An Old Friend

15 BBY: Imperial Outpost, Kijimi

THE AFTERNOON HAD TURNED EVENING.

Kai was running out of time. The time that was crucial to find their client and escape this town in one piece. He would ask around if anyone knew Hugo Bomei or at least a scrawny, pale Arthurian. He stopped two streets over at a small quiet cantina where most people stayed to at least have the little fun they could.

He went in and as he walked to a spot in the far corner; he observed a man he saw in the transmission before. Avoiding his fist spot, he quickly sat next to the man and asked.

"Hey, um- do you know of a Hugo?"

"Yes, I am him!" Hugo answered as he put down his drink. "What can I help you with?"

"I've received a transmission from a source that told me this town needs supplies," he spoke under his breath while he leaned in close to the man.

"Gambit?"

"Yes!" he answered, "I've brought cargo, and not that easy so if I can put it somewhere safe then I can be on my way!"

"Follow me," Hugo chugged the last of his drink and lept outside to his speeder. Kai would then leave to the alley and emerge out with the cargo.

"Why aren't people out?" Kai said as they drove on, "it's so quiet!"

"We have curfews in the town," Hugo answered. They drove down the street and came to a small storage compartment.

Tarkintowns weren't usually this quiet, Kai had been to lots of them, but this one seemed too quiet. He never took the topic too far because he could never tell the toll the empire had on the citizens of the town.

"This here is where the Empire can never find it," Hugo said. He then headed to the back and unclip the cargo where Kai helped him escort it inside.

As they headed inside, a squad of stormtroopers rose their blasters towards the fugitive. They identified the man and before anything could move further the captain barked, "fire!"

Without haste, Kai ignited his sabre, which emitted a strong blue blade. As the blast flew towards him he performed figure four twirls that ricocheted them back towards the troopers. He would back up to keep his ground while Hugo unveiled his blaster, ready to kill the Jedi. After finishing the stormtroopers off, he dodged the blast behind him and walked towards the man in a threatening form.

"Traitors are becoming a reality now, huh?" he chuckled under his breath. "Scram!"

The man ran out the door in fear while Kai observed the cargo and used his lightsabre cutting it open. He slid the lid over and in a thunderstruck moment found the box empty. In a painful grunt, he pulled out his transponder and called in the base.

"It's a trap! They played us," he sighed as he retracted his sabre, clipping it onto his belt. "We'll need assistance, who knows where Kema is!"

Shutting off the transponder he ran outside into the cold and scoured the city in secret to find Kema.

-

Kema awoke in a speedy jolt and attempted to jostle around in her restraints. She sat with her restraints clipped to the table in the middle of the room. Surveying the room, she gazed around to see it dark and empty with only a light on top of her and the edges of the ceiling dim with lights. Suddenly she heard a hiss behind her.

"Where am I?" she barked.

"I like to call this, my palace!" the Inquisitor said as she treaded into the room while observing her tablet. "Corde Asani," she began.

"What?" she growled.

"I'm thinking you're not really Corde," she put down the tablet and slid it over to Kema. "Isn't this where you hid?"

Kema gazed over the tablet which showed her Vinnie's garage torn apart and in shambles. The inquisitor swiped the tablet and revealed a second picture where Kema saw–her old friend who passed away.

"Enough of this, what do you want?" Kema closed her eyes in a painful but quiet wail.

"I want to know who–" she cleared her throat, "who Bothka is,"

"You're going to have to speak up, lady," she barked.

"Where's Pantoine?" The Inquisitor yelled and pounded the table, demanding an answer.

"I can't tell you that,"

The Inquisitor paused before her anger could do more damage. She took a deep breath and took her mask off, revealing a familiar face.

"Zena?" Kema gasped in shock. She finally found her long-lost friend. All the moments they had in the past flashed through her brain and made her remember.

"I'm not whoever you think I am!" she warned. "Tell me what I need to know,"

"You are!" she pleaded, "remember who you are, who you were!"

"Stop that," she grunted even more.

"Don't you remember me? Not even Xido, Kai or Bothka?"

"Both–" Zena paused. "Why did you say that name?" she leaned into the table and stared down at Kema.

"You know him," Kema sat thunderstruck but kept her eyes on Zena. Zena ignited her lightsabre, which revealed a red blade.

"You will tell me where Pantoine is!" she pointed the sabre straight towards Kema.

Before Kema could utter anything else, a blast had gone off outside. Moments after, the room shook, and the lights flickered frantically. The two gazed towards each other before Zena retracted her sabre and walked towards the door. Before she could open it, Kai blasted through the door in a grand entrance.

"Beware troopers! Kai the great comes to kill," he walked in with a heavy cannon and dropped it to run towards the restrained Kema.

Xido and Bothka walked in with their blasters ready to go as they surveyed the room. Zena then awoke from a ringing ear and eyes that could finally see, and in front of her was Bothka.

"You," she snarled and ignited her sabre once more.

Zena swung her lightsabre, attempting to cut down Bothka. Bothka stepped backwards in a jolt and dodged one-by-one. Before she swung once more, his hand caught her hands and froze her in place. His tall stature began lifting her to keep her feet loose.

"Who did this to you?" he paused with grief.

"You left me! You wandered off like a little boy," Zena growled, cramped with sadness.

"We tried looking for you," Kema joined as her restraints came off and Kai handed over her lightsabre. "You have to remember–"

The building shook once more, then Zena's comms blared again. A trooper called in and revealed a code that Zena instantly understood. "Purge," it said.

"Confirmed!" she spoke, "Move out,"

"But captain?"

"That's an order," she barked.

"Wait, you have to leave," Kema yelled as the door exploded and troopers outside crammed into the room. Everyone in the room fell to the floor while Kema thrust both arms forward as the troopers flew back out to the hallway. "Leave!"

"No Kema, we don't leave people behind!" Xido said as she began blasting the awakened stormtroopers. "Come to your senses!"

"I said leave," she growled. "Or we all die here, I will be on my way!"

Kai led the way with an inaudible sigh under his breath and ignited his sabre. Xido followed him but kept her eyes on Kema before she went out the door. Bothka hesitated, his gaze on Zena.

"Master, you have to leave! I got this," she uttered.

"I can't leave her again!" he fell to his knees.

"Then you will die," Zena swung again, but Kema blocked the sabre as she force pushed him out the door where Kema would attend to him.

"You can't do this, you have to remember!" Kema swatted her sabre over and attempted to find her.

"I only remember when you all left me," she tore as her sabre slowly rose.

"I'll never leave, I'll be right here!" she reminded her!

A moment of the past flashed back into her brain once again. The moment of her meeting Kema, showing Kema the way and even their fun times together in Yossut.

"You will not control me,"

"I'm trying to bring you back!" Kema pleaded, "We all miss you. I–miss you!"

"Then you're in my way," she grunted, then dashed towards her with all fury!