the opening.
The Lance Corporal appeared once again at the window “If you will just sign this requisition ma’am you can be on your way,” he said.
I looked over the requisition and invoice noting the contents of the satchel and signed.
Handing the paper back to the supply attendant, I picked up the satchel and started for the door. “Ma’am? He asked before I could exit the room. “Yes?”
I turned back to face him. This time I took the time to really look at the face in the window. He was young, really young. I don’t think he could have been more then nineteen or twenty years old. I couldn’t help but think back to when I first joined the army. I myself had been as young, and so full of hate for what had happened to my family on the trip from my home world. My God! That seemed so long ago now, and my whole perspective on the civil war has changed.
“Umm…I…err…was wondering…” He started, looking slightly embarrassed, and more then a little unsure of himself, “Are you really in the Special Forces?” “I’m sorry I don’t mean to pry ma’am, but I haven’t seen anyone but men pick up the issue I just gave you”.
“You’re the first female officer I have given this particular requisition too ma’am”.
My first thought to his question was “really?” with my next thought being “just how many have been here before me?”
I answered his question with an affirmative nod of my head, smiled, turned back to the door and walked out.
When the door had closed behind me I leaned back against the cold hallway wall, closed my eyes and took a few calming breathes.
The feeling that I was getting into something that I didn’t really want to do had crept into my mind while I had waited for the Lance Corporal to fill my requisition chit. When he had made the statement that I was also the only woman he had saw sent to pick up these new supplies, the feeling had almost overwhelmed me.
Feeling a bit more under control of my emotions I started once again for the exit. My steps were hurried, I wanted out of this complex. I wanted to get out and get as far away from everyone and everything, especially the army in the worst way.
Once more I wondered where Lotuss was, and that I really needed to see him, feel him, be with him. “Lotuss where are you when I need you?”

First Night Post NGE

2005-11-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

“Good evening Lieutenant Lightcloud”, the Imperial officer started. “I’ve called you in tonight to discuss some changes we have in store for you”.
“Wonderful” I though, haven’t they made enough changes in the last few months to keep the higher ups occupied for the next several years?
“First” he went on, “I want you to empty out your back pack and lay it all down on the floor here so that we can decide what you can keep and what we will get rid of”.
“Huh?” I said,
“Empty your pack Lieutenant Lightcloud, that’s an order”.
I opened my pack and proceeded to empty the contents on the floor of his office. He strode from behind his desk, and walked over to the pile. He surveyed the contents, hands behind his back, making a slow circle around the pile, and looking down at the contents like I had just dumped the contents of a recycler on his floor. I mean I had a little bit of everything in my pack. Hides, bones, meat…ok so the meat wasn’t all that fresh, but hey! It was good quality, and I couldn’t see to toss it out.
I had camp kits, camo-kits and traps, some armor, both padded and ubese, a few different weapons, plus a lot of odds and ends I had picked up in my travels. He poked at all my things with the toe of his boot murmuring to himself as he surveyed what I had dumped on his carpet.
“Ok, first, we are going to lighten you up some by getting rid of all the Ranger related items you have here, then were going to go through all the rest and dispose of everything that will not be essential to your new assignment”.
“New assignment?”
“I’ll discuss that after we go through all this stuff,” he stated flatly.
After some time, I was left with pretty much the clothes on my back. I still had all my hide, meat, and weapons, but the colonel strongly suggested I find someone that would take it off my hands, soon, rather then later, as to what he had in mind for me, I would need to start traveling a lot lighter.
“Sir? I don’t know how you expect me to survive and complete my assigned missions, without my camps, camo-kits, and traps”.
“Lieutenant Lightcloud, for what we have in store for you, you wont need those antiquated items anymore. In fact we are going to issue you a whole new arsenal to deal with what you may encounter out on the missions we have in mind. It is for this reason that we went through all your items…you see…the Imperial Army is not longer in need of Rangers as such, but what we do have a need for is persons, such as yourself, that are experienced in the art of cover and concealment. Persons that do know how to utilize traps, just not the ones you were used to, but a whole new line, that can be used against personnel”.
I couldn’t believe what I had just heard! No more Rangers? New traps? What the Kark was going on?
“Lieutenant Lightcloud, what we plan on doing is assigning you to a very secretive and covert class of people in The Imperial Army. You will become one of these. You will be required to assess enemy troop strengths, gather information on sentient beings, go behind enemy lines in advance of other operatives to gather information, set up ambushes, and other duties we think you will be qualified to undertake”
I looked at this officer of the Imperial army as if he had suffered some sort of space decomp sickness. Covert? Secretive missions?
“What you are saying sir, is that I’m to become a spy?” I asked.
“Well I wouldn’t quite call it that”, he grinned, and I prefer to call it a covert operative for the Empire”. “But yes, essentially you will become a spy. I’m giving you this requisition to get the new items you will need for this new path”. He handed me a slip of paper and turned back to his desk.
Settling down in his chair he continued. “I know you will be of even greater assistance to the Empire then you ever were. Don’t worry about this stuff lying on the floor, I will have someone come and dispose of it properly. I want you to go now, and requisition the gear I have listed on the form I just gave you. In the next couple of weeks, you will be contacted and given instructions as to your assignments”.
“That is all I have for you at this time” he said dismissively.
I saluted, turned, and left his office.
Out in the hall I pulled out the requisition he had handed me and read through the list of items I was to pick up. Smoke grenades, poison traps, and high potency med-packs. This I thought was going to be interesting. At least I had a couple of weeks to get familiar with this new equipment before I was to be contacted.
I squared up my much lighter pack and headed off towards the supply wing of the building.
“I wonder where Lotuss is?” I thought as I rounded the first corridor.

Some idea about new game

2005-11-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

I read through the Star Wars Galaxy forums last night at (http://www.starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/) to see if there was any more news on what is being called the NGE (New Game Enhancements) or the CU2 (Combat Upgrade 2). One interesting thing I noticed was that their saying we might be getting two characters per server. This would be nice, for it would allow me to explore a different profession. This could be important as once you decide on one of the nine professions offered, you are going to be stuck with it and not able to change as you used to be able to in the old game system. This is a big departure from how the game used to be, where you had 30 different professions to work with.
I finally made it onto test center to try out how the new game works. I created a new toon that I have named Neki, and she is on TC5. She has started out in the Spy profession, which is one of only nine that players are able to choose from. She woke up in a medical center on an orbiting space station. I was greeted by C3P0 and given instructions on how the new interface works. It’s pretty simple, but will take some time to get used to it. I can no longer hold down my right mouse button to move, instead I have to use the “w,a,s,d” keys to move about.
ThreePeeO had me talk to a medical droid and then had me examine a crate. In the crate I was given a starting pistol, a CDEF I think and shown how to use it. After shooting a couple of crates, I had to blast open a door to move on. When the door opened Han, Solo, Chewy, and R2D2 greeted me.
Han told me what a great kid I was, but that we had to leave as the station was going to blow or something to that effect. They led me down a couple of corridors to a hanger bay where the Millennium Falcon was parked. Standing next to the boarding ramp were three Imperial Storm Troopers.
As soon as we approached the boarding ramp, on of the troopers yelled at Han, and said that I was basically property of the imperial army and that I was to be tuned over to them immediately. Han had said that he was there to take me off the space station by contract and that I was not going anywhere with the troopers. Next thing I know we are in a blaster fight. Shooting is much quicker in this new game then in the old. I think faster then pre-CU. Holding down the left mouse button seemed to make the gun fire continuously.
The three troopers were dispatched quickly. I was told to board the falcon, and this is where I ran into my first bug. Seems I couldn’t go up the boarding ramp. Try as I may, I just was not going to get onboard the falcon. I repeatedly rebooted hoping this would fix thing, but to no avail. I decided to give it a rest at this point and try the next night.
If this is how the system works, SOE has a lot of work ahead of them.

Next night.
Yay!! I finally got on the Falcon and was whisked to another space station by Han and Chewy. I was told to meet someone in the cantina and start my newbie quest on learning how the new system interface works. I hope this game still will retain some of its original feel, as I don’t care to have to constantly run quests in order to enjoy myself. I guess I will wait till tomorrow to find out how the new system really works. 24 more hours till new game launch.

Winds of Change

2005-11-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

My universe is about to change. Again. Star Wars Galaxy is poised to become a completely different game in the next week. On November 15th the game that I’ve played for the last two and a half years will be completely revamped for a new one. Every aspect will be changed, from the way you fight and craft, to what you can do with your character. Ebe Lightcloud (My character) had strived to be one of the best Master Ranger and Riflewoman on the server called Radiant.
Earlier this year SWG change dramatically with what was known as the combat upgrade (CU) to try and balance out the different combat professions within the game. Several things happened with this. First, my skill points that I have to use were shuffled around so that I would have to move them around my professions to actually retain master. They offered what was/is called a respect. This is where SOE allowed you to move your skill points to other professions or to drop the points and use them some other way.
When I went to use my respect I ended up losing all my skills! And I could not get them back. Even after submitting numerous help tickets I could not get them back. I would have to start all over again to regain my titles.
This change all but destroyed the profession I loved playing the most, Master Ranger. It also limited my ability to effectively utilize my rifle skills from what it had been to practically zero. I almost left the game because of this change.
As you may have noticed my Blog changed between April and October, during this period I had to take a break and make a decision on whether I would continue to play or not. A lot of personal friends left SWG for other interest, some due to real life obligations and others because of the changes made to the game. I ultimately decided I would continue, but I had to find a way to explain my absence, so that is where I decided I would start over. Ebe had been in an accident and had lost her memory, she remembers very little of her past and had to redefine herself to best fit the new situation.
She had been making good progress to this end, like finding a friend she could trust and who helped her to re-master her lost skills, this person is known as Lotuss Maximo. Ebe and Lotuss eventually wed and had been having fun running quests and doing missions together, but how this all came about will never be told in this Blog.
I have decided that once the game changes again, I will start from that point. This will be a new Ebe and it will be a new game. Starting November 16th I will start posting Ebe’s life as it is from there.
It’s a new Game, and Story.

Trek to Theed

2005-10-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone into a city and were just awe struck? Theed is such a place. Old regal buildings, wide avenues, large open areas, all the amenities that a large city should have, but without having the sterile look and feel that a city like Coronet on Corellia has.
When you walk out of the Starport in Theed, on Naboo, you can’t help but gawk, it’s that beautiful to look upon. A wide-open square with a large fountain located smack dab in the middle. Buildings surround the square, large hotels, bridges on the perimeter to take you across the many free flowing rivers. Many people set up areas to barter and trade goods here, Sentient species of great diversity can be found offering their skills and training at reasonable prices.
I stood in front of the starport, remembering. A lot has been coming back to me over the last several days since leaving the hospital in Coronet. When I left my house in Eden’s Grief, I had decided to walk rather then take a shuttle or my swoop into Theed. I figured the time spent just making the trek would help me to assimilate what I have found in my house.
It was on this walk that I discovered a few things. One, just because you have an assortment of weapons, doesn’t mean you know how to use them, and two, make sure you know how to take care of yourself when you find out about number one.
I had crested a low hill, and was making my way across a small ravine, when out of the brush jumped a Shaupaut. These things look like a cross between a monkey and bear, and will try to sample anything that wanders into their area.
I staggered back just in time to keep from taking a swipe of its clawed paw to my head. I frantically back crawled up the side of the ravine kicking with my boots as it tried to gain purchase on my legs. One kick landed square on its snout, sending it tumbling back to the bottom, giving me a chance to gather myself up and reach the top.
Adrenalin pumping, I looked around for anything that I could use to defend myself. I found a stout branch and prepared to take on this creature dropping to a defensive stance. It was then that I remembered the rifles in my pack. Hastily I pulled one of the rifles from it. A wicked looking weapon, it was also very complicated. I fumbled with it trying to work its safety interlocks and couldn’t get it to work. By this time the Shaupaut had managed to extricate itself from the bottom of the ravine and was doing its best to climb up to where I stood.
I threw the first rifle at the dang thing and pulled a second rifle from the pack. I was really starting to get a bit apprehensive by this time, for the shaupaut was almost upon me. I raised the rifle and pulled the trigger, “click”, nothing happened. I glanced at the LED reading for the power pack, it indicated full. “Click” still nothing!! “What the Kark!!” I had just enough time to shove the barrel of the rifle into its belly, making it double over.
Throwing this rifle also at the shuapaut, I backed stepped more and pulled one last weapon from the pack, this time when I pulled the trigger it bucked! I missed it by no less then 10 meters! And the next four shots I managed to get off, faired no better! “Uh oh!” was the only thought I had time for before the blasted thing was upon me.
It plowed into me at full stride, knocking the wind out of me and sending me flat on my back. Before I could recover it was all over me, snarling and nipping at my hands and arms. I fought as hard as I could, but I knew this was a fight I wasn’t going to win, so I did what I think most would do given the situation, I played dead.
It’s a good thing that shaupauts have a short attention span, for it wasn’t long with me just lying there that it lost interest and wondered off back into the brush. When I was sure it was gone, I sat up and took a look at my wounds. I found nothing to serious, just some nasty bite marks and a few cuts and scrapes I received form the tussle.
I remembered seeing a self deploying camp kit in my pack, but for some reason I couldn’t make the dang thing work. Some hunter or markswoman I turned out to be. I felt that maybe the vision I had back at my house meant something, but after my performance in the face of an actual fight, I was pitiful.
I found some bacta patches in my pack and went about applying these to my wounds. As I was doing this my thoughts drifted to what had happened. When the shaupaut first surprised me, I didn’t feel scared. I had instinctively gone into a defensive stance, and sought to defend myself. When I remembered I had some weapons in my pack, it was like I knew what to do, just that I couldn’t get it done. Then as I finally found a rifle that worked I couldn’t hit the karking thing! But I knew I could! I just seemed blocked in my mind and couldn’t get my hand and eyes to follow suit.
I promised myself, that when I got to Theed, I would seek out a person skilled in the art of weaponry and see if they could help me to defend myself. I also thought I better find someone that could reacquaint me with camping.
Feeling a little better, medication applied, I again started to the city, but this time I had re-programmed my data pad to alert me to anyone or thing within a 128 meter circle of myself. I wouldn’t be caught off guard again.

My House (Part Two)

2005-10-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

I wandered around the main room, examining the different knick-knacks arraigned on the bookcases and tables. My word! There was a lot of stuff here. Holo-cubes, Death Star fragments, decoders, strange colored crystals, and numerous others odds and ends.
I eventually made my way up the Grand staircase and found my bedroom. It was at the top of the stairs to the left. I had gone right first, and had been led through a small room, like an alcove to the roof. I found nothing here except another spectacular view of EG and the hills beyond.
My room was actually sparsely furnished. There was a bed, dresser, bureau, small table, and a few plants and flowers. I looked in the bureau and dresser, but all I found were more clothes and knick-knacks. I sat on the bed with a sigh. I had hoped I would have found something, anything, which would have given me direct evidence to my past, but I feared that I was not going to find it here.
I had gone through most of the house by this time. There were still a down stairs to look at, but by this time, I was not really into finding more disappointment, as I already had. “OK” I thought one quick look. What did I have to lose? If I found more of the same I didn’t know what I was going to do, but at least I could say that I had at least tried.
I found two rooms in the lower part of the house off a long hallway. I peeked in the first and the room was empty. In the second room I found crate upon crate of supplies. Hides, meat, bone, med packs, pure water, metals of many different kinds. “Great” just one more room with more of the same. With another sigh, I started to head back out when a small satchel caught my eye. “Hmmm what have we here?” I took up the small bag and opened it. Inside was a data disk. I remembered having seen a reader in the main room on one of the bookshelves.
I ran back upstairs and finding the reader inserted the disk. Nothing! My spirits sank. Oh hell, Duh Ebe! I flipped the power switch to the on position and the small screen stated to glow. Finally after an unbearable pause the words “Disk ready” were displayed. I opened the disk directory and found only two entries. The first appeared to be a note to myself, about asking someone named Veki about the force, and that we were to meet in the Theed cantina. It was dated several months ago. This was the second time I had seen this name. The first time was on the entry list to my house. “Who the kark is Veki?” I thought.
The second one went on about a botched mission to recover a lost treasure on Tatoonie in its northern sector. Holy bantha droppings!! The northern sector of Tat was a place I remember to avoid as it was crawling with Dragons, Kryat Dragons. Just the thought that I may have been up there sent chills down my spine.
Both entries were very interesting, but it was the first I felt I needed to investigate. First, Veki’s name has come up twice; Second, I knew where the cantina was in Theed. Getting to it wouldn’t be a problem. What I hoped to find there I didn’t know.

Eden’s Grief, My House (Part One)

2005-10-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Lights began to flicker on, moments after I crossed the threshold of the door. The house had that musty smell they tend to get from having stood unoccupied for a long time. I stood at the base of two stairways that ran upwards to both my right and left. The light at the top of the right stair seemed a bit brighter then the one to the left, so to the right I went.
At the top of the stairs I found a structure maintenance terminal, a large room to the left and a doorway leading to the right. A quick look through the door to on my right revealed a passage that led to the balcony I first saw while standing outside. The room to the left looked to be empty, but on further investigation I noticed some containers tucked neatly in a corner labeled meeting room furniture. I found this strange, only because it made me wonder. Was I unpacking or packing? Or for that matter had someone else been in here doing one or the other for me?
I went back to the maintenance terminal. I was able to access it without problems, and found out a couple of things. There were a couple of names held within, though somewhat familiar, didn’t set off any alarms in my mind. I read once more through the list and committed them to memory. I checked the few other functions I could, like maintenance fees, and found that I was paid up in advance for months.
I went back through the door to the balcony and was stunned by the view. I could see most of EG from here, but it was the view of the surrounding countryside that really took my breath away. I could understand why I must have chosen this location to call my oasis. It was that beautiful.
On the far end of the balcony was another door leading back into my house. Once through this door I went through a small hall and down a short stair, stopping at an intersection, where the hall continued forward to another stair leading further down, a stair to my right leading to the entryway, and a door also to my right. In this part of the house I found several packs lined up along the wall.
I went through the packs one by one, and found things like furniture, clothing, and weapons…lots and lots of weapons. Why in the name of Hydens Way would I need so many weapons? I did find some power packs that could be used in my comm. unit and stuffed those into my belt. I still wondered whether I was in the process of coming or going.
The room on the right was what appeared to be the main room. I say this because it was the largest I had found so far, and the fact that it was full of artifacts. Bookcases lined the walls. More weapons hung around the perimeter. There were small sculptures, and a couple of large statues. Pictures hung on the walls and rugs adorned the floor. Potted trees and plants were placed about the room. It was a large rug placed right in the center of this room that caught my eye, for it was a rug embossed with the Imperial emblem.
A vague remembrance stirred within me as I stared at this rug. I could see myself in uniform, as a recruit in the Imperial Army, firing a rifle on a range with others. I saw myself standing next to a TIE fighter, a broad grin on my face. Flashes of faces came and went. I saw myself preparing, lying flat on my belly gathering information, helping others apply camouflage, and giving orders. I was comfortable with this. I knew without a doubt then that I was indeed a soldier, but the question remained, why hadn’t I been contacted? Had I been on a mission for the army at the time I was injured on Dath? Why is it that no one had sought me out after all this time? These were definite question I had to find the answers too, if I were to regain my past. Hopefully I would get some answers as I continued with my search of my house.
A grand staircase led from the center of this room upwards and branched off to the left and right. At the top of the stair stood one of the large statues. I slowly turned a circle surveying the room. One corner was a sitting area, with a couple of chairs, a couch, and small table. In another corner were holograms of some ships, armor segments hung like plaques and a Master Hunter trophy skull. The more I took in of this room, the more a feeling of recognition formed in my mind.
I went over to the trophy, and placed a hand on it. A picture of traveling the galaxy, hunting game came to me, a vision of people seeking me out, of me standing on a hill, a rifle in my hands, overlooking a group that were hunting Fambaas. Beside me stood a man, a man that was flanked by a couple of big hunting cats. We were both smiling as we watch the hunt going on below us. Suddenly the darkest blue eyes imaginable consumed my vision. I hastily pulled my hand back and the memory vanished. When I reached out and touched the skull again, I felt nothing, just cold hard bone.
I found that I was breathing hard. The vision had been very powerful, and it took a minute to settle down and regain my composure. I looked around me, at the skull, the voritor segments hanging on the wall, all the different weapons on display. Was this who I was? Was I a soldier in the Imperial army and some type hunter of big game? I remembered the rifles I had in my pack when I back on Corellia. I hadn’t at that time given them much thought. Maybe I was once a hunter. That would explain a few things I found in my pack, the traps and chits for hide and such, but what of my involvement with the Army? I will have to explore this a little further after I see if there’s anymore I could find here in my house.

Theed to Eden (Part Two)

2005-10-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Green!! Surrounded by green grass and multi-colored flowers. I stood on the steps of the shuttle port, surveying my surroundings. Small rolling knolls and beautiful brick houses and building lay before me. The air clean and fresh, puffy clouds drifted lazily across the mid day sky. The city of Eden’s Grief took my breath away…yet, something wasn’t right. It took me a moment, but I finally saw what it was. For all the buildings and small vendor shops and tents that were here, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. EG appeared in my eyes as a pristine ghost town. Again I pulled my data pad out and consulted the city map. A blinking curser with an arrow gave me a direction to Ebe’s Oasis.
Walking in the general direction the arrow indicated, I marveled at the beauty of EG. I couldn’t understand why it was so deserted? Where was everyone? I felt that EG was once a bustling metropolis, and as I walked, images crept into my mind of people gathered around each other laughing and joking, of businesses thriving, of many people coming from all over wanting to be here, so what happened?
I stopped next to a gazebo style structure in what appeared to be the middle of town. Directly in front of me stood a very large and imposing building. The plaque attached to the building read “Eden’s Grief City Hall”. Staring at the building, a very powerful feeling came over me. No, that’s not right, very powerful feelings! Came over me. I felt Love, sorrow, joy, anger, and a host of others. I knew this place! I had spent many a day right here on this spot. Vague memories of people that were important to me came to mind. Blue eyes…blue eyes? Now where did that come from?
Excitement and anxiety filled me. I wasn’t far from the waypoint now and started up the avenue toward its indicated direction. I walked past a med center, and between two large buildings. Both were on opposite sides of the street from each other. They were labeled as Guild Halls for groups called Babes, and EGO. Just past the Babes Guild hall I saw it, a big beautiful brick and stone house. I stood facing this two-story house, with a balcony and large archway in front; I was standing next to a fountain that was placed right in front of it. I glanced at my waypoint indicator and confirmed that this was the place.
Again, the feelings that had hit me when I first stood in front of EG’s city hall, pounded at me. I rushed up the steps to the house, and the door slid open automatically, revealing a darkened interior hall. I stopped at the door. I knew this was my house, I knew that inside lay parts of my past, maybe clues or the answer as to why I was on Dathomier, yet I was hesitant to just enter. The greater part of my mind screamed to go inside, find out who I was, but a small area whispered, “You don’t want to know”.
Ultimately, the need to know buried the fear, and I entered.

Naboo, Theed to Eden (Part One)

2005-10-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Rain could be heard pelting the hull just before the shuttle jolted upon setting down at the starport. As the few people that had made the trip from Corellia gathered up their belongings and made their way towards the debark ramp at the front of the shuttle, I remained in my seat, eyes closed, trying to relax, thinking. Eden’s Grief definitely held a strong meaning to me, and seeing a waypoint in my data pad with my name on it filled me with an almost irresistible urge to run, not walk to this place. I knew this was the wrong thing to do; I needed to work out a plan, organize my thoughts, before jumping into action.
I had no idea what I would be running into, or for that matter who I would be running into, not with what I already knew of possible connections to the Imperial army! What of the weapons I carry? I found several different types of Rifles in my belongings, why would I need to have these? No, running blindly off into the wilderness of Naboo would not be the wisest course to take.
My musing was interrupted by one of the shuttles crewmembers. “Ma’am? You’re going to have to move along, we have a very tight schedule and you’re about to hold us up” I let out a deep breath, opened my eyes and gave the crewmember a warm smile. I gathered up my pack and made my way out.
The rain was coming down in torrents! So hard in fact, that I could barely make out anything past the entrance to the starport, from the ship ramp. Pulling my cloak tightly around myself I made my way toward the interior, from the docking berth. Inside I was surprised to find the starport almost deserted. “strange” I thought. Surely a place like Theed Naboo would be bustling with all walks of people, but on this day there were but a few sentient and humans waiting or wandering around the lobby. I went to a ticket machine and punched up planetary shuttle ports, and there it was Eden’s Grief! “Hmmmm, ok, only 2.6km from Theed” thinking that I could hike that far if I needed too. I accessed my data pad, and checked my current credit amount. “Whew” I had plenty (smile). I purchased a round trip ticket to Eden, and then headed back the way I came to wait for the next shuttle.

Into a New Old Galaxy

2005-10-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

The next two days were taken up with nurses and doctors coming and going checking my health, ensuring that I was fit to go. Finally I was cleared as fit as a person could be, and directed to where my belongings could be picked up. I wasn’t able to get much more information from the Sullistan doctor other then I had been in the hospital for over three months, and what he had already told me of the miner. His only suggestion was that maybe in my belongings I could find some things that might jog my memory.
I was escorted to the locker room where they were holding my personal belongings by an intern, and unceremoniously handed a backpack and the clothes I had been wearing when I was found. I thanked the intern and made my way out of the med center.
I was almost blinded by the sun, upon walking out of the hospital, it was so bright after having spent so much time under the artificial lights of the med center, but the air was sweet and I filled my lungs full of it. “OK” I thought to my self, “where am I?” I looked around me and saw nothing but buildings. Some tall, others squat, almost like barracks. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath and headed off in the direction my feet were pointing at that moment.
I found a nice quiet park square not far from the med center I had just left. I located a secluded bench and sat down, my pack set in front of me. “Well Ebe, lets see if we can figure out a few things about our self” I thought, as I opened my pack.
I turned it up on end, and dumped the contents on the ground. Lying in front of me was a whole assortment of stuff. I had chits for hides, meat, and bone, stim packs, preserved foods, some changes of clothes, armor, some traps and some very mean looking weapons. I also found two of the most important Items held within my pack, a comm. unit and a data pad. The rest I would get back to later.
I examined the comm.; “blast!” it was going to need a new power pack before I would be able to access it for information. I set it aside and picked up the data pad.
Pushing the on button it slowly glowed to life. “Hello Ebe” it said in soft luminescent letters, “Please select a function you wish to access”. Under these words were several functions I could choose. “Galactic Map (Reference Only), Planetary Map, Stored Planetary Way Points, Personal Inventory, Personal Message Center”. I selected the function “Planetary map”; a large-scale map of a planet replaced the previous screen. Up in the left hand corner was the planets name “Cororellia” and down in the lower part of the map pulsed a small blue triangle with the words “Coronet” next to it. There was a symbol overlaid on top of the triangle that basically meant, “You are here”.
So I was in Coronet, on Cororellia, a planet located within the inner rim of the galaxy, and a very far distance from Dathomire. I assumed I was brought here for the medical facilities, as Dath is a rather primitive planet.
I next checked the “Personal Message Center” function, but received the message “File corrupt”, “Double blast!!” so much for getting anything useful from here. I had hoped that there might have been names or notes or something that would help me. I will see if I can locate someone that might be able to access it.
I scrolled through “Personal Inventory” and was really surprised at what I found. I had quite a bit of stuff squirreled away! I found my credit account and saw that I had plenty of credits. This was good, as I had no idea what I could do to earn a living. I also found that I owned two hyper-drive capable ships, one being a Surrosub Personal ship, and the other surprisingly was an Imperial Advanced TIE Fighter. Both were docked on a planet called Naboo. “A TIE fighter? What the Kark! What was I into before the accident?”
I checked the “Planetary Way Points” next, and found plenty. The one’s shown for Coroellia mostly appeared to be either POI’s or merchant locations. It was the list for Naboo that really got my attention. There must have been over thirty! But the one that got my heart racing was the one for a city named Eden’s Grief, for here was a WP called “Ebe’s Oasis!” To say I was excited would have been an understatement! Just the name of the city where this oasis was located brought on feelings of familiarity. I knew this was where I had to go to start my journey to finding myself.
Gathering up all my stuff and putting it back into my pack, then consulting my data pad for a city map, I headed off in the direction of the nearest shuttle port.

Awakening (Starting Over)

2005-10-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

“What? What happened?” I awoke in a fog. I was lying in a bed, facing a door that lead to a hallway. People were scurrying back and forth past the door, obviously in a hurry.
As my eyes slowly came into focus, I started to look around the room in which I lay. Apparatus of undetermined use were arraigned all around the room and the bed I was in. One near the bed had small tubes running from it right to my arm, slowly dripping a fluid. “I’m in a med center!” the sudden realization as to where I was jolted me from my haze.
“OK” I thought, “How the heck did you end up here?” As I was trying to fathom out how I had ended up in a med center, a Sullistan dressed in a smock, and carrying a clipboard walked in.
“Ms Lightcloud!” He said, “Were so pleased to see you finally awake, it’s been touch and go with you for the last several weeks. Honestly we thought you were going to remain in a coma for the rest of your days, but when you started to respond to our advance medicine, and shown signs of coming around, we knew you were going to be OK”.
Ms Lightcloud? It was at that moment I came to realize that I didn’t know who I was! I mean I knew where I was, and what species the doctor was and all the things that one should know, like what tables and chairs are, but I couldn’t think of what my name was until the doctor mentioned it, or everything else for that matter about me. When I tried to recall my past, it was like looking into a black hole.
My mind was starting to spin out of control from this realization, when the doctor voice brought me back to focus “…extremely lucky girl, if not for that mineral miner coming across you lying unconscious in that ravine on Dathomier, you surly would have died. Well not to worry young lady, you should be ready to leave this infirmary in a day or two”.
Dath? What was I doing on Dath? I thought, as the doctor continued. “All of your vitals look outstanding! Ah…to be young again, when the body can take a beating and still recover with no adverse effects”. Adverse effects? “Doc!!” I blurted, “ I can’t remember anything that has happened to me! I didn’t even know my name until you mentioned it!” The doctor stopped and just stood there looking at me. After a moment he said “really?” I nodded. “Hmmmmmm…interesting” he mussed. “Well Ms Lightcloud, under the circumstances, lost of memory is not all that uncommon to sentient that have suffered some sort of head trauma like the one you did”. “I had a head injury?” I asked as I started feeling around the top of my head for a metal plate or something to that effect.
The Doctor laughed, “Ms Lightcloud, if your looking to find where we put you back together again, forget it, were too good here at this facility, but as to you not remembering anything, don’t worry, most sentient regain full knowledge over time” he said. “How much time?” I asked. “Well…umm…now I can only guess…but I’ve seen some regain only after a few weeks, but others have taken considerably longer” I swear I heard him mutter under his breath “Some never recover”.
The doctor finished his exam and told me I would be discharged in a day, two at the max. He told me he would drop in tomorrow and to get as much rest as I could. I tried to get more information from him, but he put me off, giving me a shot through the IV that made me very sleepy. As I drifted into unconsciousness my thoughts drifted to Dath, to the world full of nasty things like Rancors and Nightsisters. “What the hell was I doing on Dath?”

Seeking Answers

2005-04-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

I miss hunting already. I made the decision to trade in my traps and camps, to pursue the medical profession. I decided to master the doctor profession as a way to help me understand what is happening to me, but I find I’m no closer to an answer to this problem then I was before.
While having to maintain a close proximity to a medical facility, in order to tend to the wounded, or craft medical supplies, I feel I’m about to explode from all the emotions I feel around me.
I know when I was hunting, I was often away from cities and people, and so this may have been why I hadn’t noticed this feedback. I mentioned to my guild what I have been experiencing and Veki, my guild leader said that more then likely I had somehow become attuned to the force. “The force?” I said. “You mean like what Jedi’s are supposedly attuned to?” She nodded an affirmative. I couldn’t believe it, I mean, I thought that potential Jedi were identified at a very early age and taken from their families to be trained. Veki went on to tell me that sometimes people become force sensitive later on in life, she didn’t know why, just that it happens.
Well I think I know why. I think that old man the came to me out of nowhere had something to do with it.
Veki went on to tell me about a village on Dathomire that might shed some light on what I have been trying to deal with on my own. When she mentioned this village, my first thought was of Max. He had said he was going to a village on Dath to seek help on his issues. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was coincidental.
I will check to see if I might find out where this village is located, and possibly make my way there. In the meantime I have to run to the med center and put in more time.
Gemi, another guild mate said she would come to the Theed med center to help me as best she can with my internment for doctor. I really love having help doing this, and having guild mates around to assist is the best. Maybe I can take her out and get some hunting in, just for practice.

What a terrible Week

2005-04-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

First I told Highway I couldn’t marry him, next Maxell is going away. Two men that I hold dear to my heart are out of my life…for the moment, maybe a long moment! I don’t know yet.
I’d been having a feeling in the back of my mind for several weeks. A feeling I couldn’t place. Not a bad feeling, or a good feeling, a feeling I can best describe as hearing the ocean roar when you place a shell against your ear. I now believe this started when I got a visit from an old man while in the wilds of Naboo.
I had met Highway at the Theed medical center, Naboo. Highway has been busy putting in his hours as I have healing and treating the many wounded that come in from the field. We both have to put in our time as interns to earn becoming qualified doctors.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell Highway that I didn’t want to marry, I mean I hadn’t said anything to him up to this point about my feelings. I guess its one of my fallacies. I know that I hold my feelings about a lot of things deep inside. I guess it’s because of what happened to my family, and my training in the army.
Highway met me with a hug and a kiss, but when I didn’t return the same towards him in quite the same manner, he knew something was wrong. When he asked, I asked him to sit down and I went on to tell him I couldn’t marry him. He was hurt I could see that in his face, but what happened afterwards caught me by complete surprise! When we parted I could feel him in my mind, I could actually hear him in his hurt and sorrow, feel his emotions as if they were my own. That ocean I had been hearing had finally roared to shore!
I feel as if my mind has somehow opened up to a universe I never knew. I’m sorry that I had to do this to Highway, I do love him…but until I can sort out what is happening to me, I grateful that I did what I felt I had to do at the time.
What a strange thing, to feel what is going on around me in this manner. It hasn’t stopped yet.
Later in the week, Maxell asked me to come to Scarlets Temple on Dantooine. When I asked what was going on, He said all would be explained when I got there.
When I arrived at the temple, Max was there by himself, Scarlet came soon after I arrived. The news that Max had to tell shocked me, and I think Scarlet even worse.
Max was leaving for an indefinite period of time. He feels he knows what is going on with him. Max believes he will find the help he needs at a village located on Dathomire, for this split personality thing that he has been going through.
Max has asked me to watch over the temple and scarlet, to help protect both. I only hope I’m up for the task.
Max started going over details with Scarlet, when a new person came into the temple. Her name is Tempestia, a Zebrak woman. Max introduced us, and explained that Tempe will be helping Scarlet with her training.
When Max started outlining his plans to Scarlet I excused myself and went out side. A lot of good this did me. Though I couldn’t hear what was being said inside, I could feel their emotions. I couldn’t shut if off, no matter what I tried to do.
I made my way over to a small hill, not far from the temple and started to cry. Max came out, and sat next to me. I could see in his eyes the sadness; I could feel his emotional torment.
When Max asked me what was wrong I told him, how I felt. I told him that I love him, that I always have. I told him that I love Scarlet, and will do all that I can to protect her and the temple. I offered to go to this village with him, but this he shot down, telling me that this was something he had to face alone.
Even though I don’t like what he is doing, I have to let him go. I may just have to sneak to the village myself…I don’t know. Maybe Scarlet can guild me in her meditation techniques and help me find out what is wrong with me. I just don’t know what I’m going to do.

Prelude: Avios (Past, Part One)

2005-04-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

(This story is to fill a gap in my RP (Role Playing) universe. Within Star Wars Galaxy, I have a son named Avios Snow. How he came into the story was never fully thought out. This has left many questions unanswered. With this story I hope to explain and answer a few of these questions. Again I want to apologize for the length). Ebe =)

I think I mentioned else where in this diary, that I had a son. His name is Avios. He is pretty much grown now, but if not for a good friend, named Jooon; Max, and I would never have known we were his parents and he our son. Avios’s story started not with his birth, but further back then that, when I was still a recruit in boot camp for the Imperial Army.
Being one of a handful of girls that qualified to enter as an officer recruit, I had to work three times harder to be accepted into the ranks, and I had an even harder time squelching the testosterone run rampant in the good old boys club called the Imperial Army. The officers were impressed enough with my shooting and tracking skills *thank you daddy* that when not in a class of one type or another I was pretty much left on my own.
I love a challenge, and challenging the others to shooting matches, where I could pick up a few extra credits to get some of the non-regulation items that the army felt were not necessary or needed in their Corps. but are badly needed if your female, was a good way to pass the time between classes.
Most of the guys I bet against were good-natured about the whole thing, but for one man named Grant, and his group of minions of the Darkwings it was different.
I had beat Grant and his boys on several occasions, with the last time taking them for quite a few credits, something, like a months pay. I was walking back to my dorm well after sunset, having spent the better part of the day at the library studying, when I was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. Before I had a chance to call out, a huge rough hand was placed over my mouth, and other hands lifted me from the ground and held me fast. Darkwings!
Grant walked out of the shadows, leering at me. I couldn’t speak, but my eyes spoke volumes as I glared at him. “So girl, you didn’t think I would let you take our credits and not get something in return did you?” he growled. “I think you owe me and my men here some compensation for the embarrassment you put us through”.
I wish I could say that I fought them all off or took them all out, but I couldn’t, there were to many of them. I did put up a struggle, but there comes a time when you know that to continue to fight might get you killed, and being dead, one cannot take back what is taken from them. I endure the humiliation and abuse they gave me that night, and when they had, had enough, and left me lying battered and disheveled on the ground, my only thought was that I would make them pay for this.
I don’t know how long I lay there, but I finally managed to pick myself up and make my way to my dorm room. I staggered into the fresher and looked in the mirror, what I saw looking back at me was a mess. I had blood covering most of my face, and I had a pretty nasty looking gash on my forehead.
I was bruised all over, but I didn’t have anything broken except my dignity. As I ran through what had happened and how lucky I was to be alive I promptly threw up and then sat on the floor and wept. I got undressed and stood in the shower rinsing the filth from my body and mind, and as I stood there letting the water run over me, I plotted to extract my revenge on Grant and his thugs. I just needed to wait for the right time to do so.
The opportunity presented itself a couple of days later. I was in the cantina sitting at the bar nursing a beer. I was still smoldering over what had taken place, and still trying to put a plan together in my mind, when Sgt. Sheldon walked in, I now had plan.
Sgt. Sheldon thought of himself as a man that could out fight, out shoot, and out drink anyone, and when challenged to any of the fore mentioned, didn’t hesitate to try and prove it. I had gone up against him a couple of times on the range, and though an excellent shot, I was better, and could have beaten him, but didn’t, only because it could go bad on a recruit to out shoot their instructor.
Sgt. Sheldon was one of the few enlisted to carry a code card to the armory. I watched him intently out of the corner of my eye, as he made his way over to some of the other instructors in the cantina. I only needed to figure out a way to get his card off of him, gain access to the armory, grab a laser rifle, instill a little justice on the Darkwings, and Grant in particular, and then get the rifle back to the armory, all without being noticed. “Piece of cake” I thought, “yeah right”.
I watched as the Sgt. and the others bet drinks on Sabacc and other games of chance, getting louder and more boisterous as the evening wore on. I gulped down the last of the beer I had been nursing, and made my way over to where Sgt. Sheldon and the others were. It didn’t take long before the Sgt. Spotted me standing off to the side.
“Lightcloud!” He bellowed good naturally, a slight slur to his voice “Get you rookie ass over here and let me see if you’re as good at drinkin, as you are with a rifle”. As I approached the table I caught a look from Sgt. Sheldon and the others. Sheldon grimaced as he looked at me, having noticed the shiner I got from the Darkwings, but he didn’t ask about it.
“Sir I don’t think I’m allowed to fraternize with the instructors sir” I said.
“Nonsense Lightcloud, were all off duty” he slurred. “Now get in here and show us what your made of”.
A large mug of Jawa beer was thrust into my hand, as the others all laughed and whooped it up. I held it up for all to see, smiling inwardly, knowing that this was just what I was hoping would happen.
Sgt. Sheldon went on to explain. “Ok Lightcloud, here’s how it works. The first one to empty their glass wins. The winner gets to choose the losers poison. So at the count of three, we start”.
I had seen him drink, and I knew I couldn’t guzzle beer down the way he did, but I also knew that he was already way past his limit. I looked him in the eye and gave him my best smile and said “ready when you are”
“Humph” he said. “Lightcloud I look forward to picking your poison.
The other started to count down and at three Sgt. Sheldon started gulping.
I just stood there with my beer in my hand watching him. As he gulped, he kept looking over the rim of his mug at, wonder why I hadn’t started. Just as he was about to finish the last swallow, I took my beer and gave him another quick smile and poured it into another mug sitting on the table.
I thought he was going to choke on that last swallow, his eyes grew very big and he sprayed the last of the beer in his mouth all over the table and people gathered around. The crowd had gone completely quiet, staring at the Sgt. and me.
“What the…” Sgt. Sheldon bellowed “Sithspawn Lightcloud! I’ll be dragged through Bantha dung!” and the room roared! “I’ve drank against the best the army has to offer, but that is the first time anyone ever pulled a little trick like that on me. I don’t quite know if that’s cheating.” He growled, obviously upset that I showed him up in front of his peers. “The bets off!!” he shouted. “This whelp pulled a fast one on me and I wont stand for it!” With that he turned and stormed out of the cantina.
Like I mentioned earlier, I had been watching him since the moment he walked in. I had watched him take off his jacket and remove the chain and card he had around his neck and place it in the jacket pocket, then hang it on the back of a chair. When he left the cantina, he forgot his jacket.
I quickly took up his jacket and saying to no one in particular “I’ll take it to him” and ran out of the cantina as if to catch up to the Sgt.
Instead of heading to the NCO barracks, I instead headed towards the armory. When I got there I was in luck, there was only one sentry on duty, and he looked very bored. I waited till he walked around the corner on his rounds and made my way to the door. Using Sgt Sheldon pass card I quickly got inside and made to the area where the rifles were stored. I made my way up and down the rows of rifles till I found one that had a good charge. I found a T21 model, but figured that would be overkill for what I wanted to do, so I settled for the standard issue laser rifle and found my way back out of the armory and into the pre dawn darkness.
The Darkwings had their barracks off in a semi-secluded area from the main complex, but not so far removed that getting to the dinning hall wasn’t a long walk. I found a nice hill over looking their barracks and the dinning hall and set down to wait.
As I sat there I started having second thoughts. I was beginning to doubt that I could do this, I felt that doing this really put me in the same league as them, but these thoughts quickly dissolved when I thought back to that night, and the humiliation I had to endure.
Movement caught my attention; three of the darkwings had come out of the barracks making for the dinning hall. One of them I recognized, “Sampson” by far the largest of the bunch, and the one that placed his huge hand across my mouth that night.
The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon to my back, so I knew I had the advantage of not being seen. I lay in the prone position, and sighted in on Sampson. I only had one chance to pull this off so I knew I needed to be dead on.
Squeezing the trigger, the laser rifle bucked slightly in my arms. The high energy bolt sliced through the air and hit its mark. The shot hit Sampson just below the knee severing his lower leg cleanly. I love the laser weapons, they do as much damage as the kinetic types, but without the mess, cauterizing the wound instead of blowing a hole big enough to drive a star destroyer through.
I quickly picked myself up and headed in a run back towards the armory, all the while cleaning the rifle as I ran. I could hear in the distance behind me, yelling and shouting as people started to come out to see what was going on.
I again didn’t have any trouble getting back into the armory and placed the rifle back where I had found it, in my hurry I banged my head on an overhear rack and reopened the wound I had on my forehead. Damn it hurt, but I didn’t have time to worry right then.
Getting clear of the armory, I then made my way over to the NCO barracks and dropped off Sgt. Sheldon’s jacket in his personal drop box. Then I made my way back towards where all the noise was coming from.
A sizable crowd had gathered, so I worked my way towards the center to get a better look at what I had done. Sampson was being loaded into a medical transport right then, and when an intern walked up holding his severed leg, he blanched and let out a most satisfying scream. I thought that maybe I should have just killed him outright, but I wanted to get a message to Grant, his keeper. Just thinking of that creep makes my blood boil.
I felt I was being watched, and when I looked into the crowd I saw him across from me staring…right at me. I had seen him before. Snow was his name. Him and another worked out on the courses tending the injured that show up while running the courses. My mind raced! Why was he staring at me? I quickly inventoried myself and all that I had just done, and could not think of anything that made me conspicuous. So why was he staring at me? Anger! “Great, just what I didn’t need right then” I thought. He motioned with his head while looking at me, that he wanted me to move away from this scene, and go over to the side away from the group.
“Blast” I really, really didn’t need this right now, but I did as he indicated and moved towards a quiet area. His partner fell in behind me…”what for?” I thought, if this was going to be another incident like I had with the Darkwing, I was going to let them both know that I’m not easy prey. Snow’s partner held back and looked to be actually ensuring that we weren’t being followed. This was strange, but not know what was going to happen I kept my guard up.
Snow made his way over to where I stood; glancing around making sure he hadn’t been followed. He strode right up to me with a confidence I hadn’t seen in other recruits, looked me right in the eyes he asked point blank “Why did you attack him?”
“Oh Crap!” I thought. The anger within me drained away to be replaced with fear. Shocked, I blurted out before thinking, “How? How did you know? He didn’t even know” He looked at me with his dark blue eyes and smiled. “I didn’t” he said, “I had assumed, and you just confirmed it”.
“Sithspawn!” I though, panic starting to set in at having just given myself away. Snow must have seen this in my face, for he shook his head no, assuring me I had nothing to worry about. He knelt down and looked at my face, grimacing at the bruise around my eye. “Someone needed to take those punks down a few notches” he stated, “You just got to it before I did”.
I looked back into his eyes, looking for some sort of deceit, but none was there. This guy actually seemed to care about me. I gave him a slight smile, and mused, “I was so far away, it was a simple, clean shot”. He nodded his head while he examined my eye. Taking a med pack offered from his partner. He placed it on the cut I had reopened on my forehead and asked, “Where did you get the rifle from?”
I don’t know why, but I felt I could. I felt I needed to tell someone. I told him all that had happened, from taking the Darkwings credits, to Grant, that terrible night, all the way through till he had spotted me standing in the crowd.
When I was done giving him the whole story, Max, (yes his name is Maxell Snow and his partner’s name is Josh) simply asked me “So what now Ebe?”.
I thought a second, and then shrugged, “That depends on the Darkwings. If they leave me alone, it’s over. If Grant tries to touch me again, I will take out another one of his boys”, I said evenly.
Max and Josh but raised their eyebrows at what I just said, and looked at each other a moment. Max looked at me, a slight scowl on his face “Heh, very well, but do not underestimate the Darkwings, they have friends in high places”.
What was it with these two? I looked at the two of them and wondered why they seemed so concerned with me? Why hadn’t Max or Josh ran to the nearest officer and turn me in? I stared at Max for a moment then asked. “Why the concern? Why do you even care about me? What’s in it for you?”
“I…I cannot say” he started. “We have been tasked with watching you. His eyes went to the ground, as if embarrassed with what he was telling me. “The way you are treated by some of the others…is intolerable. Certain…officers see promise in you. They want to be sure you are given a fair shot”.
“What the Kark!” I thought. I know that I am in favor with some of the officers, but to have someone actually be tasked to keep an eye on me, was to much. I Stood glaring at these two, my anger coming back. “Sorry, but I don’t need your help!” I said strongly. “I have always, and I mean always, been able to take care of myself. You two can waste your time helping one of the other skirts! Don’t concern yourself we me!” With that I turned and left, leaving both of them with their mouths hanging open.

To be continued…

Beach Party

2005-04-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Woohoooo!! I received an e-mail inviting me to a beach party being hosted by the most awesome entertainment group in the galaxy CoE. Anif a member of the group and a dear friend sent me the invitation. She said in her mail that she was in need of fishing bait for the fishing contest they were having as part of the fun and games, and wanted to know if I could help.
Hell yeah!! I could help I love fishing! It’s a great way to spend the afternoon just relaxing and having fun at the same time. Besides, if all she needed was the chum bait, I could keep the fillets and sell them to a chef or something.
Damn, I also needed to find a bathing suit for this party. Its funny, but I never bothered to buy one, I guess when you make your living hunting and tracking, a bathing suit just isn’t something you need.
I commed Highway and told him of the party, he thought a party would be a lot of fun and he would love to go. I told him what I needed to do for Anif, and we agreed to meet in Theed and do some fishing out by the long bridge. I had managed to get hold of Anif, and asked her if she knew where I could find a bathing suit. She gave me the comm. addy to a friend and fellow CeO member named Hellen that is a tailor. I was told she was expecting my call. I thanked Anif and comm’ed Hellen. I had a new bathing suit that same day!!
We had a day to get some fishing in before the party. Neither one of us had any bait on us when we met up in Theed, and after searching the bazaar without any luck we headed out to the fields outside of Theed to see if we could forage some bait. It took awhile but finally we found some and started fishing.
We spent most of that afternoon fishing. I caught several different species of fish, Faa’s, Stripped, Black, and Blue. Highway was having a tough time, the fish kept stealing his bait or just as he was about to land one, it would break his line and take off. Every time this happened I would hear coming from his direction some of the most colorful language in the galaxy.
The day of the party I met Highway again in Theed near the star port. The aypoint I had been given by Anif wasn’t all that far from Theed, so we decided to ride our swoops to the location. The sun was just starting to set as we made our way to the party. What a beautiful evening. Highway joked about not knowing it was going to be a twilight party, and hoped they had a fire going or we would both be pretty cool in our suits if it weren’t.
Highway and I rode into the party location just as the sun set. To our surprise there was in fact a couple of fires going. The location they has chosen was awesome, a long, wide white sandy beach, palm trees, the bon fires, it was just so beautiful! We had arrived a bit early, many people were running around taking care of last minute details.
I spotted Anif, busily hustling around the area, running here and there. I managed to catch up with her and after exchanging hugs, I gave her the fishing bait for the contest later. She apologized for the chaos, and took off once again to manage setting up.
I looked at Highway and we both went to the cabana that was set up to change into proper beach attire. Highway looked so cute in his surfer shorts, and I told him so He told me I looked absolutely fabulous in my new suit.
I recognized many of the faces that were there at the party, some old friends, others I had seen from my travels. Highway and I made the rounds meeting many new people in the process. I love being with Highway, and I think if we had been here for any other reason, it quiet easily would have been a very romantic night We broke free from the people around us and walked down to the waters edge. Enjoying Highways company, the water lapping at the shore I was content to just stand with him. As I was looking over to Highway I noticed a couple up near the fire pit. Avios!! one of the few men in my life that truly makes me happy, but then he is my son.
Avios wasn’t alone, I noticed, he had a very pretty young woman with him. I worry about so many aspects of his life, one being that he isn’t alone, that he has someone in his life to be with, to give him balance and purpose, to love.
I grabbed Highway by the hand and pulled him in the direction of where Avios and his friend were standing. “Hi Mom!” he greeted me. “Hi baby” I said and gave him a hug and kiss to his cheek. I know I embarrass him with my affection for him, but I don’t care, I love my son!
Avios, once past the being flustered, introduced me to his friend. Her name is Honney, a very pretty, courteous young woman, with aspirations of being a master tailor. I watched these two most of the day during the party and I think there is definitely something more then friendship with these two. I like her .
I introduced Highway to Avios and Honney, and right away I could feel a tension between him and my son. They shook hands and were cordial with each other. I will have my work cut out for me to ease this underlying animosity. I let it go for now, I just wanted to have fun, and be with Highway.
The rest of the day I spent with Highway. I entered the fishing contest, and surprised myself by taking second place! Considering half way through the contest all the bait I had given Anif, was gone. I spent a lot of the time foraging for more bait so the others could fish lol.
There was a droid fighting contest, and I entered that too. Poor “peep” my first generation fighting droid was helplessly out classed. When it can his turn to fight, he was matched up against a Probot! Peep gave it all he had, though he wasn’t a great fighting droid, he has heart, and gave it all he had. Later he was allowed to fight once more against a droid closer to his skill, and he again showed he has heart, but not much. He lost that round also.
The day was full of fun and excitement, one I will cherish for a long, long time. Highway and I said our goodbyes and headed back to Theed content and happy that we both got what we needed.

Meeting with Scarlet

2005-04-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

Highway was back to his old self again, meaning he had recovered nicely from the trouble we ran into while scouting out rebel positions near Hendola, Naboo. Him feeling better also meant that every time I tried to discuss anything with him, he would interject with suggestion of romantic interludes. Lol, I love him dearly, but sometimes his mind is only going in one direction. He doesn’t like it, but I’ve nicknamed him “One-track” .
We were having one such discussion, when my comm. went off. I looked to see who it was and was surprised to see it was scarlet! I had made a not to myself to call her about Max, but hadn’t had the chance to do so, with Highway recovering.
Our conversation on the comm. was short. It was as I thought, about Max’s behavior, she had experienced pretty much the same thing with him. We agreed to meet on Corellia, as it was half way between where we both were. Her on Dantooine, and I on Naboo. We would meet somewhere outside the city limits to Coronet.
I told her I was with Highway, and just needed to explain to him what was going on and that I would be on my way shortly. Though Highway knew first hand Max’s rage I felt it would be better to meet Scarlet alone. I love Highway, and I knew all I had to do was ask for his help and he would come running, but this was a matter between two women that were close to Maxell, and cared for him deeply.
Highway agreed somewhat grudgingly to me going alone, but in the end said he understood and that I was to comm. him if anything came up. I promised him I would, that I would tell him when I arrive on Correllia to let him know I got there ok.
I gave Highway a kiss and hug, and headed to the starport to prep my Sorosub for the flight to Correlia

Correllia has changed! There is a strong rebel presence here. I found out the hard way. As I was unpacking my swoop to ride out to where I was to meet Scarlet, a rebel guard jumped me. It’s a good thing I never travel unarmed or I would have definitely found myself in a cloning center. I contacted Highway as promised, but didn’t relay what had just happened.
Scarlet wasn’t to far out of town, she set up a small camp near a small village on the shore. When I came upon her she was happily playing with a large cat She greeted me with a warm hug and smile, and invited me to sit down.
Its wonderful to see Scarlet, though she wore the look of worry, as I do, she still looked so much better then the last time we met. Then she was still recovering from the ordeal of having Meela, her little girl. Scarlet just radiates warmth, strength and caring like none I have known before. I’m so grateful to have her as a friend.
We sat for a long time discussing Max. The strange behavior that seems to come and go at will with him. We both feel that this is something that will just have to run its course, that to bring an outsider in on this could cause problems with the army and the empire. We agreed we would both work to keep an eye on him. She would make herself available for when he wanted to hunt; I would try to be there when he went on missions.
With a plan in place we embraced and promised to keep in contact. I left her at her camp, and headed back into corellia. I only hope that I can truly be of help to Max and Scarlet.

Missing pilots, Highway, and Maxell

2005-04-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

I had to take a break from trying to locate this missing pilot. I had gone to Bestine and met with Lt. Vash, who instructed me to contact a Lt. Monsel. I found him in the Bestine cantina (why didn’t this surprise me). Lt. Monsul told me that I was to assist in locating a down pilot, and that finding him was of the utmost importance.
I took my orders and traveled back and forth between Tatooine and Rori several times following leads from other sentient species, that either thought they had seen him or last saw him in different locations. The last place I ended up in was back on Rori a few thousand kilometers from Narmal. I was very tired from all the travel and when I approached the waypoint I was given from my last contact, several Blacksun thugs jumped me.
I was thrown to the ground and pummeled by them into unconsciousness. I woke in the cloning center, black and blue. I felt that if I had been pacing myself as I should have, I wouldn’t have been so tired, and I wouldn’t have been ambushed the way I had.
I was so tired… I made my way out of the cloning center and slowly made my way across town towards the star port. I didn’t quite make it. I started feeling dizzy and weak, so I sat down on the steps to the shops across from the star port to rest.
My comm. buzzing on my belt startled me. I must have fallen asleep! Gods, how could I have let myself get so drained? I looked at my comm. to see who was calling and saw that it was Highway. My heart soared just seeing that it was he, and I have truly missed him while I had been out in the field, but to be honest I wasn’t really up for a conversation or for that matter seeing anyone, not in my present condition.
He must have sensed something was wrong, though I thought I had done a pretty good job of masking any fatigue in my voice. Highway persisted in asking me for my location, and if I was all right. I tried to assure him I was fine, just tired, and relented, giving him my where-a-bouts.
I again was startled to wakefulness by Highway gently shaking me. “Damn”, I really was tired.
“Ebe? Are you ok?” he asked.
A smile spread across my face as I looked up at him “yeah” I said, “I’m just really tired is all”.
He stood there looking me over. I though that I must look awful, like some street beggar, but Highway in his sweetness assured me I looked just fine to him.
Highway helped me to my feet and with his strong arms guided me towards the medical center to have some of my cuts and bruises looked at, and I’m sure to also make sure that I didn’t collapse in the middle of the street.
At the med center, Highway found a doctor and I was led to a bed where I was immediately placed on fluids and medication. Highway conferred with the doctor for a bit, and then came over to sit beside the bed. “Well it looks like your going to be just fine” he started, “The doctor assures me that there is nothing too serious with you, that a little best rest wont fix. He has given you a mild sedative to help you fall asleep, and the medication your getting now will take care of the cuts and bruises you have”.
I looked at him sitting there beside the bed, the concern on his face. How lucky I am to have this caring, wonderful man in my life. I gave him a weak but sincere smile, and with my hand in his, I drifted off to sleep the sleep of the dead.
What a miracle a couple of days of rest does to the body and soul!. I felt like a new woman. I hadn’t felt this good in ages. The doctor had come into the room and with a big grin, pronounced me fit to leave. I had been in the med center for 3 days. 3 days!! I had slept almost the entire time I was there. The doctor told me that after he gave me the initial sedative that first night when Highway brought me in, he hadn’t given me anymore, that I had slept away two days on my own. Gods I knew I was fatigued, but I had know idea that I was that bad.
Highway left a note for me saying that he knew I was in good hands, and that he loved me and missed me. He said that the attendants would contact him when I was to be released, and that he would come for me.
My comm. buzzed and I was glad to see it was Highway, and not Lt. Monsul. ( I will need to contact him about my current mission status soon). The attendants were good to their word and Highway had been called and notified that I had been set free. Highway met me at the Narmal Hotel where I had decided to go to wait for his arrival. After our customary hugs and kisses we gathered my things and set off to the starport to make passage back to Naboo. Highway had brought his TIE, so we weren’t able to travel together, so I booked passage on a freighter and told him I would see him in Theed.
Highway and I spent a couple of wonderful days together around theed catching up on what had been going on. I told him of what I had been up to, that had left me so drained. He told me he had spent the time while I was in the hospital on Tatooine assisting an old Rifleman with getting much needed hides and meat to the Jawa’s. He told me that as a reward for his efforts the old man had some really nice polished Bol skulls he was parting with. I thought that if he still needed help I could run out there and do that also.
Our time together was interrupted by a comm. from Lt. Vash. I was chewed out for not contacting Lt. Monsul, and that I would be dealt with for my transgressions. He went on to say that I could leave Lt. Monsuls mission for the time being as he had something more important to take care of. I was told that I was to head out and investigate some possible rebel activity near the town of Hendola. I told him I would get on it as soon as possible and signed off.
I looked at Highway and shrugged. He gave me a warm smile and simply asked if I was up to the assignment. I felt great, and after all Lt. Vash said I was to look into it, not to necessarily take action. So yeah, I was up to it. Highway said he would come along as he didn’t have anything pressing at the moment. I think he wanted to just keep an eye on me, but I didn’t tell him that. I just smiled at him. We set about checking gear and weapons, making sure we had everything we would need, and headed to the shuttle to grab the first ride to Hendola.
We arrived Hedola just at sunset and set off in a Southwesterly direction. I maintain a couple of storage sheds on the outskirts of this town, so I know the land pretty good and figured that if the rebels were indeed in the area it would most likely be in this direction, for it offered many small valleys to work from, and it would have been the area I would have chosen to run covert ops from if it had been me.
It didn’t take us long to start running into signs of a rebel presence. With both myself and Highway being Master Rangers, finding the little clues left by their passage was not difficult. A standard issue alliance boot print here, alliance issue ration wrappers there, the trail led us right to the foot of a small hill only a few kilometers from town.
We slowly worked our way to the top of the hill, when the sounds of fighting drifted to our ears. As we crested the hillock made me gasp!. There stood Maxell right in the middle of several rebels, pounding and slashing! He was fighting, as I had never seen him do before, alone, no pets, hand-to-hand! A couple of the rebels had their weapons out and were firing in his direction. Max looked to be overwhelmed, so I took aim at the closest of the rebels and fired! From that point on, things got blurry. I could see Max out of the corner of my eye, fighting like a mad man still surrounded by the rebels! I fired on target after target with my DXR6…acquire target…aim…fire!!, repeat.
I lost Highway in the confusion of the firefight. I could only hope he was ok, Max started yelling, “Why are you here! Why can’t you leave us alone! We don’t need you here” at first I thought he was yelling at the rebels around him, but when I looked in his direction, I saw that he was yelling this to me! The last of the rebels fell, and I stood there looking at Max with a confused look on my face. “Max! what?” He stood staring back at me a fire in his eyes like I had never seen before “Be content with what is let of us!!” he yelled back, then bolted in the opposite direction. “Max!! wait! what’s wrong with you! I yelled after him.
I thought Max had ran right into the Rebel compound, so that’s where I went. “Damn it Max!” I thought as I cautiously entered the compound building. “Great, were both going to get killed in here” but the building turned out to be empty, no sign of Max either. I made my way out and away from the building and stood there trying to figure out just what happened.
Oh My God! Highway!! I had completely forgotten him in all the confusion of the fight and with Max. I frantically started searching for him, hoping that he was ok.
I found him lying on the ground, blood covering his armor, soaking the ground where he lay. “Oh Highway, what have you done” I thought. I had med packs on me and started to apply them to the wounds that I could see. I knew if I couldn’t get the blood to stop flowing I would lose him! I couldn’t go on myself if I lost him, not like this.
I was struggling to keep up with the blood loss, when I was shoved away! “Max!”
“You should keep a better eye on your boyfriend” he said roughly as he applied an advance med pack to Highways wound stopping the flow of blood.
“He’s not to smart is he?” he smirked, “running into that turret over there”. I looked in the direction Max pointed and saw what had taken down Highway.
“Max!? What is karking wrong with you?” I asked, astounded at the way he was behaving. “this is not like you!”
Max just looked at me, his eyes still smoldering. “There he should live” he said.
Highway had gained consciousness and tried to get up. “Don’t move Hun, not yet” I said, but Highway pushed past me and sat up. Though weak, he looked at Max, a fire of his own in his eyes.
“Maxell, thank you for treating my wounds, saving my life no doubt, but don’t you take that tone with Ebe, we were both trying to help”.
The savage look intensified on Max’s face “What makes you think we needed help!?” he barked and started to move away. “Leave us alone! Your not needed! Be happy with what you have left!” and with that he was gone.
Highway and I both stared at where Max had been, mouths hanging open. I couldn’t believe what we had just heard and saw. I helped Highway to his feet, steadying him till he assured me he could travel. We talked about what just happened, and agreed that Max was definitely not himself. I was so worried about him. In all the time we were together he had never spoken to me that way.
On our way back to Hendola I thought to try my Comm. and see if I could raise Max. I was actually a bit surprised when he answered. “Hello?” he said.
“Max? its Ebe! What the hell was that all about?” I asked, genuine concern in my voice.
“Ebe? Hi, how are you?” he replaied.
What the Kark? “Max, what is going on? I’ve never seen you act so savage, so rude”.
“Ebe, what are you talking about?”
I looked at Highway and he looked as confused as I felt.
“Max, the whole incident that just happened, the rebels? The fierce fight we were all just in? what is going on? I pleaded.
“Ebe, laughter, I have no Idea what your talking about, I’m here, at home sitting in my bath”.
This was getting to be too weird, something was definitely wrong with Max. I tried to explain everything that had just happened, but it was like he didn’t know anything about it. I pleaded that he go see a doctor and at least have a medical eval. Done, but he seemed to think I was the one that had gone off the deep end.
I ended the conversation with him frustrated, confused and scared. He said he would see a doc, when he had the time, but I felt that he probably wouldn’t.
Highway and I made it back to Hendola with out incident. He was feeling stronger and though I tried to talk him out of it, he insisted on flying his TIE back to Theed to get proper care at the med center.
After Highway had gone, I sat at the shuttle port in Hendola for a long time, just thinking. I need to talk to someone about this. I need to talk to Scarlet!.

New Assignment

2005-03-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

I awoke to find Highway gone. I lay in the warmth of the wooly hides we had shared previously, his scent still lingering upon the them. I rolled over burying my face in the hide breathed in deeply, bringing back to my mind the incredibly sensuous moment we had shared. Beside the made up bed of wool, lay a note and some Talus wild flowers.

I picked up the note and read: “My dearest Ebe, I hope you have slept well into the morning, and the sun is shining warmly and bright upon you, as you have shown on me. I wish I could have been there when you first opened your eyes from your slumber to look into your green eyes and incredible smile. I wanted terribly to wake you and shower you with warm kisses, but I could not. I am not that selfish of a man. I am content to remember you beauty as you sleep, and your fire, like last night when you are not”.

“I’ve been recalled to the Kessel system to once more fight for the Empire. I really hate to go this time, but I cant very well tell my Commander to shove it, and my commander told me not to waste anytime getting to my ship. I sat for a long moment before heading out to just look at you once more. Ebe, you are the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, and I am so grateful to have you in my life. I will fight hard to come back to you so that we may spend more time together. Maybe some time that doesn’t involve so much skinning and gutting, before the fun really starts *wink*. With all my love Highway”.

Smiling, I folded the letter, and with a light kiss upon it placed it in my pack. I rolled out from under the blanket, and stretched. I ached a bit, pretty sure it was from the hunting, and not something else, though the exercise after the hunt was very energetic. *Smile*.

Busying myself with camp duties, stowing the tent, packing up the chairs, and bedding, I finally sat down to re-hydrate an army issue food pack and have some breakfast, when my comm. went off. Checking the comm., I saw that it was a text message from Captain Doyle, a weasel of a man, whom I’ve had to deal with before. I read that I was to report to a Lieutenant Vash, on Tatooine in Bastine. There was nothing in the message detailing anything pertaining to the mission just the standard gobbly gook used for routing the message to me. I sent a reply stating I would get there as soon as I could, and finished my breakfast. “Girl” I thought to myself, “I guess your back in the army now”.

Hunting Done!, A New chapter begins (Present)

2005-03-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

Finally done!. With the help of my guild mate Caitryn, and another Master Ranger named Highway *smile*, I was able to meet the requirements of the contract. 100,000 units of Talus herbivore meat!. Yahoo!!. I was going to make a lot of Credits from this hunt.

Caitryn had to leave after a couple of hours, she is young and I think the continuous hunting just wore her out. We said our good byes, and with a hug she hopped on her speeder, heading in the direction of Dearic. This left Highway and I to finish hunting up the last 20,000 units. With two masters on the hunt, the last 20K of the herb meat went fast. Highway and I finished up well into the early morning on Talus. I looked over at him and I could tell he was tired, but he was wearing the crooked smile of his, so I knew he wasn’t exhausted. Prior to joining me on the hunt he had been up in space, on assignment to the Kessel system, routing pirates and Rebels, that use that part of the system to make covert runs. I was tired too, but I was to excited from having finally finished and still pumped up on adrenalin from hunting.

Highway set up a small camp and we both sat near the fire close together. We chatted about the hunt, about the war, about life. I was lost in thought, staring up in the starry sky, enjoying the cool crisp night air, when Highway took my hand in his. “Such strong hands he has”, I thought, not wishy washy hands that you get from some of the higher ranking officers, or the pencil pushers you have to deal with in the army. My hand in his, I felt I could really see into his heart Maybe I am a tad clairvoyant, or maybe I am sensitive to this thing they call the force as I’ve heard some of the Rebels, and the Jedi are supposed to be. I don’t really know, except when he touches me I feel a closeness, a warmth that I don’t normally get from another person. I feel I can trust him will all my heart. I feel safe around him.

I moved to sit in front of Highway and he placed his arms around my waist. I hadn’t felt this comfortable in another mans arms since before Max and I parted ways. I liked what I was feeling. I snuggled back closer to him and he held me tighter, my head resting back on his shoulder, his face close to my ear. I was content listening to his slow rhythmic breathing. “How can you be so calm? After all we have done tonight? I asked him quietly. He nuzzled closer to my ear and whispered, “Its because I am with the one person that that makes me calm. I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel him smile. “Ebe, its you that keeps me from giving up, when things seem to be getting out of hand up there. I knew he was talking about the Kessel system. “ I knew you were the one for me the day we first met on Tatooine, I know now that its you that gives me purpose, to fight the Rebellion, to want to live another day. I know now that I love you and want you to be with me always”.

I moved away a bit, turned my head to look into his eyes, and whispered “I love you too”. I kissed him gently on his cheek, and retuned to my sitting position up against him, staring at the soft glow of the fire light. I thought to myself, “Can I really be in love with this man? I know how he makes me feel, I don’t want to lose these feelings. Am I just being selfish? I do feel that I love him, my heart tells me so, but I’ve been fooled by my heart before, I don’t know if I could endure giving my heart and soul to this man, only to lose him in this blasted conflict. Can I involve him in my struggles?, will he accept Avios, my son as his own?, what of Max? will this end our friendship, our tentative bond?”. All of these thoughts and more were running through my mind, when Highway moved and stood up. He reached with his hand, offering it to me. I took it and he helped me to my feet. We stood facing each other in the fire light, and I knew right then that I would give all my heart to him, and not question what may happen in the future. I was content and very happy right then and there. Highway led me to the tent, and held the flap open for me. I looked into his eyes once more and we both smiled. We both knew the night wasn’t over just yet

Still Hunting

2005-03-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

Talus: Still hunting these blasted Huf Duns. I feel like I've been out here in the wild forever. I've had very little contact with other people, sense I started the contract. Aleris joined me for awhile, she is my guild sister, but for the most part I've done this alone.

Dr. Tashmire, contacts my on my comm constantly! "how ya doin hun" he says, "how much ya got so far hun?". Arrrrggghhh, I want to put my rifle to someones head!! *laugh* I really dont mind his comm's, if it wasnt for that I would truely be alone out here. Tashmire is a wonderful Doctor, and a very good friend. I'll fill this order for him, get payeed, then think about shooting him.

*Spots a herd of Huf Duns on the horizon* OK off to take on another bunch, only 60K to go!!

Hunting Again! (present)

2005-03-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Yay!! I’m finally out where I belong! Being in the wilderness is where is this girl needs to be *smile*. Doctor Tashmire contacted me, and asked if I felt up to helping him get the special resources he needed to make the much sought after buff packs. ( buff packs help the body defend its self better by adding strength and duration to the physical body). Though I rarely use them personally, many folk that fight need them. I like to use stealth and tactics to accomplish the same goal.

I jumped at the chance to go out and do some real hunting! Then he told me what he needed and how much. Ugh!. I think I should have asked first before just readily accepting the job. What he wants is 100K of Talusian Herbivore meat. Ok 100K is quite a lot, but I think I can handle that, its where I have to go to get it that stinks. Plenty of critters yield the meat, just none of them yield much. I mean, even as big as a Hur Dun is, I only get maybe 80 units worth per beast, and Tash wants 100,000 units, Dang!!.

I’m on Talus, and though slow I’ve made progress. I had managed to harvest 10K huntin Hur Dun’s, Kima’s, Paralope’s, and Vynocks, when I my comm. buzzed. My guild mate and best friend Aleris wanted to get together. I told her where I was, and what I was doing, and she thought it would be fun, and asked to join me. I told her “sure come on out, but Its tedious, boring work”. She said she didn’t care, that she wanted to practice her shooting skills and could keep me company.

I met her in Dearic, and we both went back out to the wild together. Wow, what a difference she made. In no time I was up to 16K of the stuff. Highway Sat-linked my comm., and we had a nice conversation. I miss him, he’s been out flying a lot of missions lately, and we haven’t had much time to spend together. He wasn’t sure when his current assignment would be over, but he felt that it should soon. I wished him luck and let him know I love and miss him, and got back to work. Aleris and I hunted long and hard, well into the night. Finally we both just had to rest. I pitched a camp, and we sat for awhile just chit chatting. My last thought was “only 84,000 more to go *grin* and we both fell asleep next to the fire.

Deomo Found (Present)

2005-03-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

( I want to apologize for this one being so long, but I had fun writing it =) Enjoy)

I made it to the village late that afternoon. Lots of Ewok’s were about, and finding an elder of the village was fairly easy. Yes they had a Zebrak male in their camp, yes they had found him unconscious in the woods. They had brought him here for he was injured, they thought that he may have been attacked by an arachnid or a boar wolf, but after getting him to their camp, and when he was semi-conscious, his behavior was frightening to them. They had him placed in one of their Tee-pee style structures well away from the main group, so as to protect their loved ones.

I was directed to a tee-pee at the far end of the camp. “oh boy, here we go” I thought. The thought again came to me, of the last time I had direct contact with Deomo. It was on Lok, I had the silly idea, that I could be a bounty hunter, and was directed to track and kill Deomo. What a mistake I made!! I did indeed track Deomo to a secluded location on Lok, and we did fight each other, but in the end I couldn’t fulfill my contract, I didn’t have the mettle that it takes to do that kind of work. I am a Master Ranger, my primary responsibilities lie in hunting creature resources for the Empire, occasionally assisting in routing rebels, pirates, and other riff raff, and tracking, like I am now.

Deomo, what a mess. Bruised, bloodied, semi-conscious. He lay upon the floor of the shelter, moaning, curled up in a fetal position. Looking around the shelter I found his pike against the far wall. “Good” Deomo wouldn’t be able to get to it before I had a chance to defend myself if this turned ugly. “Deomo?, Its Ebe” I said quietly as I approached him. All I got from him was a painful groan, so I moved closer. “Deomo? Can you hear me? Its Ebe Lightcloud, I am here to help you, get you home safe” “Eb…? Wha…?” He tried to roll into a sitting position, but I had knelt down beside him and wouldn’t let him move, not until I could see how badly he was hurt. “Don’t move, hun, you have been hurt”. His head was covered in blood, but after swabbing at it with a damp cloth I had pulled from my pack, I didn’t see any serious wounds, mostly cuts and deep scratches. I carefully examined the rest of him, and though thoroughly bruised and battered he had no broken bones. As I continued to clean the blood off of him I kept talking. “Deomo, I was sent to find you, bring you home. Scarlet asked me if I would, and here I am” *smile*. “She told me to tell you Meela and her are safe, that you need not worry”.

“Moan”, I looked down at him and I could see the glaze in his eyes had faded, “Meela?…Meela!!, Ebe?, where…where did you come from?, where am I?” he asked. “Yes its me, Ebe, your on Endor hun”, I told him “I came here to get you home”. “uuhh” was all I got. “How do you feel? I’ve managed to clean you up a little, and I gave you a stim to help with the fog. I need to move you from here and set up a camp outside of the village to get you ready to travel”, I explained. “Travel?” (wince) as he again moved to sit up. I asked, “can you stand?” “yes I think so” he said. I helped him get to his feet, working to keep him steady, and slowly lead him to the edge of the village.

I set up a camp as soon as we were out of site of the village and had Deomo sit and try to relax while I applied bactapaks to his wounds. I guess I tend to hum while I work, Deomo asked me what that was I was humming. “huh?, what?” I replied. “that song, what is it?” he asked again. “oh!, I guess its one my mother sang to me when I was little” I said, “its called Far Away”. He nodded his head and then stared off into the distance. “Funny Zebrak” was my only thought.

Finally done with all I could do for Deomo in the field, I asked if he felt he could travel. He said he could, so I helped him once more to his feet and outlined my plan to get us back to the research outpost. That I would go slow, but if at anytime he needed to rest to tell me. I told him I would do what I could to circumvent any wild creatures and people, but that we had a long ways to go, and the possibility of an encounter was high. Once to the Reseach outpost we would catch a ride to the science outpost where my ship was parked, then fly it to Naboo, to get him proper medical attention.

Travel was slow, but steady, I felt we were making good time. Deomo was keeping up. He seemed to be getting stronger as we worked our way towards the outpost. We were almost to the outpost when I looked back to check on Deomo, but he wasn’t there. “Damn” I must have got ahead of him while traversing that last hill. I back tracked, and found him leaning up against a tree. Deomo had a pained expression on his face, and his body language, suggested he was struggling for control. “Deomo? what’s wrong? Are you OK?” His face contorted, his eyes took on a wild look, and his body convulsed. “No!, Not Now!!” he gasped. I watched, fascinated, and a bit scared by what was happening. I wonder if this is what Scarlet had told me about, that the pendant Deomo was wearing was in fact somehow able to possess this mans being.

“Deomo! Talk to me!” I demanded. He was definitely struggling for control, and I feared that he might run off and really get himself in trouble, maybe killed. “uhhgghh”, “I…must…fight!…for…con…No!…I…wont…” and at that moment his voice changed, something sinister, very threatening. “Muuhahahaha, We are in control now! Deomo is lost!”. “Deomo!” I screamed. “Come Back!”. He just stood there, the wild look still in his eyes. I backed away, keeping all my attention focused on him, frightened but not afraid.

“Deomo is with us!, we are one!” he said. “who is us?” I asked. His eyes focused on me, as if seeing me for the first time. He growled “We are the spirit ancestors, it was us that killed his father, and it is we who are forever in control of his son!”. I truly didn’t know if I could stand up to this evil spirit, and I knew I didn’t have time for this. I had to find a way if possible to get Deomo back into himself, and to a proper medical facility to tread his wounds, but how?.

The Spirit growled out, “We have much to do”, and turned to leave, when Deomo’s body again convulsed. “Aarrggghhh!!…Not this time!!, We wont….You are… ”, the spirit voice faded, and was replaced by a much quieter voice, one struggling to surface, “I will fight you every step of the way!!”, Deomo!! it was his voice!, he was fighting to regain control. “Deomo!” I shouted, “You have to fight them!! You have to come back!!”. I thought “hurry girl think” what can I do to help?. I hit me! I didn’t know if it would help, but it was all I could think of. “Deomo! Fight for what you love!! Fight for Meela, for Scarlet” I yelled. I could actually see a physical change come over him as he fought the spirit. “Meela!!, Scarlet !! he bellowed!. “Yes!, Deomo, fight damn it!! Come back to them!!”, I urged. With an anguished groan, it was over, Deomo’s body collapsed to the ground, spent. “Deomo?” I ventured quietly.”Yes, Ebe, it is I” he said. I was filled with relief, he had won, and sent the spirit back to where it had come. I sat next to Deomo and tried to comfort him, he was exhausted. He looked over towards me and said, ”give me a minute to get my strength back, and we can go”. I told him to take as much time as he needed, and gave him a reassuring smile.

We made it to the research outpost with no further problems, and were soon aboard my Sorosub heading to Naboo. Deomo was down in the main salon, whil e I busied myself with navigation, and other ship duties. I stepped from the bridge a few times during our passage, to check on him, and to see if he needed anything. He seemed to be in a lot better shape, and was recovering nicely. He even commented on my decorating of the main salon, saying it looked more like a cantina then a star ship. I laughed and he smiled. Definitely getting better I thought.

We landed in Theed, Naboo, and I had him taken to the medical center. After making sure he was in good hands, I left and made my way to the cantina. I ordered a Jawa beer and sat at a table away from the entertainers and musicians, to think.
I was intrigued now by this force that lives in Deomos pendant. During our trip to get of Endor, Deomo had said that he can’t take it off, that it would kill him to do so. I could only think there must be a way to get Deomo away from the cursed pendant, with killing him. He can’t even think of being near his little girl as long as he wears it. With a draw of my beer, I let the thoughts drift thoughts my mind….something will be done…

Finding Deomo

2005-03-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

Endor, what a wonderfully wicked planet. Towering trees, lush meadows, and a wide variety of flowers and shrubs. A native sentient species called Ewoks, that for the life of me, look like diminutive teddy bears, but are in fact a very intelligent, crafty species, in tune with their environment. Endor is indeed a beautiful planet, but it holds a dark side that few know about, unless they venture out away from the established outposts.

I have been to Endor many times, and I know what lies out beyond the fences. I have been here hunting both creatures, and elements of the Blacksun organization…both of which can be very dangerous to one’s health. Endor’s critters are not anything like the bunnies and frogs you find around the major cities on planets like Naboo, or Corellia. The creatures here all seem to have very poor dispositions, and will try and eat anything or anyone that ventures to close, and for some reason it seems that every critter, carries the bonus of inflicting a poison of one degree or another. Then there is The Blacksun organization, these pirates are just trouble anytime you run across them, always shooting before asking questions.

I was on Endor for an altogether different reason this time, I was asked by Scarlet to see if I could find Deomo, a high ranking officer in the Imperial army and father to the child Scarlet is carrying. Deomo wears some demon possessed pendant, that at times messes with his mind and sends him off to the far reaches of the galaxy, and wiping his memory at the same time. She had asked that I find him and keep him safe. She had received info that he was seen on Endor, so this is where I figured would be the place to start

I arrived at the Science outpost on Endor. Now Endor is a pretty big place, and if you wanted to get lost, and not be found Endor would be the perfect place, but for one small exception…Ewoks…they seem to know what is going on around them or on the planet at anytime. If Deomo was here, the Ewoks would know. This is where I planned to start. There is a village not far from the outpost, only 1600 meters for where I was.

I had no trouble getting to the tree village of the Ewok’s, nothing that couldn’t be avoided if you keep your senses about you, but what I found when I got there was a surprise. Standing amongst the trees of the village were two super battle droids. These things can be very dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs. I made a wide circle of them and entered the village. I sough out one of the tribal leaders to see if they had any knowledge of Deomo.

After what seemed like hours in discussion, I finally found what I was looking for. Yes, a zebrak male, who fit the description I gave, had been seen wandering around Endor. The elder told me that he had been found unconscious, and bloody, like he had been in some great battle. I was told I may find him at the village by the lake. “OK” I thought that narrows things down some. I tried to get him to narrow the field somewhat, as there are hundreds of lakes and Ewok villages near lakes on Endor, and I didn’t want to spend the rest of my days checking each and every one of them. What I finally got from the elder was a location south of a human camp that lay many hours from this camp. I could only think of one camp (outpost) that lay in the direction he pointed, that was the research outpost to the south. This was good, for I knew of two Ewok villages near to there that were on lakes. I thanked him and left him some of my provisions.

I returned to the Science outpost and caught a shuttle to the Research outpost. The villages were both south of here, about 3000 meters. As I was approaching the first of the two villages I ran into a small group of nomadic Ewoks. I stopped and asked the leader the same questions I had asked the Elder at the first camp. I was in luck! His group had just been to the furthest of the two lake camps that I knew about, and had seen a male Zebrak there. He warned me that I should use caution though. He told me that this sentient was possessed and had a death blade, but while he was there he had not seen any trouble from him. I thanked him for his assistance, gave his group some of my provisions and headed toward the village.

I really need my R&R (Past)

2005-02-28T15:05:00.000-08:00

“Blast it!!”, I found myself in the Bestine cloning center. Still groggy from the procedure, I tried to remember what happened. Lets see, I was on my way to my last way point on my list before my scheduled R&R, and a chance to meet up with Highway on Naboo. I was to going to check on some supposed thugs that were reported to have been assisting the Rebels on raids.

I was just about to the designated area, when I spotted a band of Jawa’s milling about an enclave of boulders. Though Jawa’s are a common sight on Tatooine, there was something about them that just didn’t feel right to me. I pulled a camo kit from my pack and set about applying it to myself. Generally Jawa’s are not an aggressive group as a whole, but I didn’t want to raise any alarm from them, hence the kit. I mean, I am just on a scouting mission.

I was able to move within 80 meters of the Jawa’s, before having to drop into a crawl. I had maybe gone an additional 30 meters, when all of a sudden my proximity alarm started going off in my ear. I froze in place, and cautiously scanned my surroundings. That was funny, I didn’t see anything. I was thinking that I had gotten a false read from my detector, and was about to resume my crawl toward the Jaw’s when all hell broke loose.

Several Tusken Raiders had managed to set up a pretty good ambush, whether they did so purposely or were just lucky, I was caught in a fierce cross fire. So much for seeing what the Jawa’s were up too, I now had me to think about. There is a reason I wasn’t taken down by the first volley of shots, Tusken’s are not know for their proficiency in weapons, and most of their shots went wide, and those that didn’t were deflected by my light armor.

I returned fire and dropped two right off, one didn’t think to seek cover and was just standing there right in the open, the other had decided at that moment to change his position and I took them both down at the same time as the one move directly behind the other. I turned and took a bead on a third, when I was hit from behind. That shot dropped me to my knees, and I could feel the warmth of my blood begin to trickle down my back under my armor. “Damn” Staggering to my feet I quickly found my initial target and popped him right between his eyes, and watched him drop in a heap to the ground as I spun around to locate the one that hit me in the back.

He stood there in all his magnificent. He wore an elaborate headdress, and necklaces of fine bone. His face and arms were adorned with intricate tattoos. His clothing was not like most Tuskens, they were of better quality then most. He was a Tusken witchdoctor! I stood there facing him off, each of us looking right into each others eyes. I knew I was in trouble, I can handle most anything I run across on Tatooine, but not this. A Tusken witchdoctor is a very bad thing to run into when not prepared. I was not. To face off against one, one on one, you need to be medically pumped up by a doctor, and have on some of the better composite armor to have a fair chance of taking one on, I had neither!. My only hope was to make a retreat and hope that my terrain negotiation skills would allow me to put some distance between him and I.

I popped off a couple of bolts at him, and turned to make for a hill behind me that offered crags and crevices to hide in, and possibly allow me to escape, but I didn’t get three steps when I was again hit by this guy. I felt as if my muscles turned to jelly, my head shrieked in agony!. I fell to the ground unable to move. I was helpless!. I hadn’t gone unconscious, I could still see, but my view was of the Tatooine sky. I could still hear. I heard the Tusken warriors grunting and hissing in joy at what their leader had done to me. My field of vision was eclipsed by the face of this witchdoctor. He stood over me grinning a wicked grin. He let out a chilling yell, arms above his head, glorifying his powers, and swung his weapon. That was the last thing I saw, before waking up in the cloner.

A letter From Scarlet (Present)

2005-02-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

I received a letter from Scarlet today. Its funny how your thinking about things, and something like this pops up. I had been thinking of Max and Scarlet…a lot. I worry for them both so much. Scarlet having difficulties with her pregnancy, and having to deal with both Max and Deomo, and Max…well…I just worry about Max all the time, I can’t help it.

I opened the letter to read that Scarlet wants me to find Deomo…Deomo!!?. (Groan) It seems he has gone missing on Endor. What does she mean by a “battle with a demon spirit in a pendant he has?. Oh great!, his memory has been partially wiped, by this pendant?, and he was last seen with some ancient pike that does poison damage to boot!…wonderful, she wants me to find him, comfort him and keep him safe…uh huh…right!. Last time I had any real close contact with Deomo, I was trying to kill him, and knowing Zebrak males, memory loss or not, he wont be all to happy to see me.

Blast!, if it had been anyone, and I mean anyone else besides Scarlet that had asked me to do this I would have laughed in their face and walked off. I couldn’t do that to her….her letter had a tone of urgency, desperation to it that I can’t ignore. OK, I’ll set off for Endor and see if I can locate a mentally challenged, death toting, gypsy Zebrak, and try to keep him safe. (wonders safe from who? himself? or am I the one that’s going to need protection?).

Definitely a New Interest (Past)

2005-02-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

Highway comm’ed me! I was between assignments on Tatooine, when my comm. buzzed. Highway wanted to know how I was, how things were going, and to tell me he had a very nice time in the cantina the other night. *Smile* He said he was on Naboo outside of Theed, checking some harvesters he had built and set up to extract minerals in the area. The mention of harvesters sounded funny to me coming from a ranger, for some reason I couldn’t fathom why a ranger would ever want one, but to each their own I suppose.

Highway asked if it would be possible to get together again sometime, that he really enjoyed my company, and was interested in learning more of my being a ranger, and of me in particular. I sure was glad we were on comms, for if we had been using vid units he would have seen me blush deep red.

I checked my data pad, one to make sure it still worked (I’m forever destroying the dang things), and two, to see what and where my next assignments were. “Good” I thought, I have nothing pressing after these next couple of way points and was entitled to some R&R, I should be able to travel to Theed, and meet up with him in a day or two.

I told Highway That I had some unfinished business dealings of my own to complete on Tat, but that I would meet him in Theed in three days, and that I would comm. him when I touched down on Naboo. He said that would be great!, and that he was looking forward to seeing me again. I clipped my comm. back onto my belt and let out a “Woop!” that startled a small herd of Banths that were grazing near by.

I headed off to my next way point, a big grin on my face, and as happy as I could be. The thought of once more seeing this most intriguing man again racing through my mind..

Decision Made.

2005-02-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

I have made up my mind, having resigned from the Imperial army after max was taken into custody and subsequently tortured by his peers, and wandering aimlessly for weeks around the galaxy, I humbly dragged myself to the nearest recruiter and asked to be reinstated in the Imperial army. I know, I know, your thinking how the hell could I stoop so low and go back to working for these Bantha turds. I really did not want to, but having talked to some individuals working for the other side (the Rebellion) I was convinced I needed to be on the inside to better their cause. I agree, I think going back to work for them will definitely place me in a better position to make changes. Hopefully for the better.

I found out from the recruiter that I would not be reinstated to officer status, as I was when I resigned, instead I will have to start off in the enlisted ranks (groan). Well at least I was given the choice of being in a line company or since I am a ranger, working as I had before, as an independent. (Being a Ranger has its advantages, *smile*). I choose the latter. I had to use all my skills to keep from having to start at the very bottom (Private), The skills I learned as an officer, and those god gave to me for having been born a woman, to be reinstated to the rank of Staff Sergeant.

I was told to report to Captain Veniese in Bestine, Tatooine. (groan) why does it seem like I always end up on Tat? Oh well, off I headed to my TIE fighter and the Tatooine sysem. I arrived Bestine and made my way to the outpost just outside the city. I was then directed to where the captain was, and reported in.

Captain Veniese office was pretty much as I expected it to look, a simple desk, with a data reader and small lamp on it. Various paper work lay scattered around on top, several file cabinets arraigned on the far wall, and a couple of service plagues and awards hung hap-hazard about the office. Captain Veniese, also looked as sparse as his office, drawn, taunt, and tanned from the twins suns that hung above Tatooine, he had a look about him that suggested long hours in and out of his office.

I stood in front of his desk and gave him a brisk salute “Staff Sergeant Lightcloud, reporting as ordered for assignment”. He acknowledged me with a curt wave of his hand and motioned me to a chair. He didn’t even look up, he just reached across his desk to a pile pf papers and extracted a file folder from it. Looking through the folder I heard him mumble under his breath something about “karking retreads”. Finally after what seemed like an hour, but were only a few minutes, he spoke, again not looking at me. “Staff Sergeant Lighcloud, I see here that you recently rejoined. Your records show you to be a competent soldier, but that you may have a problem with authority”. “am I going to have any problems with you?” “no sir”, I said. “good, I better not find you to be a problem or I’ll have your ass sent so far out of the system, even the infamous Han Solo would never find you to smuggle you back, is that clear?” “yes sir” I stammered. “I have been having some trouble with some of the local riff raff in the area but my men are having a hard time getting a position of their where-about, I want you to find them and relay the information back here to my office so we can deal with them properly”, “you will be operating alone, as I see in your file your qualified to do such work”. He reached into a lower desk drawer and produced a data pad, and handed it to me. “Here are some of the last coordinates we had on their possible location, I want you to get your things together and get started on this right away”, is there any questions?”, “no sir” and with that he dismissed me. I stood, saluted and headed out. “great” I thought back to tracking pirates and thugs, what joy…not. I took a look at the data pad and seen that their must have been over a hundred different way points contained within. I sighed, and headed off in the direction of the first one…

Highway Ranger: A New Interest? Or Just Interesting?

2005-02-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

Damn I really need to make the time to write in my diary. *makes a note to the front of the binder*, that reads; “Make the time to write dummy!!”.
There *smiles* Now all I have to do is follow my own advice.

I met him on Tatooine, in Mos Eisly, at the local cantina. I had come to the cantina to have a few drinks and rest my weary mind after a long couple of days tracking and hunting. I like coming to the cantina in Mos Eisly, there are a lot of new dancers and musicians to watch and listen to. You never know whether the entertainment will be truly entertaining or a bust. I was sitting in a corner nursing a Jawa beer listening to the band play a soothing slow ballad, and watching a particularly pretty woman move in an intricate dance to the melody, when he walked in.

Right off I knew this man was different from all the other men in the place, just by the way he carried himself. As he strode across the dance floor towards the bar, I found myself not able to take my eyes off of him. He must have sensed he was being watched, for he turned his head in my direction and looked right at me, right into my eyes. Embarrassed I hurriedly turned my attention away from him, but not before I caught a knowing self confidant smile on his face.

I was staring at my beer glass, thinking how silly I was to have been staring at this man, when I felt a presence standing close to me. I looked up to see this handsome stranger standing next to my table with a couple of Jawa beers in his hands and that same confidant smile on his face. I turned beet red!! And just stared up at him. He chuckled, and introduced himself, “Evening my lady, would you mind terribly if I sat at this table with you? It would appear that all the other tables are occupied” I quickly checked around and sure enough, the place had become packed and my table was the only one with a seat left. “umm, sure” I stammered, “suit yourself”. With that he set down and slid one of the beers he had been holding in my direction. “This” he said, “is for allowing me to sit with such a fair looking lass as yourself”, I blushed even more crimson then I had before, totally self-conscious of how I must look to this guy. “my name is Highway, Highway Ranger” he said. I quietly answered, “I’m Ebe, Ebe Lightcloud, nice to meet you Highway” I thanked him for the beer with a warm smile, and studied him, pretending to watch and listen to the entertainment.

There was a familiarity about Highway that I just couldn’t place. It was as if I knew him, but that wasn’t right, for I had never seen him before this night I felt a vague feeling of kinship, or of being part of the same fellowship with him somehow. I took a sip of my drink and was going to ask him if we had ever met before, when he turned to me and asked “So, what brings a pretty girl like you to a dust hole like Tatooine?” I thought for a sec…wondering if I should tell him anything. Should I tell him a story of some sort?, the truth?, or say nothing at all, and just give him a smile. He seemed so sincere, his voice so disarming. I choose to tell him the truth.

“I’m here running scouting missions for some clients. I’m looking for some high quality herbivore meat that’s supposedly been found in this part of the galaxy. I came to the cantina, to rest my mind and quench my thirst. You know how hot and dusty this god forsaken planet is” *smile*. Highway nodded at me knowingly “Are you a scout or ranger by chance?” he asked. “yes” I said, thinking “ok here we go, he now knows I’m a ranger and he’ll probably get up and leave, as it seems that most men are put off by rangers in general, and me being female, he’ll think that I’m to much the tomboy like most do”, but instead of getting up and leaving, he just sat there grinning at me. “well my Lady, it just so happens that I am a Ranger too” and his grin turned into the most charming smile I had not seen in a man in a long, long time.

We sat in the cantina talked about our experiences, our lives, how it turns out we both had a very similar story on how we ended up in the same part of the galaxy. I found out that Highway is pretty much a loner, as I am, but he wasn’t attached or had a significant other in his life at the moment. I thought that maybe he had something going with one of the dancers in the cantina, but he had been helping her on Naboo, kind of a sightseeing thing, and she just happened to be in Mos Eisly performing that night.

We chatted well into the night. The suns of Tatooine were just starting to come up when we both agreed to call it a night. We exchanged Comm. And stepped out into the morning. He wished me a goodnight, lol, and hopped to see me again. I told him I would like that very much. He gave me a tender kiss on the cheek and set off to take care of some minor things before sleeping. As I watched him drive off, I could only think how lucky I was to meet another Ranger in such a isolated part of the galaxy and such an interesting one at that. I hope he calls me *smile*, I really want to get to know this one a lot better.

Maxell Snow and I: Part two

2005-02-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

Max had many responsibilities as mayor of Eden’s Grief, but with those responsibilities came some nice distractions form his daily grind. Max has many friends, and one day one of these friends asked Max to officiate at his wedding and perform the ceremony. Max asked me if I would accompany him to the wedding and stand with him as he performed the ceremony. I told him I would love to go, I had never been to a wedding before, so I was excited to say the least. The wedding took place at the Lake Retreat on Naboo. Max and I were met at the shuttle by the groom and his bride and shown to a tailor that had made up special wedding apparel just for the occasion. Max was given a wonderful suit befitting a king; I was given a gown made for a queen. I was introduced to so many people that day, and had a wonderful time just chatting with everyone before the wedding; both Max and I received many compliments on our dress. The ceremony was incredible, and all went without a hitch, Max did a fantastic job.

Congratulations for the new bride and groom were mostly finished and all were invited to the cantina for the reception, the groom spoke up to those gathered and announced that Max wanted to address everyone. I was pretty much oblivious to what was going on at the time, still enjoying the festive and happy mood from the wedding, I was standing beside Max when he glanced in my direction then turned to face me. He looked into my eyes and started talking, not addressing the people around us, but to me. He spoke of our time together, how we had fought together side by side, how we loved each other, how when we were together we were as one. As he spoke, my eyes misted, I knew what was coming, I was keenly aware of all the eyes on Max and I. He dropped to one knee, took my hand in his and looking into my tear filled eyes, and asked if I would be his wife. My heart burst at that moment, I was so filled with joy! I took his hand in mine and pulled him up, close to me, and in an almost inaudible voice said “Yes, of course” The crown cheered almost with more enthusiasm for us then for the original bride and groom. We held each other for a long moment, then bounded up the steps to the cantina to party the rest of the night away.

Max and I were married not long after that day. The wedding was held in Eden’s Grief, with the ceremony done by a very good friend of Max and I, Kasek Zon. The Guild EGO granted us permission to use their hall for the wedding and they did a awe inspiring job getting it ready. My girlfriend Elizabeta made my wedding gown and all the bridesmaids gowns, and I have to say we all looked incredible! We had lot of friends come from all over the galaxy attend, some from as far away as the wanderhome and Bria sectors. The wedding went without any big problems, and the reception was a blast!.

I own a house in EG, next to my former guild, max didn’t waste any time moving in *smile*, he set up an office in one of the lower rooms for conducting city business out of. We both were so happy, spending time all of our time together. Soon though, the honeymoon was over, it was time to get back to business. Max, was in constant demand as mayor, and had to spend more and more time away. I was being called away to due contract hunts and tracking missions.
Max and I found time together becoming less and less. When Max and I would get brief moments, we seemed to spend it more and more discussing our work rather then just enjoying our time together, we would get into arguments over silly things. Edens grief was going through some tough times back then, and and looking back to those times, I think poor Max was just overwhelmed by all the maneuvering going on that he just couldn’t separate his work form his home life. I was also having the same thing happen to me, with orders to find special meats and hides, and an ungodly amount of requests to go to Tatooine to track wild boars and moisture farmers for some unknown reason. All of this being separated was having undesirable effects on both of us. Max, when not having to fight with the citizens of EG, was spending more and more time in the cantinas. I would come back from the wild to find him either drunk, or flirting with the dancers, and more arguing would ensue. Even I was not immune to being separated from Max, and found comfort with some of the company I was with, while on extended hunting trips, but I never went any further then flirting, I mostly needed the companionship of good friends during these time. Max on the other hand had an affair with a certain woman, who’s name I will not mention. Though all of this upset me, I really could understand the reason’s behind the actions. That’s not to say at times I didn’t want to shoot somebody.

I sat down with Max one night and we both decided that it was in our best interest to part, and go our separate ways. We both knew that we couldn’t go on with the way things were. Max and I have since become much better friends then we were as a couple, and we still go out of each others way to help each other. Max is now happly in love with a beautiful woman named scarlet, they are very happy together. Me? I’m still out in the wild searching for the good meat and hides, tracking stupid boars and moisture farmers.
A lot has happened in both our lives since we parted, some very happy, some very scary, but all of it exciting. Did I mention we had a son? This will be something I’ll need to put pen to paper on in the future.

Decisions, Decisions…

2005-02-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

I awoke to the smell of the forest; I had pitched my camp out in woods near Keren, Naboo. I hadn’t been hunting; I had been doing the same thing I seemed to be doing a lot of lately, just wandering around with no real purpose. I slowly extracted myself from my sleeping bag and peeked out of my shelter. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, the morning cool and slightly damp, the air fresh, and clean, filled with the scent of the trees and flowers.

My small fire from the night still smoldered, so I knew getting it going again would be easy enough. I had some eggs and cured meat in my pack from a gnort lair I raided a day ago, so breakfast would not be a problem either. I climbed from my tent and stretched the kinks from my still sleepy muscles, breathing in the morning air. I busied myself with breakfast and packing my camp away, with no real thoughts as to what I was going to do for the day. I finished eating and packed the remaining items of my camp, when all was secured, the fire fully out, I set off to wander once more.

I knew I was fairly close to Hendola, only 4k away. I had a couple of sheds there for storing hides and other supplies. I had not been to check on them in quite some time, and they were probably in need of a little maintenance. So with a quick glance at my compass, I set the rising sun before me and headed towards Hendola. For the most part the trip was uneventful, I tracked some Gungan’s and investigated their camp, I ran across a couple of small flocks of Giant, and regular Peko-peko’s that I took down with my rifle, but other then that nothing else.

When I arrived at my sheds near Hendola, I was mildly surprised to find that they were actually in pretty good shape. I spent the late morning putted around in them, taking care of some minor maintenance, and sorting some of the provisions I had left in them. When done, I rode over to Hendola proper, and boarded the shuttle to Eden’s Grief. I still own a large house in this city, but have slowly over the last couple of months, packing up all my belongings, with the intent of moving to a new location. Eden’s Grief is not the city it once was, a lot of the citizens have moved out, and the place has become a virtual ghost town. Again I did a little minor maintenance, and straightening up of the place. I was a little surprised to find that it was late afternoon when I finally took a break.

I went up stairs to stand on the balcony, and contemplate my current situation. What was I going to do? How was I to get my life back on track? I mulled over a lot of Ideas, but kept coming up blank. I figured I might as well go into Theed and see what was happening in the Cantina, I thought maybe a good drunk was what I needed. As I headed down the stairs, a thought came to me. Scarlet is a priestess, she knows techniques on meditation that maybe I could learn. I thought maybe through meditation I could find some of the answers to my many questions.

I ran for the shuttle in Eden, barely making it in time, I rode it back to Kitan, then to Keren, as that’s where I had parked my Sorosub. I boarded my ship, ran to the bridge, and hastily ran through the preflight checks, while contacting Keren Spaceport authorities for permission to launch. Permission came just a minute later, and I launched for the stars. Once in orbit around Naboo, I set my navigation computer for the Dantooine system, an engaged the hyper drive.

Once in the Dantooine system, getting permission to land was a bit of a chore, the approach control operator at the Dant space station kept asking me if I was sure I wanted to land there. Finally I convinced him I did indeed want to go to Dant, he grudgingly processed me through, and I headed down to the planet. I landed my ship at the Argo Outpost, un-stowed my swoop, and rode in the direction off Scarlets temple. Riding along I started having doubts as to whether my idea was in fact a good one, I mean, I really don’t know all that much about Scarlet, and for all I knew Zebrak meditation techniques might not even work on humans. The closer I got the more doubt filled me.

I was 500m from the temple when I got off my bike and started walking the rest of the distance in. I make it a habit to not just ride up on a location with out first checking out the area around where I want to go. This has kept me out of trouble more then enough times to make it a bit of a habit with me. I checked the perimeter of the temple, finding nothing to be concerned with, I walked up the step to the door. I hollered “Hello!” but didn’t get an answer. I thought maybe I shouldn’t go in if no one was there, but I had talked myself into asking Scarlet for her advice on my idea on the way out, and figured I could wait awhile for her to show up.

I removed my boots, and quietly went inside. I went into the main room of the temple and again asked “Is anyone here?” I was startled when I heard Scarlet say “Don’t come in! I’m in the blue room meditating, just don’t come in”. I was floored by this. Scarlet had always been accommodating to me and everyone else I met at the temple, and this was not I expected. I humbly begged her forgiveness for intruding and ran for the door. Just as I got outside, I ran smack into Max, damn near bowling him over in my haste to get out. Max tried to stop me, but I got around him and ran out into the Dantooine evening. I was crying, my feeling hurts, wondering what I was thinking to even have bothered to come here. Sorry for myself, for being such a little girl…Damn it!! I had been an officer in the Imperial Army, I should know how to control my emotions better then this!.

I ran several hundred meters from the temple, when I heard Max yell for me to stop. For what ever reason, I did. I collapsed on the ground, sobbing, waiting for Max to catch up. When he got to me, and started asking me what was wrong.. I didn’t know what to say. How could he understand what I’ve been going through, the lost, desolate feeling I was having since resigning from the army, how could I tell him that he had been my anchor, even though we had grown apart, I still needed him to be in my life. That now that he was involved with Scarlet, I felt I was losing the only person in the universe that understood me. But Max wouldn’t quit, in his patient, understanding way, he kept asking me over and over to tell him what was wrong. So I did. I told him about everything that had happened, the how, the why, and the unknown. I let my feelings that had been pent up flow freely. Max sat there and listened to me go from one incident to the next, from crisis to crisis.

I felt like I must have vented to Max for hours, and through it all, Max remained calming and thoughtful. He understood what I was going through, he a listened to what I had to say. Max’s ordeal at the hands of Cauil and Deomo took him to the same place I was in, the difference being that I had the opportunity to get out and he did not. He told me that though he is devoted to Scarlet, and she is everything to him, that I was still also held within his heart and that he would always be there for me if I needed him. This I needed to hear from him more then anything else we talked about, I needed to know that there was someone out in the universe that still cared, that knew I existed. I felt a heavy weight lift from my soul at that moment.

Our conversation turned to what I was going to do, now that I was no longer in the army. I reminded Max that I was still enlisted in the Flight Corp. and that I would remain flying for the Navy as long as I was able too. I told him I would go back to being an independent hunter again, like I was before joining the army, that it would be nice to see how I could do as a civilian earning a living. I didn’t tell him that I had already been out on a couple of hunts and had, had a couple of interesting conversations with the other side. I think Max may know this already, just not how deep.

It was getting late, and I was feeling a lot better about things. I thanked Max for being there for me *smile* and got up to go. He stopped me and suggested I stay at the temple, that I stay in the guest room. I wasn’t sure if I should, I mean after what happened when I first got to the temple earlier still fresh in my mind. Max assured me it was ok, that he would make everything ok. So I agreed.

When we got to the temple Scarlet, greeted me like I remember. It turns out she was instructing a student on meditative techniques and I misunderstood what she meant when she said not to come in. We talked a little about how she was feeling and other news. Her teachings and training. I could see she was tired, so I asked to be excused. Max escorted me to the guest room and helped me get settled in, I wished him and scarlet a good night and shut the door. I lay in the bed for awhile, in the dark, thinking about my conversation with Max, about what I was going to do. AS I slowly drifted off to sleep I decided I would try it alone for awhile, that I would get back in touch with the people I had met while hunting the previous week and ask some questions…

Maxell Snow and I: Part One

2005-02-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

I met Maxell Snow, out in the wilderness of Naboo one day, while in the mountains east of Edens Grief. I was doing some hunting and tracking of wild Fambaas and had been following the tracks of a small herd. I had crested a hill, where I found a small group of hunters standing below me in a dell, where they had a small camp set up. It appeared they had been trying to take down the Fambaas I had been tracking, and were taking some time to regroup and tend wounds. I stood there on the ridge, debating whether I should go down into their camp and offer assistance, as I have some training in triage, or just disappear back down the way I had come, and work my way around to where the Fambaas had settled. Just as I was getting ready to backtrack my way down, one of the group members looked up and spotted me standing on the ridge. Sithspawn! How stupid of me to be caught silhouetted against the sky. I know better then this, and had allowed myself to be complacent.

Before I had a chance to disappear into the woods, this person had mounted up and was before me in no time. As he was dismounting, I realized that I knew him from along time ago while still a recruit in the Imperial army boot camp. We had had a very short fling, and I had become pregnant, and subsequently miscarried from our indiscretion. While still on the ridge, he greeted me with a friendly â€œHiâ€�, and introduced himself as Maxell Snow. Obviously he did not remember me, and at the time I did not feel inclined to tell him *smile*.

I introduced myself to Maxell, and after the formalities, he told me how he been guiding this group of fairly new, and undisciplined people out on hunts to help them get experience and much needed work in organization as a group, I had happened upon them, just after they been a bit over whelmed by the fierceness of this particular herd of Fambass. I offered any assistance I could to help get his team back into shape, so they could continue their hunt. Max was very curious about me. He asked me endless questions about where I came from, how long I had been in system. How I had choose to be a Ranger and my rifle abilities. I guess a woman carrying a high-powered rifle was a bit unusual to him. Max invited me down to his camp, and to join him and his team on their hunt.

I followed Max, and cautiously descended the slope to the camp, taking in the scene of how many there were, how they were armed, and where they were situated around the camp. A person canâ€™t be to careful when stumbling across a camp in the wilderness, as there are plenty of bandits out here, and if youâ€™re a woman, it pays to be especially careful and leery. Their was a doctor in the group, and most of the team was being taken care of by him, so I busied myself helping with minor cuts and scrapes. Soon, it was reported to Max, that all were patched up and they were ready to resume the hunt.

All of us headed down the slope towards the herd of Fambaas, with most of the group taking the lead. I held back with Maxell, preferring a wait and see strategy, over just rushing in, as most of Maxâ€™s group seemed to like to do. Max it turns out was a very capable handler of wild beasts; he had tamed and trained some wild cats to assist him in hunts. Max sent his cats out with some of the group to help them take down the Fambaas, while I kept and eye on another group and placed some well-aimed shots, not to kill, but to allow the others an easier time trying to bring the beasts down. Max was busy coordinating his cats, when a large male Fambaa broke from the herd and started to charge in our direction. I know Max saw what was about to happen, and he tried in vain to recall one of his cats, but it was involved with assisting another hunter to come to our assistant. I watched the creature come. I could see out of the corner of my eye, Max tense, and start to draw his pistol. I think he was going to suggest we move, but I already had my rifle raised. I knew all I had to do was time my shots right and this monster would be history. I waited just a fraction longer, and squeezed off three rapid shots in succession. My shots were true; the beast took all three of them right between the eyes and fell with a thunderous boom right before us. Max just stood there with his mouth hanging open, a look of disbelief on his face.

To say Max was surprised would be an understatement. I donâ€™t think he had ever seen what the power of a good rifle in capable hands could do. Couple my expertise in rifles with being a woman made the look on his face all the more sweet. I turned to face him, gave him a simple matter of fact look, and smiled. The rest of the hunt went without a hitch. Everyone got much needed experience and learned a few things. I think Max most of all. *Smile*.

Max, it turned out was the Mayor of Edenâ€™s Grief on Naboo, and I had at the time just moved into this city, as this was where my guild had chosen to relocate from the Lake Retreat, also on Naboo. I kept running into Max in and around Eden, in Theed, or out in the woods, and as we got to know each other, we started going on hunts together.
I found I like being in Maxâ€™s company. The more time we spent with each other the more I liked being with him, and I think him with I. There was something about this man, something I could not place a finger on, just something that perked my interest in him. It could have been his sureness in the way he handled himself, the way the others in a group when hunting reacted to his instruction. It could have been his uninhibited curiosity. There were so many things about this man, but three things stood out about him over everything else. One was his disarming smile, a smile you instinctively trust, and two, the way he spoke, He had a warm, soothing voice, a voice I could listen too all night long, but also a voice that carried an underlying tone of authority. The third and last were his eyes. I had never in my life seen such curious, fire filled, enigmatic eyes such as this man had. They were the darkest blue, but shown ever so bright at the same time. When he looked at you, it was as if he were looking right into your soul. Honestly I found it hard to look into his eyes for this reason.

I found out one night just how interested Max was with me, when he invited me to dinner at a comfortable place he knew. I was a bit hesitant at first, for up to then I had been seeing an Imperial bounty hunter, named Otaski, but I hadnâ€™t heard from him in several weeks since he had been ordered out on a mission. (I was later to find out that Otaski had perished on this mission serving the Emperor). I accepted Maxâ€™s invitation, and then proceeded to panic! I donâ€™t think I owned anything to wear suitable for a date back then. I didnâ€™t think Max would have been to upset if I had shown up wearing my utilities, but I would not even think to do that!. I wanted to make a good impression on our first real date. Max said he would pick me up at my place the following night, so I didnâ€™t have much time. I called my friend Elizabeta, a Master Tailor, and asked her if she had a dress I could use for the occasion. She found me a beautiful gown in black with grey, that I first thought was way to formal for a girl like me, I mean I hadnâ€™t worn a dress since before I started hunting with my father, but she convinced me I looked perfect in it. Elizabeta found some heels in my size, and gave me one of her necklaces to go with the dress. I left her shop with my new dress, shoes, and accessories feeling like I was on cloud nine. I was excited, nervous, ecstatic, apprehensive, and scared all at the same time in anticipation of the following night.

The next day I was a wreck; I couldnâ€™t get anything done, and spent most of it running in circles. Finally it was time, Max would be arriving within the hour, so I got dressed, making sure everything was in place and went to the balcony of my house to wait for his arrival. It was a beautiful evening, the sun was low on the horizon, with a light breeze blowing in from the east. The first faint glimpse of stars could just be seen, when I sensed I was being watched. I turned and looked down from the balcony to see Max down below staring up at me with the same look on his face as that day I brought down the Fambaa the first time we met. I think Max was more self-conscience and embarrassed then I was at that moment. Max had never in the whole time we had seen each other in town or been together on hunts seen me in a dress, and I think he was honestly shocked at how I looked *smile*.

I met him Max at the door, and without a word between us, he took my hand and we started up the street. We didnâ€™t head to the shuttle like I thought we would, we instead headed towards city hall. Max led me around behind the building to a house, his house! As we got closer I was surprised to see two individuals standing just out side his front door, a musician and dancer. Max had hired these two to provide entertainment while we dined. I entered Maxâ€™s house and saw that he had set up a small table in a quiet corner of the main room, already set for two. I couldnâ€™t help but smile, Max knew just how to impress a woman.

As the entertainers were setting up I was given a short tour of his home. I was very impressed with how neat and ordered his house was; I really was fascinated with his hunting collection. The entertainment started, with the musician playing a very lovely song and the dancer swaying to his rhythm. Max seated me at the dining table, and from there, through the rest of the evening, we chatted about everything, I had endless questions, questions about his past, his childhood, about what it was like to be Mayor of Edenâ€™s Grief, on, and on I went. Max must have thought I was the chattiest woman he ever met. I just couldnâ€™t shut up. That evening was the most enchanted night of my life, one I will never forget. After that night Max and I would spend almost every waking moment with each other. We were both very happy with the way our lives were working out.

Lost

2005-02-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

Ever since the rescue of Max from Dantooine, I find myself aimlessly wondering around with no goal, no objective, no meaning. The torment and torture that Max had to endure at the hands of Colonel Cauli opened my eyes to what aligning myself with the Emperor and his minions really was about. It sickened me. It sickened me so much that, that I resigned my commission from the Imperial Army that very night. To know that I had been a part of the killing of innocents on behalf of the Empire as I had thought the Rebel Alliance had been since that fateful day on a transport I was on seemingly so long ago.

I thought that I could take my mind away from this confusion I felt. I thought by diving into hunting, like I did when I first arrived in this system, I could make things like they used to be. Out in the wild by myself, camping under the stars, tracking wild lairs, honing my rifle and trapping skills, would be just the ticket. This seemed to be working, but I found that it only seemed to be working. All that it really has done is allowed me to get into my own head, and relive moments in my past.

My thoughts wander about as much, if not more then my physical body, I think about Max, how we used to think our life together would never end. To all the fantastic times we had together hunting, or just sitting down in the open with nothing but each other to hold on to, and the stars to light our way. I think about how Max and I slowly grew apart, max frustrated with running a growing city as mayor and having to be away for extended periods, and I constantly away on contract hunts or tracking for different clients. I think of our son Avios, and what a beautiful gift he is, and how far he has come in his life, but also how I almost lost him, how I was told that I had miscarried him, while still in boot camp, when in fact the Empire had stolen him from me, and had used and abused him, robbing him of his youth and me almost of my son. I think of Scarlet, a small, but very fierce Zebrak woman, with a will and determination that knows no bounds, and how she is now the woman in Maxâ€™s life. I was introduced to her one night, when Max and her happened to find the same cantina I was in. Then later she called me to help in the rescue of Max. Since then she has become pregnant, of this all I know is that it is not by Max, and she has been having a difficult time with the first trimester, due to complications. I think how I fit into all of this. I know I was asked to midwife Scarlet when the day comes, but what after? My god what before?

I find myself wandering aimlessly around different cities, on different planets, with no thought as to why I am there, sometime with no real idea as to how I even got there. This is not a good place to be. I know I can never go back to the Imperials, not after what Iâ€™ve seen them do, what I have done. Right now Iâ€™m out of the conflict, and this may be what is getting to me. I have had thoughts of what it would be like to join and be on the other side, but I donâ€™t know if Iâ€™m willing to go that farâ€¦yetâ€¦butâ€¦ not yet.

Part 3: Imperials, Rebels, and Planet fall

2005-02-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

(I want to apologize for this being rather long. I felt I needed to get this last part out of the way so that I can move on with current events. EnjoyJ).

I do not know how long I wept by that door. All I could think was that my whole family, my life, gone in a single blinding flash. I was still in a state of shock, for I did not hear the person approach. The first I knew he was there was when he tapped on my shoulder. I slowly looked up into the face of one of the uniformed people I had seen earlier in the corridor during the battle. â€œmaâ€™am?â€� he asked, â€œAre you ok, hurt?â€� I had no idea; I was still in a state of shock. He helped me to my feet, and led me away from the door and towards the corridor. In a voice that carried genuine concern, he said, â€œwe need to get you off of this ship, itâ€™s not safe. It could nova at anytimeâ€�. I helplessly allowed myself to be led by this man through the damaged corridors of the ship. We eventually came to an undamaged airlock, and told to go in; what lay before me was a large ship with many seats, most filled with passengers and crewmembers from the transport, many in need of medical attention, from the battle that took place previously. The uniformed man that had brought me here said he had to go, that he was needed elsewhere, but stated as he left â€œsomeone would be along shortly to take you and other survivors across to an Imperial star destroyerâ€�.

â€œImperial star destroyer? survivors?â€� Could my family have survived after all? I anxiously searched the shuttle passenger area hoping that I would see my mother, father and brothers waving me on to join them, but they were not amongst the many passengers and crew that came here from the all but destroyed transport, and brought to this shuttle. I made my way back to the air lock and waited, hoping that my parents and brothers would come around the bend in the corridor, happy that they and I had not come to any harm. I waited until the shuttle was full, I made up my mind that I would go back into the ship and search every deck if need be to find my family, but just as I started to leave, I was stopped by another of the uniformed men, an Imperial crewmember. He told me â€œdonâ€™t even try to go back in there miss, itâ€™s not safe. You are going to have to take a seat, as we are sealing up right now, and heading to the shipâ€�.

I tried to explain to him about my family, that they were not on board the shuttle, and that they may still be on the transport, that I had to find them. He would not listen to my pleas, and turned a deaf ear. I tried to force my way past, but I was no match against him, and was dully escorted to a seat and strapped in non-too gently. I was struggling with the straps trying to get them undone, when with a hiss, the airlock door to the shuttle closed and we launched. My heart sickened, became like a dark cloud, enshrouding my soul, I knew at that moment I would never see my family again. I started to weep uncontrollably, again.

The trip over to the star destroyer was not very long, but it was long enough for me to hear a couple of the crewmembers from the transport talking about what happened.
â€œI told the first officer it wasnâ€™t a smart idea to bring those rebel supplies on board, I hadnâ€™t a doubt they would bring troubleâ€�. â€œShushâ€� said the second to the first, â€œyou want these Imp goons to over hear you?â€� â€œI really donâ€™t give a bantha butt if they do! All I know now is that we are in deep picket poo with the Imperial forces because of what our captain didâ€�. â€œWell, at least they (rebels) were able to remove most of their supplies, and get their supply ship away before the Imp navy boardedâ€�. "Yeah, well the Rebs did not have to blow their other ship next to ours, as they did. That is what tore that gaping hole in the passenger area, and left us strandedâ€�.

â€œOh My Godâ€�, I thought to my self, this was all about the Imperials and the rebels, and the conflict that was going on, because of them. I now knew the reason for what happened to the transport, and it was all because of the Rebels placing their supplies on a supposedly neutral transport. They not only placed themselves at risk, but all the innocent passengers as well. I thought back to when I was hiding in the cargo hold and the tall scruffy man came in. He was not a pirate as I thought, but a Rebel! Moreover, because of him and his cohorts, my parents were gone!

My thoughts were interrupted, when a violent explosion buffeted the shuttle, nearly all of the passengers and most of the transport crew started shouting and carrying on. I heard one of the previous crewmembers say, â€œthere she goes, didnâ€™t think she would last as long as she didâ€�. With that, I swore a silent vow, to do whatever possible to help stem the aggression of the Rebel forces, and keep them from doing more harm against innocents.

We docked with the Imperial star destroyer; all the passengers and I were taken aboard and then separated from the transport crew. Crew from the star destroyer led us through a maze of corridors and down many decks of the ship. We finally arrived at what looked like a hastily converted storage hold, filled with berthing bunks and small lockers. One of the imperial crewmembers told us to find a spot, and to make ourselves comfortable, that an Imperial transport would be meeting us shortly to take us to a planet, a planet called Tatooine.

I settled onto a bunk in a far corner of the room. I wanted to be alone, to suffer in my personal tragedy by my self. I had no clue what I was going to do; I was alone, with out family, on a strange ship, amongst strange people, going to a strange place. I lay on the bunk grieving for my loss, and started crying one more time. I must have fallen asleep, for I was woke by a fellow refugee, and told that the Imperial transport had arrived. I had nothing much of personal belongings on me, so I gathered what little I had and followed the rest of the passengers to the docking station. Onboard the transport I was taken to a dorm style room by a nice enough crewmember, where I settled into another bunk to wait out our trip to this new planet.

For the most part our passage was uneventful. On the last day of the trip when I was being shown how to operated the banking terminal, and other necessities of living on a new world and preparing to go planet side, a commotion broke out in one of the corridors. One of the crew from the destroyed transport, had some how freed himself, and had gotten a hold of a weapon. He had barricaded himself in one of the cargo holds. I only wanted to get my stuff and leave, but he was keeping everyone from getting down to the planet bound shuttle. I approached one of the Imperial crewmembers that was holding back all of us, and told him I wanted to leave. He told me it was not safe as long as that person was down there. I became irate at this man, thinking what a scrawny coward he is. I told him let me pass, Iâ€™ll take care of him, I could talk him out of what he was doing and we all could then leave and get on with our lives.

I looked at him, and I noticed he was visibly shaking. I rethought my assessment of him, knowing that he was not a coward, but was scared. He had just joined the Imperial Navy and had no combat training yet. Again, I offered my help, after a moment, he told me it was my life, and offered me a pistol, just in case. I slowly headed up the corridor, listening for trouble. I rounded a bend, and then saw what I was going to face. A haggled man, standing in the center of the room holding a pistol, yelling at the top of his lungs, â€œYouâ€™ll never take me alive; Iâ€™ll kill anyone that comes to close. I have a pistol and some grenades. I swear Iâ€™ll use them if you donâ€™t give me what I wantâ€�. I startled him when I spoke, and when he turned he immediately started shooting in my direction. I dived for cover, thinking that this was not good. I returned fire, aiming for his legs to bring him down so that others may take him and help him. He was quick, and all I could manage was to graze him. He reached into his coat and pulled out a grenade. He was about to throw it when the darn thing went off prematurely, killing him instantaneously. All I could do was shake my head, sadly thinking what a waste, and left him where he lie. I found an exit on the other side of the hold and let myself into the next area. I was greeted as some sort of hero, by members of the transport crew, and offered a reward. They told me that because I was told because of my heroics I would be able to get a job as soon as I landed planet side, and that they would also put me in touch with an Imperial recruiter for demonstrating my abilities and coolness under pressure. â€œwowâ€� I thought, a job and the chance to serve in the galactic conflict, just what I needed right then and there to take my mind off of the loss of my family.

I was shown to an office where there was a very strange looking sentient, asked what I would like to do. Heâ€¦I think he was a heâ€¦ offered many different occupations to choose from, ranging from entertainment to the medical profession. What I choose is what had already been taught to me by my father and brothers, I choose to enter the scouting profession, with the hope of finally obtaining my life goal to be a Ranger. I boarded a shuttle that was to take me down to the planet Tatooine, and land us in a city called Mos Eisly. Here I was told I would find everything I would need to get by with, and earn a living, supporting the economy, and serving the Empire if I so choose.

The ride down to the planet in the shuttle was a bit bumpy, but not all that uncomfortable I checked what I had on me in preparations for landing in Mos Eisly, and discovered I really didnâ€™t have all that much. I had a pistol (given to me by the scared imperial), 1 melon, 2 sets of traps that I made, 1 small camp, 250 credits (given to me to start my new life with) and the clothes on my back. That was it, not much, but I knew I could live off the land of this new place once I got there. The shuttled landed with a small bounce and the door immediately opened. A crewmember started barking orders to everyone, to get out now, they did not have time to baby sit a bunch of refugees when they had a war to fight. As I exited the shuttle, the first thing to hit me was how hot it was here. This was nothing like the lush mountainous cool Aleen I had grown up on, this place was unbelievably dry, and dusty.

I made my way into and out of the star port. I saw a wide variety of different sentient beings going about their business. Once outside, in the actual city people of all species hawking wares and goods of all makes and functions bombarded me. I gathered myself together and took one more look at what I owned and headed off towards the outskirts of town. I looked up to the sky and saw twin suns slowly heading towards the horizon. I thought of my mom, dad, brothers and of all the wonderful delightful experiences, they gave me. I said a silent prayer for them, and for me, cinched up my pack, and headed towards the same horizon as the suns were aiming for.

(Dear reader, at this point I will be writing more on Ebeâ€™s Present. I will still write about her past, but it will come when I have the time to write about it. I hope you have enjoyed Ebeâ€™s story so farJ.)

Part Two: Passage, and Tragedy

2005-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the Spaceport to be greeted by a very old and decrepit freighter that my father told us, was our ride to our new home. Something my father was very elusive to telling us. We boarded and were shown our berthing compartments. While my mother and father busied themselves with getting settled in, I took the time to do a little exploring of our home for the next few weeks.
This ship was huge, at least as far as I was concerned. There were endless corridors that lead up, down, and every direction of the compass. I must have wandered to close to the crew and piloting station, as a very gruff uniformed man told me I was in an unauthorized section of the ship and I needed to leave and get back to the passenger area immediately. It was while I was heading back that I got a bit confused and ended up in one of the cargo holds. In this particular hold, were many crates of undeterminable contents, but many bore a small, almost unnoticeable emblem shaped like a crescent, with what looked like a lighted torch in its center. At the time I didnâ€™t think to much about these curious crates, but would find out soon enough the implications and consequences they would have on my life.

One night, our family was invited to sit with the captain at his table for dinner. All during the course of the meal, my father went on and on. He talked about my mother being the finest crafter of fine goods on Aleen, and how he and my brothers were the best hunters this side of the mid rim, My father also made it a point to tell him how I was learning the trade and becoming quite the hunter and tracker in my own rite. The captain was a very gracious host, and after hearing my fathers worry about not keeping up our skills, allowed us a corner of one of the cargo holds to practice in. This was where I was to be found. I loved the solitude of the hold when we were not all down there practicing. I could create my traps and camps in peace.

I was comfortably sitting down in the cargo hold passing the time, crafting, when over the public ship comm., I heard the captain announce â€œAll Hands!, All Hands!! This is the Captain, Report to assigned duty stations, prepare for possible boardersâ€�, â€œAll passengers are to report to their birthing compartment immediately!â€�
I started to get up and go, when the cargo hold door slammed shut and sealed. I ran to the door and started banging on it, I looked for a way to get the blasted door open, but it had sealed tight and there were no interior access controls. Blast!!, I was trapped!.
A loud noise, like an explosion, shook the ship, knocking me to my knees, followed by a scraping sound that echoed through the hold. I could hear muffled sounds, voices emanating through the closed door. I was about to shout for someone to help me, when the door let out a hissing sound, and slowly started to open. I cautiously backed away and crouched down next to some empty containers. Waiting to see what happened next.

As the door opened fully, I pressed tighter into the space I was hiding. I felt for my pistol that I carried in a concealment pouch, butâ€¦damnâ€¦I had left it in the room of our compartment, thinking I would only be down here crafting. I ventured a peek around the corner of the container, and watched as a tall man in scruffy looking clothing, and carrying a light laser rifle strode into the hold. A pirate was my first though. My father had said that they were plying the trade routes more then usual, taking advantage of some conflict that had erupted. As he turned to survey the hold, I noticed on his shirt, the same curious emblem that I had first seen on the containers down in another hold of the ship. I was pondering what this meant, when his comm chirped. He answered it â€œZass hereâ€�. I heard a voice say â€œZass? Better come up here quick, we have more trouble on the wayâ€� with that, he took one last look around the hold, and ran up the corridor.

I made my way from my hiding spot and started up the corridor in the direction the tall man had headed. I was not following him, I was anxious to get to my family in out compartment. Another explosion rocked the ship, and I feared that it was going to come apart. I rounded a corner of the corridor at a dead run, and ran right in to the middle of a firefight. Blaster fire was coming from every direction. I dived instinctively, and slid on my belly right up to a utility closet. Hurriedly I worked the door and slipped in, I hoped unnoticed by the people shooting at each other in the corridor. The noise was deafening. I wanted to scream at the top of my voice, that it was so loud.

As suddenly as I happened upon the fray, it stopped, no noise what so ever. It was deathly quiet. I climbed from the closet, and was immediately surrounded by mayhem, there were bodies everywhere. Crew, pirates, and other uniformed men and women I had not seen before. I needed to get to my families compartment, if this corridor was any indication of how the rest of the ship lookedâ€¦

I had made it to the passenger quarter of the ship. It was as I feared, hardly recognizable from all the fighting that had taken place here. I turned towards where the corridor leading to my family should have been, but a low-pressure door that had closed blocked it. This could only mean one thing. They only close when the pressure drops below half-normal atmosphere. There was a viewing port within the door; I had a bad feeling about what I was going to see. I looked through the port. I staggered back away from what my eyes had just beheld. I was shocked!. What I saw was far worse then I would have imagined. I now knew why the pressure door had closed. The whole section beyond it was completely gone.

Part One: From the Beginning, who I am.

2005-01-19T16:12:00.000-08:00

Before departing Theed, Naboo, I was given this journal by a dear friend, who told me that this is to write my thoughts and experiences in while I journey around the galaxy in search of what ever rangers are in search of. I guess he felt I had a story to tell, and that I should record the events of my life so others may come to understand what it was like to live during the time of the galactic civil war, and as a Ranger. I was very thankful that he gave me a bound writing tablet and pencils instead of the usual data pad. I must have mentioned to him somewhere in the past that all the data pads Iâ€™ve owned over the course of my life soon become inoperable due to the extreme environments I find myself in, and the fact that Iâ€™m just not all that careful with the dang things. I still have and use a one, just not for anything I want to keep on a permanent basis.

After a long couple of days and nights hunting on Naboo that encompassed trekking from Kintan, south, down to the Gungan Scared temple, then east to New Aldera in search for wild lairs of Gualamas, Peko Pekos, and Kaadues, I find myself with some time on my hands. So while I sit here enjoying the moonlight and fire in a small one-person camp I might as well write.

Ok, so where do I start?. I guess I should begin with some background as to who I am, and from where I came. My name is Ebe Lightcloud, and I am a Master Ranger. I also hold a masters certificate in rifle proficiency and am human, a human female. I was born the third child to Ida and Ernest Lightcloud on the planet Aleen. This is the sister planet to Azartare, located within the inner rim of the galaxy just off the Hydian trade route. I had two older brothers, Kyle, and Zack, that were both my mentors, and at other times, two I just wanted to turn my rifle on and be done with them.

My mother was a very gifted artisan, my father a very skilled hunter. I was taught by my mother the art of crafting, fashioning commodities our towns citizens needed from the resources my father and brothers would bring home from extended hunting trips into the wilds of Aleen. I was to follow in the traditions of my mother and would have done so, but my heart was not in crafting. I wanted to explore and see the world, like my father and brothers did while hunting. I constantly hounded my father to learn how to hunt, and after many months, he finally relented, and started me on the path to scouting.

I believe this was the happiest time of my life. I finally got the chance to get out of our house, and go with my father to learn everything a person needed to know about living off the land. I learned from him, not only to hunt, but to survive in the wild frontier. My father and brothers taught me how to make simple traps, construct shelters, rudimentary tracking, and basic medicine crafting. My brothers taught me in the use and care of firearms. I leaned from them pistol and carbine skills, while my father taught me rifles. I remember my father telling me, â€œEbe, youâ€™re a natural with the rifle, if you keep practicing with it youâ€™ll do just fine, *smile, as a matter of fact, I donâ€™t remember ever seeing anyone take to a rifle the way that you haveâ€�. Just this one statement by my father was to guild me in the years to come.

Times changed, with the galaxy embroiled in a civil war, my family was having a harder and harder time selling the goods my mother made, my father and I were having a even harder time finding quality game for us to hunt and craft with. My father decided it was time to make a move, move away from the inner rim and hopefully find better hunting, less competition, and the possibility of finding things more profitable around the mid rim. While my mother and father were making preparations to travel, I spent all my free time out in the wilderness, more often the not, by myself, honing the skills my father and brothers had taught me. I worked very hard perfecting my trapping, tracking, and camp building skills. Finally the day came we were to leave for the spaceport, and board the transport to the mid rim. I said good-by to my friends, and took one last jaunt into the wilds to place within my mind all that was soon to be left behind. Aleen.