A Change of Pace (ARCHIVE)

Chapter One: Tatooine

The crimson lightsaber burned in front of his blue eyes. The older master never thought he'd go out like this. He stared into the eyes of an inquisitor, blazing an angry red and gold. His bag contained his Jedi robes, double sided lightsaber poking out from under his poncho.

Kekrou closed his eyes, awaiting oblivion. He dug his nails into his palms. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. All of that work, all of that suffering, and he was going out to the sound of a rogue inquisitors burning blade. He opened his eyes, as the inquisitor slashed across his throat in a swift and level sai cha.

His last thought,
' 'There is no death, there is the Force.' '

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Anakin had been walking home when he stumbled across a twi'lek woman passed out in the sand. She had horns, and a bag clutched at her side. An angry welt of a wound fell around her throat. He kneeled down and shook her, resorting to just dragging her to his house.

"Mom! I'm home!"

His mom walked out from around the corner, pausing in her tracks as she watched her six year old son attempt to drag an unconscious twi'lek into the house. Shmi helped him in picking her up, setting her down on her back and her bag off to the side.

"Is she dead?" Anakin asked, in the innocent way only a six year old could. Shmi shook her head, "No Anakin, I think she's just unconscious. Where did you find her?"

"On the way home. She was kinda hidden though."

The Twi'lek's eyes opened, revealing them to be a gorgeous shade of blue. She sat up, wincing a little, "Huh...could have sworn that would've done it." She froze, feeling around her throat, wincing at the feeling of the irritated skin. The scar also wrapped around her lekku.

"Are you alright miss?" Anakin asked, as his mother went to go grab bacta. "I...think so? And I'm a mister, not a miss."

"Oh. Sorry, mister."

Anakin's eyes fell on the strange object suspended in transparisteel, on a necklace around her— his neck. "What's that?" The twi'lek looked down at it then got this far away look in his eyes. "Oh, that. It's a keepsake from a dear friend. I lost him several years ago. I miss him greatly."

"That's sad." Anakin concluded, to which the Twi'lek laughed. "I suppose it is. But I know he wouldn't want me to be sad about it. Kickback was an odd man."

This time, the six year old laughed, "That's a funny name."

"Yes I suppose it is. On the subject of names, I'm Kekrou."

"Anakin." They shook hands, both wearing small grins. Shmi came back around the corner, holding a cloth and a small canister of bacta. "Would you mind holding still? This will only take a minute, miss...?"

"Mister. And my name is Kekrou Naru."

"Ah, apologies sir. My name is Shmi Skywalker." She gently took hold of one of Kekrou's lekku, lightly spreading bacta onto the angry red injury. "Goodness, this looks horrible. Whatever did you do to it?"

Kekrou opened his mouth to answer, then paused. Slowly, he spoke, "Would you mind if Anakin left for this? It's a bit of a terrible tale." Shmi nodded, making a small motion. Anakin exited the room. Kekrou took a deep breath, "It's a lightsaber wound. Someone tried to kill me."