An Unwelcome Return

[Kyle Krogen]

When the light streaks by and the only sound is the humming the engines. Here one can relax and contemplate life. For Kyle Krogen he found his recent life had been a lie. He had dropped his jedi oaths and become a mercenary working both sides of the war, just for the money. But the impeding darkness in the galaxy had convinced him that galaxy needed him more then he needed the credits. He resurrected his oaths, to protect the innocent, defend the defenseless, and to enforce the laws of a just government. He once again was a guardian of light and righteousness; no longer would the darkness or lies decide his course. From now on he would battle the forces of darkness, instead of being employed by them…

The Lightsabre pulled gently out of hyperspace above the grey sphere of Coruscant, the city planet. “Come in, unidentified vessel. This is Watch Tower sixty-three Please submit your identification codes,” crackled a voice over the comm unit. Kyle sighed and punched in the landing codes given him by his imperial contacts, “Everything checks out, welcome to Coruscant Mister Fhen.” The man said, using the alias attached to the code. Kyle closed the connection and grabbed his control yoke in both hands and navigated the x-wing down towards Coruscant’s metal surface.

Fifteen minutes later the Lightsabre set down on the pad his imperial contacts had set aside for him, a few miles from their headquarters—No sense in making it look like they were weak enough to be hiring a rogue pilot, right? Kyle popped the cockpit cover open and climbed out. He removed his flight suit to reveal the clothing he wore under it. He wore a black shirt, pants, and boots. He pulled his helmet off and attempting to fix his messy blond hair. He gave after awhile and stored the items in his ship. He pulled a black nerf hide jacket out and slipped it on. He then checked the surrounding area to make sure no one was looking and then pulled two long silver pole-like objects from a secret compartment in the cockpit and slipped on of them into his pant pocket and the other into his coats inside pocket. Normall he didn’t carry both of his lightsabres on him at one time, but he had a feeling he might be needing them, or that he won’t be making it back to the Lightsabre anytime soon, so he might as well take them with him.

He took a turbo lift down from the raised platform he had landed on and emerged on ground level. He pushed through the crowds and towards the building his imperial contacts use. It nearly an hour for him to reach the dull grey building that didn’t sport a name on its side, or on a map. Kyle walked around the building to the back door and knocked on it softly. A hatch opened and a pair of eyes looked out at Kyle, “Oh, you. Back so soon?” There was a chuckle and then the door slid open to show the rest of the imperial as he returned his blaster to its holster.

Kyle pushed past him and headed deeper into the building, up a flight of stairs, and pausing in the doorway of the imperial officer’s office. There was another man in the room with the officer. “So Jensen, what are you going to do about the rogue in the slums who’s killing our men?” The other man asked the officer, “Nothing right now. I don’t have the resources or men to search every hiding spot down there. It would take months and we would loose even more men,” Jensen said, turning away from the man and noticing Kyle in the doorway, “Ah, Krogen. You arrived just in time,” Jensen looked sidelong at the other man for a moment, winked, and then returned his gaze to Kyle, “We’ve had a problem in the slums, a little miscreant has been attacking imperials down in the O’phex Slums. We need you to get down there and put this individual down,” Jensen finished, looking quite smug for how deftly he thought he had handled the situation.

“No,” Kyle answered.

“No haggling here, Krogen. I’m not going to raise the payment.”

“I don’t think you understand, Mister Jensen. I don’t want to take the job, in fact…” He paused, mustering his courage for what he would say next, “…I am here to tell you I am resigning.”

“Resigning?” Jensen asked, clearly confused.

“Yes. I will not longer be accepting jobs or contracts from you or any other imperial force. I am my own man now.”

Jensen rose to his feet, “Don’t be a fool, Krogen. What could possibly change your mind from ‘assisting’ your government?”

“The fact that I serve no government, Mister Jensen, and that the present one is corrupt and evil. I march under a different flag now. So, I bid they farewell.” Kyle said and turned to leave, but the other man was pulled a blaster from his coat and aiming it at Kyle. He pulled the trigger and a red bolt lashed out towards Kyle; who spun around, pulling something from his pocket. A beam of purple energy shot from his hand and reflected the energy bolt. The man who had fired looked down to see a smoking hole in his chest. He tried to say something, but his mouth only opened and closed, no words coming out. He slipped from his chair and landed on the floor and never moved again.

“Krogen, you idiot!” Jensen screamed, rushing to the side and activating the alarm mounted on the wall, and then pulled his own weapon out to bear on Kyle. But no sooner had he aimed the weapon then he found himself falling, his body severed in half at the waist, and Kyle standing beside him, glowing blade in hand, “I’m sorry Mister Jensen. Your death is not your fault, but your government’s. Go now to peace and may god have mercy on your soul…” He said, quietly to the now lifeless husk that had been Corporal Ivan Jensen.

The sound of heavy boots brought Kyle back to the present. He ran out the door and came face to face with a group of armed men, “Open fire!” All the men leveled weapons and opened fire. Kyle jumped high into the air, kicking off a wall and landing behind the soldiers. Dropped low and removed two of the men from their knees. But even before they hit the ground, Kyle’s other sabre appeared in his left hand, a vibrant silver beam humming softly. He rushed through the air, removing limbs and heads from the soldiers in a series of intricate spins and flips. He threw himself down the stairs, throwing a soldier over the rail with the force as he moved. He came to the bottom and faced the door guard; who was leveling a disruption rifle on Kyle. Kyle threw his sabre, cleaving the weapon in half and removing the man’s arm. He finished the man up with a blow to the chest. He pulled his thrown lightsabre back to his hand, deactivated both weapons, and returned them to their hiding places.

He exited the building and headed for nearest turbo lift and headed down towards the O’phex Slums. The man down in the slums had caught Kyle’s interest. He knew he would need allies in his war against the empire and the sith, and this rogue sounded like the kind of person who offer assistance to the war. Now the tricky part would be just to find him and after that to convince him to join Kyle in his crusade. One step at a time, Kyle told himself, as the turbolift door opened and he stepped out and into dim lighting of the O’phex Slums.

[Bandage]

The alleyways of the O'phex Slums were littered with dumpsters, garbage disposals, and burn barrels with bums huddled near them. In the deepest part of the slums, where the darkness clung to the area, a man in bandages was sifting through the recently disposed food, in hopes of finding a meal. He wore a white dress shirt and black slacks, now dirty and dingy. The black longcoat, a little tattered, flowed in the wind, the hat tipped low to hide part of his hideous visage. The man whose very namesake clung to his body found a package of food that was unopened, and began tearing into it, eating past the slightly expired parts. The rasp of his voice didn't even echo through the alleyway as he spoke to himself.

"Mmmm, brazed beef. Wonderful."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle looked around the dim under city that spread out before him. He fought hard to stop himself from gagging on the stench that rose from a nearby garbage heap and the group of people living in it. The underworld had changed greatly since Kyle had grown up down here. He found his feet walking on their own, treading familiar passages, passing the remains of old gang graffiti on the walls. He walked for a good amount of time until he stopped in front of a door. Still visible on the door was the image of a Slashrat painted in black standing on a slash of bloody red. Kyle raised his hands and touched the image and felt the memories welling up inside of him. He remembered when he had first seen these doors, back when he was a dirty street rat with nowhere to go. He had joined a gang by the name of the "Bloody Slashrats" and he had risen through the ranks till he third in command of the gang. He had been big for his age and could crack someone's head open with a single blow from his wicked club.

He felt something wet tricked down his cheek and found that he was on his knees, crying. He had caused so much pain and suffering on the denizens of the O'phex Slums and the levels above. How could he ever make amends for his crimes and his guilt. Surely he couldn't repay the citizens of Coruscant for being that selfish, brat of a child that had robbed them, killed their family members, and burned their homes to the ground just so he could live another day.

He rose to his feet, wiped the tears from his face, and slammed his fist against the door. He would do something for these people. He would fight for their independence from the tyrant government of the empire, but even then his debt would not be repaid, nor could it ever be.

Kyle turned away from the door and reached out with the force. After a few moments he found what he was looking for; a faint, hidden force signature radiating from someone nearby. The vast amount of life between him and the individual made it hard to be sure where he was, but he found that as he walked towards it that the signal got clearer and clearer. Eventually he stumbled upon a man standing next to a garbage can; eating something, half moldy, to his hearts content.

There was no doubt to it all; it was this man that Kyle had been following like a homing beacon. Kyle started forward, but paused. How should he approach this man? Kyle looked down at his clothing. It was made of a fine black fabric and his shirt alone was worth more then all the clothing worn by the man before him. So much for blending in... Kyle thought and walked off towards the man, "Good eating, eh?" He asked looking down into the trash can and remembering the days he had scrounged for food in the garbage.

[Bandage]

Bandage felt something strange, like someone watching him, just before he heard the words. Not too suprised, Bandage turned around, his wrapped visage visible in the low light. Wiping his mouth, he laughs a rough, short laugh, before answering.

"Well, it's not Pierre Skyrocket's, but it serves for nourishment...."

The mention of Pierre Skyrocket's was probably not the best idea. It was a restaurant of well-repute on the upper side of Coruscant. The food there was not too expensive, and they had the best selections of meals and meats. High quality at good prices....

His coat, slightly dirty and tattered but for the most part intact, fluttered behind him. The wind felt good on what was left of his skin. Bandage looks back to the stranger. He heard a little, voice in his head. It had no real sound to it, but it carried some small information to him.

*Kyle Krogen*

Bandage spoke thoughtfully.

"You wouldn't happen to be Kyle Krogen, would you?"

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle looked up from the trash can; he had been poking through for the last five seconds, at the man with a look of surprise on his face. How could this man know who he was? An imperial perhaps, or something else, "Uh, er, Yes. I am Kyle Krogen," He said, standing up from the can and looking the man over carefully for any detail he might have missed, such as an insignia or concealed weapon, but found none, "How is it you know my name, strange?"

It was possible that the man had taken part in the gang war nine years ago and recognized Kyle's face, despite its changes. It was impossible for Kyle to even try and recognize the man's face under all the bandages he wore and what he could see only revealed charred skin.

[Bandage]

Bandage shook his head, smiling.

"A little birdy told me..."

He took a few more bites of the food, before tossing it behind him, back into the dumpster. As he did this, he got a feeling to him.

Force sensitive....has to be.....

Focusing on Kyle, Bandage realized that he was wielding at least one lightsaber, if not two.

"So, what side are you on, Mr. Krogen?"

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle slowly folded his hands together behind his back and looked out at Bandage, still examining him, "What side am I on, I was hoping the little birdie would have told you that too, would have saved us some time," He smiled a little, "I'm on the side of peace, life, and justice, not tyranny, hate, or destruction. You could align me with the Rebel Alliance, but I am in fact a member of a group of much higher standing then the empire itself. I am a warrior of light," He paused, mostly for dramatic effect," I am a Jedi."

He strode forward, pulling one of his hands out and offering it to the man, "Kyle Krogen, at your service."

[Bandage]

Bandage nodded slightly, then turned back to sift through the garbage, looking for more food.

"Well, that's good. You could say that I am as well.....well, I can't find my master at the moment....So I'm kinda stuck here. And with no real home, my original job gone, and the Empire thinking that I am dead, I have no money. So, really, instead of a Jedi, I am more or less....."

He paused for dramatic effect.

"....a bum. And are you sure you want to shake hands with me? I did just dig in the garbage, and am still doing so. Sorry, but I'm incredibly hungry...."

[Kyle Krogen]

"Eh, no worries there," Kyle said as he shook the man's hand, "I've been there and eating garbage is nothing new to me. Yeah, I lost my master too, but not in the same way as you. I know where my master is," He pointed upwards with his finger, "He's up there, right now. Fighting the gods for possession of the holovid controller," He looked back down at Bandage, who was digging through the garbage again, "If your really that hungry then why don't I accompany you to the nearest cafe for a warm meal and all the coffee you can drink," He really just wanted a reason to spend all the credits the empire had put in his private account before they discovered the mess topside and closed the account, "Whatcha say… er, I didn’t quite catch your name. What was it again?”

[Bandage]

Bandage turns to Kyle.

"That would be great! I haven't had a good cup of orange juice or joe in ages!"

And after the revelry of dancing, fresh food stopped playing in his head, Bandage spoke.

"Oh, how rude of me! My apologies. One has to be cautious in these parts....The name's Bandage."

As Bandage wipes his hands of the garbage, he gets a notion into his head. It was more like a not-so-vivid vision in his mind's eye, but it was still there. This one had worked for the Empire, but in this vision, it wasn't very apparent. He was hacking them apart. And he was in....yep, the exact same clothing as he was wearing now. Maybe a uniform. If this vision were true, it could've happened at any time, but Bandage felt that it had just happened. Looking at the vision, playing it over once more in his mind, he noted a datapad that had the time and the date on it. It was a little over thirty or fourty-five minutes ago, this very day. So he had just killed several officers.....good for him and them. Hopefully they wouldn't cancel his credits before Bandage and he got a good meal or at least a cup of O.J. to go.

"Well, let's get going, before they cancel your account....I'd like to at least get a cup of O.J. to go before the heat is on."

Bandage knew that he had said too much, or had revealed that he knew, though he had only just met the young man, but Bandage simply held no regard for the notion.

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle looked puzzled for a moment, but quickly hid it from his face, although his eyes still portrayed it, "Well, then. Let’s go," He said and they started for the nearest turbo lift. The doors opened with a not so soft hiss and the two jedi entered. As the lift ascended; Kyle puzzled over how Bandage seem to know so much about him, yet Kyle had never met him in his life. He would have to ask sometime, he just didn't feel like doing it right now.

The lift opened and the two walked out onto the surface of Coruscant. Well, technically it wasn't the planet's surface, but rather the top level. The two walked down the street, getting odd looks from just about everyone they passed. Kyle wasn't too odd to look at, a little dirty from traveling through the slums, but Bandage looked like something that crawled out of the grave and started walking. Kyle ignored the looks and stepped into a local cafe with bandage right on his heels. He ordered a cup of coffee, a glass of orange juice, and a couple air cakes. Kyle pulled out his cred chit that was tied into his imperial account and frowned when it didn't work. He paid with a few credits instead.

The two found a table outside and sat down to enjoy their drinks and air cakes. "So, how long have you been here on Coruscant, Bandage?"

[Bandage]

Bandage took a large sip from his orange juice.

"I've been here almost all my life, save for college. I travelled abroad, doing some studying..."

Scooping up a piece of air cake, Bandage began eating heartily. He got the food half-chewed before looking back up at Kyle.

"How 'bout you?"

[Kyle Krogen]

"I lived on Coruscant most of my childhood. I was a gangster, stealing and killing is what I did best. I used what little force I knew to increase my own reputation and fame in the criminal world. I ran into Nathan De'gad, a jedi, in the lower levels and he took me in like a lost son and became the only father I ever had. He died a few years later and I blasted off this rock and wandered about; working as a mercenary for awhile before joining the rebels. I got tired of the rebellion and its war with the empire and I switched sides because the empire paid more, but thats all behind me now. I'm a free man again." Kyle said giving more information then Bandage had asked for, but it made Kyle feel better to tell someone about his life and his problems, "So, do you have any plans for the future?"

[Bandage]

Bandage smiles, taking another sip.

"Well, first on my list is finishing this awesome cup of orange juice. Then, perhaps, we could find a way off this "rock," as you so eloquently put it. Perhaps with wandering, helping people and possibly picking up some mutual friends along the way, not only can I further my enlightenment, but perhaps I can get in touch with my inner self...."

Bandage used as many veiled terms as possible. He didn't want to be found out, or worse still, found out alive by the Empire. He knew that if they found out, they would come back and redo the job. And he was sure that the Inquisitoriate and the Sith would be involved....

Bandage thought, trying to project it forward. Hopefully, Kyle would get it. The thought was this:

You may want to watch what you say.......after all, if you did just come from taking care of some business, say some high-ranking officials, then you could be tailed, or bugged.....And we could be screwed. Take a good look at me......that's what happens when you cross the Empire....I'm still lucky to be alive, thanks to the Force and Master Yoghurt.

[Kyle Krogen]

I won't even begin to ask how you know all this, nor do I really want to know. They wouldn't bug me; they were undercover, badges in the pocket kind of guys. They weren’t directly endorsed by the empire; just a pair of lackeys who would rather have someone else do their dirty work. I do agree, though, that we should get off this planet as soon as possible. I'm sure they had cameras in there and I'm not going to wait around until my wanted poster appears on the tavern wall. Lets go Kyle said, telepathically and then rose to his feet in a slow calm manner that didn't show the anxiety he was now feeling inside. He finished off the remains of his cake and swallowed the remains of his drink, "Got any destinations in mind?"

[Bandage]

The Force is giving me the answers. I have never tried to talk like this.....I'm amazed it even got to you, along with all the information that just seems to be flowing so freely to me...

Bandage noted the tenseness, though it wasn't in Kyle's gait. Irregardless, he seemed somewhat tense.

Hey, relax, Kyle. It's hard enough to avoid any problems with me looking the way I do, let alone with you being tense. But good job trying to hide it......Just think of this as a big trip, and we're on a mission, or whatever seems easiest to you. Me? I envision an easy patient, with minute burn wounds.

Bandage got up, taking his cup with him. Taking a sip and finishing off what little contents remained of it, Bandage turned to Kyle.

"Honestly, I don't have any destinations in particular. But I heard that Nar Shaddaa would be a good place to find some friends. Or we could find some people somewhere else."

Taking a few steps to the counter, Bandage ordered another large cup of orange juice to go. As it arrived, Bandage took another sip, before turning to Kyle.

"I'm ready when you are......"

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle ran through his options. Nal Shaddaa, the smugglers moon, did sound interesting, but he doubted he'd find any allies there. He tapped his finger against his chin and he thought about it. There were many possibilities. Corellia, Ord Mantell, Tatooine, or even Ryloth. He knew people and had contacts on all those planets. His mind came to another conclusion, though.

"Naboo," He said, looking up over at Bandage, "I think Naboo would be better to go to," He glanced around the cafe for a moment, "Ok, lets go," He headed out the door with bandage right behind him and started down the street. They headed towards the star port.

Instead of taking the direct route, Kyle turned down a side street for a more scenic, and less out in the open, route. This one took them through a maze of alleys, small streets, and even through a house or two as they pair made their way towards whatever destination Kyle had in mind. Eventually the pair left the overcrowded building complexes and stood out in an wide open space. Before them stood what remained of a colossus building.

"The Jedi Temple," Kyle said, mostly to himself, "Its remains stand here a reminder to the few of us that are left, I really wish I could have seen it while it stood; a great, magnificent building. A wonder of the world, really," He turned to look at Bandage, but something else caught his eye. A green skinned alien was standing close to ruins, almost as if it was investigating it, "Who do you suppose that it?"

[Axius Keldara]

"Finally..." Ax said to himself as he gazed up at the massive structure before him. "the Jedi Temple! What a sight! Wow..." Ax didn’t know what else to say. All his life he had dreamed of this moment and what he'd do once he got here and now, when he was actually there, he stood as stiff as a statue and was about as brain dead as one to boot.

Shaking free of his stupor, Ax started moving further into the ruins. All he could think about now was the fact that this is where the renowned Jedi Master of the High Council, his distant uncle, Kit Fisto trained and attended the Council meetings. Kit Fisto was Ax's hero. He knew everything, or at least everything he could get his hands onto, about him; from which Lightsabre style he practiced to his abilities in the Force. All the things such as his missions and dealings with other Jedi were probably here in the temple, or were which was one of the reasons Ax had traveled to Coruscant to begin with.

Continuing to look around, his black eyes unblinking as they scanned the scattered pieces of rubble for anything signs of, well, anything really. It was then that Ax felt something. Something in the back of his mind was going off. Kind of like that feeling one gets when they're being watched. He had felt this before and when he confronted his parents about it, they said it was the Force talking to him. He of course didn't believe it at first, but as it started happing more and more, especially during situations of heighten emotion, he started believing them. Snapping his head left and right, his long green tendrils swings back and forth across his face, Ax knelt down behind a fallen pillar. “Is-s… s-someone… there?”

Ax was scared, that much was true. He had heard rumors about those who tried to resurrect the ways of the Jedi or even tried to follow them; they were hunted down and taken out. Looking around him for something to use as weapon, Ax picked up a rock. He was reading himself for whoever it was because he had decided a long time ago that he wasn’t going to be one of those who were hunted down, he would survive…

[Bandage]

The sight of the Jedi Temple was quite amazing, but Bandage didn't like it. He could feel the rift in the Force, the emanating of the pain. It still echoed in the area, like a scar in the Force itself. Many lives were forfeit here, and all because of simple selfishness....... He could almost hurt with them.....

Shrugging his shoulders, Bandage looked to Kyle, a slight grin on his face.

"I don't know.......maybe he's a tourist...."

Bandage took another glance at Kyle.

"But I feel it. The hurt. The pain. This is definetly the place....I bet a normal person could feel it....Or at least sense that something here is quite off....But as bad as it feels, I think we should continue inward. Who knows what we could find? Perhaps some remnants or salvageable parts from a better time...."

Bandage looked back at the green person. It had moved into the ruins, and was.....Bandage could feel some anticipation, some fear....he was waiting. Bandage could almost feel the rock in his hand...Bandage looked at his own hand. There was no rock there.....but he was feeling the rock in the other male's hand.....and he knew he was male. He could feel it. But he couldn't get anything else. The tangible aura of pain in the metaphysical ether was drowning out the other messages that the Force had to offer. It was too busy trying to heal a scar from a wound that would probably never be quite right.....

Bandage looked back once more to Kyle.

"But we should be cautious. There could be Imperials nearby.....or this green man could be armed. Though, I doubt he could do much more than throw rocks at us. I think he has one in his hand right now......."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle continued to watch the green figure as it moved through the rubble. In all his days on Coruscant he had never seen someone go digging in the remains of the temple, because everyone knew that anything valuable would have been plundered long ago. Kyle himself had poked through the rubble on two occasions, the first just because he was starving to death and he needed something to trade for food, the second time he had gone looking for any artifacts or remains of the jedi.

"Yes, a hundred jedi died in this place. Most would speculate that it torn a hole in the fabric of the force and even though the wound has healed, the scar still remains. This place will probably always radiate this aura of pain and suffering, and I would hope it would. It would serve as a reminded to the truth. That a great Jedi Order had in fact existed here, once upon a time." Kyle said, tacking his eyes off the green man and looking sideways at Bandage instead, "Let us move deeper into the ruins," Kyle suggested. To the typical person this would sound like an honest statement of a possible curiosity, but Bandage would be able to tell Kyle had another motive for moving into the ruins. The green man was a force sensitive.

Kyle didn't know why he picked up such things so easily. It was a unique ability, his master had told him. Kyle thought it a wasted gift, one more worthy of a wiser Jedi. Kyle excelled in the physical, but was as good as a paper bag in a storm when it came to the more mental aspects of the force.

As the two jedi pushed their way over, through, and around the many obstacles, they found themselves moving closer and closer to the green man, either by the will of the force or because Kyle wanted to talk to the man. In a few minutes they arrived a few feet away from where the green man huddled, rock in hand, "Good afternoon," Kyle said, his hands held out and open, a sign of peace and goodwill, and also a sign that he held no weapon, "May I ask what brings you way out here?"