Out in space near the Auril Sector

[the_force_abides]

Quin entered normal space just outside of the nebula he and Khaleen have been calling home for several years now. The nebula was a perfect hiding spot, in fact many smugglers used it to cover their tracks, but not many knew of the planetoids existing within its range. Halting forward motion and checking the scanners, short and long range, Quin waited most of an hour to be sure he was alone in this corner of the galaxy before he opened a holo-channel to his family, a slow smile spreading across his lips as his wife's holographic form materialized. Varp, he missed her.

Comments

[the_force_abides]

"It's about kriffing time you called, stranger!" Khaleen said once the connection was established. "Can you see our star out there?"

[the_force_abides]

"Sure can. It's blazing bright enough to wash out its neighbor." He replied, confirming through the code phrases that the transmission was secure and he was not in danger. "Do you see any hint of its neighbors?" He added, seeking her own confirmation.

[the_force_abides]

"Not from where I'm sitting." She replied, confirming things were safe and secure on her end. "It's good to see you again. Are you heading straight in?"

[the_force_abides]

"No, I need to refuel first." He admitted, his reluctance plain. "How are the kids?"

[the_force_abides]

"Doing well, although Korto seems to have gotten it in his head he deserves more than Larin, no matter what's offered, since he's bigger and older," Khaleen replied with an eye roll. Korto, their first born, was now nearly ten and he didn't take too well to a sister intruding on his family. Both parents had thought he was over it but clear six years wasn't enough time.

[the_force_abides]

"I'll talk with him," Quin said sighing. "With you going out next, I think it is about time he and I got a few things figured out."

He paused for a moment before adding, "I think it's time I taught the kids how to work with the Force."

[the_force_abides]

Khaleen paled enough Quin could even see it in the hologram.

"Are you sure?" She asked. She trusted Quin in everything but with the Empire actively hunting Force wielders and Jedi, it just didn't seem wise. In fact it seemed like putting their children in danger.

[the_force_abides]

Quin held his hands up defensively.

"Just hear me out and if you still think it's a bad idea, I won't. I worry they'll begin reaching out to it, unskilled and unsupervised. What if that happens the next time they are with you and an Empire trade officer is being threatening? Or they're at a cantina when a fight breaks out? What happens if they turn it into a game and don't tell us? If they don't learn how to hide it, every time they touch the Force it will be like a ripple that the Empire will notice, sooner or later.

"But if I teach them, they can hide. They can even begin helping us. Another pair of eyes looking for trouble can't hurt right? I am talking minimal training here. Nothing beyond their years and I am not making new Jedi. I promise."

[the_force_abides]

"You do have a point," she admitted, reluctantly. "Let's start small and see how it goings, okay? And for the record, I don't like it."

Then, because she can tell there is something more, she asks, "What else is there?"

[the_force_abides]

Quin smiled ruefully as he can never hide anything from his wife.

"This is going to sound insane or more Force...stuff, but if you are going to take the Paw, you should know about it. A few times now, doorways onboard have lead to a strange cantina. I'm not making this up and they were not Force visions. I was able to bring back a napkin from the place, so this I know at least. People there claimed it was in another dimension and that the bar, as they called it, made portals to other universes. I know it sounds completely farkled, but it's true and I wanted to make sure you know about it instead of finding out on your own."

[the_force_abides]

The image of Khaleen pinched the bridge of her nose before answered. "Why is it never simple things with you?"

[the_force_abides]

"Because then you wouldn't love me?" He hazards.

[the_force_abides]

Sighing and smirking, Khaleen replied, "Damn right. Okay, I'm taking my ship and you aren't to take the kids in yours unless it's an emergency. Now go get your ship refueled so I can kiss you."

[the_force_abides]

"As my Queen commands," Quin replied, signing off.

On Taris

[the_force_abides]

Refueling was never much trouble, as long as you had the credits for it, and so the man calling himself Korvas wandered the market for gifts to bring to his family eventually finding a pair of bogwings for the kids and a bracelet for Khaleen. Business wrapped up, he returned to the berth his ship was being refueled at before some twinge of the Force made him stop and pull back into the shadows.

A first he didn't see anything amiss but after a few minutes he saw a shadow up in the catwalks lean forward and look about impatiently. Following the directions it looked, he spotted two more shadows in hiding, each seemingly armed with rifles of some sort. An ambush, how marvelous.

An hour later, with the gifts safely stowed, Korvas was just leaving the outer atmosphere in the Paw, the explosion in the hanger below illuminating the hull nicely.

Bounty Hunters never seem to know what to do with Jedi who don't engage them directly. To be fair, not even Jedi or Sith can do much against a good force cloak and well placed charges.