“BOOM!!” The sound reverberated through the area. Captain Theraguin shook his head. He headed in the direction of the blast. He hated the fact that there was so little that could be done. Gang members were rigging storage crates with explosives. The residents trying to survive were scavenging from them, with deadly results. Republic security has all but given up on this sector. He couldn't. He had been here a long time and he cared about the folks trying to survive in this area. As he drew closer to the smoking crate he spotted two bodies, a woman and a child. The woman was still,already dead, but he could see that the child still breathed, though faintly. Picking her up gently he headed for the nearest medical droid.

The smell of antiseptic and kolto filled her nose as she slowly opened her eyes. Her head was pounding. Reaching up her fingers encountered a bandage wrapped around her head. All she could make out was bright light. A droid's voice came from where beyond the light. “She will be fine Master. We will notify you when she can be released.” There was a hissing sound and blackness swallowed her.

***

“Honey! Cielle just hit me in the head with her empty bottle. I think that means she is hungry. That girl has uncanny aim” There was an affectionate chuckle in his voice as he said that.

“She get that from you”, her mother's voice drifted in from the other room. “After all only the best get selected to be in the Deadeyes”

“Don't I know it” he replied” We have some kind of big assignment coming up. With the bonus I should make some day I can finally get you both off this planet and someplace peaceful Maybe like Dantooine, or Ord Mantell. And maybe a little brother or sister for this one” He scooped up the scowling little toddler and threw her up in the air to make her laugh.

Her mother's soft laugh joined in as the memory faded.

***

Impatiently she checked the holo terminal again, just to make sure it was working.

“Cielle” her mother said” Its fine, its working, just like it was when you checked it five minutes ago”

“But he said he would be home today, Why hasn't he called? He is taking me shooting today”

Her mother chuckled “You are sure following in your father's footsteps. At the rate you are going you may end up as the youngest member of the Deadeyes.” She smiled at the impatient preteen pacing around the apartment.

“As long as I can shoot things, I will be happy, Its what I enjoy the most” She started pacing again.

There was a knock at the door, they both looked up startled. As they opened the door, two uniformed officers stood solemnly, silently. Her mothers face went white.

“We regret to inform you... he started

***

“Thirty days.... first they tell me my husband is dead then we are no longer eligible for government housing and have to move.” Her mother paced and ranted “There is not enough credits to get us into a decent place on this planet much less off planet like your father wanted.”

Cielle watched impassively. She had already packed all she needed. The blaster her father gave her and the stuffed bantha from his last trip home. He had told her she needed something to make her remember she was still a kid , even as he had given her his old blaster.

“ No running off to join the military though” he cracked,then turning serious, he said “I promise when this mission is done we will get off this planet, some place we can go hunting, where there is more trees than buildings and the air is clean. Til then take care of your mom.”

Again the memory started to fade. Suddenly the image of her mother's still body filled her mind. Sitting bolt upright she screamed “MOTHER!!!!” A droid behind her said “oh dear” followed by a hiss and then more blackness

***

The next time she woke she found her bantha and blaster in the bed next to her. She slipped the blaster under her pillow. Captain Theraguin was sitting beside her bed.

“Cielle” he said “ I brought your things. I am so sorry. I had been trying to take out the booby traps, even got some help, but didn't get them all.

A solitary tear rolled down her face. “Not your fault,. She struggled to get up out of bed. “I have things to do Captain. I have to go” though she had no idea where she was going, she just knew she didn't want to be there.

“You are not going anywhere youngling.” Softly he added “ I actually need your help with something.”

Cielle eyed the captain warily. He continued as if the suspicion on her face wasn't obvious. “I have a friend....

Pain. Bitterness. Drunken rages. This is what filled her life. Her misery drove her, ruled her,consumed her days,devoured her nights. Kept her from thinking, feeling. So why did she let her get herself talked into taking in this sullen suspicious preteen. Pale blue eyes stared at her through a tangle of platinum hair. Her moment of altruism was over. She opened up a fresh bottle and dove in.

When she woke,she was surprised to find instead of the usual puddle of vomit,she had a pillow tucked under her head and a light blanket over her. There was even a glass of water nearby. She sat up and drank the water. Carefully she stood up and staggered to the refresher. Feeling halfway normal, she swallowed a couple of pain pills. Hearing some noise from the other room she vaguely remembered she was not alone.

She found the girl sitting at the table with several of her blasters laid out on the table.

“Hey!! Those ain’t toys. Quit messing with them”

“I know that” she calmly replied “its a SoroSuub SSK heavy blaster and this one is a DL-2 Modified Blaster. This one,” she pointed to the one in pieces on the table,” is a Snub-Nose Combat Blaster. The one against the wall there, a D-400 Nova Carbine,shall I continue?”

“Impressive. What was your name again kid?”

“Cielle. The Captain called you Rafi?”

“The name is Rafaelle,but Rafi is okay. So where did you learn your stuff?”

A sad look crossed Cielle's face. “from my dad”

Rafi tried to remember what Therguin told her about the kid but all she could vaguely remember was something about someone being blown up, and maybe something military. She decided maybe she just needed a drink. She wandered into the kitchen for some booze.

Cielle was glad that she wasn't going to be forced to “talk about her feelings” as some of the folks at the med center tried to make her do. She went back to cleaning the combat blaster. Most of them looked like they hadn't had any maintenance in ages and it comforted her to work on them.

Time went by and it was pretty much the same story. Neither wanted to talk so the routine suited them fine. Eventually Rafi started sitting at the table with Cielle as she worked on each weapon. When the girl ran into ones she was not as familiar with, Rafi showed her how they worked. She seldom had to be shown twice. Unconsciously Rafi put off resuming her drinking a bit later each day.

“Want to go shoot some of these?” Rafi asked Cielle one morning, out of the blue. The smile that lit up Cielle's face was like the sunshine after a dark storm.

They casually sauntered into the unmarked building that had been turned into a shooting range. Rafi nodded casually at one of the folks running the place. Without looking at Cielle,she said “ she and I were in the same unit some years ago”

The sound of blaster fire echoed in the building and the scent of ozone filled the air. Cielle made a point of shooting everything they brought and was full of questions. She was too excited to notice how Rafi was wincing at the noise that echoed through the building.

Veshok Terrace Apartments – Justicar Territory

Eyes open yet unseeing,voice gone from screaming,mind lost in the nightmare. It was a scene repeated too many nights since the visit to the practice range. Cielle was at a loss as to how to help her foster mother. She could only watch helplessly and wait in the dark as what ever memories were haunting Rafi took their course. Some nights Rafi would roll off the bed and underneath trying to shelter from the horror only she could see. Those nights Cielle would gently try to coax her awake and out from under the bed. Some nights, like tonight,she ended up with a black eye.

For a long time Rafi had been doing better,her drinking was minimal and she had reduced the amount of pain pills she had been taking. Maybe it was the trip to the range,maybe it was because things had heated up in the neighborhood,maybe it was the stress of taking care of a restless teenager. Cielle didn't know what caused it, she just didn't know how to help anymore.

Cielle decided she needed to get out of the apartment for a while. She knew her friend Braedon would probably be hanging out. She wasn't the only kid in the neighborhood that had lost family. Braedon at least still had his little sister Renalda. Rena could be kind of a pest some days but she was a cute kid. Made Cielle wish she had a little sister.

Braedon smiled when he saw her and held up a couple bottles of Ruby Bliel.

“Okay where did you nick these from?” Cielle asked with a grin.

“Oh he didn't” piped up Renalda “Fieler Dan gave them to him for helping her out with something. These are my favoritist drink ever.”

They quietly stood enjoying their treat, trying to stay low key. Rena sidled over to Cielle and in a stage whisper said,”Braedon likes you” Cielle laughed and Braedon blushed a bright red.

“Renalda!” he scolded. Quickly he changed the subject and started telling Cielle how Fieler Dan's daughter was going to help them get out of the area, some place safe. Stopping mid-sentence he reached over and pushed Cielle's bangs off her face. With an inward hiss,he touched her eye gently. “How did you get that shiner? Rafi again?”

“She didn't mean to. She doesn't know what she is doing when she has those nightmares. Wish there was something I could do”

“Have you talk to Cap'n Theraguin about it?”

“I should, shouldn't I. Hey we better get out of here, you know they are cracking down on that curfew stuff.”

They slipped off to their separate ways to the sounds of shouting and battle that had become all too common in the streets

Coruscant Spaceport

Cielle shifted restlessly on the uncomfortable plasteel chair in the passenger waiting area in the spaceport. She clutched her bag nervously as she watched the stream of people passing by. They were leaving the planet. Rafaelle had finally admitted that she needed help.

It hadn't been easy. Cielle had called Theraguin and he had stopped by to see how they were doing. One look at Cielle's healing eye and split lip,he had grimly hauled Rafi into the other room to talk. Their conversation had gone on and on, voices rising and falling. Cielle tried to distract herself with a holo-vid, then a game and finally had dozed off. She had been woken by the captain gently shaking her shoulder.

“Cielle, I'm sorry that you've been hurt. Do you want me to find you another place to go?”,he offered.

Cielle had a moment of panic at that statement. She had truly grown to love her foster mother. And they were good for each other. Rafi had been doing so much better until the fighting in the streets between the Justicars and security and other Republic forces had flared up so badly. It seem to trigger more episodes,worsen the nightmares that Rafi suffered.

“No no. She needs me, I need her. We have to help her” she pleaded

“Yeah, she needs more help than she is getting Cielle. I suggested she find someone to specializes in mind healing. I know has tried gone to the Jedi before, but they doesn't seem to have helped.” Theraguin frowned in thought.” There is a place I have heard of that have some kind of people. Mystics they call them that can do some type of mind healing. Its a planet called Voss. I suggested she check it out.” Smiling at Cielle he added, “It actually eases my mind to know you will be with her.”

“Voss, okay, good, we will go.” She jumped up as if to run right out the door.

“Settle down youngling” Theraguin chuckled. “At least pack a change of clothing.” He turned to look at Rafi standing hesitantly in the doorway. “She is sticking with you girl. Take good care of her.”

Rafi swiftly moved in to give Cielle a brief hug, gratitude shining in her eyes. She softly murmured an apology in her ear. Cielle just shrugged it off wordlessly and hugged her back. Theraguin smiled and reminded them to keep in touch as he left.

Cielle stopped by Fieler Dan's place to have her pass a message on to Braedon and Renalda. Braedon had in fact been picked up by the Justicars on a curfew “violation”. Renata actually convinced a passing pair of folks to rescue her brother for her, and when he got back Fielder Dan's daughter had relocated them to a safer area. Cielle was glad they were safe though she missed her friend. But now she truly had nothing to keep her here.

So here they were, all their belongings packed into a big locker, waiting for the passenger ship, ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives.

Coruscant Spaceport

Cielle shifted restlessly on the uncomfortable plasteel chair in the passenger waiting area in the spaceport. She clutched her bag nervously as she watched the stream of people passing by. They were leaving the planet. Rafaelle had finally admitted that she needed help.

It hadn't been easy. Cielle had called Theraguin and he had stopped by to see how they were doing. One look at Cielle's healing eye and split lip,he had grimly hauled Rafi into the other room to talk. Their conversation had gone on and on, voices rising and falling. Cielle tried to distract herself with a holo-vid, then a game and finally had dozed off. She had been woken by the captain gently shaking her shoulder.

“Cielle, I'm sorry that you've been hurt. Do you want me to find you another place to go?”,he offered.

Cielle had a moment of panic at that statement. She had truly grown to love her foster mother. And they were good for each other. Rafi had been doing so much better until the fighting in the streets between the Justicars and security and other Republic forces had flared up so badly. It seem to trigger more episodes,worsen the nightmares that Rafi suffered.

“No no. She needs me, I need her. We have to help her” she pleaded

“Yeah, she needs more help than she is getting Cielle. I suggested she find someone to specializes in mind healing. I know she has tried going to the Jedi before, but they don't seem to have helped.” Theraguin frowned in thought.” There is a place I've heard of that have these people. Mystics they call them, that can do some type of mind healing. Its a planet called Voss. I suggested she check it out.” Smiling at Cielle he added, “It actually eases my mind to know you will be with her.”

“Voss, okay, good, we will go.” She jumped up as if to run right out the door.

“Settle down youngling” Theraguin chuckled. “At least pack a change of clothing.” He turned to look at Rafi standing hesitantly in the doorway. “She is sticking with you girl. Take good care of her.”

Rafi swiftly moved in to give Cielle a brief hug, gratitude shining in her eyes. She softly murmured an apology in her ear. Cielle just shrugged it off wordlessly and hugged her back. Theraguin smiled and reminded them to keep in touch as he left.

Cielle stopped by Fielder Dan's place to have her pass a message on to Braedon and Renalda. Braedon had in fact been picked up by the Justicars on a curfew “violation”. Renata actually convinced a passing pair of folks to rescue her brother for her, and when he got back Fielder Dan's daughter had relocated them to a safer area. Cielle was glad they were safe though she missed her friends. But now she truly had nothing to keep her here.

So here they were, all their belongings packed into a big locker, waiting for the passenger ship, ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives.

On Board the Stardream

Cielle wandered the ship in amazement. There was so much to do that this two week journey couldn't possibly be enough to enjoy all the amenities. Rafaelle had chosen to hole up in their cabin, pleading illness, but she sent Cielle out to enjoy the ship. Reality was she was having trouble balancing her medications, trying to keep herself sedated enough to calm her nightmares and quash her paranoia but not so out of it that she was non-functional. It was easier to do without an active and bored teenager underfoot.

After trying out the different swimming pools, checking out the music venues and being chased out of the on-board casino (twice), Cielle settled for the playing in the holo-gaming suite. She settled on playing a game that had her hunting Rakghouls that she enjoyed playing. She had never played it in the advanced 3-D setting the holo-gaming environment offered and she was fascinated by the sense of reality it offered.

She had just reached her 500th kill when she heard clapping from behind her. She whirled to see an older man applauding.

“I am quite impressed young lady” he said to her. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she took a step back. “The name is Braden. You are probably the best shot I have ever seen.”

She whipped out the small blaster she always carried with her and held it levelly at the man. “I think you better step away mister”

He didn't look surprised and kept his hands where she could see them. “I mean no harm. I promise, I am not being a creepy old man.”

“Yeah right” she said as she moved towards the exit, keeping her eye on the man. Too many encounters with creepy old men on Coruscant had taught her to always be wary. Reaching the doorway she slipped her blaster back in the holster at the small of her back and lost herself in the crowd.

Back in the holo-gaming suite Braden just chuckled. Nerves of steel, he thought, and what a shot. I'll have to keep an eye on that one, she may be the one I have been looking for.