Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy A Fan Novelization

Chapter Eleven - Two Months Later

"Are you the Jedi?" The graying older man asked.

"Yes," Jaden said, not correcting the man's assumption of her rank in favor of the urgency of her mission. "Tell me everything you know about the Disciples of Ragnos. Please make it quick, though, I ran into some trouble back there and it might be following me." She glanced over her shoulder to ensure that no one was following her.

"We should go inside, it'll be safer," the merchant said, gesturing to the door of the nearby structure, one of the many ancient sandstone ruins that littered the planet, a testament to grander days and now just shelters for those who claimed them. Jaden eagerly followed, ready to not be out in the open. Suddenly, the familiar blast of a disruptor rifle flashed out of seemingly nowhere, going right through the merchant's chest. Startled, Jaden quickly caught him before he hit the ground, she could sense the life draining from him and realized he had only seconds to live, seconds he tried to make worthwhile.

"Cult... Must... be st-" He sighed, his eyes closed. Hating to leave him there but needing to survive herself, Jaden rested him on the ground. She jumped up to run inside, glancing back briefly at her beat up swoop bike she'd rented just an hour before. So many credits the Academy had lent her, gone.

"Sithspit!" She cursed as soon as she was inside. "I have to get out of here!" She guessed that that sniper blast came from somewhere far back from where she'd come, so that meant that those mercs were still on her tail, but a long way off and had resorted to dirtier tactics. She found a back door to the house and to her good fortune, there were two swoop bikes parked out back, one green and one purple. She disliked stealing, but seeing as how their owner had just been murdered, they would have to help her make her escape. She checked the fuel levels on both, they were full. She chose the purple one as it was somewhat close to the one she'd ridden before and cut the fuel line on the green one, she could never be too careful with these mercs.

Maybe I can haggle with this one and trade it in. If it stays in one piece.

"The Force is with me and I am one with the Force," she whispered to herself as she revved the bike's engine and off she went.

"Kalil, abort mission! Get me outta here!" She shouted into her coms as she raced away from the dwelling.

"Copy that, Jaden, what happened?"

"Mercs on my tail, too close, they sniped my contact before I got any info!" She weaved her way through narrow passages through the canyoned countryside, behind hills and down valleys, through more canyons and deep gorges. Kalil had been sent with Jaden as back up to guide her remotely through the absolute labyrinth that was the wild countryside of Zonju V. Their mission had been simple. Meet with a spaceport worker on the planet that had information pertaining to the cult's connection with the Imperial Remnant. She was to meet him at the abandoned outpost three clicks outside of Zoronhed. Their plan had failed.

*

Kalil Streen sat inside a cafe in the capital city of Zoronhed, tucked into a hidden corner as she stared intently at her datapad, locating Jaden and finding the best path to lead her back safe and sound.

"Okay Jaden," she spoke into her headset as she took the last sip of her warm caf, looking longing at the dredges. It was the best caf she'd ever tasted, she'd have to thank Jaden later for getting her hooked on the stuff. "There's a big jump coming up, I'm not sure how big exactly, but you're gonna need to use the turbo boost on your swoop bike, and maybe a little Force to help it along, I'm not sure."

"Okay, thanks for the heads up."

"No problem, I'll have a to-go cup of some delicious caf waiting for you when you get here."