The Galactic Queen Book 1: The Revolution

Chapter Two: Stowing Away/Meet Clementine

Three days had passed and Katooni was still roaming the cosmopolitan planet of Coruscant.

By now, she had discarded her lightsaber and cut all ties with the Jedi Order. She still had her Jedi clothes, but she didn't think she'd want to get rid of that aspect of her life, so she kept them.

But she needed a place to stay. She had tried multiple places, but they said they wouldn't house a runaway youngling.

Just when she was about to give up hope, she saw a white Corellian freighter parked by a hyperfuel department store.

Katooni considered her options. She could either steal the starship, which would be wrong, and against the principles she'd been taught, or she could just move on.

No doubt the Jedi Council was searching for her now. She had to hide. And that starship freighter was the only convenient spot.

Putting aside her doubts, Katooni walked over to the ramp and climbed up and was faced with the interior of the ship.

"Oh my," Katooni mused, "This ship really needs repair..."

She saw a holochess table and saw it still on. She wasn't much of a fan of holochess. Too hard.

Where's the cockpit? She wondered.

Just then, she heard footsteps and quickly hid under a counter. A tall human girl in a leather jacket and brown pants came into the ship, carrying loads of hyperfuel.

"Alright," said the girl, "That's enough hyperfuel to last me about six lightspeed jumps. You're doing well, Falcon ol' girl. I'll get you to a repair shop soon."

Just then, the girl turned in the direction of the counter, "Why do I feel like I'm being watched? Who's there? I order you to come out!"

Katooni trembled slightly. Her breaths became more and more frantic, something the strange girl noticed.

The girl checked under the counter and her face became a scowl, "Stowaway. Oh, God, not again..."

"I'm sorry," Katooni apologized.

"Get off my ship!" ordered the girl, "Get out of there!"

Katooni climbed out of the counter, "I'm sorry! I had to hide..."

"From what?" the girl asked, "Is it so urgent that you had to stow away on the Falcon, thinking you could hitch a ride?"

Katooni felt ashamed now, "I'll go...I just needed to hide from the Jedi Council. They've probably given up the search by now."

What was she thinking? She headed towards the ramp when the strange girl stopped her, "Wait. The Jedi Council?"

Katooni stopped and explained her story.

The girl nodded in understanding, her expression softening, "I see. So, you left the Jedi Order because they exiled someone very close to you?"

Katooni nodded back, "They offered her to come back, but she refused, because they didn't trust her to begin with. I was so saddened by what happened. I cried for days. I decided to leave because it was too much for me. To know how corrupted the Order had become."

The girl seemed to understand, "It's hard. To lose someone you care about...I understand perfectly. My father...he died from an assassination. It's all my fault. If it wasn't for me, he'd still be alive...Even though your friend didn't die, hearing about her departure must've really hurt you..."

Katooni felt tears come to her eyes. She felt the strange girl put an arm around her shoulder, releasing it after, "I get it. I do."

Katooni looked up at her, "Are you from this galaxy?"