The Hunt for the Sith Hunter

[jokemaster]

"I don't know, but I'll try. Hold on a minute."

He went to the back of the store, Roma motioned for Riebe to follow

[Writer]

Riebe hesitated before following Roma and Bristow into the back of the store. Jokemaster's communicater was grasped tightly in her left hand... she didn't want to crush it in her uneasiness, as she was sure she would do if it were in her right hand.

[jokemaster]

Bristow headed to an antient holo-net terminal. He pressed some buttons and suddenly a shadow appeared on-screen.

"What do you want?" Asked the shadow, it's voice disguised.

"I have something you may want. I found it on Corusant, it's an old weapon that's on your list."

The man stayed silent for a while then asked. "And what do you want in return?"

"I have someone who wants you to answer some questions about a certain item. The Sith Hunter's communicator."

The shadow seemed to consider this.

"Fine. Meet my at the same place we traded last time."

Suddenly the shadow disappeared.

"Forgive him, he's a little rude." Said Bristow. "Ah, well. This way."

He led them out of the shop, and into a hovercar. He drove that a few blocks until he reached a seedy-looking street.

"We need to walk from here."

[Writer]

"Fine," Riebe answered. The communicator was still in her left hand and now her right shifted slightly to feel the lightsaber on her right hip.

 

Back when the Emperor took over, Riebe had discarded her blue saber staff for the lightsabers of two Jedi Masters that were killed. The one she touched had once belonged to Master Mace Windu. She had sworn to wield these two sabers until the Masters were avenged. Though they had long since been avenged, Riebe retained their lightsabers, having lost hers entirely.

 

Long before that, her original saber had been lost to her when she faked her death. Though she thought there might be a chance of seeing the blue saber staff again, she often joked with herself about finding her first lightsaber. She was thoroughly convinced she would never see it again.

 

"Lovely place," she muttered as she followed Bristow along the street.

[jokemaster]

"His hangout, not mine. Ah, here we are."

He opened a door and they entered an empty dock.

"He should be here in a moment. He always shows himself late, paranoid about ambushes and the like."

[Writer]

"Smart man," Riebe observed.

[jokemaster]

"He didn't learn easily." Replied Bristow. Then a small droid appeared, and scanned the area. It disappeared and a ship came in. It landed and the ramp came out. A figure dressed in armor and a helmet obscuring his face descended. He spoke to Riebe, the only figure he hadn't associated with Bristow and logically the one with the question.

"What do you want?"

[Writer]

Riebe held back a grin. This man was her kind of guy... got straight to the point. She held up the Sith Hunter communicator and followed his lead, getting straight to the point. "Where did you get this?"

[jokemaster]

"Why does it interest you?"

[Writer]

"It belonged to a friend of mine," Riebe answered. "A very long time ago..."

[jokemaster]

The man stepped closer to Riebe.

"The only people who knew this man died long ago."

[Writer]

"Before and after him, I suppose," Riebe said evenly. "I am gradually discovering that not so many of us are dead as I originally thought... do you mean to tell me that the man who owned this is alive?"

[jokemaster]

"The man who owned it before me is dead." Said the man, dodging the question.

[Writer]

Riebe allowed a sort of thin smile. "Did you kill him to get it?" she asked dryly. Then, she shook her head. "Don't answer that. The man once known by the Sith Hunters as Jokemaster... that is who I am asking about."

 

Though her face seemed calm and collected, her right hand was balled up into a fist, proving that she was rather agitated.

[jokemaster]

The man remained calm.

"I don't know about this thing's history before I got it. A jedi gave it to me in return to passage. 'Cept he wasn't like a normal jedi, I don't know there was something about him..."

[Writer]

Riebe remained silent for a moment, trying to keep herself calm. When she spoke again, she almost sounded out of breath. "Where?"

[jokemaster]

"Last I saw him was on an asteroid in the Kessel run."

[Writer]

Another long silence. "Attractive place... Thank you."

 

She turned to leave and shook her head in amusement at the irony of her situation. First, she found herself in the pleasant place of waiting to see if the little group of people who knew of her could find her. Now, she found herself in a wild goose chase for a man she had seen die.

[jokemaster]

"If you're looking for him, my advice is let it go. He's long gone." Called the man after her.

[Writer]

Riebe froze. With her back still turned to him, she said, "Would you happen to know where he's gone? I would really like to speak with him."

[jokemaster]

"I don't know where he's gone, but I can help you look for him. Probably save you some hours trying to find the right asteroid."

[Writer]

Riebe's right hand unclenched. She was beginning to settle down. "Thank you." Turning to Roma, she said, "Thank you for being such a good delivery man. I'll never forget this."

 

Then she turned to Bristow. "Thank you for sending Roma to me." She paused. "Just one question... how do you know who I am? And why send this to me?"

[jokemaster]

"I know things, Ms. Sothe. Two of them happened to coincide. Some people believes that when the right thing and the profitable thing show up then they have a choice to make. I believe there's no choice at all."

[Writer]

"Thank you again," Riebe said quietly. Then, she turned to the other man. "Introductions first. Then, I'll ask where we're going. I'm Riebe Sothe."

[jokemaster]

"Frank Martins." Replied the man.