"Brave New World, Part 6"
By Nyja Asketi (PC)
Melina Asketi (SC)
Grand Vizier Essten (NPC)
Jul Del Frek (NPC)
Secretary of the People, Jynsen (NPC)
Other minor NPCs
Location: Quilove Grand Palace and Hall of Laws
Date: TBA
A guard moved toward Grand Vizier Essten and whispered in his ear. “Sir,” the guard said quietly. “An alarm has been activated in the Palace. The other girl that was captured has escaped.”
Essten showed no emotion and did not move his head. He whispered back to the guard. “Find her and kill her. We don’t need her any longer.”
Essten looked down at Jul and Melina standing in front of the dais. The judges were contemplating what Jul had said and were taking it into consideration.
“Jul Del Frek,” Jynsen said. “It is the opinion of this court that you are a criminal, a terrorist and a threat to all of Quilove. We therefore sentence you to imprisonment for the rest of your natural life.”
Jul did not make a move. He face stoic, he didn’t even flinch at the words. Melina’s face, however, showed all the emotion that Jul was not willing to show. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Don’t cry, child,” Jul offered as he leaned down. “My life is not worth the tears. What matters is that you know the truth. The truth about who and what you are and where you came from. That was all I was trying to do.”
“Jul Del Frek,” Jynsen started again. “You will be taken from here and placed in a maximum security prison for the rest of your days.”
“What of the girl?” Essten yelled, causing Jul and Melina to look in his direction.
**
Nyja was sitting close to the ground and the wall. She was barely breathing. The guards were getting closer. There was no where to run. The guards were almost on top of her. A beep sounded from the leader’s comlink. The other two looked toward him.
“Very well,” the lead guard said. “We’ll deal with her.”
Nyja knew that the “her” that was mentioned was herself. She knew she had to do something. She gripped her lightsaber tight in her left hand and waited. She slowly stood and prepared herself for the worst.
The two guards noticed the movement and turned quickly to look.
**
Jynsen turned to the Grand Vizier. “What is it to you, Grand Vizier?”
“You question me, Prime Judge?”
“I only question your motive, sir. After all, it is my job.”
“Blast your job. She needs to be sentenced too.”
The judges huddled briefly and Jynsen moved forward again. “I am sorry, sir. But the council has decided that she is not a criminal as you have said. Therefore, we cannot reprimand her.”
“Outrage!” Essten yelled, rising to his feet. “She is a known smuggler. I am sure that she had weapons on her ship.”
“Be that as it may, Grand Vizier,” Jynsen said. “You know the law. If the judges do not see enough evidence for conviction, then the prisoner is set free.”
Mumbling began to encircle the Hall of Laws. Essten looked down at Jul and Melina in the center, then turned to one of his guards. “Has the other one been found?”
“No, sir. They are still looking.”
“Fine. Change the orders. Find the other one and bring her to me. Bring Melina to me when you find the other one. I will let them go, but that won’t be the end. I will take care of them.”
“Yes, sir.”
**
The guards looked at Nyja and raised their weapons. At the same time, Nyja ignited her lightsaber. As she prepared to lunge at the two guards, the lead guard yelled.
“Stop!” he yelled. “We have orders to take you to the Grand Vizier. Your friend is there. You are to be set free.”
Nyja kept the blade focused on the three guards. “How do I know that you speak the truth?”
The guard thought for a moment. “I have no way to prove to you that your friend will be there, but if you would like, I can tell my men to leave their weapons in this room and escort you to the Grand Vizier’s throne room.”
The three guards placed their weapons on the ground. At the sight of this, Nyja disengaged her weapon and clipped it to her belt.
“This way,” the lead guard said and motioned out the door.
“You first. All three of you. I give you my word that I won’t run.”
“Fine,” the guard said and motioned the others to the door, following close behind. He turned his head around and noticed that Nyja was following as she had promised.
**
Jul was standing in an anteroom with Melina next to him. Her shackles were off now and she was embracing him. “I don’t know what to do,” she sobbed.
“You must go,” he said, attempting to comfort her with his wrists in chains. “Be cautious of Essten. He was not happy that you were freed. Leave the planet, quick.”
“No! I don’t want to leave you.”
“You don’t know me, Melina. What they said . . . a lot of it was true. But it was to get people to notice that Essten was more evil than they possibly imagined. And it seems I have succeeded in a small way. Enough for him to lose his temper in front of his constituents.”
“But . . .”
“No more words, child. You are Melina Gan. That is your real name. Honor your father and mother. When you can, that is.” Jul noticed the guards coming into the anteroom. “It’s time for me to go. Good luck, Melina. And good bye.”
Melina fell to the ground sobbing. The Grand Vizier stepped into the anteroom. “Melina,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Get away from me!” she yelled, pulling away from him and standing.
“Your friend is waiting in my throne room.”
“What?”
“Your friend. The one you were with when you were taken. I have released her just the same as you have been released.” He moved toward her again, but she moved back. “Please, come with me. You will be reunited.”
~Be cautious of Essten~ her mind reminded. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“Because I can tell you that she is just a few years older than you. That she is named Nyja Asketi. And that she carries a weapon normally carried by a Jedi, though I do not believe she is one.”
Melina thought of the words that he spoke. She knew that he could have just gotten the information from somewhere and was using it to get her to trust him. However, if it was a chance to see Nyja again, she had to take it. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
Melina started to follow Essten out of the anteroom and to a small speeder. She got into the vehicle and it began to rise off the ground. Melina kept her gaze on Essten with hopes of discerning what he was planning inside that head of his. But she could not.
**
Nyja was standing in the throne room when Essten and Melina walked into the room. Nyja couldn’t control herself. She ran immediately and hugged her. Melina hugged in turn and they embraced for a moment.
Essten watched on and then interrupted. “Excuse me,” he said with a cough. “We have brought your ship to our starport. You are expected to leave at once.”
Melina looked at Essten. “We can leave?”
“Yes,” Essten said. “By law, I cannot condemn you, even if I wanted to.”
“Let’s not overstay our welcome,” Nyja started, looking at her sister. “I think we’re pretty close to doing that already.”
“Alright,” Melina said. “Let’s get out of here.”
**
Essten was standing in a dark room. There was a small light that cast a shadow against the wall. A man was sitting in the room.
“What’s the job?”
“Both girls. I want them out of the picture entirely.”
“They won’t be cheap. They’ll keep traveling. I’ll be chasing them across the galaxy. I’ll need a lot of money.”
“Don’t worry. House Yina will compensate you for your expenses.”
“Very well,” the man said. “Please see to it that the first million credits have been deposited. When I have confirmation, I will begin the search.”
“A million credits?!” the Grand Vizier shouted. “For that kind of money I could send the army after them.”
“Yes, but if you sent the army, you would have to explain the action. With me, there is no explanation. Just assumptions. And that’s all there needs to be.”
“Alright. I will head back to the palace and authorize the credits. You will see the confirmation within a few hours.”
“Thank you, Grand Vizier,” the man said as he stepped out of the light and exited the room. Before he shut the door, the man turned back to the Grand Vizier and smiled. “By the way . . . Jul is dead. Just as you requested. I’ll give you that one for free, since I would have wanted him dead anyway.”
**
Nyja and Melina were now in the upper atmosphere of Quilove with coordinates set for Dantooine. Melina hadn’t spoken since they arrived at the ship and Nyja was not going to press her into talking. Nyja noticed that Melina kept wiping away tears before they became constant on her face.
“Mel,” Nyja said. “I’m alright up here. Why not get some rest?”
The girl stood slowly and turned to look at her sister. She put her arms around her and gave a gentle hug. “Thanks,” she said and left the cockpit.
Once out of the orbit of Quilove and at the jump coordinates, Nyja engaged the hyperdrive and the ship disappeared into the stars.
