The Crimson Twilight of 50 ABY

Chapter Ten

Esmere

All I felt was coldness on my back yet the warmth of my mother's cardigan as I came from my sleep. Something felt wrong, and I'm guessing that's what woke me up. My eyes fluttered open to see that I was still in Mara's ship, still laying down on the bench, and still on my way to Tatooine.  I sat up and stretched, looking around but no one was in the Common Room with me.

That's strange...
I thought.

As I scratched the back of my neck I realized that the string holding my crystal was gone, making my heart speed up.
I jumped to my feet, and got my bag, then searched through it, looking for any sign of my crystal. I can't go to my Aunt without it!
It was to the point where I was dropping things and not caring, just looking for the tiny white and red crystal. The last thing in my bag was my half of mom's broken lightsaber. Though I felt and looked inside of the opening, my crystal wasn't there.
I fell to my knees, grasping the lightsaber hard.
It's gone...

"Esmere, are you okay?" Mara's sweet voice came from behind me. She sounded a little too sweet.
I veered so I could look up at her. Her features suggested curiosity and her hands were behind her back.
"My mother's Kyber Crystal is missing..." I answered timidly. "Without it, I don't think I can go to Tatooine."

"Ah, so you mean this?"
Mara brought her left hand in front of me and there it was.
The crystal hanging from her palm.

My eyes lit up and I immediately reached for it but she moved it away swiftly.
"No, I can not give it to you, my friend." She smirked. "This crystal belongs to me now."
I couldn't really process any of it, only that I couldn't call for help. "Give it to me." I hissed, glaring at her intensely while I stood up to her level. Mara merely laughed at me. "You really think I'm going to give it up that easily? You are obviously not the brightest star in the galaxy. James, Gavon, Juno, come join me and our friend."
James and Gavon came out from the cockpit followed by the pilot Juno who I've never actually seen. She was a pretty woman with pale skin and dark long hair to frame her round face and she wore armor that reminded me of the armor that a Stormtrooper would wear.
The three came and stood behind Mara; James with his hand on the blaster on his back; Gavon with his chin high; And Juno with a hand on her hip.
"Mara... I need that crystal." I said, my tone of voice being a warning to her.
"And I need it more." Mara replied as the sweetness was replaced by bitterness. "Without this crystal, I can't help bring unity back to the Galaxy. Yet I'm not going to reveal much too soon. James, you still have the Saber?"
James didn't answer.
"No, Miss, he lost it on Batuu." Juno answered for him. "And he expected that I wouldn't say anything."
Mara scoffed, pocketing the crystal. "How could you lose it?! That was vital to our mission! Just wait till they hear about this... Anyway, as you can see, Esmere, I have plans for this crystal. And nothing is getting in my way."
"How dare you!" I shouted. "I... I trusted you!"
"Oh, you poor, naive little boy..." She brought up her hand and caressed my cheek slowly. "Trust is for the weak. Have this be a lesson learned."
I lunged at her, full of anger, grabbing onto the collar of her shirt yet she shoved me down to the ground harshly. I groaned in pain and when I looked up at Mara there was a dagger being pointed at me, her eyes narrowed. "Do not challenge me, Yorkshire."

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" I questioned.
"No, I'm not going to kill you, your death would bring me no benefit. But I am going to use you. So don't worry, we'll still be going to Tatooine, but you most definitely won't be seeing that Jedi you're searching for." Mara smirked wide and that's when I knew that I had failed.
This was it.
My crystal was in the hands of someone who I thought was my friend.
I was stuck on a ship in the middle of space.
And I ran from home without saying a proper goodbye.