Adventurers never die young

Prologue

   
    "Mommy!" A young girl, hair in a messy braid of dark chocolate hair with a blue dress, ran into the crew quarters, carrying a sealed jar that contained a small green insect. "Look! It changed! Mommy it's changed!" She hurriedly pushed the jar into her mother's vision, watching as her mother smiled at the once yellow cocoon that was now a full blown green winged insect.
"That's wonderful Mel!" Jade Logoth told her little seven year old. Jade had earlier been preparing their meal, but hearing her daughter's yell of delight had ceased her actions, taking fond amusement in how her daughter loved anything and everything if it was new and different.
"Come," She took the jar and placed it on a shelf, along with other data pads they still had to file and assemble. Jade dreaded that thought, sighing she picked up her little ball of sunshine and placed her in the chair at the table, "Wait here while I go get your father." Walking through the cockpit and down the short hall and to the controls.
"Ah! There's my sugar," Ban Logoth, a tall man with a broad build, shaggy hair, and a strong jaw with a lopsided grin sat in his chair, smiling up at his wife. "Just the woman I wanted to see." His charm, a big part of how he had charmed Jade into dinner, but it wasn't what made her stick around. "Dinner is ready, no?"
"I still don't understand why I bother telling you," Jade smiled with a playful roll of her eyes, "You already know." Ban jumped from his spot and smiled down at his short wife, following her to the table in the crew quarters, taking a seat across from Jade and beside Mel. "Mel, why don't you show your father what happened today." Jade smiled at their child, watching as she hurriedly got up and bounded to the shelf and picked up the jar.
"Daddy! The insect is out!" She placed the jar back on the table as she crawled back into her seat, smiling at her father as he looked at the jar.
"It sure did," He sent her a wink and a cheesy smile, "Ready to take it back home?"
"Yes," She reached to take a drink of water before she started eating. She was quiet, having a slight smile and a 'mature' attitude all of a sudden. Her parents shared a smile and looked to their child.
"What is it?" Jade asked, watching as Mel shrugged her shoulders.
"Nothing," Mel answered, taking a bite of beans and mash before meeting her mother's eyes. Smiling innocently, "Really! It's nothing!"
"Okay," Her father smiled at her, taking a bite of his own food.
This was the Logoth family. A family of scientist and adventurers; though they were also known to take a few passengers across the galaxy if it was within their route to their next planet. Melina was only seven, growing up without a permanent home, simply from being on the move and traveling from planet to planet, village to village, etc. She never had friends, and was impossibly close with her parents, always telling them everything. Jade was a wonderful mother, a loving wife, and a women who had a head of rock. Nobody could change her mind when she made it, and that was how she met the man sitting across from her. Ban Logoth, thirty-two years old and also a wonderful pilot. He was honest, and most would probably see him as a bit half-baked; mostly because he liked to make ridiculous puns, and he had a knack for pissing off the wrong people.
"Melina," Jade smiled, seeing her daughter was starting to droop over her paper and coloring utensils. "Sweetheart, it's time for bed."
"Okay." Ban scooped his daughter up, chuckling as she squealed in glee, walking her to the bunks in their ship, a small room with two makeshift beds hooked to the wall. He dropped her on her bed, helping her take off her small boots and her dress into a shirt and pants that were much more comfortable for sleeping. Jade tucked Melina's purple blanket under her chin and placed a kiss on her forehead, brushing some locks of curly hair away from her face.
"Good night Mel," Ban smiled and kissed her cheek, hearing her soft good night as him and his wife both left the room to head back to his controls.  Jade followed him, sitting down in the copilot's chair. She smiled at him, watching as he picked up a data pad and started sorting through the new plants they found recently on an aquatic planet; a planet made of mostly sea water and little land.
"What is it?" Ban asked, looking up at his wife through thick lashes, sending her a charming half smile.
She shook her head, looking at the data pad in her lap, "It's nothing."
"Of course," He laughed, "I've been thinking."
"Oh no," Jade countered, smirking at the device, "That's never good."
Ban rolled his eyes, "Please, I have a brilliant mind." Jade stared at him with a blank look, "I noticed that Melina has some contentions with the force...I would like to train her."
"What?" Jade asked, looking at her husband with shock and worry. "What do you mean? When?"
"She could sense things," Ban stated, "she's a smart girl, and she's interested in the ways of being a force user, I could teach her."
"What if...what if she's influence by the dark side? What if she gets hurt?" Jade's voice rose before she cut herself off, "I'm sorry..it's just.."
"I understand, but I would like you to agree before we start."
"What do you mean before we start?" Jade questioned, seeing his smile turn innocent and watching as he shrugged his broad shoulders.
"She's seen my lightsaber, she wants to know." He looked at his wife, seeing the struggle she was having within herself. He was about to comfort her, perhaps make her feel less worried about the situation, but a large blast and a violent shudder broke their discussion.
"What was that?!" Jade asked, falling to the left as another blast hit their ship.
"We've got company!" Ban yelled, taking the controls and trying to get the ship to life. "Go get Melina!"
Jade ran to the bunks, seeing her daughter was awake and crying. "Sweetheart, come on!" Pulling her child from her bed she started down to the cockpit; another shake making them stumble slightly. She ignored her daughter's cries as she made it to the emergency escape pod; opening the hatch.
"It's no use, the Empire has us surrounded!" Ban yelled, coming to stand by his wife. "We must get her off."
"She's going to the nearest planet; Endor." Jade sighed softly, bending down to kiss her daughter, "You'll be safe, we will come find you dear."
Melina shook her head, "No! Don't leave me!" She cried, clutching to her mother and father, who had a sack in his hand and smiled down sadly at his child. He knew that she knew they weren't coming for her, and she was fighting to stay with them.
"Melina." Ban said, bending down to her level and kissing her cheek, "please, be still." Before she could do anything he placed two fingers over her forehead and she suddenly collapsed, falling into his arms. He placed in the pod, setting a bag with some supplies in it.
"We must release her now if we want her to get away." Jade said softly, tears in her eyes.
"Goodbye, my sweet." Ban muttered under his breath, "may the force be with you child." With those final words he shut the pod and hit the black button. They watched as the pod broke from their ship and into space, headed towards the planet Endor.
"What do we do now?"
"We must not give in." Ban said softly, taking a blaster from a rack near the cockpit.
He tossed one to Jade, giving her a smirk, "just like old times eh?"
"Yeah," Jade chuckled, rolling her eyes. She turned and kissed him, wanting a last kiss before they both met their demise.
"Hands up!!" They broke apart, turning and firing at the herd of storm troopers.